More .375 Ruger Testing

Boomer

Boomer

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Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
It was an interesting day. The temperature was -32, but the wind was light, so the discomfort level wasn't out of control.

Just to recap, the first attempt produced an acceptable velocity of 2500 fps with the 300 gr TSX ahead of 79 grs of Winchester 760. The Nosler 260 gr Accubond proved a little more problematic as we hit the pressure wall before the expected velocity could be reached, so the second attempt would be with a slower powder.

I decided to try Reloader 19, and we worked up in 1 gr increments stopping at 89.0 grs and a velocity of 2698. I had wanted to get 2700 fps with this bullet, so we made it as normal velocity variations would put some rounds over the mark and some under. There were no pressure signs, but even with a 12" drop tube, this was the most Re-19 the case would hold and still allow the bullet to be seated 1 caliber length (excluding the boat tail) into the neck, thus it was seated just below the cannular.

Next came a few 300 gr TSX's as I wanted to see if the velocity we got from 760 could be improved upon. 85.0 grs of R-19 gave us 2537, which is marginally better than what we got from the 760 load. Unfortunately this load is a nonstarter as the powder bulked out and the bullet could only be seated to the second band groove. For ease of loading the 760 would be the better choice.

I was interested to see how the Ruger would handle the 380 gr Rhino. Due to the length of the bullet, 75 grs of Re-19 was a compressed load, and the velocity was about 40 fps below what I had hoped for, at 2160.

I wanted to see how the Ultra would act with Re-19, so I loaded up some 380's for it. The top load was 90.0 grs of Re-19 for a velocity of 2230. I also brought along a single Ultra round with my standby load of 84.0 grs of H-4350, so I shot that across the screens as well. The velocity read out at 2263. 2263!!?? That load has never dropped below 2300 - not ever! What's going on?

Ahhh . . . it's -32 out here. Maybe Hodgdon's extreme temperature stable powder doesn't like the cold as much as I thought. Now I can't go making assumptions based on a single round, more shooting is going to be required. But, if the velocities across the board are temperature depressed to the tune of 40 fps, the Ruger has done pretty well.

In the meantime I've ordered some Hodgdon Hybrid 100V and some more H-4350. I would like to duplicate the performance of the Re-19 with the denser Hybrid 100V and avoid the hassle of compressed loads. I also need the .375 Ruger dies to arrive pretty soon as I can't full length resize the short Ruger case with my Ultra dies. I guess for fooling around like this I can neck size enough to hold the bullet.
 
josquin said:
Well, at least you wouldn't have to worry about the barrel heating up during extended strings.

Did you bring the Rhino bullets in directly from S.A.?

:) Stuart
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I've been pretty careful about how fast I use them up. In 2005 I bought a couple of boxes from Rhinoman in Texas. Like a heroin dealer he got me hooked then quit selling them due to the cost. I placed an order directly with Rhino. I transferred the funds to their bank and I had 250 (10 boxes) a short time later, no fuss, no muss. I'll have to order more this year, but with the dollar up it might not be quite as painful. It was about $600.00 last time.
 
I saw on Rhino's website that they no longer had distribution in the US. At $600 for 250 bullets :eek: you'd have to use them up carefully... and probably sell "unusable" body parts from anything you shot to herbalists to offset the expense. But they must be worth it (vs, for example, Hawk or Woodleigh?)

:) Stuart
 
I tried the Woodleigh 350 gr, but the Rhino showed superior expansion in my testing. The Woodleigh upset well, and retained it's weight well, but the expanded portion folded close to the shank. The Rhino bullet is petaled like an X Bullet, but with a bonded pure lead core and lower impact velocities, it doesn't loose as much weight as the faster lighter X bullets. Yet despite the Rhino's 17% greater expanded frontal area, the bullet's weight creates enough momentum to equal the X's penetration and the wound volume is all out of proportion to what has traditionally been expected from a .375 caliber rifle.
 
If I couldn't get the Rhinos I would be quite comfortable with the TSX, I shoot 5 TSX's for each Rhino anyway. Maybe I read too much Elmer growing up, but my experience is that bullet performance on big game is best when the impact velocity is 2500 fps or less, and 2400 is optimal. By optimal I mean that the bullet will fully expand without failure and penetrate as deep as it will at any velocity. Less velocity means less upset and less penetration, more velocity could mean loss of weight resulting in less penetration. I have experienced 6 bullet failures in the field, so I am aware that they can happen, and that might make me a little more sensitive to the issue than someone who has never experienced it.

Consider the following pic.
DSC_0064.jpg


The original X on the left is the .510" 570 gr that impacted my buffalo at about 2000 fps, and the bullet on the right is a 270 gr XLC that impacted test medium at 2800 fps. Given that the construction of the X's is consistent, all that was gained by the additional velocity was the loss of bullet weight

The next pic shows the petals on the Rhino as they begin to open
DSC_0009-1.jpg


This last pic is one I've posted often, and shows a 270 gr and 300 gr X after close range high velocity impacts into test medium and the 380 gr Rhino at 2300 fired at the same range.

DSC_0008.jpg


I bought the Rhinos for buffalo in Tanzania, and in the end I didn't take my rifle, so I didn't have the opportunity to use them there. Now they are my bear protection. I don't carry them for hunting, AB's shoot flatter so the Rhino's are to pull my butt out of the fire. I had a close call on the coast in the early fall of 2006. The bear was waiting for us as we climbed up through the rocks off the coast and we didn't see him until he was a dozen feet away. Gun fire drove him off, although grudgingly, but knowing that your bullet will expand to nearly an inch is a confidence builder.

I've wanted to get out and shoot some seals to see first hand the actual effects of the 380's on game. There is no limit, and a seal is very dense so would provide a good ballistic medium. Trouble is the ice conditions in the spring, when the seals are up on the ice, have been poor the last couple of years, but maybe I'll have better luck this year. Stay tuned.

Crazy_Davey shot a black bear with a 380. From all reports the bear died.
 
Boomer said:
Crazy_Davey shot a black bear with a 380. From all reports the bear died.
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It did exactly what we thought it would. Killed the bear, and quickly. I managed to recover the bullet from the ground behind where I shot the bear and it is now mounted on a plaque with the skull. Obviously black bears are not hard to kill, but it was fun and a good test none the less.

I will post a pic when I get a chance.
 
Boomer said:
I bought the Rhinos for buffalo in Tanzania, and in the end I didn't take my rifle, so I didn't have the opportunity to use them there. Now they are my bear protection. I don't carry them for hunting, AB's shoot flatter so the Rhino's are to pull my butt out of the fire. I had a close call on the coast in the early fall of 2006. The bear was waiting for us as we climbed up through the rocks off the coast and we didn't see him until he was a dozen feet away. Gun fire drove him off, although grudgingly, but knowing that your bullet will expand to nearly an inch is a confidence builder.
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Thanks ...... I can see your point, to say the least. :)



.
 
crazy_davey said:
It did exactly what we thought it would. Killed the bear, and quickly. I managed to recover the bullet from the ground behind
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did the bullet expand that tiny amount in the bear, or in the dirt? :D I know a black bear isnt very big, well..most of them, but I would of expected the Rhino to open up a bit more than it did :confused:
 
On a thin skinned animal such as a black bear and a broad side shot, I didn't expect any different results. I knew the Rhino would do the job, but they really are designed for another type of hunting altogether.

Why did I use a 380g Rhino to kill a black bear? Because I wanted to :)
 
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