Range Report .358-375 Ruger and 7.62X57 HC

[hoytcanon]

Hello Nutters...

Things are tough, cabin fever is rampant. I was under stress, due to children and grandchildren abroad and trapped... I heard this morning that thanks to the German consulate in Mumbai, my daughter/SIL/grandson were transported from Pune, put up in a hotel and booked on a German repatriation flight to Frankfurt with a connecting flight to T.O... they are safe! NO THANKS, to the fall down Trudeau government, who closed the consulates, yanked their staff, did not respond to weeks of pleas for help, and finally pawned off the stranded Canadians on a price gouging (Six times normal rates) Indian company and then washed their hands of any responsibility to our citizens abroad. (I could go on and on... the details of the story are apalling)...

I digress... in celebration of the news that my kids are safe (son and GF still in the AZ desert climbing), I went to my bush range with a few new and modified rifles... as local ranges have been CC'd (Covid Closed).

A short while back the idea for a .358/375 Ruger popped up during a CGN thread conversation, I don't recall which. Since I had a take-off Ruger M77 MKII Stainless .350 Rem Mag barrel and a languishing M77 MKII Stainless .338 WM on hand it was a no brainer to pick up the PTG reamer, and Redding dies, and slap something together... while I was at it, I decided to do a project that I have had in my shop for two or three years... namely a new cartridge based on the 8X57 necked down to .308", vanity named the 7.62X57 Hoytcanon. The HC was built on a Walnut/Blued M77-R MKII 6.5X55, the barrel is a McGowen #2 blued 10 twist @ 22". I also brought along an M77 MKII Stainless .223 that I had the factory 22" barrel taken down to 18.5" for a brush hunting coyote rifle.

The results will follow in separate posts...

 

[hoytcanon]

First up was the 7.62X57 Hoytcanon... I started ladder testing loads at 47.0 grains of RL-19 in one grain increments and using the 180 grain SST @ 3.050" OAL, but it is my intention to use the Nosler 180 grain Ballistic Tip for hunting. On the first shot my immediate reaction was "Oh, that recoil cycle is nice!" Kind of a consistent, even push... very satisfying. I finished a five shot group at 100 yards and was pleasantly surprised to see a tight knot of holes. A couple clicks up and right and another group with 48 grains... again a nice tight group, same for 49.0 and 50.0, no indication of excessive pressure showing, at 51.0 grains the groups opened a smidge and then opened more at 52.0 grains... so I settled back down to 50.0 grains and was getting a consistent 2730 fps from that load... I was very pleased with that load for accuracy and velocity as it is very close to 3000 ft/lb energy, should be an excellent bear/moose rifle. The feeding and extraction were smooth as butter, and it was not throwing any fliers.

 

[hoytcanon]

Next on deck was the .358/375 Ruger. Still at 100 yards, I ladder tested two powders in one grain increments using the Nosler 225 Accubond @ 3.385" OAL, 76.0 through 81.0 W760 and 77.0 through 82.0 grains RL-17. The first two five shot groups of 76.0 W760 and 77.0 RL-17 were promising... the next two groups of five at 77.0 W760 and 78.0 RL-17 were even better. At this point I took note of substantial recoil... but I like that THUMP! This .358/375 Ruger weighs in at 8.5 pounds scoped and 8.75 pounds with four rounds loaded. The feeding and extraction were so smooth and effortless it almost felt as though I was working an empty bolt. I continued to work through the loads and at 80.0 grains of W760 I bailed on the powder, the recoil and blast were obnoxious, and the groups opened up. There were still no obvious signs of pressure, but it was clear that the RL-17 was going to be the winner. With the RL-17 81.0 grains opened the groups and more so 82.0 grains... I backed down to the 80.0 loads and found the sweet spot... consistent accuracy and 3050 fps... not as fast as I had hoped, but a dandy load none the less... this will carry a good payload a long way out.

 

[Buckmastr]

Nice shooting!
It's great when you can come away from initial load development with answers rather than a bunch more questions.
Glad your kids and grandkids have a safe plan to return as well.

 

[medvedqc]

wow great results and nice rifles Greg.

with only a little problem: wrong bolt side lol.

joke aside i d like to see the cartridges if you do not mind.

Phil

 

[Superbrad]

Nice stuff buddy..... That hoytcanon rifle is ###y AF!...... Text inbound...

 

[hoytcanon]

Thanks, Buckmaster... it was a productive morning shoot!

My next rifle was the M77 MKII Stainless shorty .223. This rifle has a particularly nice trigger making it effortless to send off the bullets... it was a very accurate rifle before the chop to 18.5"... before being shortened it wore a factory synthetic stock, but I fit it to a factory pepper laminate and like the feel and heft better. The load is 28.0 grains CFE-223 under the 55 VM @ 2.280" OAL, and the rifle proved to be no less accurate than before the barrel chop, netting 3250 fps from the 18.5" barrel.

