Hi All,
I've lurked on this site for about a year now and finally registered not long ago. Learned a lot from you guys!
I just read the article in the reloading section of the Campfire and ran across the part that says:
"One thing I've found through the use of the machine is the fatter the bullet, the less difference small manufacturing variations make. It's a lot easier, for instance, to make a concentric .30 caliber bullet than a balanced .25 caliber bullet, one of the reasons many .30 caliber cartridges have a reputation for accuracy. But the most consistently concentric bullets are those of .35 caliber and up. In fact, I rarely test any bullets of .35 caliber or more that don't check out essentially match-grade. Which is why so many .375's and .416's shoot little tiny groups--if their owners can take the recoil."
Very good reading if you haven't read it yet.
Based on this info, I was wondering about the prospects of building a 375 rifle with recoil levels in the 30-06 to 300 Winchester Mag range.
I've used my RCBS.Load cartridge designer to get some aproximate case capacities and designs and the WSSM case seems to have the same capacity as a 308. I would assume the velocities in a 375 WSSM wildcat would be comparable to the 358 winchester since it is mainly a 308 necked up to 35 caliber. This would make a 375 cal with velocities in the 2000 to 2200 fps range I think. The recoil should be around that of a 30-06 with 220 grain full bore loads. Possibly recoiling as much as a 300 Winchester Mag. Of coarse the 375 WSM would be more both in velocity and recoil.
I do most of my hunting and target shooting using a 7mm Remington Mag and have never shot one of the big bores. I can shoot the 7 a long time (60 or more rounds) before feeling the effects of recoil from it. Do you think this would be an accurate guess as to what to expect from such a wildcat? Has it been done yet?
Thanks in advance guys!
Jim
