I walked into my local gunshop yesterday and lo and behold... there lay a brand spanking new, stainless LA Montana action. Like a moth to the flame I was drawn to it... a price was agreed upon and now I own it!

I am now debating what to build with it! It will be built with a McMillan safari stock, sunny hill bottom metal, NECG sights, barrel band etc. Now for caliber... I have three custom .375 H&H's and love them but I want to do something not H&H. I already have the .416 Rem Mag, a Rigby, a Lott, a 9.3x62... so which of the two .375's Weatherby or RUM would you pick if it was your project for a great no-nonsense working gun?

I know some of the advantages of the different cartridges like "I could in a pinch shoot H&H ammo in the Weatherby"... "brass may be more available for the RUM now"... so what do you think?

Without hesitation, .375 Weatherby.

Roy's 1944 Warhorse. Build one and name it "Trigger."

It got immensely better after the 2001 revamp with new throat and new headstamped brass more available.

The factory Weatherby loads for it in a 26" barrel will do an honest 2800 fps with 300 grain Nosler partitions.

Settle for 2740 fps and 5000 ft.lbs. with the same load in a 24" barrel.

Shoot factory 300 grain .375 H&H in it and you get 2400 fps super killers.

A most effective and practical rifle.

Anything else is just foolin' and tinkering, and having fun.

Whatever floats your boat. I am certainly guilty of all of the above.

I agree with RIP on this one.I put together a 375WBY on an Enfield action and got 2800 fps with 270gr.bullets in a 26 inch barrel.

I agree with RIP and RayO. Mine does 2500fps with 350gr woodleighs and 2750fps with 300gr nos/par from a 24" barrel. Both loads shoot 3/4" groups at 100yd but not to the same point of aim.Oh well,you can't have it all.
With the 350 woodleigh zeroed at 2" high,Rem factory 300's hit 1" below point of aim at 2350fps and 2", 3 shoot groups at 100yds.A very useable load.
The 375wby is a great choice for a "NO NONSENSE WORKING GUN".

375 UM. Saeed seems to have got by with it successfully so far.

I would say the 375 wby - in a pinch you could use 375 H&H ammo.

I have considered it myself.

375 Wby.

I'm just starting load development for mine and am a VERY happy camper, so far. Mine was done with a custom Manson reamer with a little bit different leade angle than even the 2001 revamp. Claims it's more accurate with a wider variety of bullets. Time will tell. But, so far........so great!!

Oh......and in a pinch, you can shoot H&H's out of it.

My glowing reports have come from a Manson reamer also. I may have misquoted the leade angle as 1 degree and 2 minutes at one time, but have since learned that mine is 1 degree 30 minute leade angle.

This is a very common, garden variety leade angle and it just works.

I think the most important part is the tight freebore that is 0.3700" long, parallel-sided, and tight diameter of only 0.3755", IIRC.

Add that leade to complete the perfect throat for any .375.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
375 UM. Saeed seems to have got by with it successfully so far.

Will,
Shame on you for calling Saeed's .375/.404 Jeffery Improved an "UM."

I have played with the .375 Wby for 20 years, and lately the .375 RUM and the .375/.338 Lapua Magnum (AKA 9.5x69mm Tornado).

They all do about the same thing. The redeeming quality of the .375 Wby is that it is so handy with "garden variety" .375 H&H ammo in a pinch.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
My glowing reports have come from a Manson reamer also. I may have misquoted the leade angle as 1 degree and 2 minutes at one time, but have since learned that mine is 1 degree 30 minute leade angle.

This is a very common, garden variety leade angle and it just works.

I think the most important part is the tight freebore that is 0.3700" long, parallel-sided, and tight diameter of only 0.3755", IIRC.

Add that leade to complete the perfect throat for any .375.

Minute-and-a half.........yep. Same reamer.......yep.

quote:

Originally posted by Strut10:

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
My glowing reports have come from a Manson reamer also. I may have misquoted the leade angle as 1 degree and 2 minutes at one time, but have since learned that mine is 1 degree 30 minute leade angle.

This is a very common, garden variety leade angle and it just works.

I think the most important part is the tight freebore that is 0.3700" long, parallel-sided, and tight diameter of only 0.3755", IIRC.

Add that leade to complete the perfect throat for any .375.

Minute-and-a half.........yep. Same reamer.......yep.

1.5 degree. I know what you mean.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

quote:

Originally posted by Strut10:

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
My glowing reports have come from a Manson reamer also. I may have misquoted the leade angle as 1 degree and 2 minutes at one time, but have since learned that mine is 1 degree 30 minute leade angle.

This is a very common, garden variety leade angle and it just works.

I think the most important part is the tight freebore that is 0.3700" long, parallel-sided, and tight diameter of only 0.3755", IIRC.

Add that leade to complete the perfect throat for any .375.

Minute-and-a half.........yep. Same reamer.......yep.

1.5 degree. I know what you mean.

Yeah. I know what I mean, too. I just can't type it, obviously.

I made mine on a brno 602 and put a peep site on it that has a ghost ring set for 100 yds and a smaller peep flips up for 300 yds. The only thing is that even though I used the manson reamer I ended up with a lot of free bore. For the bullets to touch the lands you have to seat it 7mm longer than the magazine oal. Really happy with it though. I load it to a bit over 2700 fps and have a trajectory clone of my 30-06 180 grain partition load. Thanks again RIP.

I wonder if the long free bore is because the free bore on the original H&H chamber was way long?

375 webby... without a doubt. Mark the barrel 375, so you won't ever have a case marking issue.

the RUM is amazing, and so is the recoil.

RUM brass is best to make wildcats from!!!

jeffe