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.338-378 Weatherby Magnum caliber conversions?
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I have a .338-378 Weatherby Magnum rifle that needs to be rebarreled. With a 338 Lapua Magnum headed my way and the desire to get away from the Weatherby brass, I'm having a little trouble identifying suitable conversion calibers. It looks like this rifle caliber has an "odd" base diameter that will force me to change or alter the bolt.

I'm at a loss whether it is better to sell this rifle as a donor action and start fresh or, convert this rifle to a 416 Rigby or 404 Jeffery based cartridge. I would like to get something in the "mid" .40 caliber range, preferably without a belt and not overly high pressure to be suitable for very hot environments. I'm not overly opposed to a .458 Lott or .470 Capstick though so, I have considered selling the Weatherby and buying a CZ Safari Magnum or Classic.

Calibers like the "AR" (Remington Ultra) series and the 470MBogo seem to be incompatible so, I'm having trouble finding suitable alternatives. Ammoguide initially seemed promising but, the case head dimension seems to require a bolt conversion and prevent a more economical rebarrel option.

Am I missing some good options for my Weatherby rebarrel options?


Best Regards,
Sid

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.
Alexis de Tocqueville
 
Posts: 602 | Location: East Texas, USA | Registered: 16 June 2008Reply With Quote
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the x378 weatherby has a parent case of the 460 weatherby, which, is basically,. a belted 416 rigby.

since you don't want a belt, that leaves the 550s and 500/510s out

however
470mbogo is a drop in
450 rigby
416 rigby
338 lapua
500 AR
500 KX/Mbogo (both basically unbelted well's)
450 dakota


opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com
 
Posts: 40229 | Location: Conroe, TX | Registered: 01 June 2002Reply With Quote
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quote:
the x378 weatherby has a parent case of the 459 weatherby, which, is basically,. a belted 416 rigby.


Actually, the 378 is the parent case for the 460. Wink

Go with the belt and make a 416 Wby.
 
Posts: 188 | Location: nc | Registered: 03 February 2008Reply With Quote
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okay.. works for me


opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com
 
Posts: 40229 | Location: Conroe, TX | Registered: 01 June 2002Reply With Quote
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Since when is Lapua brass better or cheaper than Norma/Weatherby brass...?? How are .338 Lapua ballistics better than the .338/378 Weatherby..??

Sid - sell the rifle and start from scratch if you prefer the Lapua.
 
Posts: 13301 | Location: On the Couch with West Coast Cool | Registered: 20 June 2007Reply With Quote
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I own a 338LM (actually the rifle is being built on a Stiller TAC338 action) for use with my suppressor. The Weatherby is used up as it is so, it needs a new barrel at a minimum. If I rebarrel, I would prefer to avoid the Weatherby brass. I'm not saying Lapua, Norma, Weatherby, etc. brass is better or worse - I just don't want to mess with Weatherby brass anymore and prefer to use a wildcat that does not have a belt.

I toyed with the idea of a 458Lott and 470Capstick but, I have always admired the 416 Rigby from afar. It looks like I can convert this rifle to a 470Mbogo which sort of gives me a souped up 470 Capstick and gets rid of the belted brass.

Converting this rifle appears to be cheaper then getting a CZ Safari Magnum and a few mods so, that's what prompted the question to start with. A CZ with the 375 H&H necked up to to .40 caliber mentioned in the other thread is tempting. The purchase of a 458 Lott is tempting too. However, the cost of the CZ and AHR update is a lot more money since I already own the Weatherby.


Best Regards,
Sid

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.
Alexis de Tocqueville
 
Posts: 602 | Location: East Texas, USA | Registered: 16 June 2008Reply With Quote
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maci, ya ever use lapua brass?
RR


Born to Hunt, Forced to Work.
 
Posts: 103 | Location: Mathias wv | Registered: 26 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Yep...nothing to write home about...making it heavier doesn't necessarily make it better eh..??
 
Posts: 13301 | Location: On the Couch with West Coast Cool | Registered: 20 June 2007Reply With Quote
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My Lapua brass experience is limited currently but, so far I find it to be very consistent and high quality. If I were going to blindly pick some common centerfire brass to reload, I'd take Lapua. It is more consistent in general then the normal stuff I get from Domestic manufacturers. Maybe one of these days I'll try some Norma in one of my 308Win rifles.


Best Regards,
Sid

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.
Alexis de Tocqueville
 
Posts: 602 | Location: East Texas, USA | Registered: 16 June 2008Reply With Quote
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www.470mbogo.com


opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com
 
Posts: 40229 | Location: Conroe, TX | Registered: 01 June 2002Reply With Quote
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I know this much. loading up ammo for my 7mm Allen mag with lapua brass, I can load up 110 gr of wc872 behind a nosler 160 for 3575 fps and get five fireings, before anealing. I have had the load up to 115 gr/3712 fps and didn't lose the pockets, using norma brass the pockets are loose after 1 110 gr firing.
using lapua brass is one option I'll always opt to go with if possible.
RR


Born to Hunt, Forced to Work.
 
Posts: 103 | Location: Mathias wv | Registered: 26 December 2002Reply With Quote
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the 404-375, 458 Lott and 470 Captstick would not work on your action, they all share the same .532 bolt face, which is too small for your rifle. 416 or 450 Rigby would be a good choice. If you want to play with a wildcat, neck the 416 Rigby up to .423 or .435!


If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter!
 
Posts: 2287 | Location: CO | Registered: 14 December 2007Reply With Quote
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Isn't the 470Mbogo an improved 416 Rigby necked up to .470?


Best Regards,
Sid

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Alexis de Tocqueville

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.
Alexis de Tocqueville
 
Posts: 602 | Location: East Texas, USA | Registered: 16 June 2008Reply With Quote
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Not sure on the Mbogo...but another thing I just thought of is that you could do a Lazzeroni cartridge on that action. They have a .577 case head vs the Rigby .580

Not sure if anyone suggested the 450 Dakota. You also have the 495 and 500 A-Square, but the retain the belt from the Wby case (which if you already have the cases laying around....) There is the 475 A&M Magnum as well.

If you choose the 470 Mbogo, its going to be more then just a beltless Capstick lol you're adding a decent amount of extra powder in there.


If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter!
 
Posts: 2287 | Location: CO | Registered: 14 December 2007Reply With Quote
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You guys are more knowledgeable than I but there is another option you can turn the belt off leaving the rim for single shots & then you have a .416 rimmed case to work with.
 
Posts: 152 | Location: Vanc.USA | Registered: 15 November 2003Reply With Quote
<Mike McGuire>
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quote:
Originally posted by shorthair:
You guys are more knowledgeable than I but there is another option you can turn the belt off leaving the rim for single shots & then you have a .416 rimmed case to work with.


No so with 378 based calibres. Belted brass that is H&H type would do what you said because the case rim is the same diameter as the belt. But with the 378 case the case rim is the same as the body in front of the belt.

In other words, if you turned the belt off 416 Wby and then put the resulting case through a 416 Rigby die you would get 416 Rigby cases.
The 378 case is a 416 Rigby Imporoved that has a belt added.
 
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