Big bore load development process

[CoElkHunter]

CANCEL THE ORDER. Electronic scales are worthless and require batteries. I trust the balance and I've been burned by the digital. If I were going to spend money on a digital scale it would be hooked to an electronic powder trickler. If it isn't, I don't see the point.

Well it’s only $50.00 on Midway. It’s AC and batteries and I’ll double check the results with my balance scale. If it doesn’t work I’ll post it in the classifieds here on AH. Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[Forrest Halley]

Well it’s only $50.00 on Midway. It’s AC and batteries and I’ll double check the results with my balance scale. If it doesn’t work I’ll post it in the classifieds here on AH. Ha! Ha! Ha!

$50 buys a lot of ammo these days...keep the check weight handy...

 

[CoElkHunter]

$50 buys a lot of ammo these days...keep the check weight handy...

Yep on both accounts! BTW, what cartridges are those in your Avatar? Just curious?

 

[Forrest Halley]

Yep on both accounts! BTW, what cartridges are those in your Avatar? Just curious?

Cheapies! Privi Partisan (PPU) 300 grain protected soft point .375 H&H. Very inexpensive factory loads to generate brass for reloads originally. Unexpectedly my M70 loves them and shoots them so well. The recoil beats the hell out of the points on the 300 grain Sierras and these PPU aren't affected.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Cheapies! Privi Partisan (PPU) 300 grain protected soft point .375 H&H. Very inexpensive factory loads to generate brass for reloads originally. Unexpectedly my M70 loves them and shoots them so well. The recoil beats the hell out of the points on the 300 grain Sierras and these PPU aren't affected.

Actually, that’s probably the best way to get brass from inexpensive loaded ammo. I’ve shot that PPU ammo in other calibers and it isn’t bad at all, plus you get reloadable brass! In reality, it probably has better brass, bullets, powder and primers than the African hunting loads from some of the major cartridge manufacturers in the ‘50s and ‘60s? As a teenager, I used to buy Sierra bullet “seconds” by the pound for my .270 and my brother’s .308. I’d drive to the factory and they would put them in paper lunch bags. I believe the 300gr .375 Sierra has a thicker jacket than their other offerings?

 

[Forrest Halley]

Actually, that’s probably the best way to get brass from inexpensive loaded ammo. I’ve shot that PPU ammo in other calibers and it isn’t bad at all, plus you get reloadable brass! In reality, it probably has better brass, bullets, powder and primers than the African hunting loads from some of the major cartridge manufacturers in the ‘50s and ‘60s? As a teenager, I used to buy Sierra bullet “seconds” by the pound for my .270 and my brother’s .308. I’d drive to the factory and they would put them in paper lunch bags. I believe the 300gr .375 Sierra has a thicker jacket than their other offerings?

I do not know about the jackets. I can say that the PPU is hell on AR 500 and the hard driven Sierras are gentle.

I found bags of primed Federal Nickel brass. I thought it was novel so I bought them.

I am jealous of the Sierra hookup. They are good for NA game apparently . I am thinking about getting a serious bullet for my .375, but I'm still having fun with the Sierras. They are very accurate but for the nose damage during recoil, I would be happy with them. I am thinking of sticking to a soft point in the .375 since I'm swimming in .458 loads. If I went with the PPU, I could have most of the .375's covered, but I don't like giving up so much BC in the .375. I may end up with Barnes.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I do not know about the jackets. I can say that the PPU is hell on AR 500 and the hard driven Sierras are gentle.

I found bags of primed Federal Nickel brass. I thought it was novel so I bought them.

I am jealous of the Sierra hookup. They are good for NA game apparently . I am thinking about getting a serious bullet for my .375, but I'm still having fun with the Sierras. They are very accurate but for the nose damage during recoil, I would be happy with them. I am thinking of sticking to a soft point in the .375 since I'm swimming in .458 loads. If I went with the PPU, I could have most of the .375's covered, but I don't like giving up so much BC in the .375. I may end up with Barnes.

I wouldn’t use Sierras for any game larger than deer in a smaller caliber. Jackets are too thin. My hunting buddy and his son use the 165gr BT in their ‘06s. Two elk and one moose at close range took several body shots. I think in .375 would be ok with the thicker jackets. The Sierra bullet “seconds” I used to buy, typically had some lead protruding from the nose like pencil lead width. I would just break it off and load them. Believe it or not, in my .270 and my brother’s ,308, there was no accuracy loss. So, I wouldn’t worry about the nose deformation on the 300gr .375s? Think about it? They’re still more aerodynamic than a soft point? Midway USA has the 300gr .375 Sierras “seconds” for sale right now. At least, good enough for practice? I haven’t reloaded my .375 h and h yet, because the practice ammo is cheap. I’ll probably go with Barnes for a hunting load. But I like the Woodleigh and Swift designs too.