Author Topic: 376 Steyr....Range Report!!! (Read 4000 times)

quickdtoo · « **Reply #30 on:** May 10, 2012, 07:55:04 AM »

Thanks, can't wait to get it to the range(along with the 499HE and 45-70 Trapper!

), I've been checking out potential loads for it, looks like start loads of H4895 will provide excellent load density in the 22" barrel and yield ~2600fps with the 235gr Speer at around 50kpsi, less stress on the frame/underlug than a 58kpsi 270 Win load!

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #31 on:** May 10, 2012, 01:38:04 PM »

Here's a comparison pic of some of the other 375s, the 338MX and the 35Whelen Improved since they don't have the 375 Whelen listed, I would have gone with the 375-444 but no one has a floating pilot reamer for rent, I called Fred and asked, but no luck, Jesse requires a floating pilot reamer for his rechambers, that left me looking at the Steyr and Elk Ridge just happened to have a floating pilot reamer. The 376 Steyr is kind of a tweener falling between the smaller 375s like the 375 Whelen and bigger magnums with larger capacities, 80grs water, comparable to the short mags, but with a considably smaller case head, same as the 284 Win as a matter of fact which operates at 56kpsi, there are few members here with 6.5-284 Handis in fact, so you could think of it as a big bore 284 Win!

Tim

Shu · « **Reply #32 on:** May 11, 2012, 06:19:51 AM »

I have a 376 steyr on a mauser 98 bolt action. (I know this is the handi forum). This cartridge is very close as in 100-200 fps of the 375 H&H magnum. I really believe this is do able on the SB2 frame, I am a bit concerned about recoil though. I know Quick is a big boy and can deal with heavy recoiling rifles. I am getting 2500 fps with a 270 grain bullet.
I don't want to shoot this cartridge in a 7lb gun though.

Good Luck with the project Quick

quickdtoo · « **Reply #33 on:** May 11, 2012, 09:37:54 AM »

The recoil was the biggest consideration why I decided on the standard contour 7mm-08 barrel for rechambering, the 20" Superlight might just be a little too light since it weighs about a pound less, my 22" 35 Whelen Improved is light enough for easy carry elk hunting, the Steyr's .375" bore will be a bit lighter, and with the 235gr Speer at ~2600fps, recoil should be tolerable, I already have most of a box of them as well as most of a box of the 270gr Hornady RN left over from my 375H&H Encore project.

Thanks,

Tim

Shu · « **Reply #34 on:** May 11, 2012, 11:07:30 AM »

I like my 376, great elk hunting rifle. I do understand the need for the "different" rifle.
The 376 can surely get it done. I am not sure if you can really compare a 35 Whelen to it though. I like the project!!! Nice thing is you don't have to run barn burners though it to enjoy a great cartridge.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #35 on:** May 15, 2012, 04:24:14 AM »

Great news, I emailed Hornady for some info on the Steyr, their factory ammo is loaded to 58kpsi and their 225gr H4895 data tops out at 55kpsi, looks like I chose a good one!!!

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #36 on:** May 15, 2012, 11:41:46 AM »

Fedex delivered my sizing die, Hornady brass and a couple #15 Hornady shell holders, an extra to be modified for the Lee hand primer, made up a dummy round with a 235gr Speer seated to 3.1", the 375H&H seater works perfect, here's a pic of the round along with a 213gr custom 38-55 and 180gr Speer 35 Whelen, now all I need is the barrel from JES!

Tim

bikerbeans · « **Reply #37 on:** May 15, 2012, 02:22:39 PM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on May 15, 2012, 11:41:46 AM

Fedex delivered my sizing die, Hornady brass and a couple #15 Hornady shell holders, an extra to be modified for the Lee hand primer, made up a dummy round with a 235gr Speer seated to 3.1", the 375H&H seater works perfect, here's a pic of the round along with a 213gr custom 38-55 and 180gr Speer 35 Whelen, now all I need is the barrel from JES!

