Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 h&h handloading question

First, I apologize if there is a post on this somewhere, I have read through old posts on several boards for the last few days and have not definitively found my answer, which involves the best dies/ way to load for the 375 h&h, specifically.

The question I have concerns sizing, primarily. I have read many opinions on neck v full v partial etc. on various boards speaking generally, but it seems like the h&h is a little different in that it has so little of a shoulder and stretches so readily, that I want to address it specifically.

My desire is for consistent ammo and case life. I dont' think that neck v others will make that much a difference in accuracy for me..ie this is hunting rifle, not a target rifle, and I am not that good anymore for it to show.

However, it seems like neck or partial sizing would be best for case life. However, eventually, one must full length size, as I understand. And there is also the reliability factor. So that would seem to detract from consistency if you generally neck or partial size and then change for hunting ammo or due to cases not fitting anymore (velocity, accuracy, point of aim?).

But just full length resizing everytime would also seem to significantly shorten case life from what I have read.

So how do you all handle this for the h&h? I was going to go with the Lee collet die for general use, a forster ultra for seating, and then a redding body die for periodic use, based on some advice I found on an old post for a different cartridge. However, it appears that redding does not make a body die for the 375, nor an s bushing die either. So that is a problem. But maybe just a regular sizer is what would be best and just partial resize? How much would things change when the cases are full length sized?

Concerning the seater, maybe the ultra is overkill? I am shooting a winchester, so probably will have a very set COL due to the length of the box, so maybe the micrometer would be wasted, not sure.

Thanks!

you can 'bump' the shoulder back instead of FL resizing, but it is a fine line between reliability and case life. a FL sized case will most likely chamber easier if rifle/ammo is dirty, icy, ect... than a partially sized or 'bumped' case.
for a factory hunting rifle, I don't worry about premium dies.

I full length resize any caliber I want total reliability. Only neck size varmint rounds where accuracy is everything and the case generally are only fired in one rifle. As for dies, I have not had any problem with Hornady, RCBS, Redding etc... For a 375, a micrometer seating die is overkill, just my opinion:-)

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, I was thinking the micrometer would make it easier for me to get the seating depth set where I want it, but then remembered basically that with the smaller box, my options will be limited to the point that I won't need the micrometer anyway. So I'll probably just get a regular seater from Redding or maybe Forster depending.

So really down to the sizer. I am trying to protect the life of the case, and much I have read suggests avoiding pulling the expander through the neck is a really good thing to limit stretching, but bushing dies are not available from what I can find, for the 375. Maybe just have to live with the stretching, but with the cost of brass, I sure would like to make it last as long as possible.

It seems maybe a lee collet die for sizing, followed by a body die or a bushing die with the stem and bushing left out might be good, but can't find that right now...

Believe it or not, but pulling a case over the expander does not lengthen the case by strecthing the brass - it can however distort and cause misalignment of the neck with the rest of the case.

Case stretching is caused by excessive headspace (of the case to the chamber) and the pressure of firing stretching the case to fit the chamber*. The 375H&H headspaces on the belt but you can use the shoulder as a defacto headspace surface (just like a rimless case).

[*In a nutshell, the firing pin pushes the whole case forward and ignites the primer/powder in the process, the gas pressure forces the case brass against the chamber but the solid case head can't be expanded to grip the chamber wall so it gets pushed back against the bolt head, stretching the brass just above the case head. End result is a lengthened case and thinning of the brass abover the case head - this will eventually lead to a head separation if the same process and conditions are repeated.]

Ah, okay. So how do you get around that issue..bushing dies and the collet die seem the only solution.

Yes, I believe you are correct. I guess that the 375H&H is generally not considered to be a cartridge that would be used for precision shooting and so these dies are not made available by anyone.

Yeah, that's apparently true and makes sense. Looks like just getting a decent set of dies from Forster or Redding is my only choice and then just partial resize until I can't anymore...

Redding 375 h&h dies, brass, bullets just posted in classifieds.

First, for setting dies for resizing, I run the ram with shell holder all the way up,set a dime on top of the shell holder,and screw the die down until it hist against the dime. Tighten the die and resize. This sizes enough of the case to allow easy chambering.Crude but it works.

Second, keep practice rounds a bit more moderate. I think this helps reduce stretching of the case.

For BG hunting, use new brass...no need to use fired brass for BG hunting and for the type game to which the 375 is suited,reliable chambering and function is paramount and new brass is best in that regard.It is't necessary to have brass formed to the chamber in order to shoot well in a good 375. If the rifle is that fussy, sell it.

Run all hunting ammo through the rifle to be sure of perfect feeding and function.Then you should be good to go...I am assuming you have double checked your ammo through live fire, that there is no bullet setback for rounds stacked in the magazine.

catorres1,

BobinNH; just gave you an awesome recommendation on how to proceed with the loading of your 375H&H. This is pretty much what I do & can be used on all belted cases.
mauserand9mm; wrote an excellent explanation of when case stretch occurs.

