A 375 winchester loaded with 255 grain Barnes originals, killed a fat bull caribou further than 150 yds away. My son was 10 at the time I watched the bull fall, before he recovered from the recoil.
With the same load, another fella dropped a brown bear at 10 ft away. Same deal, instantly downed. The bear still flailing his head, he shucked the lever and pumped a couple more into the bear.
The 375 winchester kills all out of proportion to those 34 grains of powder. Those 255 grain Barnes 0's are legendary.
I'm uncertain if the 35 rem will sling a 255 grainer st 1900 fps, purposely designed for the cartridge.
35 Rem is a easier to find components, and occassionally, ammo. No factory ammo for 375 Winchester. I had two 375 guns and currently own a 35 Rem in 336SC. Sadly it sits in the safe as I found a 33ER (356 Win) two weeks ater I bought it. The straight wall is easy to load. The larger diameter of the 375 does help on game. The 35 Remington shines with the Speer 180 JFP.
375 is a noticeable bump up from a 35 Remington. I can't find my load data but from memory, 40grains ish of AA1680 gets a 220gr bullet going 2400 fps and the 200grainers close to 2500 fps. I don't think I ever got the 200gr much past 2400 fps but the 220s were definitely at or just shy of there. Recoil is...noticeable.
Use Starline short 38-55 brass and you get a lot more case capacity and it will still run at least in Marlins. In a Winchester BB I think I had some OAL issues with 38-55 brass. Sierra makes the 200gr and I ran the 220gr from Vollmer. Knocks the snot out of deer.
I am beginning to believe these two cartridges may reload to very similar ordinances?
Lettuce discuss this please.
I have long thought that the 375 WIN was an expensive way to get 35 REM performance. If a person doesn't reload, the Winchester/Olin 200 grain factory loads are 180 fps different from each other, not a significant difference for the game and ranges involved. While the 375 WIN has an insignificant advantage in velocity, the 35 REM has a very significant advantage in the price and distribution of factory ammo and firearms.
2,020 fps MV for the 200 grain 35 REM verses 2,200 fps MV for the 200 grain 375 WIN.
For convenience....yup. 35 Remington all the way.No flies on it. That's if you can even find factory 375 win ammo at all.
But 2200 fps with that bullet diameter is getting into the zone where you tend to get more DRT's and dropped animals due to shock, which is why some guys love the 180 speers, just because you can drive them faster. My 358 winchester generally drops deer and pigs where they stand, or maybe they take a few drunk steps, and that's a 200gr bullet at 2500 fps.
IMO the 35 Remington has a reloading upside potential, much like the 8 x 57 , 6.5 x 55, the 45/70 when used in " stronger" actions than the factory ammo has to consider when manufacturing ammo good for all.
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
At expected velocities, especially if cast bullets are used, the .375. While the difference is not great.....at low velocities or a non-expanding bullet.....the larger diameter bullet is simply better for hunting big game! IMO memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
At expected velocities, especially if cast bullets are used, the .375. While the difference is not great.....at low velocities or a non-expanding bullet.....the larger diameter bullet is simply better for hunting big game! IMO memtb
Considering that they had micro-groove rifling, will Marlin 375s work well with cast bullets?
At expected velocities, especially if cast bullets are used, the .375. While the difference is not great.....at low velocities or a non-expanding bullet.....the larger diameter bullet is simply better for hunting big game! IMO memtb
Considering that they had micro-groove rifling, will Marlin 375s work well with cast bullets?
Now, you went above my pay grade! I was simply judging on bullet diameter! That said, while the micro-groove does require some considerations.....they perform very well with cast bullets. Go to the Cast Boolit, yes “Boolit”, forum....there is more information on that site than you can absorb. Lot’s of information pertaining to micro-groove bores! memtb
Last edited by memtb; 02/26/21.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
At expected velocities, especially if cast bullets are used, the .375. While the difference is not great.....at low velocities or a non-expanding bullet.....the larger diameter bullet is simply better for hunting big game! IMO memtb
Considering that they had micro-groove rifling, will Marlin 375s work well with cast bullets?
Now, you went above my pay grade! I was simply judging on bullet diameter! That said, while the micro-groove does require some considerations.....they perform very well with cast bullets. Go to the Cast Boolit, yes “Boolit”, forum....there is more information on that site than you can absorb. Lot’s of information pertaining to micro-groove bores! memtb
I was just marginally curious, as I haven't owned any rifles chambered in 375 WIN for a long time. I still have some old Winchester Big Bore factory ammo, some components, and a set of dies, but no rifles.
