The Accurate Reloading Forums
.395" Elk Seeker!!
02 December 2007, 07:22
Macifej.395" Elk Seeker!!
How long would it take a certain yahoo to get a full set of competition .395 Ruger dies RIP?
I think I might have to join the club very soon. Now I just have to acquire one of them thar .375 Ruger Alaskans and get someone to rebarrel it with a 1.25" x 1.0" x 20" straight taper pipe!

02 December 2007, 08:20
RIPMac,
That would be about 6 to 8 weeks from the Hornady Custom Die operation. Since they have already made 2 sets of these, it might be quicker now. Max did the legwork on these, and Hornady labeled them "395 Max" and they are item # 8CD375D2.
I instigated the ".395 Ruger Max" reamer from Dave Manson, naming it after Max aka prof242.
Max instigated the dies from Hornady.
Make the barrel 26" long if you want a heavy one, contoured as heavy as you like, like the GSC profile for instance. 23" No.4 contour sporter if you want a light one. McGowen Precision Barrels.
03 December 2007, 00:20
RIPHere is the item:
03 December 2007, 00:28
RIPI am loaded for bearhead, but it is raining, impossible to chronograph and I would be up to my ankles in mud at the pond shootng buckets.
Some photos of the SHark bullet:
L to R, by S&H, .395/330-grain Groovy Brass FN, .395/310-gr Granded SHark BTHP, and .505/558 Groovy Brass FN:
03 December 2007, 00:31
RIPThe SHark loaded in the .395 Ruger Max and the .395 Tatanka, 2700 fps and 3000 fps potential:
03 December 2007, 00:35
RIPAnd some of the .395 Tatanka alone with The SHark,
this is the 40-07 SHark Load with slightly different COL's that will chamber and fit the box::
03 December 2007, 01:06
RIPThe SHark's competition, the GSC HV 340-grainer, performed very well at 1600, 2500, and 2700 fps:
The SHark 310-grainer will be put through the same paces, and maybe up to 3000 fps.
The .378 Wby is obsolete.

03 December 2007, 05:03
prof242Hi Guys,
Am in Craig, Colorado. Only seen one bull elk and no cows. Yesterday, the weather was absolutely miserable. Today, we started hunting in 8-degree-F temp.
We're using 72.4gr of 4350, WLRM primers, Jay's 310gr bullet, and Hornady cases. Accuracy at 100yds is excellent (3/4" group!) with pressures causing flat, but non-cratered primers. Think I like this load.
Will keep you informed as things change.
Max, oh, and Brett
.395 Family Member
DRSS, po' boy member
Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship
03 December 2007, 05:34
RIPMax,
Excellent!
Probably 2400 to 2500 fps load, depending on your barrel length. That is a starting load!
I mailed you an AccuLoad 3.04 printout of load data for the SHark bullet in the .395 Ruger Max. Should be in your mailbox when you return with the venison.

03 December 2007, 06:03
MacifejHope that the Prof has his diesel powered socks on!!

8 degrees is nice if the wind isn't blowing eh!
Glad to hear about some preliminary accuracy results on the Sharkee bullet. Maybe the Elk have been reading RIP's threads about the Sharkee and High Tailed it out of town?!?!

03 December 2007, 06:39
RIPSome numbers:
Weighed 5 of the Sharks snagged at random, to 0.1 grain and "miked" them to .001":
308.8
308.9
309.0
309.0
309.1
All 5 were 1.502" LOA.
All 5 were .395" OD and .375" ID.
Average weight to the nearest tenth is 309.0
Hey! I thought these were supposed to be 310-grainers and exactly 1.500"!!!

The .395 Ruger max COL's shown are 3.333" to 3.430".
The .395 Tatanka COL's shown are 3.600" to 3.773".
03 December 2007, 09:15
MacifejI doubt the Elk will be complaining that they were shorted a tenth of a grain eh!?!?

03 December 2007, 11:43
boom stickCant wait to see the bite marks of the sharkee on the elk...Good luck p242

does anyone think the fin band design helps accuracy due to its more streamline design???
03 December 2007, 23:29
Canuckquote:
fin band design
It looks more to me like a "gill" band design.

Cheers,
Canuck
04 December 2007, 00:20
gumboot458Mac ,,,my standard belted ruger M77 mk2 fed and ejected the 375 Ruger ammo like it was made for it ., So did my Interarms 458 .......I am sure most standard belted mag actions would also ......The 23 " # 4 contour McGowan would be pretty ideal for a working rifle .......My 500 A-2 didn,t even have a 1" dia muzzel ....??
{{I think I might have to join the club very soon. Now I just have to acquire one of them thar .375 Ruger Alaskans and get someone to rebarrel it with a 1.25" x 1.0" x 20" straight taper pipe!

