Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 H&H w/ 350 grain Woodleighs

Going to load up some 350 grain Woodleigh Protected Points using H4350. I figure somewhere around 2300 - 2350 fps mv should be about right. I plan on starting around 68 grains of powder.

Has anyone else been down this path? What has been your results?

Thanks,
Pud

Kevin Robertson from "The perfect shot" and "Africas most dangerous" believes that the .375 benefits greatly from more bullet weight at reduced velocities. He cites the 350 grainer @ 2300 and the 380 grainer @ 2200 as outstanding performers on Buffalo.
Far more reliable then the various 300 grainers loads that suffer from excessive velocity and in Super premiums from over penetration killing or wounding Buffalo behind the intended target.
He also discusses the "trampoline effect with high velocity 300 grainers.
Read "Africas most dangerous" pp 104-105.

Never used in Africa.... yet. I have however used 350gr. Woodleigh from Double Tap on feral hogs. Definately overkill, but a blast!

The 350gr. loads definately brings the .375 H&H up to a whole nother level.

I have an old box of Barnes 350 grainers. I have never loaded them up though. I didn't know anyone made 350 grain 375's anymore. Learn something everyday from this forum.

Norma is supposedly offering the Woodleigh 350 grain in their "PH" load, but I haven't been able to find any to try. I wonder if they launch them at around 2300 fps?

I've emailed Woodleigh asking them to confirm that 68 grains of H4350 is a safe starting point.

too much fun....

Norma lauched the PH ammo in January on the Shotshow, so it will be out in more stores soon, but it will cost abit due to the production cost etc, but its a good ammo and im looking forward to more reports on them this season.

Puddle,
I think that Fosteology is on to something. DoubleTap is offering that 350gr. Woodleigh @ 2450fps!

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=45&products_id=172

Yea, don't think I'd like that load in my 8 3/4 lb rifle

My hunch is 2300 - 2350 would be just dandy for the Woodleigh.

As soon as I find a set of dies for my new 375 Ruger, I'll try some loads for 350s. My expectation is that they will need to be seated too deep for the case design. I hope they work well enough, as I am a believer in the 350s for 375 at lower velocities.

I don't think there will be much problem getting to 2,300fps; I'm worried about consistent accuracy. Its going to cost a bit to find out, as these bullet maunfacturers are pretty proud of their 350s...

Got a reply back from Geoff McDonald of Woodleigh Bullets specifically regarding load development using H4350:



I now have my starting load point confirmed, and a box of 350's will be in my hands next week, so I should be sending rounds down range in short order.

Too much fun

Puddle,

Keep us posted as to your opinions, once you've shot some and worked up a load.

Will do!

For starters I have 3 rounds each loaded at 68, 69, & 70 grains H4350. OAL is 3.60" and I'm using Fed 215's. The sweet spot I'm looking for is 2300 - 2350 mv.

I have a pic of the Woodleigh along side a 300 grain Swift and Hornady, but it says the pic is too big to attach to this post

Oh, well...

I am interested in the Woodleigh 350 gr also for my 375 H&H. I use 300 gr Barnes, Trophy bonded or Swifts at 2550 f/s or so, mostly.

I run my 416 T with 350 - 400 gr at 2300 to 2400 but my rifle weighs 11 pounds plus a muzzle brake I fitted. Makes shooting it much more pleasant and as long as you stay behind me the noise isn't any more a problem than any other loud boomer.

2300-2350 is about what my 45-70 does with 350 gr bullets also loaded in a NEF Buffalo Classic with 32" barrel. Heavy load but not over max. It definitely uses up any squirrels that happen to get in the way.

The 350 gr Woodleigh should do pretty well as a stopper or just a plain old dropper.

Enjoy

Managed to send the first set of test rounds down range today.

68 grains of H4350 is spot on at 2300 fps mv while 70 grains is pushing quite close to 2350 fps.

69 grains looks to be the sweet spot for my barrel as it pretty much split the difference mv-wise, and produced the best group at 1.25". That's plenty good enough for what I intend to use these bullets on.

Of course, 3 rounds each does not a trend make, so I'll load up 9 more rounds @ 69 grains and find out just how consistant that load really is.

Recoil? I really can't see that much difference between these 350's at 2300+ mv & my 300 grain Swift load at 2500 mv. However, I'm certain I wouldn't want to launch too many of these from the bench at 2450 mv in my 8 3/4 lb rifle.

After all this is settled I'll have to figure out something big to wack so I can see how these bullets perform.

too much fun,

Puddle; What length is your barrel...come on...and did you slug it by any chance?

I haven't aquired any 350 Woodleighs yet but will in time.

