Well-- using up the last of my parts to put together one of my last customs .

What should it be? 375 wby or 375 ultra mag. I like the idea of shooting 375 H&H in a pinch--but the Ultra mag is such a good looking case--what would you guys do?

What I have is:
MRC 1999 LH SS
26 in Mcgowen 1-10 in .375 barrel
Custom stock
1.5X5 vx III

Ed

I prefer the UM for the heavy hitters. It offers more velocity when required which relates to heavy for caliber bullets and since it is the match for Saeed's rifle (alright, almost) we know it will handle any buff that come to the party.
Frank

Hello 505ED.

Not that what I will say means crap but I had to make the same decision when time came to re-barrel my 375 H&H. To get another H&H or perhaps WBY or the Ultra. Since I had to re-barrel anyways I decided to narrow my choices between the WBY or UM. I chose the ultra mag because bass is easier to find. The WBY brass is also more expensive given that its also better quality brass compared to the Rem offering. Other option was to fire-form H&H brass but that's not my cup of tea. Some will say that the 375 UM might disappear from the Remington lineup some day. Perhaps but the 300 UM will not disappear and all is required is a simple neck up to 375 and no fire forming required. Some will tell you that the UM has a rebated rim and that it causes feeding issues... etc. Fact is, get whatever caliber makes you happy. Can't go wrong with either of the 3. I have the 375 UM and so far, very delighted. Rebated rim or not, it feeds slicker than whale crap on an ice flow. Can't fault the H&H she is the queen of Africa. Call Nosler and ask them what caliber they are using for production testing for their .375 bullets.

Maurice

I have a 375 RUM built on a SS 1999 Montana action. The rifle is exceptionally easy to load for -- it seems to like most powder and bullets combinations.

Ed, The RUM is the way to go, but you should have more scope on it to take advantage of it's range capabilities. A 250gr TB or a 260gr NAB can drop game WAY out there.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Ed, The RUM is the way to go, but you should have more scope on it to take advantage of it's range capabilities. A 250gr TB or a 260gr NAB can drop game WAY out there.

Now they have a TTSX 250 grain, .424 BC, Barnes in .375. That would be a great, inexpensive, long range combo. Something heavier than 250 grain for buffalo would be recommended, IMHO, maybe wider, too.

Cutting Edge has some great long range
mono-metal expanding bullets with deep penetration: 320 grain, .800 BC. Probably work great on buffalo as long as solids are available for shooting in thicker areas and followup.

I havw 375 RUm and with 300 tsx bullets shooting at 360yards keeping inside a four inch circle is no problen at 250 it will shoot really good groups. Wayne at AHR built it and it shoots really good.

quote:

Originally posted by 505ED:

what would you guys do?

Ed

I have a .375 Wby. 2,800fps with 300 gr bullets is a breeze and I can fire .375 H&H ammo in a pinch losing only about 75-100fps to brass expansion with no loss in accuracy. Fireforming brass is a cinch with pistol powder, a case full of cream of wheat, and a plug of toilet tissue or one can just fire H&H ammo to make the brass. I use Rem .375 H&H brass fireformed to Weatherby dimensions and have had zero issues. Another consideration is the availability of ammunition in Africa, .375 H&H is everywhere if you lose your ammo, .375 RUM not so much so.

Lost ammo is not a reason in my book for choosing any combo. I hand load. If I didn't have my 2800 fps 350 grain 416 Rigby ammo, then I might as well borrow somoeone's gun. Period.

I can't believe RIP hasn't shown up to help me defend the wonderful .375 Weatherby Mag against the upstart RUM.

Cane Rat,
How many times do we have to do this?
.375 Wby versus .375 RUM?
The .375 Weatherby is the best choice. Absolutely.

I have chronographed factory ammo in factory rifles with 26" barrels.
300-grain Nosler in the .375 Wby.
300-grain Swift in the .375 RUM.

Both gave right at 2800 fps. No more than a few fps difference between the two.

The 2001 throat spec (CIP and SAAMI) for the .375 Weatherby is more generous than the .375 RUM tight throat.
But the most accurate target I have ever fired at 100 yards was from a .375 Weatherby,
using Bridger copies of Saeed's Walterhog 300-grainer.



The .375 Weatherby throat is not excessive!
But somehow, using the Norma factory brass, the factory powder, and a case capacity about 9 grains smaller than the .375 RUM (111 versus 120),
it delivers equal velocity at same pressure.
H4350 is the handloader's substitute.
I use it to get over 2740 fps in a 24" barrel with 300-grain Noslers.
That is fully equivalent to the 2800 fps in a 26" barrel.

The .375 Wby will clean up a .375 H&H chamber with no setback of barrel required.

To rechamber a .375 H&H barrel to .375 RUM, you have to set back and shorten the barrel by at least one thread,
otherwise you will have a deformed shoulder on your .375 RUM chamber.

If the rifle feeds .375 H&H well, it will usually feed .375 Weatherby well, or require minimal modifications.
Magazine capacity and feeding is a different can of worms with the .375 RUM.

Firing .375 H&H ammo in the .375 Wby rifle:
Yep, makes it a "Doctari Sweetheart" of a rifle.

If the great unwashed do not realize how special the .375 Weatherby is, it is their loss.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Cane Rat,
How many times do we have to do this?
.375 Wby versus .375 RUM?
The .375 Weatherby is the best choice. Absolutely.

I have chronographed factory ammo in factory rifles with 26" barrels.
300-grain Nosler in the .375 Wby.
300-grain Swift in the .375 RUM.

Both gave right at 2800 fps. No more than a few fps difference between the two.

The 2001 throat spec (CIP and SAAMI) for the .375 Weatherby is more generous than the .375 RUM tight throat.
But the most accurate target I have ever fired at 100 yards was from a .375 Weatherby,
using Bridger copies of Saeed's Walterhog 300-grainer.

[insert target scan here if I can find it]

The .375 Weatherby throat is not excessive!
But somehow, using the Norma factory brass, the factory powder, and a case capacity about 9 grains smaller than the .375 RUM (111 versus 120),
it delivers equal velocity at same pressure.
H4350 is the handloader's substitute.
I use it to get over 2740 fps in a 24" barrel with 300-grain Noslers.
That is fully equivalent to the 2800 fps in a 26" barrel.

The .375 Wby will clean up a .375 H&H chamber with no setback of barrel required.

To rechamber a .375 H&H barrel to .375 RUM, you have to set back and shorten the barrel by at least one thread,
otherwise you will have a deformed shoulder on your .375 RUM chamber.

If the rifle feeds .375 H&H well, it will usually feed .375 Weatherby well, or require minimal modifications.
Magazine capacity and feeding is a different can of worms with the .375 RUM.

Firing .375 H&H ammo in the .375 Wby rifle:
Yep, makes it a "Doctari Sweetheart" of a rifle.

If the great unwashed do not realize how special the .375 Weatherby is, it is their loss.

My thoughts, exactly.

The choice between the two is a no brainer, the .375 Wby makes more sense and wins every time. You've made the case well, your load data and my rifle made me a true believer.

why not a 378 weatherby.

quote:

Originally posted by stuckey:
why not a 378 weatherby.

For that size case we have a 416 Rigby. Handloaded to its 60k psi potential. Yes!

But RIP it is your Wby is shooting way low!