I took the .376 Steyr ProHunter to the range this last weekend to check sights. I had dropped it muzzle down on the concrete when we were packing up to move houses last summer. There was a mark on the end of the barrel, but I could not see any damage in the crown area.

The first shot from a cold barrel with the 270 grain Hornady factory ammunition hit within a half-inch of the center of the aiming point at 100 yards. The first three shots went into .968"; I fired three more, got one that I called out, and the five-shot group was 1.399". This barrel has only had 46 rounds down range. Renae said "No problem with that crown!".

This rifle has a Kahles 1.5-6X42 scope (30 mm tube)mounted with Talley rings and bases, so all get a gold star for maintaining zero for over a year and through a hard knock.

By the way CDNN Technologies is closing out these rifles for $449.

jim dodd

Hey Jim
What have you heard on the current status of Steyr-Mannlicher . Have they got a new factory yet.

Elmo

Jim, I took my ProHunter 376 out to the range the other day and shot my first reloads. Using 66.5gr of H4895 it shot 3 shots into just under an inch at 100 yards with 235gr Speers. No idea of how fast these loads are as I didn't have time to set up the chronograph before the range closed. I'm pretty happy with that sort of accuracy. I also have less than 40 shots total through it. I plan to try working up some loads with the Barnes 235gr XLC. If any body who reads this has any reloading data for the 376 that they would like to share please email me or post it on this thread. Thanks

I haven't heard anything from my Steyr-Mannlicher contact in months, so I don't know what is going on across the pond. John Schaefer announced on his website that there is a new US repair point.

http://www.steyrscout.org/project.htm

John has a very informative site.

Hodgdon has online data for the .376 Steyr with their powders. Definitely worth a look.

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

I received an order of brass from Graf & Sons, so it looks like the brass back-order is over.

jim

Super,

Using the Hodgdon data I estimate that your load will get 2,794 fps MV. That is zipping right along.

jim

But the Hodgdon data is out of a 24" barrel and the pro-hunter is a 20". So the MV is going to be a bit slower.

Hunter Jim,

When you get new info on Steyr, let us know. I finally got an E-mail from Hornady about .376 Steyr ammo and brass.

It was from "Big Steve" himself:

"We plan to continue the manufacture of 376 Steyr but I don't know what
is happening with Steyr itself. New owners and no one knows what's going
on.

SteveH"

[ 03-13-2003, 05:10: Message edited by: Kahluaman ]

Super88

Here's some load data for you;

Prohunter w/ 20" barrel
Velocities measured about 15' from muzzle
Hornady unfired brass
Win WLRM primers
Varget Powder

For the 225 grain Hornady SP, I use the Hodgdon Max load of 68 grains Varget and get an average of 2675 fps. As I worked up towards the max load, the ES and SD numbers got smaller and smaller. The 68 grain max load had a ES of 42 fps and a SD of 28 and is a compressed load. I saw no signs of pressure problems. I would think more velocity could probably be achieved, and ES and SD would continue to shrink, if somebody wanted to "push the envelope", but the 68 grain load is very accurate and plenty fast for what I want this load to do.


For the 270 grain Hornady SP, The Hodgdon max load is 65.5 grains Varget and I got an average velocity of 2495 fps, an ES of 79 and a SD of 35. This is also a compressed load. I DON'T use this load. I use 64 grains to get an avg of 2463 fps with an ES of 13 and a SD of 6. This load is very uniform from shot to shot and is definitly more accurate than the max load.

I'm very happy with the velocties, and the superb accuracy, of these two loads considering they come out of a 20" Barrel and I'm at or below Max loads. Jeffeosso built a mauser action .376 with a longer barrel that gets higher velocities than my prohunter, so I know the .376 can benefit from more barrel length.

Elmo

No two guns are alike,,,,,,,,,,,,except the two I bought.
I bought a Pro Hunter about a year ago. I like odd ball stuff so it was right up my alley. I let it sit around for awhile until my father couldn't stand it any more. I put a Leo 1.5 x 5 on it and bought 2 box's of Hornady 270's. After I got it on paper I was not real excited. The factory 270's would hold about an inch to an inch and a half. Velocity was only about 2550 over my 35p. I never tried the 225's. I pulled one of the bullets and took a look. What ever powder Hornady is using looks like ball powder and was very compressed. I literally had to dig the powder out of the case. Some of the fired rounds showed high pressure signs. Primer pockets loose and very flat primers with some cratering. My dad being an avid and safe reloader started playing around. Nosler had just come out with the 260 BT to go along with the 260 PART. I found that VV powders gave better velocity and seemingly less pressure than other powders in some of my other rifles. Dad came upon a hell of a load.
Start low and work up.
260 Nosler Part or BT (it does not matter)
Hornady Brass
VVN550, 72.5 grains on an 80 F day. 73.5 was a little warm and might be to warm for a hotter clim...i.e like a 100 F.
Fed 215m
Seat the bullets out as far as the mag will let you!
This load with the BT will compress the powder a little bit due to the boat tail being a little longer than the partition.
2775 to 2800 fps

Bolt works easy and does not flatten or crater primers like the factory load did. This load shoots an honest to god 1/2 to 5/8 inch all day long, even with the low powered scope. My dad liked the rifle so much I had to go out and buy him one just like it. This new Pro Hunter shot the same load giving the same groups. This combo will make a good woods elk gun or for anything in this country up to 300 yards or so. I don't like the safety but it shoots. I thought VVN540 would work better but velocty was off and groups opened up a little, to about an inch. The rifle has pretty good recoil.
Good luck.

Steve,

Welcome to AR, and thank you for posting your results. I have not tried any VV powders yet.

