I have been looking for information on a .30-.378. I would like to build one of these. Does anyone out there have information about this rifle?

Well I have some basic facts:

1. It kicks very hard

2. Brass is expensive and loaded ammunition is even worse

3. It doesn't really offer much over a 300 Weatherby

4. Why not choose a larger caliber if you need that kind of energy?

quote:

Originally posted by LongShot007:
I have been looking for information on a .30-.378. I would like to build one of these. Does anyone out there have information about this rifle?

What do you want to know....

I have been using one since Weatherby first came out with the chambering in their Accurmark.

As stated eluded to above, it is more than enough in many ways and too much for most uses....but I find it works very well as an ultra long range deer rifle.

quote:

It doesn't really offer much over a 300 Weatherby

I think that's a little bit of an understatement. The 30-378 has about 30% more capacity than the 300 and there is really not much of a comparison when you get into the really heavy bullets like 250 grains. Think of the 30-378 as a 30-416 Rigby.

But all the other things Tyler said are true.

A few guys tried them at 1000 yard benchrest but the added power didn't come with any added accuracy.

ray

Okay, I spoke wrong. It could be a fun cartridge if you are up to the recoil. I'm just a kid and don't have as much experience as most guys on here. I know if I, or most others were to start shooting a 30-378 Weatherby before we had shot for a while, we would develop a horrendous flinch. When I spoke of not much gain over a 300 Weatherby, I meant with lighter bullets. With anything under 180 you don't see that much extra, but with heavier bullets it gets a couple hundred fps more. If you handload you could get shells cheaper, but brass is still expensive. In my view a 300 RUM is a better choice if you want something ultra-powerful in .308 caliber. Most shooting shops have some ammo for them and prices aren't so outrageous. Didn't mean to offend any 30-378 users by my first post.

Tyler

You didn't offend anybody. This forum is to exchange inormation and that's exactly what you did. You made a very good point that the rest of us overlooked. A 300 RUM would be a lot better choice.

Keep your posts coming.

Ray

Tyler, you didn't offend anyone, and you showed wisdom beyond your years! I hope you listen to yourself on occasion! What you said is basically correct, and in some ways understated. Most calibers which operate at the extremes for their bore are some form of compromise.

I went the .300 RUM which is easy to load and offers a lot of power and it does not kick that much IMHO..................although I do have it in a rem 700 PSS (heavy barrel) aith Badger mount and rings and heavy MK4 Leupold scope, its a fun round and shoots 200 gr NOS ab's very well.

Yes I have one and unless you have actually taken game with one, the extra that it provides is easily missed in just reviewing numbers. Like everything else whether it is a hot car, boat or otherwise, performance above and beyond most comes at a price. I can truely tell you from first hand experience with a well placed shot from 180gr Partitions it will just floor an Elk. With the Accumark, the weak point of the rifle is the forearm of the stock. It has the potential to cause pressure points if you get locked up on an animal in the field and use a sling for stabilization. I do handload and use H-870 which I am about to run out of. You can also load it down very accurately to 300 Win velocities with RL-22. Recoil with the muzzle brake is about like an 8 pound 30-06. The muzzle blast is hard to get used to. It is very accurate and gives me a feeling of field confidence unachievable with any of my other rifles. Most people throw stones at it because of price, recoil, or just personal values. I think Weatherby rifles get a bumb rap because of their price but so do Ferraris. Make no mistake, in the proper hands it is an awsome tool.

Yes, another point is the muzzlebreak. I've never shot a 30-378, but without a muzzlebreak or especially with one you need good hearing protection. I agree wholly with 30378's quote"It is very accurate and gives me a feeling of field confidence unachievable with any of my other rifles." My 7mm RM makes me feel that way. My last 3 deer seasons I didn't have my own deer rifle. After missing a humongous buck 3 times with a 30-30, it's hard to like that gun anymore. I was 11 and shaky, but the first lever-gun I'll buy is gonna be a 45-70. Get whatever makes you feel confident, but make sure you know what you're getting into if you choose the 30-378 Weatherby.

sounds like Tyler is a graduate of the ELMER KEITH academy.

Having owned both a 30-378 and a 300 RUM I thought I might be able to provide some help with your question.

I purchased a WBY Accumark in a 30-378 about 5 years ago and was extremely happy with it for quite a while. Yes...brass and loaded ammo is fairly expensive but if you reload it is a little more bearable. On game the rifle was nothing short of fantastic...a well placed shot never failed to turn the lights out immediately. Will a 30/06 or a 300 Win Mag do the same...of course...but I will vouch for the added confidence the extra velocity adds. Having said that...the muzzle blast with the factory muzzle break will help you make enemies at the gun range real fast and don't even think about hunting without ear plugs. The decible level with the factory break approaches some of the big 50 cals I have heard. Recoil without the break was nothing short of stiff...the recoil velocity was some of the fastest I have ever seen.

quote:

It has the potential to cause pressure points if you get locked up on an animal in the field and use a sling for stabilization.

2 Years later I sold the gun for this very reason. The forend had become more flexible over time and began to cause erratic shot placement. A 3/4 MOA rifle wouldn't hold 3" at 100 yds.

I had a custom 300 RUM built on a Remington 700 action and was elated with its performance. I wanted a rifle that could push 30 cal performance but without a muzzle break. I was so pleased with the 300 RUM that I am having a second barrel chambered in 375 RUM and am expecting delivery of it any day now.

quote:

I have been looking for information on a .30-.378. I would like to build one of these. Does anyone out there have information about this rifle?

You never really mentioned what the rifle was to be used for. If it is for target purposes only then the 30-378 might be a decent choice for ultra long range work. If you intend on hunting with the gun then I would advise you to get something like the RUM or hunt with ear plugs. Since you are going the custom route I would look into a 26-28" barrel with either cartridge...the extra barrel length provides a nice increase in velocity. Just my two cents.

I actually owned an accumark in 30-378,and then sold it to build a 300ultramag.The ultramag is very close ballistically,with less recoil,and much cheaper brass.

I am attempting to gather information to hopefully build a custom. I think I need to procure a Sako Magnum ring action (If this is wrong, let me know. As far as what I will do with this, Let me give some back ground info.

Me and a couple of buddies, during our bachelor years, spent ALOT of time on the local range. Hooked up with a local reloader with a shop close. He pretty much only shoots wildcats, and after spending time in his shop the bug bit hard to look "outside the box".

That was about six years and a pair of 5 year old twins ago.

Always wanted a rifle that really had no problems with a 1000 yard shot, would like for it to have some bite when it gets there, and recoil is not a problem. I am just as happy shooting paper as I am animals, but this rifle would probably be an Elk rifle for a trip out west.

When I get to start on this project I was thinking:

a 26 in bbl
fully bedded stock with the aluminum bedding blocks
Timminy or Jewel triger
and a nice piece of glass to go on top.

1000 yards is a long ways. Do you have a rangefinder? Out that far guessing just 50 yards off could result in a miss. Also do you have a place to practice 1000 yard shots? You would most likely need a place to place wind flags when you hunt to account for wind drift. maybe someone that has done some long range shooting could help you more.