Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only What are your thoughts on the .376 Steyr?

I have a Steyr safe bolt in .376 Steyr

I've built several. Like it enough that I will be building myself another in the near future.

What actions did you use?

I have used Standard Length 98 actions on all to date. But, my next is looking like it'll be built on an Intermediate Length 98.

I like the cartridge. I had one in a Steyr Scout some time ago. It was a bit much for Whitetails :-)

Any issues getting it to feed? I've got an extra 98 action that would be nice to build one on.

Issues? No. But, as always, to get that slurp, slurp feeding, you do have to attend to it. Nothing too demanding however.

It sort of falls in the No Mans land like the .358 Win and the .350 Rem . Decent round but most folks who want a larger bore go straight to something between the 35 Whelen and .375

Right in my niche. I enjoy obscure cartridges. I am usually over gunned for my chasing of Pennsylvania deer and bear hunting.

No sure how it is in no man's land? You say most folks want something between a 35 Whelen and a .375. I assume you mean 375 H&H? Well, the Steyr will launch a 250 grain bullet 250 fps faster than a Whelen and a 270 to within 100 fps of the H&H.

I believe that 9.3 fits between 35 Whelan and 375

PM ringworm, iirc he shot/shoots one.

Like the 9.3x62? Is that in no man's land? Seems like that has quite a following on the Campfire.

I think the 376 doesn't have much of a following but it should. The 9,3x62 is one of my favorites, I have no less than 6 with 2 more being built. That said, the 376 will do the same and it gives my other "favorite", the 9,3x64, a run for its money!

Ok...
I'm here.
I've been shooting and reloading the 376 for over a decade.
I've taken many deer and pigs with it.
It's a round that produces around 4k pounds of energy on a carbine length rig.
Accuracy from the Steyr platform is sub MOA.
Brass is available, bullets are standard .375, mid burn rate powders work great ( imr4895, varget, ECT).
I'm a big fan.
If there's a drawback, it's that the action is maxed out by the round so loading long BT spitzers won't fit the mag.
My preferred load is a 270 Hornady SP @ 2500 MV.

I bought a sporterized 98 in 376 Steyr on Gunbroker on a Buy Now ! for $325.00 shipped about a decade ago .. arrived in excellent + condition... had a 20 inch barrel, I went by Widners and bought a couple boxes for ammo
.. the rifle shot great ... A hunting buddy of mine liked it and I liked his Marlin 444 ... so we swapped .. as far as I know he still has it ... He is heavy in the 338 Federal at this time

Not a problem on the Mauser's I used. Plenty of magazine length.

It's a necked up 9.3 Brenekee short. Not really no man's land. A good thumper, no matter what you point it at. I often thought about one, but I went with the 9.3x64 instead

Yup, got both,the 9,3x64 Brenneke and the .376 Steyr. Like the Steyr for intermediate actions and the 9,3 for standard length actions.

I also load and shoot the 376 Steyr.



Its a thumper.

Due to the nature of the terrain that I hunt, I want something that thumps, and if the critter is not DRT, then two leaky holes allow for a blood trail a blind man can wade in, yet due to the MV, meat damage is not usually a factor.






My go to load is the 235 Gr. Barnes TSX over 65 Gr. H4895



In my Steyr the OAL is pretty much limited to 3.1" due to the dimensions of the magazine.



ya!

GWB

Here's mine

I have been wanting a 9.3x62 for awhile now, but on seeing this thread it got me to thinking about the .376 too. Dimensionally, how does the case compare to the 9.3? Can a rifle hold as many .376's as 9.3? Looking at the Hodgden online loading section the .376 outperforms the 9.3 and bullets are more readily available. Only found Hornady brass though.

I'm a rifle slut and have reloaded for over 80 different chamberings if pistol cartridges are included.

The animals I shoot are 250 lbs and under being White-tail deer, Aoudad, and feral hogs.

I do not hunt Elk, Moose or other critters that weigh in over three hundred lbs.

So with the foregoing in mind.........

I'd say I've killed at least a dozen hoglets with either the 9.3 x 62 and 376 Steyr respectively out of more than 1K I've perforarted over the last 50+ years.