You are straight on with the magazine length as the limiting factor in cartride overall length in the Steyr. One thing I noticed while doing some testing with some very blunt solids for Mike Brady was the rifle would feed bullets from that detachable magazine that ome of my .375 H&Hs would not feed at all.

jim dodd

CWilson,

I see I list the name incorrectly, it is CDNN Investments.

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/

Good hunting...jim

HunterJim:

I've been to that site before, but can never find firearms, just accessorites. What is the secret to finding the guns?

cwilson

They don't list guns on the website......you have to call.

Thanks GonHuntin. I'll do that.

cwilson

Steve, Thanks for the load. I will add it to my book. Im interested in seeing how it shoots. If I get the same results I will be extremely pleased.

CWilson,

They mail me their paper catalog, and I think you can download the pdf of the catalog from their website -- at least I see a link there that claims to do that.

jim

Heads Up Boys

A 260 grainer @ 2800 fps seems mighty hot to me. I'm not suggesting that it can't be done, BUT...
My hodgdon manual shows a 79 grain max load of H4350 with a 250 grain bullet in a .375 H&H with a 26" test barrel is only getting 2759fps. That's a lighter bullet, in a longer barrel, with more powder, in a bigger case.

If I was gonna try and get 2800fps with a 260 grain Partition from a .376 with a 20" barrel,
I'd be very very carefull, and have my brother-in-law do the test firing.

Elmo

A war witout France,
Is like dinner without Snails!

Elmo, Thanks for the warning, but I always back way off anyones load. Yes, even yours. I guess Im just not the trusting type. I will then gradually work up towards the stated load. By the way thanks for your loads last year. They worked great. Have you had a chance to try Eric's 300 grn solid load? I cant give you any data on recovered bullets as all were pass throughs.

with a 24" barrel, 376 steyr, and BOOK loads

300 grains at 2500+
230gr at 2800+
225 at 2900+

and all submoa

Jeffe

Wow,
Been away for a while and now it looks like the 376 has a substantial following. Glad to hear everyone is enjoying theirs. Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.
I finally got mine like I want it- almost. Painted that ugly Navy gray stock with some OD green and black mist. Mounted a 1x3 in Leu QR rings and mounts.
Then I had a dove tail ghost ring cut into the Leu base and removed the rear sight blade. The ghost ring is drift adjusted and then set. Elevation is set on the front sight post. Nice, simple, and clean.
The only problem is the rings. Didn't like the scope being that hight but solved the problem with a pacskin type pad. Now I can use open or scope.
Fun rifle to shoot. Clients love "trying" it and it swats critters with authority.
Hopefully I'll get back to reloading soon and try some of your loads.
Best,
Jeff

Start low and work up.
260 Nosler Part or BT (it does not matter)
Hornady Brass
VVN550, 72.5 grains on an 80 F day. 73.5 was a little warm and might be to warm for a hotter clim...i.e like a 100 F.
Fed 215m
Seat the bullets out as far as the mag will let you!
This load with the BT will compress the powder a little bit due to the boat tail being a little longer than the partition.
2775 to 2800 fps

Sorry guys I mis-quoted weight and speed. 72.5 of VVN550 gets 2680-2700. 74. was doing 2790-2800, out of both of my guns.
Yes the 74.0 grains of VVN550 at about 2800fps is a little warm. The bolt on a ProHunter is hard to lift anyway but shooting the hot load you could tell that the bolt was a little harder to lift. I know flat primers and cratering of primers is not the end all be all of pressure testing but even the warm handload did not show the pressure signs of the factory loads
Sorry about the misprint.
STEVE

Mike
Nope, I haven't worked up a 300 grain load yet. I got distracted by a Redhawk 44 mag. I've put about 1000 handloads through it in the last two months. All made on my rockchucker. That's enough arm pulling for me right now.

Dogworker
How about a picture of that ghost ring set up. That sounds like a good idea.

Steve
Good on you for posting the correction.
Welcome aboard

Elmo

CWilson,

When the last catalog came in December I ordered two extra magazines for the .376 ProHunter. I figured one for a shooting spare in the field, and the second to hide in the back of the safe in case of a loss.

I don't remember seeing them in the current catalog, but perhaps CDNN have some left. They weren't cheap, but they would be cheaper than trying to get one from Steyr-Mannlicher.

jim

Jeff, Long time no talk. I know we talked about the ghost ring setup a lot last year. I would like to see your final product as well.

They did have 30.06 in high cap last week. No 260's though. I dont know about the 376 mags as Im all set on them.
PS They didnt have any short action mags left when I talked to them.

[ 03-18-2003, 04:08: Message edited by: Mike Smith ]

Gents,
Would love to post some pics but am technologically impaired at the moment. I still shoot slides for my columns. Have to get one of my photojournalists to take pics and I'm busy wrapping up a lengthy quail season and get through turkey season.
Anyway, my bases are on backwards to get proper eye relief. That's the only thing I don't like but it's still functional.
After numerous ideas, a gunsmith friend of mine started to build a ghost ring by using a QR ring and mill it down and attach sight. Then I'd have to insert it when I took the scope off. Problem was the sight was too high.
He called me a couple days later and said he had a surprise and that I'd be happy. He milled a "U" shaped groove through both bases and then milled a dove tail in the rear base. The ghost ring slides in and rests right in front of the rear ring when the scope is on. The groove allows for a lower mounting and lines up nicely with the front sight. Then removed the rear sight blade but left the island in case I change my mind.
Still have to sight it in but a couple off hand shots up close have me confident.
Will get pics soonest.
Best,
Jeff