Many of you know I shoot a 380PDK. Based on a blown out 280 case it will push a 260gr Accubond at 2700 fps. Many of you might not be familiar with the 380 Howell designed by the late Ken Howell for American Hunting Rifles.
Below left to right is the Basic 375 Whelen, 380PDK(using 280 brass)380PDK (on Howell brass) the 380 Howell and of course 375 H&H.


The basic difference between the Howell and PDK is the Howell is 2.6" has a 35 deg vs. 40deg shoulder and the PDK is .46 at the shoulder. The Howell is a touch less. Close enough that we can use Howell as a crush fit and fireform.

I "think" the Howell on a "net" capacity basis is a couple grains smaller than the PDK.

I need another 380 like I need another hole in my head. Since my chest surgery last fall I'm light years from being able to shoot my 380 & 400.

All this rambling brings me to the purpose of this post. Wayne at American Hunting Rifles has a fully finished 380 Howell built on a 550 action AAA wood for the bargain basement price of $2995. http://americanhuntingrifles.com/?page_id=66.
That is several $100 less than his Grade 3 Walnut CZ550 upgrade. He has ammo, dies and brass available. I believe his ammo is 270gr and 2550-2600fps.

So there you go H&H velocity, 5 down, custom rifle for under $3000.

Please save me from myself. I don't need another 380 can't be for sure I'll get to shoot the one I have. But, I can't help but go look every couple days seeing if it is still there.

Need? This is s want

The rifle is gorgeous!

Ever watch Mecum Auto Auctions and see "Chicken George" scream "Buy-Buy-Buy!!!!!" when a nice muscle car comes on the block?

Soooooooooooo: Buy-Buy-Buy...

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Mecum Auto Auctions and see "Chicken George" scream "Buy-Buy-Buy!!!!!"

Nope have missed that one.

Wayne's rifles are actually shot when complete, and feed and ejection adjusted to perfection. That's becoming a rarity these days.

Wayne is one of five people (max!) that I would let touch one of my firearms.

If you ran your PDK reamer inside the chamber, would it clean it up? If so, maybe make a long neck PDK or PDK MkII? Although that would be a bit sacrilege. If you don't mind being a heathen, you could have a nice custom PDK. It looks to be loaded to the same OAL. What is the OAL of the Howell? They probably have identical useable case capacity.

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If you ran your PDK reamer inside the chamber, would it clean it up

Boom,
Trust me I have been running that through my head for a couple weeks. As to net capacity the PDK loaded to the same OAL is just over 3 grs more.
As I stated I have used my PDK reamer and 380 Howell brass and simply cut the neck longer. So the 380PDK MKII already exist. As far as the dies are concerned they don't care if the brass is 2.6" or 2.52". So there are a couple of PDKs with a shorter neck and 2 with a neck cut for the Howell brass. Actually the first set of FL dies were matched to the longer neck.

If I used my reamer and cut just to allow me to chamber a formed PDK case it should be fine. BUT WHY? That rifle is stamped 380 Howell. I could recut it and simply use PDK brass even is the case length is off a .001 or 2. That would be fine for me but would SUCK if I tried to sell it. Why bastardize it?

I would love to put that rifle in my safe as a 380??? But even with a chest shield and past my 340PDK is simply all my chest can handle at the time. DR says it "MIGHT" get better but that the flap has been healing for 14 Months. If I can't get to the point I can shoot my 380 or 400 why buy another.

A rifle that sharp and to very functional needs to go to someone that will for sure use it.

Paul, Wayne has a great deal there, however, other than having a "spare" rifle, maybe you should pass , as the temptation to shoot it would likely drive I mad , or to shoot it and possibly upset your healing process. .
Now that I have a 375 Whelan Improved, I have a better understanding of what I'm looking at in your 380 PDK. Are readers available for It? Dies? How long is your barrel? Or put another way, What kind of velocity would you expect from a 19 or 20" barreled 380 PDK? With your 260 gr load or with a 250gr TTSX?

That is one fine looking rifle at an outstanding price!

Buy it and I will store it for you for free until you are ready to shoot it. As an extra added no cost bonus I will even kill a few pigs with it just to make sure it works. Such a deal I will make just for you!

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Buy it and I will store it for you for free until you are ready to shoot it. As an extra added no cost bonus I will even kill a few pigs with it just to make sure it works.

Wow you are the 4th person that told me they would either store it or at least keep it exercised if I bought that rifle. Man just can't beat the members on this site.

Cold, I have the only remaining reamer. Had 2 loaned one out and it never made it home. Dies are on file with Hornady. Another member was asking a few years ago about another caliber and Hornady told him at that time they weren't cutting custom. That may have changed now. He went simpler and built a Gibbs. Dies and reamer both available. He was thrilled.

With Wayne having the reamer, head stamped brass, dies and even loaded ammo no way in the world I would fool with a PDK (except for myself). Even if you wanted to use other brass you could still use the dies. The OAL is 3.34 to match the 06 max. Case length doesn't play as long as it is long enough to have a tight hold on the bullet. I happen to prefer the 280Rem Norma brass. Then again I have a lot and fire forming is no big deal to me.

I thought I had a drawing of the 380s but only found one I had using .358. I also just noticed the Howell is called a 340 but should be 350. You will see the Gibbs, Howell and PDK all match darn close. Slight difference in OD and my shoulder is 40deg vs 35 for the Gibbs and 30 for Howell. Other thing to note while I used the same reamer for all calibers so my body shoulder points are all the same. I "believe" Rocky did the same for the Gibbs. Ken Howell kept all the neck lengths the same so the Howell shoulder would move forward in this drawing if it were drawn for .375. Thus the crush fit of Howell brass in a PDK chamber.

If I wanted 5 down with a 260gr .375 bullet moving 2600+fps and didn't design the PDK it would be 380 Howell hands down.

While I have no clue as to 20" actual velocity using QL and my hunting load for the PDK and a 260 gr accubond QL calls velocity at 2584fps. My hunting load is 2650+/- but max is closer to 2750. QL likes RL17 as the powder giving the max velocity and I have never tried it.