I'd like to share just a little something here;
I read an article a long time ago and can not put my fingers on it, I think it was Bekker but not sure, for reference but the basic analogy that the writer was talking about were cartridges like the 375H&H & 300H&H. How folks try to reload them like a bench rest shooter would. He eloquently stated that the H&H cartridges where designed to fit the chamber of your rifle like loose change in your pocket. Stating the cartridge should be feed and controlled by the bolt face. The importance of having a square bolt face, during lock up, aligning perfectly with the chamber throat is what supports these cartridges. For trouble free loading and extraction of the cartridges. The accuracy of a bench rest rifle/shooter is not what these cartridges were intended.

I've had excellent results with the accuracy of the 375H&H by simply loading with a Full Length resizing die and Seating die from Redding. I did have some challenges from a RCBS set and a gunsmith recommended I try a different set of dies from Redding. My accuracy problems went a way and I threw the bad dies away.

I do get some case stretch, but only with full bore loads, hence I usually shoot moderate velocity loadings which minimizes case stretch. I get 5 loadings out of my brass then I toss and start with new. Brass for the 375 H&H is expensive but I just keep my eyes open for it all the time. If I find a good deal, less than a dollar a piece, I buy as much as I can these days.

Can't wait for you to finish this project and see the results.

Bill

Super, I will check this out.

I have talked with Redding and Sinclair this morning. Pretty much just need to decide on the Forster benchrest (not ultra) seater vs Redding's standard seater. There is a large difference in price (Forster more expensive) so wondering why...usually Redding seems more expensive.

Anyone know why?

Thanks to everyone for their advice! It's helped alot and I am almost there. I found out from Sinclair what the difference between the redding standard and the Forster Benchrest is (other than the extra $! The tech I talked to suggested it was worth it, but....)but have to decide whether the extra cost is worth it in this case. This is no benchrest rifle, obviously, but I do not want to cut corners that really matter either.

Other than that, I am set...Redding standard FL die mixed with the advice I have gotten here and other places and I am ready to roll.

Rifle is ready except for having the LOP increased...then I am ready to see where my folly has taken me

I use the Forster FL die and have had excellent results with them. I also use their seating die. The only problem with it, is that it will not crimp. That's why I also have a Redding seater that has the stem pulled out so that the only thing it does is crimp. The RCBS Seating die will also crimp.

I feel that crimping these bullets is an important step. Unless you plan on single loading all your rounds, or it's for a single shot rifle, crimping is the way to go.

X2 on above crimp recommendation,but not solely to prevent bullet setback in the magazine !!
If you are shooting 270 gr slugs ,most will have a cannelure.My findings show the 270 gr to be superior in the accuracy dept than 300 gr
A suggestion many years ago by Jack O'Conner which I have used with suberb results is 4064 powder & I think 72 gr but check with the manuals & work up as always, But without fail, CRIMP into the Cannelure,Not heavily, but just adequate, and Your groups will tighten up in an astounding manner !
The CRIMP will restrain the Bullet,thereby building pressure before releasing it,and tighten up the groups; I believe it is a result of building enough initial pressure to slam the bullet squarely into the lands,which cannot be achieved with slower powders such as 4350. Try uncrimed against crimped with the same loads in each, on the same day, and you will be amazed ! I have had surprising results with just the plain old Remington 270 gr Core-Lokt bullet . I always "Partial Sized" just enough to permit chambering the resized cases & if you polish your expander button,as I do all of mine you will get better results. If you try these techniques,I would like to see you post the results for others to see.
Good Luck
Rich

I find i get much better results with the Lee factory Die crimp than the rolled mouth crimp of normal seating/crimping dies. That is what i now use except when i can't get a Lee crimp die for the cartrdige.

Good luck and enjoy.

Chris

Use RCBS dies myself and am happy with them. I do pretty close to what BobinHH does. When I first set up the die I bottomed out the die then started backing it off a little at a time until the cases started being a little hard to close the bolt on, then turned it in a half turn and tightened. For hunting I use once fired cases that have been fired in my rifle. Don't want to run the chance of having a jam when hunting. Anything that has been shot more is used for practice only.

I loaded my 375 for years trying every method of sizing to reduce case stretch with full power loads ( I don't see any point in down loading any cartridge) only to no avail.
My concern was not with case life per se, but with integrity with that loaded brass. I was getting upwards of 3 firings but less than 6 firings from each piece of brass because I would discard it after the 4th trimming and there were signs of incipient head separations. The cases would stretch and need trimming after every loading and had me scratching my head as to why it occurred so easily, then after some investigation I found my solution, I rechambered my Win Model 70 Classic Stainless to 375 Weatherby, I have NOT had to trim or discard a single case since, most pieces of brass have not increased in length more than .002"-.003" even after 3-4 cycles through the rifle. I am still on the same batch of fireformed brass I started with and it is still not at the max case length for the Weatherby, which is 2.850", because it actually shrinks the neck when fireformed and takes considerable firings to grow again.
I'm very happy with the outcome and don't have to worry about case head separations in dangerous situations anymore.

Cheers.