My 375 H&H sports a 26" barrel and my LD load program lists the MV for 69.5 g H4350 at just over 2229 f/s, 46341 PSI, 90% load density, so I am really interested in comparing what I come up with to your data and the LD programs prognostications. That is a mild load so you have a bit to go before getting too wild. The same program list 73.3 H4350, 2351, 51547 CUP. 77.2 gr N204 gives 2402 at 53799 CUP at 100% load density. N204 is another good powder that has shown very good accuracy in several cartridges I've played with in the past. Can't hardly find it in my area.

As the 375 H&H is a 62,000 PSI SAMMI cartridge, roughly 53000 CUP you are still well within the pressure zone.

For what it's worth. USE THE POSTED DATA AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Enjoy

NFG,

With the 375 Ruger having just a hair more capacity, would you hazzard a guess as to H4350 starting loads? I may go with the 68gr for the first three. I want to get to 2,350 fps +-, but work up with caution with this new case design. That is out of the 23" Hawkeye barrel.

As a back up, I need to work up loads for the FN/SAKO 375 Wby. It doesn't have as much freebore as a Wby MKV, but has more than others in 375 H&H commonly do, it appears.

I don't have any data on the 375 Ruger as to case capacity or SAMMI pressure standards.

The only hazard I would guess is IF the case capacity is equal to or more than the 375 H&H you could use H&H data as a start point.

As I stated above 69.5 gr H4350 is a mild load so let the rifle do the talking.

If you can find 375 Ruger case capacity data, post it here and I will see if I can calculate some data.

One consideration is the case has a larger case base so bolt thrust will be greater, which will be one of the limiting factors I would consider. Another is the possibility that Hornady uses a proprietary powder to keep pressures within specs so reloaders may not be able to equal factory velocity, but I don't know for sure. The probability that bolt lift will become an issue is always present and a good place to back off.

Ruger actions are very stong in my experience. I've usually ran out of hair long before I got anywhere near the danger zone when working up loads. All the usual pressure indicators appeared well before getting into the destructive area, plus I load for accuracy rather than velocity.

2350 f/s MV and well beyond, could be achievable in a 23" barrel with a 350 Woodleigh if, as stated previously and in checking out the site, Doubletap ammo has a 350 Woodleigh at 2450 f/s in a 24" for the H&H. For the price and information I will buy a box of SP's to see what the case expansion is and what my chrono's come up with in my 375 H&H.

The Doubletap 375 H&H load will equal my 416 T in bullet weight, energy and velocity. The BC's of the different caliber bullets is also equal so as far as stopping power, the only difference would be the hair splitting in bullet diameters. Maybe, in time, Doubletap will come up with some 375 Ruger loads.

The 375 Wby has 10% more case capacity plus the Wby is SAMMI rated at 65 KPSI, I believe, so you could calculate 2-3% more velocity net gain. My LD gave 88.1 gr H4350, 95% load density, 2599 f/s at 57782 CUP for the 350 Woodleigh. If I were working up a load for this cartridge I would start at 85 gr, increas in 1.5 gr increments to 90 gr, one round at a time. Mike the case each time and chronograph, watching for all the other pressure indicators. Then 2 rounds to establish accuracy levels. You didn't list barrel length so I chose 24". Not knowing the level of your expertise, equipment, etc., I won't comment farther.

Freebore usually means an additional few grains of powder just to equal non-freebored rifle velocity and sometimes a decrease in accuracy. I have two freebored rifles, one shoots one holers with only one bullet but requires 5 more grains of powder to equal a non-freebored chamber and the other stays around 1.5" with just about any bullet but won't tighten up and requires 4 grains to equal. I plan to put a vibration dampener on it some day to see what transpires. All things being equal, I won't have another freebored rifle, I don't see any reason for freebore, and the reasoning behind freebore is more commercial that real...but I won't try to talk anyone out of a freebored rifle...it's you choice...there are a few advantages and just as many disadvantages.

Time to go to work.

Enjoy

Where is the best source to buy the Woodleigh 350gns in the US? I noticed that MidwayUSA no longer sells them and indicates they are unavailble for backorder.

Thanks,
GVA

Midway is expecting the 350s along with a s**tpile of other Woodleighs next week. I've been anxiously waiting for over a month.

SOS

NFG

The Ruger case capacity is roughly 5% greater than that of the 375 H&H...some say 3.5%, others...6%. From my calculations, 5% works about on the button. This gives just a small bit of margin if using H&H data. It of course depends a lot on the particular H&H brass manufacturer, as to capacity. Hornady is the only 375 Ruger game in town.

I'll hazard a guess that 5% heavier loads than are reasonable for the H&H are maximum for the Ruger.

I'll work up to that standard with care, however.