I just purchased by first big bore rifle. It is a 376 steyr. I wonder if anyone has any load data to share.

I also picked up a box of Nosler 260 grain ballistic tip bullets that I think would be adequate for anything walking the North American continent, with the possible exception of the big bears. I plan to use it to hunt deer and black bear this year.

I know it is a relatively obscure cartridge, but I would appreciate any first hand experiences wiht it.

Thank You

cwilson

Welcome to the .376 Steyr fraternity! Do you have the Scout or the ProHunter?

I've only handloaded for 300-grain bullets in my Steyr Scout: 61.4 grains of IMR 4895 for just over 2300 fps and 1.25" groups at 100 yards. If you decide to try it, start around 56 grains and work up.

I would not go for high velocity in this cartridge. Aim for no more than 2500 fps with your 260-grain BTs and you should be just fine.

Check the 376 steyr threads on the african hunting forum. Elmo has some good loads there also.

Slingster: It is the black stocked version of the ProHunter. I plan to top it with a Kahles 1.5-6 scope, as soon as I get the Leupold QR rings for it.

I bought my rifle from a member of these forums, but my local sporting goods dealer has sold four of these rifles locally. All owners are happy with the gun/caliber.

Mike Smith: Thanks - I'll search the Africa Forum.

cwilson

Welcome to the Club,
My 376 is a 1936 mexican mauser, pacnor barrel, highgfrade walnut.. and it's the current workbench betty... it's not done, but I should have some more pics done.
I personally don't like BT's, but that's because I like tons of penetration. and then I'll contradict myself, and say I am going to be using, to start with, speer 235 sps. then I am going to get some .030 jacket hawk bullets with rn 235 barnes solids.
You've got to ask WHY? Well, i'll tell you... I have a 416 for my med/heavy, and my 376 is going to be a plains game/deer/in a pinch big stuff.
just knock 100 fps off 375 HH, if you want to keep the pressures under 55.
jeffe

CWilson,

There have been .376 Steyr posts on more than one forum here, so I recommend searching on all.

My ProHunter has the 1.5-6X42 Kahles and it is a nice unit. I think the bases and rings are Talley (they came on the rifle).

Good hunting with your rifle, it will do the job.

jim dodd

Congratulations, but the .375/.376/.378s are medium-bores. Big bores start at .40 caliber, regardless of the title of this forum.

George

I don't disagree, George, but way to take the wind out of a guy's sail. Grumpy? I know a couple guys with 375 RUM's that would definately argue about whether they should be classified as a big bore or not. Personally, I am getting used to the look and feel of the 416 and 458 bullets and I am starting to wonder if only .500 plus calibers should be called "Big Bores"? It is so subjective.

Congrat's cwilson! I am sure you will love it. Beware, though, it will probably just make want something even bigger.

Canuck

Canuck,

I'm not grumpy. Are you overly sensitive? Since when does correcting someone qualify as taking the wind out of their sails?

Since the early 20th century, .30 and under was a smallbore, .40 and over was a 'large bore'. Everything in the middle was a 'medium bore'. A .375 of any flavor would still be a medium-bore.

Maybe if we all spoke more precisely instead of corrupting our terms, we'd understand each other better.

George

Just a little good natured ribbing, cuz I thought by the matter-of-fact tone of your post that maybe you were raining on the guys parade a little. No offence was intended by my reply, and FWIW I am certainly not oversensitive. Very little on the internet ever riles me up. I actually thought you probably didn't intend your post quite the way it sounded.

Regarding taking the wind out of someone's sail, if a guy is pretty stoked about his very first big bore and then you tell him it isn't one, I'd say his sail would deflate pretty quick.

Getting back to what the exact definition of a big bore is, I think it is a pretty debatable topic. I agree with you on the corrupting of terminology. I don't like it either. But who decided once and for all what a big bore is? The answer really depends on who you like to read. But we've been around this block on this forum before. I think its pretty subjective myself. Some people have closed minds on the topic, like discussions around CRF, etc, but just because someone feels strongly about something does not necessarily make it so. To my mind a big bore is really anything 40 and up, but if someone wants to include 375's, it don't bother me none.

Never intended to start an argument, and I certainly don't want make a mountain out of a termite mound.

Have a good one,

Canuck

[ 08-31-2002, 02:05: Message edited by: Canuck ]

I definitely see the .416 as a medium bore rifle, it is subjective, I have been handling .585 bulets a fair bit lately and now I think the .416 Rigby is a small round. When I was a kid I was over awed by the size of a 30/06 round It looks like a rimfire compared to a .416 or .585 round.

Congrats on the new rifle, IMHO I reckon you should give woodleigh bullets a go as far as I think there the best.

Just for kicks, I found one of the old threads on the matter...

http://www.serveroptions.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000871

Canuck

man, I must have been hit by the contrarary stick tonight.

I'll disagree with you chaps.. in that if it's legal to hunt elepant with, then it's a big bore. that means a 9.3 (366) but not a .358, and the 375 IS in that.

