The .366 seems to like rather slow powders. The burn rate you are looking for is the IMR 4350 for the light bullets to H 1000 for the heavy weights. 7828 is one powder I used with the 300 grain Swift bullets but it is not my favorite. The H4831 gave very good results with the 300s I ran up to 97 grains in my rifle and got 2896 FPS and lower pressurs then the 7828.
As a matter of fact that H4831 just plane workes in this cartridge. 104 grains of the stuff pushes a 250 grain Barnes X at 3199 feet per second and builds only 49800 C.U.P. 102 grains works well with the 270 grain slugs.
The Imr 4350 I used with the 250 grain Nosler Ballistic tip bullets and got good velosity but 98 grains was what I setteled on for my max load. I went as high as 100 grains with the 250 Ballistic tip and though the bolt lifted no problem I was starting to flatten primers and though head expansion was minimal velosity really jumped which indicates high pressure. Those 100 grain loads shot great but the velosity averaged 3449 FPS, that is pushing things just a mite!!!
I am running either Shillen or barrels from the Montana rifleman. Every .366 I have built is shooting one hole groups at 100 yards. The best group to date measured .437" extreem spread so subtract bore diameter. It is a very easy cartridge to load for. You try a powder and if accuracy is poor go to somthing else. There was not 1 powder that we tried that if our first loads shoot poorly we later got results by working with the load.
The easy way to get one of these .366 DGWs is to rebarrel a Ruger #1, any of the magnums will work and you do not even have to change the extractor. The only catch is you want alittle weight with this cartridge so I recomend running the same barrel contour as the #1 in .416 Rigby which means you need a .416 Rigby quarter rib but Ruger has them in stock so no problem.
Another way to go is to rebarrel the new CZ 550 which comes in .416 Rigby so no action work needed.
One of these days I have to get off my butt and try some of these newer powders. One of my customers was getting very good results with some of the Alliant powders I think it was. I will have to talk to him an start experimenting again.
By the way did any of you read the article in the July -August issue of the Safari Club International mag on the .366???

Your Friend
Jud

Jud asked me to post up some of the guns he's custom built in 366DGW so here goes -











[ 07-15-2003, 04:07: Message edited by: woodseye ]

Judson, thats some beautiful work that you did. The rifle on the sandbags does it have your brake on it?

Woodseye, thank you for showing us what one looks like, by the way what type of rifle is that?

Judson: That sho is purty!

The rifle on the sand bags is my .366, it has my brake on it and the rifle is based on a P-14 action. The stock is Claro walnut and has 1/2" cast off and minimum drop.
The close ups with the skeleton grip, picture puzzle forend tip, and the shadow line cheek piece are also of this rifle. The rifle with the G33/40 action is a little 7X57 with a schnabel forend tip, Kiplinger single set trigger, and blind magazine.
The rifle I am holding and seen in the gun rest is a .505 Gibbs I built for David G. Walker from Hartford Maine. I do not mind telling you, it is more gun then I can really enjoy shooting. It does not hurt or anything but it does have a rather large obnoxious shove.

Thanks for the compliments on my work, If you would like I will try to get more posted.

Your Friend
Jud

.475guy call me sometime I can not find out how to contact you I am computer dumb!!! I do not think I posted it yet but 97 grains of H4831 powder will push a 300 grain Swift A Frame at 2911 fps with a muzzle energy of 5646 fp, the pressure is 49400 cup. Not that bad if I may say so.

Hey Jud, what was your max load with the 300gr A-Frame? The one that went about 300 f.p.s. faster thenthey were designed for.

I placed an order today for a custom stock for the CZ550 from LONE WOLF RIFLESTOCKS. Iwanted something a little different and they were willing to do it at a very reasonable cost and I know it will last.

I can't wiat for continued updates on this round. Knowing that its not for everyone I feel that it will be just what the doctor ordered!!!!!!!!!

The load you are looking for is in my rifle 97 grains of H 4831 giving me 2911 fps and 5646 foot pounds of energy at a meger pressure of 49400 cup.
If you want a starting load work off the .338/378 loading info. The .366 has a bigger bore so start in the middle and work up.
If you need addvice call, we will talk!!!

Not a problem. I enjoied talking to you the frist time and can't wait to get everything together to build this.

OK Jud,heres your cartridge comparison and gun pics -















I'll let you explain what the pics are of.

woods

And Woodseye does it again!!!! Now for the pictures.
1. My P-14 in .366 DGW and from L to R, the .308, the .366DGW and it's parent cartridge the .416 Rigby.

2. The .366 DGW, .416 Rigby and the .505 Gibbs, too much for me to shoot off the bench!!!

3. The .366 and the Rigby again

4.Various loads I tested, 250 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 270 grain Speer, 286 grain Barnes solid, and the 300 grain Swift A Frames which I used in Africa.

5. All fine deer cartridges the .308, 3006, .366, and .416.

6. My Enfield in South Africa, this picture shows my brake design rather well, the next picture is a different angle. Enfields do not have to be ugly!!!

What cartridge are those in the fifth picture?
Please list them from left to right.

Norseman they are 308; 30-06; .366 D.G.W. and 416 Rigby.

Hey Jud, what scopes are/where you using? I noticed that one was full size while the other one was a compact. About how long does it take you to build one of these from a P-14? What would the cost be to do it that way?

The scopes I used on that rifle are a 3 X 9 Leupold Vari X 2 and a 1.5 to 5 Vari X 3. The rifle in the pictures has a skeleton grip cap, picture puzzel grip forend tip, double cross bolts, express sights, rear sight is one standing and two folding. The barrel is from the Montana Rifleman and is 26" with two and a half inches being the muzzle brake. The sight plane is mat for no glare and the rifle is rust blued. Action mods. include drop mag, and opened up for the Rigby size case. The bolt released is Mauser style with a coil spring ejector, the rear reciever ring is cut down to take Mauser Leupold QR rings and bases and all excess metal behind the rear ring has been removed. The bolt is straightened and has a five pannel checkering job at 30 lines per inch. This is the same rifle shown earlier on this thread. It took me around to 200 hours to build it. A rifle simular to this one would cost scope and all around $4950. There are lots of details I have not mentioned like the inletted swivels and that the stock is built to fit the shooter in this case me.

Your Friend
Jud

Hi out there, I had to go out of state for a few weeks so I was not able to keep up with this sight. I will get some answers to your questions posted in the next few days.