I saw a loaded round of 376 Steyr at my gunsmiths shop and became immediatly interested as I have an intermediate 24/47 large ring action and I would like to build a big bore reliable rifle for heavy game such as hogzilla or a possible bear hunt or just because I don't have one. I did a search on the cartridge on this forum and it appears a couple of years ago some of the posters were playing with the cartridge. How did it work out? Who is best to get a barrel from?

Rickt,

Some of the guys have been playing with one for a good while and you will get good feed back. I've shot two that belong to friends, both on mausers. I'm buiilding one on a Bruno 98. I'm using a #3 shilen, not saying its the best, but its what I'm using and I like shilen barrels, but lots of good barrels to choose from. Hope to get my bld action back from Dennis Olson in a few weeks and get working on the stock. I'm building one for the heck of it, not cause I need one , I have a couple of 375's.

<should be in gunsmithing, i guess>

I've built one, working on a second, and shot a couple. my first is a pacnor, and i went too heavy with the barrel. should be a #3 or #4 at the MOST.

my current project one is a CZ takeoff on a brazilian 1908. should be about right.

22" should be considered the minimum length.
get barrels from whoever you like.. it's "just" a 375 barrel.

haven't heard anyone complain about the round, or it's accuracy... just the short barrel steyr made the rifles in
jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
my current project one is a CZ takeoff on a brazilian 1908. should be about right.
jeffe

jeffe - how are getting the CZ take-off to work on the mauser threads?

I've got an extra CZ take-off and an extra mauser, but I don't know how to utilize them as you're suggesting.

Newguy...
I cut off the threaded shank and cut a new one on the barrel shank. It's about 10X bigger than a winchester featherweight barrel (even the WSM ones) in that portion.
In this case, you need to cut a fairly decent amount off the barrel to clean up the chamber.. so I figured a complete cut off of the cz portion was overkill, but handy.

jeffe

I have been shooting a Steyr ProHunter .376 Steyr, and Eric Ching ("Slingster") shoots the Steyr Scout in .376 Steyr. I took my rifle to Zim in '01 and killed a 2,200 pond eland with it. Eric killed one in RSA the next year with his. I have reports of nine bears taken in Alaska with the cartridge up to '02. Also last year one of the posters here took a Cape buff with his.

Unfortunately Steyr-Mannlicher does not market the cartridge, so it is being sold by word of mouth. It is a great .375 H&H "short" in a smaller package. The recoil is less too using the 250 to 270 grain bullets.

I am acquiring parts to build a rifle on an intermediate length commercial Mauser too.

Welcome to the club, you won't be disappointed.

jim

jim

How heavy should the rifle be built? I am not immune to recoil, to me heavy 45-70 loads generate all I care to shoot out of the 7 1/2 pound Marlin lever action. Any ideas on the best elk load?

the recoil of the 376, with 300 gr at 2400, in a 9# gun (including scope) is less than a 405 .45/70 at 1800 in a 7.5# gun... about 15% less


in fact, it's slightly less in an .376 8 # gun. vs a 45/70 marlin.

i am aiming at/around 8 for this next one

jeffe

I found some ammo, Hornady's 225 and 270 several places but no luck on reloading dies or shellholder. Any reason the two bullets are loaded to the same elocity? Maybe to keep point of impact close?

Rickt300,

Whenever a bullet maker does something like that, I figure they have a valid reason for "going slow". I have only used the 270 grain factory ammo, but I know a gent who went to Namibia this year who only used the 225 grain factory ammo (he was happy).

I find the 270 grain Hornady to be on the soft side.

jim

rcbs #42 shelholder
brass is usually available twice a year at midwayusa.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=732934

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by rickt300:
I found some ammo, Hornady's 225 and 270 several places but no luck on reloading dies or shellholder. Any reason the two bullets are loaded to the same elocity? Maybe to keep point of impact close?

The idea was that the 225 was intended as a whitetail round, so the velocity of 2500-2600 fps was deemed appropriate to that purpose and it also meant reduced recoil in the 8-pound Scout and ProHunter carbine, presumably to increase the versatility of the round for North American hunters.

Personally, if one were buying a .376 Steyr, I don't think one would be intending to use it for whitetails; there are so many other suitable rounds available. I'd rather have seen Hornady come out with a 300-grain factory load at 2350-2400 fps out of a 20-22" barrel instead. Paired with a 60cm barrel you'd then have the ballistic equivalent of a .375 H&H in a lighter rifle with lower recoil.

I think the 300 grain Swift A-Frame at 2465 fps, 62.5 grains Varget, from my 20.5 inch barrel Prohunter is all I'd need to hunt all heavy game, but why limit myself?

376steyr,

I am pleased that someone is using that handle: more popularity for an excellent cartridge.

I have used the 300 grain Swift A-Frame in .375 H&H to take a leopard and a Cape buff. Those I have shot open up to a ball shape, and retain over 90% weight. The shank also "slugs up".

I want to try the 270 grain Winchester FailSafe, and also the North Fork in the .376.

jim

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
...22" should be considered the minimum length...jeffe

What would I be giving up if I went with a 20" barrel? I am also looking at building a rifle with this chambering and I have been thinking of using a short barrel and possibly a full-length stock ala Sako.

quote:

Originally posted by Slash:

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
...22" should be considered the minimum length...jeffe

What would I be giving up if I went with a 20" barrel? I am also looking at building a rifle with this chambering and I have been thinking of using a short barrel and possibly a full-length stock ala Sako.

about 40fps/inch?

I am really considering making up a peep sighted rifle with a 24 inch barrel. A timber gun mostly.

rickt300,

Jim Brockman built me a .458 Lott with his Gen III sights (post front, ghost ring rear). That barrel is a Lothar Walther. I can recommend both Jim as a gunsmith, and LW barrels (this one is my second).

jim

quote:

I want to try the 270 grain Winchester FailSafe, and also the North Fork in the .376.

I popped a bison with a Failsafe. Boom, flop.

Hard to beat Varget or BL-C2.

ld

What are reasonable top velocities with the 225 grain Hornady and the 270 grain bullets? And about reloading cies, they seem scarce.

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/376steyr.php#top

jeffe

Well I ordered the blank.I decided that since the cartridge is plenty fast enough that a scope won't hurt anything and that final rifle weight should be around 9 pounds with a 24 inch barrel. If I can get it finished before elk season this year I will try to fill my cow elk tag with it. Is the 225 grain Hornady up to the task or should I use the 270 grain bullet?

Neither,
Get a set of 376 Steyr dies from RCBS and load your favorite premium bullet. Anything from the 250 grain Swift to the 300 grain whatever will work just fine. This is a high expansion ratio cartridge. You don't need a long barrel unless you like them or it balances better for you.
You will like this cartridge. It is not fussy to load for at all.

The factory 225 grain bullet is too light. The 270 grain bullet will do fine on a cow elk. A premium bullet in 300 grains would likely give you less bloodshot meat.

enjoy

lawndart