When I began my love affair with centerfire rifles and hunting over 25 years ago I started with a 270 Win and was amazed at it's relative sheer power when compared to the various 12 ga shotguns I had been shooting at birds for the previous 11 or 12 years. Then I progressed to a 300 Win to a 338 Win to a 375 H&H. After being beaten awhile by the 375 I returned to a 270 and a 30 Gibbs. When I began to be more curious about the big bores I started with a 416 Rem then a 416 Rigby followed by a 470 NE. I have recently changed to a 416 Taylor and have another rifle being built chambered for the 400 Tembo (350 gr bullet at 2300 fps.) I shoot these lighter big bores much more accurately and with alot more pleasure.
Just wondering if I'm the only one "going backwards"?

Good Hunting,

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Andy Cooper

Andy,

Have you ever tried down loading your big bores?

About the most fun I've had with my 35 whelen was launching 150-200 gr pistol bullets at 800-1300 fps. I plan to work up similar loads with my 500 Jeffrey using 350-450 gr pistol bullets @ 800-1300 fps.

The nice thing about downloading powerful rounds is you still have the option of runnign them full patch. A properly built gun will be accurate with mild, mid level and full patch loads.

Andy,

I totally agree with Paul on this.

There is something about reduced loas in bigger bores.

My current favorite load in the 375 is 39 grains of our Australian powder ADI 2205, which I think is sold as H4227 over in US land and with a 220 Hornady flat nose.

It shoots ragged hole groups from a match grade barrel and does a bit over 2000 f/s.

These reduced loads almost have a "slow motion" feel to them. They feel more like a big rimfire rather than in this case, a super accurate 375 Winchester lever caliber.

Mike

At the moment I am moving up, I reckon you go through phases, I move up or down depending on what gaps I feel I have to fill in my gun collection.

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ACRecurve....
Interesting question.
I had a love affair with the 375 H&H for some years, then sold the rifle to a friend of mine. Not because it didn�t work on moose, but I was facinated by the 338 Winmag and wanted to try it. I�ve stuck with the Winnie since, but am serioucly thinking about a big bore again, and the various 416 in particular.
Lots of used 338�s around here, so a 416 Taylor is an easy approach.
How do you concider the recoil of the 416 Taylor compared to 416 Rem and Rigbyes and for that case the 375 H&H ?

I�m not recoil shy, but I have my limits regarding shooting big rifles accurately, and like to take that into concideration before jumping into a new project.

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Arild Iversen
~ Ad spes infracta ~

Arild,
My 416 Taylor with 400 grain bullets at 2300fps reminds me of a 375 H&H with 300 grainers at 2500 fps--very similar. It gets your attention but doesn't hurt. I really like shooting my 416 Taylor much better than any of the 3 375's I've had. Felt recoil is substantially less than the 416 Rem and Rigby. My 416 Rigby weighed 12 pounds loaded and my Taylor weighs 9.75 loaded--so the Taylor not only recoils less but is more pleasant to carry. Hope that answers your question.
Good Hunting,

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Andy Cooper

Most of my shooting with various big bores on weekends at the ranch is with cast lead bullets at around 2000 FPS. My quarry mostly consists of paper targets, steel plates and milk jugs filled with water. When I actually hunt, it's easy enough to go full power or almost full power.

So far I've been able to get in two range sessions with my 350 Rigby. I guess it's been pretty much the whole winter since I've fired a centerfire, as 250 gr @2600 fps seems to kinda get my attention. Either that or the extra 10 gr of powder compared to the 35 whelen AI actually produces a bit more recoil.

Anyhow, I did find that 15 gr unique will push my 200 gr cast bullet 1420 fps, and it'll group them pretty well at 100 yds, and with basically no recoil. The funnest part is hearing the wap the bullet makes when it hits the cardboard backer just a tad after the report of the rifle. I'll be shooting alot of these in the future, very, very fun!

Hi Paul. You've got to post some pictures of the new baby. We 35 fans await with baited (or is it bated?) breath. Take care - Dan

Dan,

I still have some work to do on the stock, but yeah, I'll have to post some pictures. I just need to figure out who to borrow a digital camera from.

Paul,

As you know from my other thread the odds are very high (in fact I think I am over the line) of me chaning over M70s for CZs.

416 CZs are cheap and perhaps my original suggestion to you on 350 Rigby may come back and bite me hard

Do you think if Bertrams are used or 375s with rim reduced to .520" that they will still be OK through a CZ 375.

You don't need a barrel lug on 375 so a switch barrel could be done between 350 and 375. I hav eno real experience with Mauser based actions but I imagine that with the screw position on the CZ, it should be like a Rem 700 or M70 and not need bedding under the barrel.

Maybe 416 and 350 Rigby and 465 H&H and 375 H&H The CZs open up some other opportunites.

I would think the 375 extractor and bolt face should be OK as there would only be about .006" per side.

Do you have to alter extractor groove on 375 cases for your rifle?

Mike

[This message has been edited by Mike375 (edited 05-18-2002).]

Mike,

I'm also curious about how the 350 case would feed through a 375 magazine. Since the body taper is the same on a 350 as a 375, I would see if you could get ahold of a CZ 375 and run some 350 rounds through it.

Yeah, you infected me with the 350 bug, but I'm glad you did. The re-chamber cured the ills of the original sloppy whelen chamber. I do burn a few more grains of powder now, but other then that, no problem.

Andy,

Tell us more about the .400 Tembo! This round sounds like it strikes a great balance between adequate power for anything not extinct and dinosaur gun.

Fireplug