Woodleigh 375 caliber 350gr. PP bullet?

[700xcr]

I worked up a load with the Woodleigh 350gr. PP for the 375 Ruger Guide Gun.
73.grs. of RE17 produced an 1" 3-shot group at 100yds. Chronographed it at an average of 2391fps. I also loaded up 78.5grs. of RE17 with a Nosler 300gr. Accubond and got a 1/2" 3-shot group with an average of 2590fps. The 350gr. PP are shooting 2" lower POA at 100yds. So if I sight in the 300gr. Accubond 200yds, the 350gr. should be dead on at 100yds. Thinking the 300gr.Accubonds for thin skinned game and the 350gr, PP for game that charges or bits back.

 

[ChrisG]

Wondering if anybody has any experience with this bullet? I like loading heavy bullets for the caliber and was planning on loading some up for the 375 Ruger Guide Gun. I have load data from Woodleigh Bullets. With this bullet should cover anything I think I would ever hunt.

Due to the .375 Ruger's short OAL, you will give up a considerable amount of powder space and velocity. You most definitely will not be able to crimp it in the crimp groove and will have to seat it beyond that. My Winchester .375 H&H will shoot these but they need to be seated beyond the groove because Winchester refused to make a magnum length action and just milled out metal on their long action making it barely fit. Hence my velocity is not much above 2150. You're going to have some issue with that in a Ruger as well, unless your rifle is a CZ550 magnum or Magnum Mauser rechambered for .375 Ruger.

 

[700xcr]

Due to the .375 Ruger's short OAL, you will give up a considerable amount of powder space and velocity. You most definitely will not be able to crimp it in the crimp groove and will have to seat it beyond that. My Winchester .375 H&H will shoot these but they need to be seated beyond the groove because Winchester refused to make a magnum length action and just milled out metal on their long action making it barely fit. Hence my velocity is not much above 2150. You're going to have some issue with that in a Ruger as well, unless your rifle is a CZ550 magnum or Magnum Mauser rechambered for .375 Ruger.

It is shot in the Ruger. Note: I am using a Lee factory crimp die and crimping below crimp ring on bullet. 3.385" OAL. Just enough to fit in box magazine of rifle. I am getting an average velocity of 2391fps. Haven't had any problems yet.

 

[Willem le Clus]

Hi 700 xcr - In my experience, when considering Africa's heavyweights, moving up in bullet weight from 300 to 350 grain really shifts the .375 H&H up a gear. If you do the math, it is easy to understand why this bullet weight just seems to 'hit harder'.
When comparing a 300 grainer at 2500 to a 350 at 2300 the heavier option gives you more momentum and a better KO value for almost identical ME.
When designed correctly heavier for caliber bullets should expand to a larger final diameter than lighter ones of the same type. Permanent wound channel size, with expanding type bullets is reliably three times a bullets final expanded diameter. So a bullet which expands to .5 inch gives a 1.5 inch diameter hole or PWC (permanent wound channel). One that expands to 1 inch leaves a 3 inch hole. Logically, the bigger the hole though the heart/lung area, the more rapidly effective the shot will be. Granted, expanding to a larger final diameter does put 'the brakes on' more - but this seems to be adequately compensated for by such bullets better momentum value - the secret to bullet penetration. Ideally an expanding type bullet should be recovered under the skin on the opposite side of a side-on animal and this seems to happen with the heavyweights, even on buffalo - with the added advantage being a nice and big PWC.
I have no experience with these bullets in the .375 Ruger but I see no reason why they will not work as well as they do in the .375 H&H assuming the Ruger also has a 1:12 twist. Heavy for caliber bullets are usually longer and because of this they need to spin faster to stabilize. My experience is that even 380 Rhino's will stabilize in a 1:12 twist. 2300 fps is plenty fast enough for 350's - and I would not recommend any more than this for the Woodleighs.
You may also like to look at North Fork's 350 grain .375 offerings. These bullets are rapidly gaining an excellent African reputation, and they come in SP, CNS and FNS configuration which covers all the options.

Hi Doc,
Got some 350 gr Rhinos that I want to try in my 375 Ruger Alaskan. 1;12 with a 20 inch barrel. I have some S365 that I can use. If you can please indicate start and max loads.
Cheers
Willem

 

[IvW]

Hi Doc,
Got some 350 gr Rhinos that I want to try in my 375 Ruger Alaskan. 1;12 with a 20 inch barrel. I have some S365 that I can use. If you can please indicate start and max loads.
Cheers
Willem

https://www.somchemreload.com/search?c=8&f=127

S365 not recommended with the heavier bullet in 375 H&H.

S355 is what I use, just check the lot values(Lot Velocity Variation Relative to the Reference Lot)

S355 lot nr. 011/2015 and 006/2006 are not good.

You can also use a 50/50 duplex load S365/S335 but this is not the territory for beginner re loaders. This is what we used for the heavy 375 H&H bullets before S355 came on the scene...