30-378 How fast?

M

MTM

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I see this round more and more. Can't beleive I'm saying this but it seems a liitle over the top to me. I've used and liked the 338-378 and straight 378. Just wondering how fast you guys are launching 180s and 200s. I used to shoot 180s up to 3300 and 200s at 3100 out of my 300 WBYs.
 
I can run over 3400 in my Sako 995 with no trouble at all and I will not say what I can get when I push it!!! RL-25 or Retumbo and Barnes X bullets, as some bullets were not as quick as others

H-1000 built pressure to quick and had a stiff bolt lift getting up to 3350 so I backed off that powder.
 
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.30-378 was used for tests to push .30 bullets to very high speeds by the US military IIRC. I have seen some ridiculous load data for this cartridge. Seems beyond impractical unless you hunt at very long range or something. Even then there would be better choices. Those bullets don't seem to hold that great speed for very far so what is the advantage?
 
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KodiakHntr said:
What was the rifle and load specs that you used to hit 3300fps with a 180? Just curious....
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Didn't use the 180s for hunting but the Rifle was a Ruger # 1 with 26"er. I've fired them in several rifles though. 3300 is the ragged edge. 32-33 is comfortable. That load was 7828 at the top of the IMR booklet I have for way back. The 3100 fps/200 load was my hunting load in a couple of 300s, one mod.70 the other a custom Sako. It used H4831.
 
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MTM said:
Didn't use the 180s for hunting but the Rifle was a Ruger # 1 with 26"er. I've fired them in several rifles though. 3300 is the ragged edge. 32-33 is comfortable. That load was 7828 at the top of the IMR booklet I have for way back. The 3100 fps/200 load was my hunting load in a couple of 300s, one mod.70 the other a custom Sako. It used H4831.
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I could never get to 3300 fps with 7828 in my Stainless MK-V in .300 Wby, I had to stop at around 3240 fps. I do get 3300 with RL-22, with less pressure signs than 7828, and it is more accurate, too. The load is the Max. published in Barnes No.3 manual + 2 grs for the 180gr TSX bullet. Sorry, I can't help you with the other big boomer. :redface:
 
I like my 30-378. I use barnes TSX 180gr 3510 on the chrono and lethal on moose. loaded at 105grains RL22. fed 215m primer. This is a hot load but it works well in my rifle. I have experimented with 7828 and other bullets with the RL22 but I like the barnes the best. This load is very accurate in my gun too. The barnes bullet has a high BC and is very flat out to 500yds.
 
I had a Mk V with 28" barrel. It would do 3500 FPS with 180grn nosler AccuBond and 111 grn Retumbo, If I recall there was a light extractor mark and the 112 grn load had a little bit of a tight bolt lift @ 3600FPS, so I stoppped. My thinking was @ $4.50 a case I better stop being stupid.
The 200 grn Accubonds were alot better matched to the case capacity I thought. I got 3265 out of 104 & 105 grns of Retumbo, but I was obviously over the effiecent point of the charge because the velocity spread was 50FPS, so I dropped down to 101 grns and got 3165FPS and 0.75" groups @ 100yds. Great round, but I'll replace with a 300 RUM.

JT.
 
any body have some good loads to share for a 30-378 weatherby mag....I have a load for 180grs and ### grains of 50 bmg powder...its hot !!!!...any others out there willing to share .....
 
has any one tried to reload berger bullets for a 30.378 with 168grain? if you have what was the speed and how did they shoot?
 
Yes, you can get some serious speed from the 180s, but long range is all about the slippery bullet and the 200s (or bigger) are hands down a better choice for long range work.
The 180s make nice drop numbers, but that doesn't mean anything at serious distance.

In a 28 inch tube Retumbo will safely (and accurately) drive a 200 Accubond to around 3300fps.

The 30-378 could use the Bergers for varmint bullets.

Bergers+Big game at 3500fps=Bad idea.
 
From Wikipedia:
The .30-378 Weatherby Magnum is a cartridge introduced by Weatherby in 1996 that uses the same case as the previously existing .378 Weatherby Magnum and .460 Weatherby Magnum, necked down to a 30 caliber (7.62 mm) bullet. It is offered with bullets between 165 and 200 grains (10.7 g and 13.0 g) in factory loading, generating velocities able to exceed 3,500 ft/s (1,100 m/s) and muzzle energies over 4,750 foot-pounds force (6,440 J).[1] The cartridge was the product of a design/development effort of 1958-1959 between Mr William L. Strickland at the U S Army Ballistics Laboratory of Redstone Arsenal Alabama and Roy Weatherby. The research development contract specified the development/production of a single shot rifle/cartridge combination which could provide a flat nosed and based, 80gr and 100 gr projectile velocity of 7000ft/s. 35mm high speed motion picture cameras were used to photograph the performance and impact results of various projectile alloys while impacting different types of armor plate. The rifle was removed from the stock and mounted in a machine rest, the armor plate targets were 10' in front of the muzzle. The results of this testing have helped the Army in the development of effective battlefield armor and armor penetrators used on the battlefield today. In later years, projectiles fired in this rifle were studied and designed for hunting game at very long distances, and for marksmanship competition in excess of 1,000 yards (910 m).
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Can anyone confirm this? 7000 fps if FAAAAAAASSST!
 
I remember some gun celebrity of the time and the military playing around with hyper velocity stuff way back...more than 20 years ago.
If I remember correctly they were messing with a 224/378 to get those speeds.

Weatherby experimented with 30 grain bullets in the 30/378 and (IIRC) they saw somewhere around 5000fps.

I wouldn't expect more then 4500fps with an 80 grain bullet...Would be fun to try though.
 
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flat at 500

X-fan said:
Yes, you can get some serious speed from the 180s, but long range is all about the slippery bullet and the 200s (or bigger) are hands down a better choice for long range work.
The 180s make nice drop numbers, but that doesn't mean anything at serious distance.

In a 28 inch tube Retumbo will safely (and accurately) drive a 200 Accubond to around 3300fps.

The 30-378 could use the Bergers for varmint bullets.

Bergers+Big game at 3500fps=Bad idea.
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so how flat is it with a 200gr at 500 yards or 180s better
 
I load Retumbo in a buds rifle (26" barrel) to just under 3300fps...Your gun will probably blow up.....Be careful. :eek:

Hodgdon shows the Accubond over 3209fps at 52K CUP in a 26 inch barrel (55,000 CUP is max pressure).......So (the way I see it) 3250fps should be a safe max in a 26" barrel. A 28 inch barrel is good for at least 50fps in that beast (or 3300fps).
 
cback said:
so how flat is it with a 200gr at 500 yards or 180s better
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According to JBM online about an inch difference favoring the 180gr, but the 200 has significantly more retained energy, a bit less wind drift, and (IMHO) a much better chance of doing its job on a 20 yard bull moose shoulder.

Will be interesting to see how high the actual BC of the new 200 TTSX will be?
 
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