And, anyone that wants to pick a fight, should remember that a 577 BPE was considered a medium. I had this discussion last weekend... remember that a .38 musket was a squirrel rifle, a .45 was barely a deer rifle, and a 60 was decent for bear, UNTIL THEY FRICKIN INVENTED REAL POWDER AND BULLETS.
like I said, I am just in a fintin mood tonight.

Congrats on your 376, it's legal to hunt elephant, buffalo, and hippo in Zim
jeffe

as jeffe says, it is the entry level africa gun. so it is thoguht about by the common american shoot as being quit large. after all, dont you need a big bore over there?

after reading these forums for the last few months now, i would say you guys look at rifles difrently then the rest of the world.

[ 08-31-2002, 11:50: Message edited by: KBGuns ]

" My first big bore=376 Steyr"

This is the same thing I see in a deer camp of guys who have never hunted anything bigger than a Muledeer! The phrase I hear is "BIG GAME HUNTING" is what they condider deer hunting! When you hears guys asking how they can get more power out of the 340 Wea Mag they use to shoot those tough Muledeer, I guess to folks who think you need anything bigger than a 243 Win witha 100 gr bullet @ 3000 fps for deer, a 375 would be considered a big bore! In NRA compitition, anything larger than a .22 lr is considered a big bore. You guys should have seen the look on my dad's face when he was told he could not hunt Cape Buffalo with his J.C Higgens 30-06! His opinion was, "My 30-06 will take anything that walks, crawls, or flys" and I assure he considered a 30-06 a "BIG BORE"!

I have been asked why I use a big bore (375 H&H) for caribou, or moose,in Alaska. My answer is a 375 H&H is not a big bore but a large medium, and I use it when hunting in Brown bear country, simply because it is a better Brown Bear chambering than a 30-06 which is fine for caribou, and moose.

Then I go to Africa, and if I use the 375 H&H, a Medium bore, to hunt Buffalo, I'm asked why I use a rifle that is questionable in the close incounters that sometimes present themselves. My own opinion is, though the 9.3s 375s are general purpose chamberings, they are not a big bores, but are very well ballanced large mediums, and are minimum for dangerous game, in open cover, but are lacking in close cover!

It seems if it is bigger than anything you have used before, to you, it is a "BIG BORE"! However, I believe the generally accepted list goes like this!

PLINKER:

.22 lr

SMALL BORE:

.22 center fire-. 257

LIGHT MEDIUM BORE

.264-.338

HEAVY MEDIUM BORE:

9.3-.375

BIG BORE:

.400-.577

LOOK AT ME, RICH MAN TOYS:

.600-.700

In the final analysis, it makes not one whit of difference, as long as you use the rifle, you have, for the purpose, for which it was designed, you can call it anything you want! It's your rifle.

Now let me say there is absolutely nothing wrong with a 376 Steyr, as long as you use it responsebly!

not to be just argumentitive, but the brits define any 40 under 450 as medium..
i think i'll stick with this forums def AND legal hunting requirements. while a 45/70 is a bigbore, it's not (even though I plan to use one when I win the raffle) a DGR, while a 376 steyr, loaded up 100 fps slower than a 375hh CAN be. Sure, it's not the stump puller that a 577 is, but it IS more than a 9,3.
In any event, it's arbitrary. i'll take the following as my requirements for a big bore
1: more than 250gr bullet
2: SD more than .300
3: vel at least 2400.

which means you are kinda stuck with the 9,3 and higher.
jeffe

btw, my steyr is coming along nicely, and I should have some pics of it up soon.

Hey guys, if you read my original post, I don't claim that I will be taking the .376 Steyr to Africa as a buffalo stopper. I stated that I would be using the .376 Steyr for hunting deer and black bear.

For hunting game in North America, I'd consider the .375 diameter as a "big bore", for hunting the mean stuff in Africa it is not a big bore, but I do not believe it matters what we call it.
The forum definition is for .375 and up, and I posted about the rifle on this forum becasue I thought I had the best chance for intelligent responses for calibers of .375 and larger: and thought that other owners of the .376 Steyr would be lurking here. Any load data for this cartridge and first hand experience would be appreciated.

I think the .376 Steyr is a neat cartridge and certianly don't care if it is classified as a small bore, medium bore or big bore.

thanks.
cwilson

I'm still with you Jeffe. My 1936 Mauser action goes to PakNor next week. I'll be going to Texas Friday for two weeks of getting projects moved along. Can't wait.

Congrats on your 376! I was afraid that the title of your thread would bring forth such posts

You're excited about your new gun, and thats great, nevermind those that wish to rain on your parade. You just have to factor in that on this forum, a 458 lott is considered middle of the road

cw,congrats on your 376,love mine but it is a bit different,its a 15" bbl on an Encore,and works great on bear and pigs.Have fun with it

Hey Jeffe, Email me a number and I'll phone you next week from the thriving city of Breckenridge. A 376 conversation is probably in order.