Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 30-06 based rifle with a 375 or 411/416 barrel?

I own two 338-06's so, I'm well covered there. I don't think a 35Whelan AI offers enough to warrant one in that caliber. I have dabbled with the 9.3x62 Mauser as well.

Sticking with a 30-06 bolt and case length, what .375 or .411/.416 cartridge would you suggest for hunting tough critters (CONUS, not African Safari) with a remote possibility of a hunt in Alaska. Realistic ranges of use are ~200 yards in most cases with ~400 yards being a hard limit.

When I say tough critters, I'll start with feral hogs being my most frequent quarry though the small ones I shoot in Texas generally get an AR-15 based 6.8SPC for higher body counts. With bears, elk, moose, etc. I'm thinking a 411 based round might be the solution I'm looking for. I'm wanting something that doesn't kick like a mule and is relatively handy so not overweight or overly long.

TIA,
Sid

9.3x62 is a great choice, and a bit more than the Whelen, particularly in quality heavy projectile availability. If you've been there and done that, Mart here on the Fire is one guy I know that built a .400 Whelen that he said was pretty cool. Maybe he'll chime in. Maybe I can find that thread. Those are the two choices at the top of my list, if I were after what you are.

Here's one that may be of interest....

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...77/a-new-400-whelen-is-born#Post13325777

And Mart's thread:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5363538/all/400_Whelen_in_progress

I believe Mart and a few guys on here have also built 375 Whelens and got surprisingly good velocities out of them.

Mainer here posted about his 9.3x62 necked to .410. He claims close to 2400 with a 350 Aframe out of 20” of barrel.

If that don’t handle it, you’re fugged.

About thirty-five or more years ago, I began experimenting with several '06 big bores that included the .338-06, .35 Whelen (before it was a commercial cartridge), .35 Whelen Improved, .375 Whelen Improved, and the .411 Hawk. I really enjoyed all that and learned a lot. I have none of the guns now and don't miss any of them. Opinions vary, of course, but the lineup of factory cartridges we have today and the much improved bullets that are available pretty much cancel out a lot of the alleged benefits of the '06 big bores.

However, there's a certain intrigue to working with something new and untried, so have at it, wildcat enthusiasts. If we looked at things from a purely practical perspective, shooting and handloading would become pretty dull. There's been several articles on the .375 Whelen Improved in HANDLOADER magazine, but I think the first one was in #119, January, 1986. Another on cast bullets in the .411 Hawk was in #227, February, 2004. I used a .338-06 on my first bull elk about thirty years ago, but can't really say it worked any better than a .270, 7x61 Sharpe & Hart, or a .308 using much lighter bullets to take other bulls.

The .284win case, according to Hodgdon #26, when necked-up to .30cal shares performance and load data with .30-06... In other words, the 2 ctgs are Data Interchangeable. Same powder charge with same bullet; in either case.

The .284 case has a wider case, going .500 dia versus .476, although with rebated base it works on standard boltface. Can also be short-action chambered, although long-action probably more versatile for heavy bullets.

So... going wildcat? You're gonna be buying dies and form tools etc, but not gaining anything using the -06. Go with the .284 and you still have a decent shoulder for headspacing. Same powder charge as any 06 wildcat, but a real shoulder. .375/284 would offer better bullet selection.

Isn't there something about African customs (in some countries) that require headstamp of ctg matches the bore chambering? IE would need .35 Whelen cases rather than necked-up 06 cases???

I get the different drummer thing... Yet, a Ruger African in either .375 or .40 cal Ruger Magnum loaded under max specs would avoid a lot of grief or expenditure. Very popular ctgs in Africa if needed to buy ammunition; or so I understand.

.35whelen AI makes a nice shoulder; going much over .366/9.3 not so much.

OP,
What didn’t you like about the 9.3?

Go for chambering it in a .375 Ruger...

He would need to open his bolt face - unless I’m reading his stipulations incorrectly.

Yep..you got me there !

Certainly wasn’t trying to “get” you and I’m sorry if it came off as such.
I’m curious for the OP to articulate his disinterest in the 9.3. I think it would be the easiest way for him to get where he wants to go ... I also understand the “want” aspect however!

Not sure why you're stuck on the 06 case, when most bolts are pretty easy for a decent gunsmith to open the bolt to magnum specs.... gives you a lot more choices if you're going for a round to stop big, biting critters....

If you want to play with a wildcat... How about a .458 Weatherby RPM based cartridge?

400 Whelen
375 Whelen
Mainers .41x62 wildcat

Or open the bolt face and figure out what it’ll take to feed a big Ruger case.

My biggest concern on going with an 06-family cartridge in those diameters would be bullet performance. Genuinely don’t know whether bullets designed for magnum-capacity cases would expand reliably at much more sedate speeds?

I’d think a .416 Taylor or .376 Steyr would be two options not listed if a magnum bolt face is acceptable?

Understand the want, but a 30-06 does this nicely. So does a 9.3. Just write 375/06 on the barrel with a sharpie.

sidpost
Purchase from Peterson brass some of their “wildcat tubes” which are 2.175” long. Neck to 40 something. Run 300 grain bullets in a short action 2.80-2.85 OAL thereabouts. Perfect thumper without the recoil of a full length case. A barrel 18-20” should be plenty. Will put the hurt on everything you want to use it on.

Send to me $5.00 for consulting fee.

PS. I have tried forming 30/06 cases to bore diameters of 375 to 416 and the results are not great.
I thought it was a PITA. Besides a 400 W will move 400 grain bullets at 2150 which has plenty of recoil for everyone except Fire members. Hence my idea of the 400/308 with the shoulder moved forward. Also much easier to form cases by sizing down.
I have been trying to get some manufacturers to make 30/06 cylinders but no interest. With the Peterson tubes there will be plenty of shoulder for .416.

More.
I have fiddled with 33, 35, and 375 bores on the 30/06 case and I didn’t notice any gain over the original with modern bullets. I am absolutely certain the 40’s demonstrate a noticeable difference.