Anybody done any loading for the .375 Ruger. I've read that you can't duplicate Hornady's factory speeds with the powders currently available to the public (at least in the 20" Ruger Alaskan). I have a 300 gr. factory loaded bullet that lodged in the spine of a carabou at under 200 yds. It was intact, mushroomed, and weighed in at 150 gr. Not exactly the "anything on the planet" performance they claim. I pulled all the bullets from 3 boxes of factory 300 gr. ammo, and weighed the powder charges for all 60. They ranged from 85.5 gr. to 88 gr. and everything in between. Not exactly the height of precision. I'm going to reload with A-Frames, but the only powder tip I've gotten so far is Reloader 17. Any other options out there? Thanks.
Reloading .375 Ruger
- Thread starter bullbuster
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Elkoholic307
Banned
What factory ammo were you using? I wouldn't be too happy with those results either.
Are you planning on using the 300 gr. A-Frame? If that doesn't work out, I'd recommend the Partition. Varget and RL15 should work well for you.
Are you planning on using the 300 gr. A-Frame? If that doesn't work out, I'd recommend the Partition. Varget and RL15 should work well for you.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Keep in mind on the powder weights, they might be going off of mass instead of weight for each charge. It's just a different process. I have been switching to it with my precision loads and have had improved accuracy. I can see a the +- 1.5 gr. with a big load like that.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
hvfd21walker
Active Member
Drhorsepower, can you explaing this volume thing? Im interested and this is the first time I have heard of it. Maybe im behind times but I load everything to exact powder charges.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
A lot of benchrest shooters take a 45-70 case or similar, braze a handle on it and trim the top of it to hold a specific "volume" of powder. They simply fill it with powder, take a straight edge and scrape off the top, and fill the case of desired cartridge. They do this instead of weighing each charge. It is interesting. I have been dropping my charge and not weighing it out of my .243 and .220 swift, I obviously weighed the first few to set up my dispenser but after that just dropped the charge. I shot them on paper and there was a slight improvement in accuracy.
The name of the book is, "The Benchrest Shooters Primer".
ISBN-10: 0967094879
ISBN-13: 978-0967094878
A great read
The name of the book is, "The Benchrest Shooters Primer".
ISBN-10: 0967094879
ISBN-13: 978-0967094878
A great read
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Charging by volume can be really accurate. That is how a powder measure works.
Powder dippers work off volume also:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/943305/lee-improved-powder-measure-kit
Powder dippers work off volume also:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/943305/lee-improved-powder-measure-kit
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I do all my black powder loading (shotgun, rifle, pistol) by volume. I think it depends a lot on the powder you are using. Larger granules have more airspace between them than powders such as ball, thats why they have come out with "short cut" powders (eg. 4831sc). Dispenses and packs more uniformly. I also believe it burns more evenly. For my regular loading I use the big RCBS (can't remember the mod#) automatic powder measure. After you program it, dispenses the powder automatically every time you empty the pan. Weighs to the 10th of a grain. Extemely accurate and fast!
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Yep...by weight. In my experience its the only way to measure smokeless powder. Accurate to 1/10th of a grain and fast. I can see no advantage to using volume to load...except with BP.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Are you refering to accuracy of the powder charge or accuracy of the loaded round? I have loaded literally tens of 1000's of rounds using each method. While the volume method of powder measurement may be slightly faster, I have found it to be less accurate in the amount of powder you use each time. The is too much variation in the powder granule size of different types of powder to maintain accuracy of the individual charge. In some types of reloading, namely shotgun and most BP, this amount of accuracy is probably not necessary. But in reloading rifle cartridges, I beg to differ. The only way Iget the accuracy I demand is to weigh each and every load down to the 1/10 of a grain. My RCBS allows me to do that. I used to use various brands of powder measures (and still do for pistol), but the variation in the powder drops were too large for my rifle loads....again at least for me and my demands on accurate powder charges down to 1/10 of a grain.Only advantage is accuracy and time loading my friend
Everyone has their own way of doing things, this is how I have done it for years and will continue in the future. It doesn't make me right and everyone who doesn't agree with me wrong. I have used both methods in the past and still do for certain applications, but the results I get are exactly what I want.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
Cc, I am referring to accuracy of loaded round. One can argue accuracy of powder charge depending on what you are measuring, if you are measuring weight, it is not that accurate, if you are measuring volume, well its fairly accurate. I have not tried all of my loads for my rifles, the ones I have shot show improvement in accuracy. I still have to try my 7mm mag which is not ball powder. I have not even shot that rifle simply because I am not expecting a rifle tag any time soon.
In my .243 win rem 700, my averaged 3-3 shot groups changed from .562 to .488
My .17 rem changed from .392 to .377
.220 swift went from .475 to .422
It is not for everybody and if what you are doing works for you, keep with it no doubt, for me, accuracy is final and I strive to find the most accurate loads for my weapons. I take it a lot farther than some people and learn from the ones who take it to the extreme.
Like you, I love reloading, keep up the strong work and keep your knowledge flowing for all of us youngins
In my .243 win rem 700, my averaged 3-3 shot groups changed from .562 to .488
My .17 rem changed from .392 to .377
.220 swift went from .475 to .422
It is not for everybody and if what you are doing works for you, keep with it no doubt, for me, accuracy is final and I strive to find the most accurate loads for my weapons. I take it a lot farther than some people and learn from the ones who take it to the extreme.
Like you, I love reloading, keep up the strong work and keep your knowledge flowing for all of us youngins
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Hey man...if it works keep doin it! Used to do a lot of 1000 yard bp shooting with my Sharp 45-70. Weighed each and every load, used a drop tube, cast my own bullets, special lube, grease cookies and more. Really got to be not a lot of fun any more, thats why I kinda lost interest and quit shooting it several years ago. Still reload all my BP cowboy loads, a bit more tedious than fun tho. I still enjoy loading smokeless rifle tho and havn't shot any factory loads (that I bought) in over 25 years. Helps to be retired with time to do it.
Elkoholic307
Banned
boulderbeardog
New Member
Here is what I have for my loads with a 375 Ruger in African. 80.5 of Big Game Remington 9 1/2 primer hornady cases. 74 of Reloader 15 with Federal 215 with hornady cases. Big Game load is right around 2800 fps and the Reloader 15 is running around 2750 fps. Both loads are with 260 nosler accubonds. Shooting between 1" and 1 1/2" three shot groups. The factory ammo with 270 hornady sp shoots arond 2700. So I am having good luck with the round. But the alaskan has 3 1/2" less barrel then the african. You can't expect it to get these speeds even with max loads threw a alaskan. I have shot one elk and two deer with the big game load and of course they dropped everything right on the spot. I really think the gun would shoot even better with a little more work, but the accuracy is plenty for what I intend to use it for. On top of all of that the loads shoot to the same point of impact at 100 yards. So I don't need to adjust the scope if I change loads back and forth. I have even tried it out to 200 yards with my 8" gong and both mass right together on the gong. With the open sights it does hit a little high and to the right at 50 yards but I think the sights are regulated for 300 grain bullets at 50.
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