MTM said:
My 378 shot much better with 7828 then Rel. 25. My 338/378 shot best with Rel. 25. I find the WBY stocks to handle recoil extremely well. I had a #1 Ruger in 460 WBY that was just brutal. Even full power Rigby loads in a CZ 550 were quite bad. I found the Mark V stocks no problem with 3000+ fps loads. Yes you move back a little but no pain at all. This gun had no brake. I'm heading for the range today with my 338,375 and 416 Rem. Relative pussycats. The 378 should be the ultimate long range Moose/Elk basher but a couple of things hold it back. The weight of the gun for serious backpacking( I don't mind the P/F action ) and I tripple dog dare you to torch off a 300 TSX at 3100 fps prone. You have to hold these guns such that precise long range holds can be tough. Obviously they're no good so somebody with a USA built one should sell it to me before they hurt themselves.
All this faster is better talk makes my head hurt.
While a 300 gr bullet will not kill anything at 3000 fps that it won't kill at 2600, there is just enough logic in the argument of flatter trajectory being an advantage to seem plausible. At least, that is, until one runs the numbers through a ballistics program and discovers that a streamlined .375 bullet will stay supersonic much further than most hunters can shoot.
The notion of long range shooting big game vanishes if you cannot shoot the rifle accurately from the only field position that is stable enough for precise shooting at long range.
I can shoot my .375 Ultra prone without serious discomfort, although when I sling-up my head is snapped back in an uncomfortable fashion. All the same, I am not shooting long strings, and slung-up and shooting prone or sitting, I do quite well at longish ranges. It was the same with my .416 Rigby and my .458. I could hold either for 3 shots prone, and 3 shots prone should be enough for any shooting associated with big game hunting, however, the rifle serves no purpose if you cannot hit your target. A .375" bore rifle will kill any game in the world with a 300 gr bullet loaded to 2500 fps, so it follows that faster velocities at close range serves only to produce bloodshot meat. To successfully make a long range shot, the marksman must fire from a stable platform, but if the piece is unmanageable from such a position, then what is it for?
I think the .378 Weatherby fills a particular niche, although it is unclear if a factory built rifle can fill that niche. If long range big game shooting is what you intend to do, then build a rifle that weighs in excess of 20 pounds, mount a high powered scope on a 20 minute base, load some custom made .375 bullets that are designed for long range game shooting, and have at it. But, if it is a sporter you own, and you are unable to shoot it from all field positions, then I suggest you load some 380 gr Rhinos to 2400 fps, and relegate the piece to a dangerous game rifle that you can shoot off your hind legs.
