Hi just got back from the range, for final sight in, last minute check out of my Rem XCR II in 375 Weatherby. Now the rifle is light (7 3/8 lbs unloaded with scope mounted). I bought one very old box of factory 375 Weatherby Mag 300g Partitions really cheap just to try them out, but am using Remington Premier 375 H&H 300g Swift A-Frames for my hunt.

I didn't chrono either cartridge but the Remington 375 H&H 300g Swift A-Frames shoots 3 shot groups .75" center to center consistently. Recoil is pretty mild even from the bench (no lead sled, sissy pad or anything). I wouldn't worry about shooting this rifle prone or even be thinking about recoil.

The 375 Weatherby ammo feels like it kicks at least 50% more, seriously. Nothing like my 500 Jeffery (which I won't shoot from the bench without a lead sled any more or ever shoot prone), but it was a whole different rifle. Doing the math, it should only kick about 10% to 15% more, but it sure didn't feel lile it.

Anyone else had the same experience?

Not with a .375Wby., but I remember shooting some of my PH's RWS solids for jackals, and they recoiled a lot more 'suddenly' than my full-power .375H&H loads.

George

i know it's not the Weatherby or H&H cartridge but i have a Remington model 700 in .375 RUM that weighs 7.5lbs with a stiff recoil pad and the recoil in that rifle is very painful. i'm planning on making some changes to that rifle someday like at least a new recoil pad and maybe even a new stock or something to at least make the rifle heavier. until then the rifle will sit in my safe and not be fired anymore. i think the .375 Weatherby and .375 RUM are very close ballistically with the RUM being just a little more powerful.

Thanks George and Pex, the 375 Weatherby full power loads aren't painful, I think the synthetic stock soaks up a bunch of the recoil. I was just surprised at the difference between the Weatherby and standard H&H rounds...

I've always felt that powder choice can influence recoil velocity of the rifle.

George

I agree George, when I get back from Alaska I'm going to work up a load with a powder on the slow side for the 350g Woodleigh PPs (I have about 300 of them) that gets them to just over 2400 fps from my 22" barrel with high load density. I plan to use them for everything from deer to brown bear. That should be a moderate load for my 375 Weatherby.

I rechambered my 375 Interarms Whitworth to 375 Weatherby. The extra powder needed to gain 200 fps seemed to make a fairly mild recoil into a jackhammer.

It defies the laws of physics doesn't it? Well anyway, I'll just need to put a few rounds down range with my 500 Jeffery every time I go to the range, it will make the 375 Weatherby feel like a 30-06 ...

I have/feel the same difference going from 270 to 300 grain bullets in my H&H. The 270 isn't bad at all, but I find the 300 grain bullets to be relative tooth-rattlers.

LWD

Chuck here is why the recoil is so different.

When you shoot a 375 H&H in a 375 WBY chamber [perfectly safe] the H&H will actually have less pressure and thus less velocity,[not enough less to effect killing power, IMHO] as the case has to expand to fill the 375 WBY chamber, than if the same load was shot in a 375 H&H chamber.

Then when you shoot the 375 H&H WBY ammo, well then it is Weatherby ammo,

So I find your experience to be normal...

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Chuck here is why the recoil is so different.

When you shoot a 375 H&H in a 375 WBY chamber [perfectly safe] the H&H will actually have less pressure and thus less velocity,[not enough less to effect killing power, IMHO] as the case has to expand to fill the 375 WBY chamber, than if the same load was shot in a 375 H&H chamber.

Then when you shoot the 375 H&H WBY ammo, well then it is Weatherby ammo,

So I find your experience to be normal...

Thanks N E 450 No2! I was wondering about that. Once I relegate myself to shooting only 375 Weatherby handloads, it will become my "new normal" for the rifle. I got a bunch of 350g Woodleigh PPs on sale, so I'm going to start out with them.

Chuck, did you switch to a slower burn rate powder in the Weatherby cartridge?

I haven't yet, I've got some H4350 and some IMR 4831. I plan to try both with the 350g Woodleighs. It'll have to wait until I get back from Alaska. I'm leaving Saturday.

Yes!
I know exactly where you're coming from!
After I had my Classic Stainless Mod 70 rechambered to the Weatherby version, I noticed striaght away the increase in felt recoil.
I believe it's the 'sharpness' or 'crack' that has given the rifle a far more livelier recoil, not to mention the additional 200fps increase in velocity!

I also found the recoil to go up when using Win760 over H4350, the difference is quite noticeable off the bench, but on game I don't feel the recoil anyway!

Cheers.