[/QUOTE]
.If it can,t be grown , its gotta be mined ....
04 December 2007, 17:34
RIPNo word from Max and Brett yet.
The SHark is on the prowl.
Insert boomstick "Jaws" music ...
05 December 2007, 05:25
prof242Yesterday, it was like Christmas...NOELK.
Today, Tues, we saw several herds, one of over 100 head. The problems is, Colorado has over 160 Game Management Units (GMUs). The licenses we have are for only two of them. Of course, all the elk we saw were across the highway in different GMUs!

We're hoping they move tomorrow across the highway into our hunting units. Bear with us guys, we're working hard on this (and hot tubbing it every night when we get back to the motel).
.395 Family Member
DRSS, po' boy member
Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship
05 December 2007, 06:51
boom stickwere rootn ferya!

try to get a texas heart shot so you can recover the bullet

05 December 2007, 07:00
CanuckGo Prof! Here's hopin' the elk gods smile on you tomorrow!

Cheers,
Canuck
05 December 2007, 08:06
MacifejHmmmm.......maybe there needs to be a huge pile of fresh corn, apples, & hay in your GMU. (or whatever Elk like to snack on).
05 December 2007, 08:44
boom stickHmmm...Seems the elk are "testing" us

05 December 2007, 17:28
RIPMax has dragged himself out of the motel and is hitting the elk veld again this frosty morn.
The quest to blood the .395.

I am planning on shooting a couple of cow bison, one ech with the GSC HV and the SHark.
Good meat.
What better thing for the .395 Tatanka to do?
The bull will visit the pasture and takes a couple of cows.

05 December 2007, 20:04
MacifejBBQ'd Elk & Bison!! Mmmmmmmmmmm.....!!
05 December 2007, 22:21
JefferyDenmarkI like The SHark design rules

the groves are very cool and will make a great crimp.
Cheers,
André
Always always use enough... GUN & KNIFE
06 December 2007, 07:07
RIPNo report from Max and Brett yet?
Getting pretty late.
Must be taking a little longer to pack out the elk tonight.

06 December 2007, 07:51
MacifejNo word here. Maybe the Giant Albino Coloradian Snow Yeti was protecting their kill and there was a hand to hand struggle resulting in the necessity of packing out a quartered Yeti for curing as ham as well as the Elk?!?!?

10 December 2007, 03:51
RIPBTT,
No word on the Elk Seekers? Hopefully the expedition will return to civilization soon.

I was rained out today at the range and pond.
It has been raining for over 3 days straight here. Started with sleet and freezing rain Thursday PM, then warmed up and rained harder, worst today. Maybe next weekend for bucket busting.
10 December 2007, 05:28
MacifejNo word here other than the weather has been particularly horrid! They may have been snowed out (or in).
10 December 2007, 20:04
prof242Lots of snow, lots of elk, but the elk were not crossing into their winter range. We came back last night, but I will be returning later this month to shoot an elk...if they have moved west. We are very disappointed in our results, especially considering the time, effort, and a-- freezing that occurred.
.395 Family Member
DRSS, po' boy member
Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship
10 December 2007, 21:53
Charles_HelmI am sorry that you did not find the elk you were hunting, but you did give us a vicarious glimpse into the hunt -- thanks for that.
Good luck on your return!

10 December 2007, 22:00
boom stickKeep holding out hope...were rootn' ferya!
You are earning yer huntn karma.
11 December 2007, 09:42
MacifejComing soon to a PC near you! Elk Seeker Part II. "Revenge of the Elkless"
Give em hell Max!!
11 December 2007, 11:06
RIPprof242 Maximus,
Did Brett get his rifle chambered too?
I will be wanting to chamber a .395 Ruger Max rifle with that reamer too.

Does Brett do any Walteresque-sidekick comedy routines that you could get on video for comic relief on your "Elk Part Deux" coming to theaters soon? Footage of flailing around in the snow after cow elk with the .395 SHark ... a kill shot will make it a big hit.

12 December 2007, 22:27
prof242RIP & Guys,
Got Brett's rifle chambered and back from the gunsmith Friday evening and left for the hunt O-Dark-30 on Saturday. We got back Sunday night late and I left for Washington, D.C., at 8am on Monday. Will ship the chambering reamers back to you as soon as I get back home on Friday.
Brett? Funny stories? Funny pics? Ohhh, have you opened a door! Will post next week.
Max
.395 Family Member
DRSS, po' boy member
Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship
21 December 2007, 10:38
MacifejProf!
Are you heading back out this weekend to pet and feed the Elk?!?