I had not thought about it until this thread, but I shoot the heavier 250 gr. Accubonds in the 9.3 x 62, and lighter 235 Gr. TSX in the larger diameter . 375 (376 Steyr).

I also load and shoot for 35 Whelen, 375 H&H and the 45-70.

Fortunately, to date, I don't, but if I had to choose based on practicality between the two, I do believe I'd go with the 9.3 x 62.



FWIW

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.376+Steyr.html

ya!

GWB

I'd have to agree with GWB, of the two, I'd snatch up one of my 9,3x62's if it came down to owning only one. But I think the .376 doesn't get the respect it has earned.

If I have to choose one caliber between .308 and 458 it'd be a 375 H&H in a Sako Alaskan.
But since I already have a Steyr and a few....what's the plural of 400.... anyway, hundreds of pieces of brass and refined data, I'll stick to it.
Notto diminish anything else, just my choice.

SCGuNNUT what is the details of your gun?

What rifle is your .376 in?

Mark X action, started out as .30-06
20 1/2" McGowen #5 contour barrel
NECG "Holland & Holland" style sights
Robar NP3 finish
B&C Medalist in Reaper Black "Skull-flage"
Warne QD mounts (NP3)
Leupold VXR 2-7x with #4

Very nice

Who did your stock camo?

Local outfit that has evidently closed up.

I like the combination of the cartridge and Steyr Dragoon and have the Steyr Dragoon matched with a Steyr true scout in .308.

I believe the combination is ideal for general purpose woods wandering and would be my first choice for killing animals of all sizes on my own or family property where I have watched an elk go down in the evening and come up in the morning for long enough that I might decide the time has come.

I could argue that the .376 would be ideal if I set out to kill a bear because the cartridge and rig would be great for an animal at least 75 yards away and not much more than 150 yards distant. Equally a good setup if I didn't set out to kill a bear but found a spur of the moment reason to take a bear. Hence the idea of taking a bear far enough away but not too far.

That said, while I do agree with Mr. Cooper and others that either cartridge in the Steyr setup as a Scout makes a great general purpose rifle for a specific purpose I might well make a different and more specific choice.

I bought a Steyr true scout (.308) at a distress sale figuring I could send it down the road and call it a rental but I would never know what the fuss was about if I didn't own one. I liked it very much and almost immediately bought a Dragoon from CDNN at an attractive price. The pair would be among the last to go along with a Steyr straight pull in rim fire as an understudy because they are indeed general purpose. For my money the straight pull in .17 HMR would be ideal if the black tail jack ever over run this country again (I don't expect it in my lifetime but the the last peak in the early 1980s was a sight.)

And to repeat myself for any specific purpose e.g. hunting first light or last light or into the rising or setting sun there is is likely something better with a better choice of sights.

My only meaningful .376 load is a 260 Accubond for everything though I have bought the lighter 225 grain cup and core bullets as seconds for folks who just want to shoot the .376 Steyr at paper. Similarly for the true Scout .308 I like compromise light monolithic bullets with a scattering of cheap cup and core seconds or military style for plinking.

Years ago I wanted to build a .376 when I read that the MRC short action had a magazine length of 3.125, more of an intermediate length than a short length. Since the .376 has a listed AOL of 3.10 I figured it would be perfect. Apparently several .376's were built on this action.

Never got around to it but down in my workshop I have the action, barrel, scope mounts and finished stock (same as a CZ) for this. Maybe it's time to find a smith to put it together.

Rifle slut! Ha!
I resemble that remark. The only thing I have ever hunted is whitetail in central Pa and I have 30 plus different rifle cartridges. I live 20 minutes from Euro Optic. Did your 376 come with the stainless barrel? Mine is a matte blue.

Belted Steyr 444B

I took a Steyr case and put a belt on it, now I have 444 That will work in bolt guns.

It is not chambered yet, but the barrel is profiled!

Love to know your load adata on the accubond.