Tim

Very nice!

BB

quickdtoo · « **Reply #38 on:** May 16, 2012, 05:35:07 AM »

I ran a few QL predictions with other powders and found an even more Handi friendly load with the 235gr Speer, 61.5gr IMR3031 at 100.4% load density runs just 52595psi and 2702fps!

Hornady lists a max 225gr IMR3031 load as 61.6gr for 2800fps in their 25½" barrel, they use a shorter COL of 3.065" tho.

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #39 on:** May 16, 2012, 10:31:05 AM »

The barrel came back today, one week turn around, Jess is awesome!!!

The lands look to be the same width as the grooves and the lands are polished already, grooves are noticably dull in comparison. Jesse sent a note stating the reamer cuts a long throat just like the 9.3x62 which is ok by me, it will help keep initial pressure spike to a minimum. Either the chamber is cut a little shallow, or the factory brass has the shoulder not pushed back far enough creating negative headspace by about .020" that won't quite allow the round to chamber completely, but that's easy to fix and easier than creating a false shoulder to work around too deep a chamber, I just removed a little off the bottom of the die so it could be adjusted down a little more to push the shoulder back a little bit more, now they chamber flush with the barrel face!

Jesse XXXd out the old barrel marking and stamped it 376 STEYR on the top of the barrel about where a rear sight would be mounted, looks great. I installed the 7mm-08 extractor to see how much I might need to adjust it, and it works fine just like it is!!!

So all I have to do now is the underlug improvement and it'll be ready to go.

I did a little more research on the 235gr Speer bullet, at anything over ~2300-2400fps it tends to fragment and make a mess of meat, so I may have to reconsider it, I'll know more when I get it the range and see how they shoot, considering it's used in the 375 Win, that makes sense, 2400fps would make me happy too if they're accurate.

Tim

Fred M · « **Reply #40 on:** May 16, 2012, 11:31:10 AM »

Tim
How accurate are these rebore jobs by JES, and how long is the wait. I need to get one done inside 2 month. From 243 to 257. Please send me a phone # so I can call him.
Fred M.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #41 on:** May 16, 2012, 01:22:16 PM »

Hi Fred! From all the good talk on different forums, I'd say JES does real good work, I sent the barrel off last week, got it back this week!

Tim

http://www.35caliber.com/

quickdtoo · « **Reply #42 on:** May 18, 2012, 04:35:18 AM »

I did some measurin on the brass and chamber yesterday and compared the measurements to the SAAMI and Hornady drawings, there's a big decrepancy between the brass and the SAAMI drawing for the neck/shoulder point and I can see why the brass doesn't fit the chamber, brass is .013" too long for that measurement, chamber itself is right on. I was concerned the chamber neck might be too short also, but it's got a good .040" clearance to the end of the chamber neck with the shoulder pushed back where it needs to be. I suspect Hornady may have done this on purpose due to the problems they had with excess headspace earlier.

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #43 on:** May 21, 2012, 12:50:15 PM »

Got it almost ready to shoot, mounted a Leupold Vari-X 2-7x28 Compact (thanks Joe!!) in low Burris Zee rings on a Leupold base, also added a Limbsaver pad, it weighs 7lbs-1oz as you see it.

Now I just need to load up some ammo, I tried to turn on my Lyman DPS 1200 powder dispenser this morning to warm up, dead AC adapter, called Lyman, $12 plus shipping and I'll have a new one in about a week, no hurry at this time tho, the range is closed all week, maybe next too, thinkin I'll just head up to my hunting area and make my own range!

I made a Lee factory crimp die from a Lee 375H&H, just shortened the bottom of the collet by .488", works great. Also modified the 375H&H trimmer by heating it a little and removing the pilot pin, then drilled hole deeper, then murphy struck and I busted the drill bit off in the process, but finally got it out after some work!!