I have a 94BB in 375 and a Marlin in 35 Rem. The platforms are different - they have a different weight and feel to them. There are other differences too. The Winchester has a faster twist (1 in 12”), deeper rifling and a large throat (by levergun standards) whereas the Marlin has a slower twist (1in16”), microgroove rifling (shallow) and no throat.
With a 375 these days you really need to be a bullet caster to extract the best out of it. It easily handles 300gr cast pills at 1850 FPS. Hornady dropped their 220gr FN bullet for this caliber, which was a useful bullet. Cases are now available from Starline but you can easily form them from 30/30 brass.
Microgroove rifling is no impediment to getting cast bullets to work. In my 35 Rem due to the slower twist the best I have managed is a 247gr cast pill (Saeco 352) at 2000fps. Accuracy is brilliant.
The throat of the Winchester is designed to dissipate pressure quickly. It’s somewhat like a 458WM throat.
The other point of difference is that 35 Rem factory ammo pressure is held to a low level - around 33K. Back in the pre WWII period Remington marketed faster ammo but some rare models (not Remington) were having problems. Boosting pressure to 40K (same as a 30/30), which is safe in a Marlin, will yield another 200FPS.
IMO the two cartridges can be handloaded to broadly similar performance levels.
Handloader had an article from '81-'82 on loading the 35 rem to higher "super" velocities. Lane was the author. Those published are safe to use in stronger bolt and 760 actions. They'll definitely give a 375 Winchester something to think about. I took a younster hunting and watched him drop an 8 point buck in it's tracks with a standard load of 36grs of imr3031 pushing a 200gr corlokt RN
Lane listed a load of RL7 launching 250gr RN at over 2000fps. Obviously should not be used in semiautomatics or lever actions, but safe in stronger guns. Imr 8208xbr is a great powder in the 35 rem. With it I start 200gr barnes ttsx at 2240fps from an 18" barrel. Normal pressure signs. Brass lasts several loadings
I have a 94BB in 375 and a Marlin in 35 Rem. The platforms are different - they have a different weight and feel to them. There are other differences too. The Winchester has a faster twist (1 in 12”), deeper rifling and a large throat (by levergun standards) whereas the Marlin has a slower twist (1in16”), microgroove rifling (shallow) and no throat.
With a 375 these days you really need to be a bullet caster to extract the best out of it. It easily handles 300gr cast pills at 1850 FPS. Hornady dropped their 220gr FN bullet for this caliber, which was a useful bullet. Cases are now available from Starline but you can easily form them from 30/30 brass.
Microgroove rifling is no impediment to getting cast bullets to work. In my 35 Rem due to the slower twist the best I have managed is a 247gr cast pill (Saeco 352) at 2000fps. Accuracy is brilliant.
The throat of the Winchester is designed to dissipate pressure quickly. It’s somewhat like a 458WM throat.
The other point of difference is that 35 Rem factory ammo pressure is held to a low level - around 33K. Back in the pre WWII period Remington marketed faster ammo but some rare models (not Remington) were having problems. Boosting pressure to 40K (same as a 30/30), which is safe in a Marlin, will yield another 200FPS.
IMO the two cartridges can be handloaded to broadly similar performance levels.
The weakest rifle action that I can think of that was cataloged in .35 REM was probably the Standard.
IIRC, Paco Kelly published some higher pressure loads for the .35 REM. I assume that since he is a lever action fan that the loads were for the Marlin 336, but I don't recall the specifics. I've had Regan Nooneman rechamber Marlin 336s from .30-30 to .307 WIN and .35 REM to .356 WIN without any pressure issues, so pushing the pressures in a Marlin 336 chambered in .35 REM is very doable if pressure increases are done incrementally and tested with a chronograph.
Very true. The 35 Remington isn't held to 33.5K CUP because of the Marlin 336. A weaker action is the older Remington model 8 semiautomatic which is a blowback design. The older semiautomatics have weaker springs.
Case volume capacity of the 35 Rem is probably 5% less than a 358 win, so properly loaded similar to a 45-70 in stronger action the 35 Rem is a great round. Very efficient with good power
At expected velocities, especially if cast bullets are used, the .375. While the difference is not great.....at low velocities or a non-expanding bullet.....the larger diameter bullet is simply better for hunting big game! IMO memtb
Considering that they had micro-groove rifling, will Marlin 375s work well with cast bullets?
Mine works well with cast bullets. I ordered Laser Cast 240 grain bullets, sized to.379 and they work well at 2000 ft per sec. I had previously used the same bullet sized to.377 and it worked well up to about 1500 ft per sec but accuracy deteriorated after that.
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.