Won't help you much. I took the published Hodgdon data for .376 Steyr, also as archived on Loaddata, and made the arbitrary but not baseless decision that the Acubond and the Partition bullet perform much the same but without the Partition the Accubond is probably safe with Partition loads for the same weight or close enough meaning soft enough for my purposes. So I maxed out the Varget loading and decided to go with it and stopped there. Accuracy is everything I could ask as is performance otherwise. I'd consider the BallC2 if I needed an alternative but I don't and I'm suspicious of BallC2 at different temperatures.

I do have a 35P but I've never chronographed the Steyr because although I can control the range for setup I've never actually fabricated sandbags to keep the rail from blowing over in the wind. I can't control the wind. One of these days I'll mount a 4x4 for the rail on Harbor Freight saw horses. I don't much need numbers for calculations by using observed drop; my home range is good to 300 yards and the next county goes to a full 1,000 but it pays to have a friend watch at the line when I go down range. Probably don't really want to know the as measured speed in the short barrel but as noted the Accubond is soft enough but not too soft to do well at whatever the actual speed might be.

My true Scout in .308 has a Leupold scout scope in lever detach mounts so I can swap a hunting scope for hunting as a specialized application. The Dragoon is a Jeff Cooper package with a Steyr marked Leupold scout scope in Steyr fixed rings. I don't think I could improve on the sights for woods walking where I plan to be home by dark anyway. As mentioned I used to enjoy seeing familiar elk going down at night and up in the morning - we had what was once a shack on the military crest and is now a suburban home, no longer a 4 person party line now it's metro calling area and so on. Coming home in the early dark on a bicycle it seemed to me the elk reacted to my smell about same time I reacted to theirs so a harvest would have been easy enough with the Scout scope.

My lifetime hunting bud has had a number of CZ 9.3x62 rifles with assorted stock designs and experimented with a range of Woodleigh and other exotic bullets along with fire forming .30-'06 brass with cream of wheat and with bullets and with factory brass because he really is a rifle loony and neither of us has ever been able to see much difference in the cartridges - especially 250 grain Accubond compared to 260 grain Accubond. Rumor says Steve Hornady feels some affection for the .376 and has told his people so.

Thanks for all of the input on this thread.

Since we've had the 9.3x62 for 115 years, and the .375H&H for 108 years, and ammo for either is widely available in Africa if you lose yours, I can't see why anyone would choose a .376 Steyer.

Got the picture thing working.

My belted 444B made on a Steyr case.

I plan on using a shorter version for a short action bolt gun.

I'll be in the new owner club tomorrow afternoon. A Steyr SBS from a friend in Idaho, it sounds like fun. I have dies, mags, brass, and Hornady factory loads. The Hornady ammo has 225 gr interloc bullets. So I have 100 225 Factory loads with a few 270 gr loads. I can't imagine needing the 270s unless I get the elk draw in Misery this year. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

The USPS lost my Steyr. GRRRRRRRRRR. It was supposed to be delivered last Tuesday and tracking still shows it left Spokane for where??? Should be Lenexa KS. Maybe in the next week I will be the new owner of a 376. If it somehow doesn't show up I will get a Steyr Dragoon Scout. Will just use patience for now. Buying used guns isn't an exact thing. I would like to get a system started and have Scouts in 223, 308, and 376. Then I COULD sell most of my other toys, right? Be Well, Rustyzipper.

My Pro- Hunter came on the 13th. USPS sucking the hint teat. We had to complain to the Postal center in Spokane, WA to get the gun from Idaho to Misery. I'm watching this thread and mining it for data. Thanks to all who contributed. I noticed 5sDad never contributed anything. Bless you man. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

I'm going to ask another question. If you guys were reloading for the 376 did you have problems getting the powder low enough in the case to seat the bullet? Did you use a drop tube? I tried putting the load of IMR4895 in the case for a 235 gr. Speer Semispitzer. There was only about 1/8" left in the case. I poured the powder back into the can and came back for more research. TIA and Be Well, Rustyzipper.

What? No .243, .7mm-08, and 6.5 Creedmoor versions? ?

Nope! Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Dropping the charge into the case, then touching the case rim to a vibrating tumbler for a few seconds will usually settle the powder charge a bit.