 

[hoytcanon]

For Phil... I will post the 7.62X57 cartridge picture once I load some more up.

.358/375 Ruger, Hornady brass, CCI 250 primers, 80.0 grains RL-17, Nosler 225 Accubond @ 3.385";

 

[Buckmastr]

Nice 223 Hoytcanon. Surprising good speed too. 28 gr of CFE223 and a 50 grain ballistic tip is a good multiple gun plinking load for me as well.
I have never met a factory Ruger Mark 2 trigger that I liked, other than the 2 stage varmint jobs. But after some sear machining by my gunsmith they can be excellent.

 

[dgradinaru]

Pretty good velocity for the 7.62x57. Replicated factory 30-06 velocity. Right up there with my 8x57 180gr load @2740fps

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Next on deck was the .358/375 Ruger. Still at 100 yards, I ladder tested two powders in one grain increments using the Nosler 225 Accubond @ 3.385" OAL, 76.0 through 81.0 W760 and 77.0 through 82.0 grains RL-17. The first two five shot groups of 76.0 W760 and 77.0 RL-17 were promising... the next two groups of five at 77.0 W760 and 78.0 RL-17 were even better. At this point I took note of substantial recoil... but I like that THUMP! This .358/375 Ruger weighs in at 8.5 pounds scoped and 8.75 pounds with four rounds loaded. I continued to work through the loads and at 80.0 grains of W760 I bailed on the powder, the recoil and blast were obnoxious, and the groups opened up. There were still no obvious signs of pressure, but it was clear that the RL-17 was going to be the winner. With the RL-17 81.0 grains opened the groups and more so 82.0 grains... I backed down to the 80.0 loads and found the sweet spot... consistent accuracy and 3050 fps... not as fast as I had hoped, but a dandy load none the less... this will carry a good payload a long way out.

To your efforts on the 358/375 Ruger,good project, good work and great shooting results. I'm interested, but 'close by' in that size range, I have a pair chambered in 358 Norma Magnum that don't get enough exercise. Anyway, well done.

 

[hoytcanon]

7.62X57 HC loads, PPU brass, CCI 250 primers, 50.0 grains RL-19, 180 Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3.090," using custom John Whidden dies;

 

[Slimbo]

A 225 accubond at 3050 will be serious medicine. Awesome.

 

[hoytcanon]

Nice 223 Hoytcanon. Surprising good speed too. 28 gr of CFE223 and a 50 grain ballistic tip is a good multiple gun plinking load for me as well.
I have never met a factory Ruger Mark 2 trigger that I liked, other than the 2 stage varmint jobs. But after some sear machining by my gunsmith they can be excellent.

Thanks, I shortened the fore stock 1 1/2" to give it a more balanced look with the shorter barrel...

I have found much the same, regarding Mark II triggers, but with some judicious honing, most are excellent... all three that I had out today were very good triggers. The heavier the recoil the more important the trigger....

 

[medvedqc]

7.62X57 HC loads, PPU brass, CCI 250 primers, 180 Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3.090," using custom John Whidden dies;

For Phil... I will post the 7.62X57 cartridge picture once I load some more up.

.358/375 Ruger;

very good.

thank you.

 

[hoytcanon]

To your efforts on the 358/375 Ruger,good project, good work and great shooting results. I'm interested, but 'close by' in that size range, I have a pair chambered in 358 Norma Magnum that don't get enough exercise. Anyway, well done.

Hey Johnn... with a .358 Norma and that
.375 CT in your cabinet you don't really need anything in this energy range... but new stuff is always fun.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

Hey Johnn... with a .358 Norma and that
.375 CT in your cabinet you don't really need anything in this energy range... but new stuff is always fun.

Wellllllllllll, you never know. As Elmer Keith apparently commented once, "Being over gunned beats the alternative". Besides you never know, I may run into a MONSTER Vancouver Island Blacktail and I want to be prepared. Oh, gotta' see if I can introduce my Lipsey 7x57 Ruger to 'Island Life".

 

[hoytcanon]

A 225 accubond at 3050 will be serious medicine. Awesome.

Actually, that barrel is off of your old .350 Rem Mag... I pulled the barrel and made the 6.5 Rem Mag that I took for mountain goats... now the barrel has been repurposed for something fast and fun... will be interested to see it put to use on game, hopefully a bruin this spring.

 

[buckchaser]

Your son and his girlfriend have good taste in climbing areas. The rock climbing in the American
Southwest is world class.

 

[medvedqc]

Wellllllllllll, you never know. As Elmer Keith apparently commented once, "Being over gunned beats the alternative". Besides you never know, I may run into a MONSTER Vancouver Island Blacktail and I want to be prepared. Oh, gotta' see if I can introduce my Lipsey 7x57 Ruger to 'Island Life".

after you got a 375 ruger alaskan lol ...