Hey guys, what do you think about this cartridge? Through some calculating, i found out that if i rechamber the Ruger m77mk2LR i have now to .376 steyr, plus all of the reloading components, then it will cost right around 500 dollars. Would this cartridge be suitable for dangerous game like cape buffalo?

NH_Hunter

In same-length barrels it performs identically to the venerable .375 H&H but with lower recoil.

Jeffe uses a 376 Steyr as his "light" rifle, so it's probably good for anything on the planet. I shot his last year and it's really a nice shooting rifle.

I expect it would, but for $500 difference you could probably buy a Ruger 375 or a for sure a CZ-550 in 375 or 416 for about $550 to $600, and keep your old rifle too.

I have used my 376 in Africa as well as here. I love that round. I wouldnt feel undergunned with solids on a buff. It is basically a shortened 404 case. ie 6.5 x 60. I also own 375 HH and 458 but I find I prefer the Steyr most of the time.

Mike,
I believe the Steyr is based on the 9.3x64 case.

I had a ProHunter 376 that I just shucked 'cause the gun doesn't fit but I love the round. It fits perfectly in an MRC 1999 short action and that's what I'm building the next one on. (It will not fit true short actions; the MRC is more of an intermediate than short action)

The problem with the rifles you listed Ray is that they are all right-handed. I believe from previous posts that NH Hunter is a lefty like me. Sean

Something else to think about, and I'll probably get flogged by the .376 fans, is that sales of that round don't seem to hot. Hornady has even dropped the die set to a secondary list. Now, I know brass can be formed from other sources (9.3x64 right?) but what about just building a simple .375 Taylor? It's just a .338 Win necked up. Any belted brass can be used to form it, it may though I can't say for sure, feed easier than the Steyr. Just another thought to muddy your decision process. Sean

NH Hunter,

Slingster shoots a Steyr Scout in .376, and I shoot a Steyr ProHunter also in .376. Steyr is not making rifles in .376 anymore, although one of their factory people told me if I ordered 100 rifles they would be happy to build them. The cartridge is an intermediate length formed from 9.3X64 brass: a 9.5X60 in metric terms.

I took my rifle to Africa for a hunt, and killed a big eland (larger than any Cpe buff). I haven't found anyone who has taken a Cape buff, but the cartrdige will handle it if you do your part.

I wrote this hunt up for an African Hunter article.

http://www.african-hunter.com/eland,_shangaan_hunters_and_the__376_steyr.htm

(watch the wrap)

It is a good cartridge, although it certainly did not set the market on fire.

jim dodd

New news about Steyr in this mornings email.

First,

Steyr USA is up and running and shipping Scouts, etc. They have almost all of the licenses they need now. DTSS will continue to be the parts and service station although Steyr USA will have some on site.

Steyr Mannlicher USA, Inc
311 Hwy 45 Alt S.
WestPoint, MS 39773

Second,

The Scout will be avail. in 223, 308 and 376. There are a few 7mm08 in
Austria. I'm going to try and get them.

John Schaefer puts up status reports on his Scout Rifle Site. Google can find it for you.

jim

Thanks for the info guys. That article was great Hunterjim.

NH_Hunter

HunterJim,
That's great news, I was getting worried about trading into a .376 ProHunter and not having magazines available, at least now I can buy a spare or two.
Jason

I would double check, Jason. I am not sure the Scout mags will fit a ProHunter. Not that I want to kill our trade!

tiggertate,
Don't worry, I'm not getting cold feet. I am going to call on Monday to try to locate a spare magazine or two but I still want to trade, it's either that or build a .378 on my action!
Jason

Scout Mags DON'T fit the Pro-Huntert. I have a Scout and a Pro-Hunter HB the magazines didn't interchange in 308, haven't tried a 376 Pro-Hunter but I beleive they have the same issues.....DJ

VFR, You are absolutely right. I dont know what part of my brain the 404 thing came from. Just a temporary rectal cranial inversion!

not flogged.. just that you aren't in the ultracool, supersecret 376 owners club.

the 280 rem, the 35 whelen, and the 358 winchester aren't current calibers in the line-up, as I recall. Yet, these are legendary rounds... and the 280 AI is a HUGE "bean field" special caliber choice

why not a 375 taylor? hmmm, 1: short round, 2: factory brass, 3: dies were CHEAP, 4: no one else has them!!

I think, as I have owned RUM, WSM, and Steyr, that the 376 is the single most overlooked caliber of the recent (say 1/1/2000) "inventions" of calibers. Then again, idiotic things like the SuaM and the WSSM are catching on like wildfire.... and the 7 STW to boot.

Why isn't it selling? Steyr missed one part... americans don't "like" recoil, and have no requirements for the larger calibers... most of them think 12ga and 338 mags are HUGE booting guns.

my 376 has just enough kick to let you know it went off (Hey Jeff) and the accuracy is right there with my 300 win

I wonder how my +.338 bores the american part takes, as percentages, from the .223 (not 22LR) and up


jeffe

Jeffe,

The Steyr-Mannlicher folks market to North Americans the same way they do to European hunters, and stand around and looked surprised when they don't sell their stuff.

They though have just opened up a Steyr North American branch, and I hope to see more from them.

jim

Hey Jeff,

I agree that the 376 is a cool round. I have asked my share of questions about in the past. One thing to realize is that short round holds no special value for a left handed shooter like me, and I believe, NH Hnter as well. Take a look around and see how many left-hand short actions there are. You can get a Savage pretty easily and you might find a Rem, but no Rugers or Winchesters. Basically, no CRF in a Short Action Left hand unless you step up to an MRC and I'm not even sure those are being made yet.

Right handed people like to complain because they can only buy 476 different rounds chambered in a gun with the bolt on the appropriate side for them. Try being limited to 4 big Game rounds (270, '06, 7MM Rem Mag, and 300 Win).

So to me it seems like if NH Hunter wants a 376 Steyr he should go full steam ahead with it. But if he just wants a .375 caliber he may be better off with the .375 Taylor. There would be less 'smithing to a standard mag. bolt face action and, as I said, I suspect less feeding work. The dies may run a little higher, but the brass will be cheaper, and the bullets are a wash . Just a lefties perspective. Sean

LE,
you nkow what, you are perfectly correct, as I hadn't even thought of the lefties in the bunch... as the 376 is a near no brainer for a m98 conversion... minimal work and easy to feed.

did't rem make some 788's in lefty?

The MRC is not an expensive action to start from... and I have found, unless one want's a "purist" mauser, that starting from factory actions IS ALWAYS cheaper

jeffe

Jason,

I bought a pair of spare .376 magazines from CDNN Investments. They sell via the web and through a paper catalog, and they buy and sell lots of discontinued merchandise -- often at great prices.

I would check with them for magazines. Of course there is no guantee they still have them.

They had Steyr rifles at very good prices too.

jim

CDNN has been out of spare mags for awhile. You have to use other sources not as cheap. You can use the new importer but I found them to be less than helpfull for a small order. The last 2 mags I bought for the 376, Aleko at Heritage Arms got for me. About the same price but great customer service.
www.heritagearms.com

Mike,

Thanks for the update, I won't recommend CDNN anymore (unless their catalog lists more stuff of course).

Aleko also posts on AR.

jim

Mike and Jim,
Thanks, I'll get with Aleko. I bought a .35 Whelen 7600 from them that I am very happy with and wouldn't mind doing business with them at all. I'll give them a call tomorrow.
Jason