Okie John

Thanks Okie John. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Sounds like a 9.3x62 to me. Only advantage I see is increased magazine capacity without the belt. Not one to talk though as I have a 358 win, 9x56 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, and a 35 rem. Pretty much a medium bore who're myself. When you absolutely positively need it dead right now, these are the calibers I trust to get it done.

By your screen name you must be a John Wayne fan. I am a like minded hunter. I think many small bore aficianendos just entering the mid bore group make the mistake of chasing the highest fps they can obtain not realizing that is not the mid-bores realm. They make big holes in and out and give a large shock. They don't destroy a lot of meat and generally leave a short blood trail. All without the sharp recoil of magnums cartridges.I even practice on woodchuck and chipmunk with them!

I have in the past covered the case mouth and tapped the case on the wood bench top. But the tumbler trick should help. I have never been comfortable with the compressed charges. I'm not actually chasing velocity just using a middle of the road charge. Halfway between the high and low charge is my own self imposed max charge. Example, if the start charge is 40 and the max charge is 44 then MY max is 42 gr. Just saying. That way I am closer to safe and sometimes the start load is quite accurate and my go to for that bullet. I have some medium bores. The 376 is my largest medium bore right now. I have an FN that is in line to get 400 whelenized in a bit. Thanks for all the advice. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

The case cleaner was just the thing. The powder started out with 66.2 gr and only.160 to the top. After shaking it there was .238". That was enough to seat the bullet and not crush powder. I used my Corbin cannelure tool and made a good gripping surface to crimp onto. No crunching sounds or extra resistance to seating. They were seated to a COAL of 3.1" for the magazine. Thanks for the idea. Be well, Rustyzipper.

I'm glad that showed up. Irritating as can be when that happens.

Wouldn't mind having one myself.

I don't mind that I'm close to the 375Ouch & Ouch. But I don't want the length of the action. I'm also most used to the short actions in 308 size. I'm OK with a few hundred FPS less. I may very well decide to go to Africa one day, but I'm not sure. Maybe a big kitty will get out. You never know. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

I'd have to put. 376 in a Std M98,
with that I would much prefer .375 Taylor.

Starbert, due to your political bullshevicks I can't see what you are saying. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Bump to the top for this years .376 kills.
Turkey on thanksgiving

And a little 6pt two days later

Took the neck/head off the turkey and straight through the shoulder of the WT.
Both DRT. Can’t think of a better caliber for the hunting I do. The Steyr SBS the s damn near perfection.

Jack,
Congrats on the fun youre having with a very odd caliber for turkey!



Rusty, congrats on the 376 steyr. I wonder if a guy could resize those fine rws 9.3x64 cases to 376 steyr?

Even though i prefer the 9.3x62, i dont mind any of the newer medium bore cartridges, no matter how rundant others think they might be.

As usual this ill-conceived double standard confuses me. The high bc, high sd, 20 something caliber-crazed takes the cake for cartidge redundancy!

Heck, i even appreciate the 9.3x66. Properly chambered, a 286 grain bullet could be loaded out until the base of the bullet is no deeper than top of shoulder.

Same thing with that 376 steyr or the 9.3x64. Id imagine 72-75 grains of a dense ball powder like 2000-mr would fit in either of the 3 mentioned.

Anyhow, i hope you have fun with the mighty 376!

my 376 is nearing completion. went with a standard 98, had a wisner 3pos safety installed, and it'll be going into a McMillan stock I picked up cheap, attached to a problem child M98. pretty sure its a mag fill stock, kinda heavy. not sure on the scope yet but probably something in the 2-7/2-8 range. midway currently has brass, btw

I'll share my 20 years of hunting, shooting and loading the 376.
My load pushes the hornady 270 SP @ 2510. OAL makes full use of the magazine.
I have shot whitetails up to 200#.
The hornady doesn't expand much, pretty tough bullet.
Accuracy from the steyr 20" carbine is stellar. Always sub MOA.
best group ever was a 3 shot cloverleaf at 200 but I've banged 5" steel plates at 325.
I've got better than 500 pieces of brass and a few hundred of the older 270 SP bullets.
Recoil is not what I'd describe as brisk compared to a 270 weatherby and not as much push as a 45-70.
Think 20ga with slugs.