375 Whelen Improved

[Hntnhrd]

There was absolutely no “NEED” involved in this purchase. I flat out felt like I wanted it. Built on-a Mauser action that is slick as butter and pretty piece of walnut I just felt I should have it. I was able to grab the dies at the same time. There is a little info online so I was able to scrounge some load information and put some rounds together. I took some 06 LC brass I have and ran it into my 338/06 dies . Then use a 375 expander and then the 375 Whelen dies. I used 10 grains of zip and cream of wheat and fireformed 30 cases. Back through the 375 Whelen improved dies And loaded. Settled on 59 grains of reloader 15 and a 260 grain nosler partition. I can only shoot 50 yard here at the house but they went into a ragged hole at 2450 avg fps.
Has anyone still here played with this round at all. Recoil with the above load is very manageable. I don’t have a ton of rl15 left is there any other powders I should be looking at? Speed seems fine for its potential purpose ( under 200 yards midsize game)

Here is a picture of a loaded round next to a standard 30/06. Kind of a fun round!!

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I haven't shot the 375 version. Plenty of experience with the 35 whelen imp. Always used IMR4064 with 250s in mine. RL15, varget, 4064, and I'm sure about any medium burn rate powder will do.

 

[358WCF]

I was considering a 375 Whelen, but the donor rifle shot too good to change & a 9.3x62 crossed my path.

Some data mixed in here...

9.2x62 v .375 Whelen variant for a build?

Trust that your day is going well. Working on another build concept: that of a medium-medium with in the .366-.375 range. This would be a thumper, but...

www.24hourcampfire.com

 

[Hntnhrd]

I was considering a 375 Whelen, but the donor rifle shot too good to change & a 9.3x62 crossed my path.

Some data mixed in here...

9.2x62 v .375 Whelen variant for a build?

Trust that your day is going well. Working on another build concept: that of a medium-medium with in the .366-.375 range. This would be a thumper, but...

www.24hourcampfire.com

Of all the searching I did I never came across that thread . Thank you

 

[SKWERLZ]

There was absolutely no “NEED” involved in this purchase. I flat out felt like I wanted it. Built on-a Mauser action that is slick as butter and pretty piece of walnut I just felt I should have it. I was able to grab the dies at the same time. There is a little info online so I was able to scrounge some load information and put some rounds together. I took some 06 KC brass I have had and ran it into my 338/06 dies . Then use a 375 expander and then the 375 Whelen dies. I used 10 grains of zip and cream of wheat and fireformed 30 cases. Back through the 375 Whelen improved dies And loaded. Settled on 59 grains of reloader 15 and a 260 grain nosler partition. I can only shoot 50 yard here at the house but they went into a ragged hole at 2450 avg fps.
Has anyone still here played with this round at all. Recoil with the above load is very manageable. I don’t have a ton of rl15 left is there any other powders I should be looking at? Speed seems fine for its potential purpose ( under 200 yards midsize game)

Here is a picture of a loaded round next to a standard 30/06. Kind of a fun round!!

View attachment 1616408

That’s cool looking cartridge’

 

[lotech]

I was quite intrigued by the .375 Whelen Improved (along with the .338-06, .35 Whelen, .35 Whelen Improved, and the .400 Hawk ) years ago. I figured the .375 Whelen Improved would be a fine elk cartridge, but later wondered if available bullets in the 270-300 grain range would have expanded adequately at .375 WI velocities beyond 100 yards or so. Not much point in using such a cartridge if you're only going to use light bullets.

There have been a couple of articles in HANDLOADER magazine on the .375 AI with load data. The .375 AI along with the other big '-06-based wildcats are fascinating to work with. In retrospect, however, I would ditch all of the wildcats and choose a .30-06 with good 200 grain bullets. I think the '-06 it will do anything the wildcats will do performance-wise and may do it better and at longer range.

 

[SeabeeKen]

I was considering a 375 Whelen, but the donor rifle shot too good to change & a 9.3x62 crossed my path.

Some data mixed in here...

9.2x62 v .375 Whelen variant for a build?

Trust that your day is going well. Working on another build concept: that of a medium-medium with in the .366-.375 range. This would be a thumper, but...

www.24hourcampfire.com

Similar. I wanted to build a larget caliber. Thought of 375 whelen but went with 9.3x62 and it shoot under .5

 

[Hntnhrd]

Anyone have any thought about trying reloader 16 in the round? I did find a little infor were Varget is used also.

 

[Orr89rocz]

I was quite intrigued by the .375 Whelen Improved (along with the .338-06, .35 Whelen, .35 Whelen Improved, and the .400 Hawk ) years ago. I figured the .375 Whelen Improved would be a fine elk cartridge, but later wondered if available bullets in the 270-300 grain range would have expanded adequately at .375 WI velocities beyond 100 yards or so. Not much point in using such a cartridge if you're only going to use light bullets.

There have been a couple of articles in HANDLOADER magazine on the .375 AI with load data. The .375 AI along with the other big '-06-based wildcats are fascinating to work with. In retrospect, however, I would ditch all of the wildcats and choose a .30-06 with good 200 grain bullets. I think the '-06 it will do anything the wildcats will do performance-wise and may do it better and at longer range.

Ive heard the speer 270’s are abit softer. Ive used them in a 376 steyr i used to own. Shot one deer with them and it expanded well.

 

[Hntnhrd]

I am running a 260 grain Partition at about 2450 with this load of reloader 15. Does this seem reasonable? Wondering if I should be looking for a little more speed? Should the bullets perform as they should put to 200 yards?

 

[lotech]

I am running a 260 grain Partition at about 2450 with this load of reloader 15. Does this seem reasonable? Wondering if I should be looking for a little more speed? Should the bullets perform as they should put to 200 yards?

Just a guess as I never used Reloder 15 or your bullet in the .375 Whelen Improved, but I'd suspect your velocity is about right. I used IMR 4064, and IMR-4895, both a bit faster than R15, and IMR-4320 which is a little slower than R15. I'd have to look up old notes to be sure, but top speed in my gun was under 2,500 fps using the Speer 235 grain. I think the powder was IMR-4320.

Beware, there is some pretty warm data out there for this cartridge.

 

[ISS]

this is a great cartridge for anything in NA, and anything in the rest of the world; excepting the Big Three. The cats will kill easy with a Nosler Partition if you make the shot. And, your PH will be standing right there with a 500NE for backup.
I got a deal on a 9,3x62, so I have one. A local guy is just finishing up on Mauser switch barrel in 300 & 375, saves on the two rifle limit in most African countries; and I have a nice .500 NE 3" double.

Great rifle and cartridge.

ISS

 

[Orr89rocz]

Is there a reason the neck is so long? Could it be shorter and have the case blown out more for abit more capacity?

 

[Hntnhrd]

Is there a reason the neck is so long? Could it be shorter and have the case blown out more for abit more capacity?

Not sure I fire formed them to my chamber. I think the shoulder being moved forward is the 375 scoville design.

 

[mattri]

Sounds like a great find!

Forgive my ignorance but does it headspace off the shoulder? I don't know how much is needed.

 

[JayHHI6818]

I can relate

“There was absolutely no “NEED” involved in this purchase.”


I have a 15 inch Encore barrel chambered in 375-06 JDJ. JD Jones recommended necking up 35 Whelen brass instead of
30-06 cases as the necks would be paper thin. The shoulder angle is 60 degrees

 

[WV Hitman]

I have a .375/.284 XP-100 handgun. I'm getting about the same velocity as you with the 260 AB & IMR 4198. Used this for 35+ years. It will take the big stuff. I've taken eland, hippo, AK moose, Shiras moose, all with one shot.