Shortened the trimmer and reinstalled the pilot pin, then trimmed the pin so it trims to 2.352". I discovered that the Lee #9 41mag shell holder works perfect, so I
ordered a Lee 41mag trimmer for the shell holder(lock collar) that comes with it, costs a lot less than a custom trimmer from Lee!

Tim

tacklebury · « **Reply #44 on:** May 21, 2012, 01:07:10 PM »

Very cool, cannot wait to see how she shoots for you.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #45 on:** May 21, 2012, 03:03:53 PM »

Quick,

Mighty fine Handi! Also, some of us are hoping the .499 HE makes the range trip with the 376 Steyr.

BB

mechanic · « **Reply #46 on:** May 21, 2012, 04:34:00 PM »

Lookin' good Tim! Post us some targets soon. I've never been a custom caliber guy, but all ya'll keep teasing me, kinda' like when they used to call me chicken.....

Ben

quickdtoo · « **Reply #47 on:** May 22, 2012, 04:39:47 AM »

Thanks, the 499HE and the 45-70 Trapper will be making the trip too along with a couple others that I haven't shot for a while, the Trapper will be testing some Federal factory ammo along with some Mt Baldy 405gr .460" gas checks up to 1800fps or so. I forgot to mention that I went to Wholesale Sports sunday and found a box of 260gr .375" Nosler partitions on sale for $31, so I'll be running those thru the Steyr once I get the barrel broke in with the 235gr Speers.

Tim

hex · « **Reply #48 on:** May 23, 2012, 06:13:56 AM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on May 09, 2012, 04:08:44 AM

A 375H&H Ackley loaded to 375 H&H Flanged pressures, doing the Ackley version would insure that if by chance anyone ever did load a factory round in it, the pressure in the Ackley chamber would be 37.1kpsi as predicted by QL and the improved chamber should reduce breech thrust some over the tapered parent round.

Tim, do you have an reload data on the 375 H&H Flanged? I've thought of getting a barrel reworked in that caliber as well.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #49 on:** May 23, 2012, 06:33:12 AM »

The only published data I've got is in the Barnes #3, but I'd use QuickLoad software for data specific to my chamber specs.

Tim

quickdtoo · « **Reply #50 on:** June 14, 2012, 04:34:58 PM »

Got to shoot today, HURRAY!!!!

The Steyr is awesome, I think once the barrel is broken in it will be real accurate, got a two shot group of .900" at 2693fps, and I'm only half way thru the load work up, no issues whatsoever, so far fired cases will easily rechamber!! I'll add some pics later, this ol boy is a tired puppy.

Tim

bikerbeans · « **Reply #51 on:** June 15, 2012, 12:34:21 AM »

A 0.375", 235 grain speer @ 2700 FPS, that will make a dandy squirrel round.

Sounds like you have a winner Tim!

BB

quickdtoo · « **Reply #52 on:** June 15, 2012, 04:43:05 AM »

Unfortunately it's not a good hunting round at that velocity, it's really a 375 Winchester bullet, from my research, 2400fps MV is about as good as it can do without coming apart on impact or ruining a lot of meat, so they're just for barrel break-in since I already had them, I'll be working hunting loads up with the 225gr Hornady and 260gr Nosler Partition.

Thanks,

Tim

rickt300 · « **Reply #53 on:** June 17, 2012, 04:35:27 AM »

I initially wanted to build a 376 steyr but on a M48 mauser action. I decided I could do what I needed with a 35 Whelen instead leaving me with a blank .375 barrel. I then bought a 7MM Remington magnum Remington 700 as a donor rifle thinking of doing a 375 H&H but the darn mag 7 just shot too well. I think a 375 of some kind is still lurking in my future.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #54 on:** July 30, 2012, 12:17:27 PM »

I made a follow up trip today, accuracy of the rest of the 235gr loads got worse with more powder, but the 225gr Hornadys shot good.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,261914.0.html