Remington Long action and 378 Weatherby Mag Cartridge

[AK-49]

Is a remington long action suitable to be modified to handle a 378 weatherby magnum cartridge?

[30-338]

You could use one of these not sure about the follower if it work.
http://www.wyattsoutdoor.com/mag.html

[Rich]

AK-49,

Long before short fat was a popular idea, I once shortened a .378 Weatherby to 2 1/2" and necked it to 7MM. I called it my short fat seven. Anyway, I used a short action Remington and had the bolt opened up and a Sako extractor installed. The case is so fat, I could only carry two cartridges in it: One in the chamber and the other in the magazine.

I hope this is helpful info.

[Savage 99]

A look at the base diameter and the c.o.l. of the .375 RUM might tell if a .378 Wby could fit the 700 action. Load data for both calibers list recipes with over 100-grains of powder. A quick peek at Hodgdon's site shows the .375 RUM loads with a little less speed than for the .378 Wby, for their powders, anyway. .375 RUM 300-gr speeds in the 27xx fps range; .378 speeds in the 29xx fps range.

If I wanted higher than .375 H&H performance from a 700 Rem, I would consider a .375 RUM. Starting loads show one with 85-gr powder and 300-gr bullet at over 2500 fps and under 2600 fps. That about dupes the H&H, and should be manageable. .378 has a similar starting load, but with 95-gr powder, which adds to recoil.

Weatherby stock design, as on the Mark V Deluxe, is supposed to help with perceived recoil. For a .378 that could be a factor.

[Hi Ball]

AK-49.......I used to own a .375H&H in a 700 Remington BDL rifle, it also was pinned in two places through the stock. It handled the .375H&H round OK. I know a Winchester action will handle it just fine!

[rimrock]

if you've got a good job where you can afford to blow some cash on toys and your into heavy caliber rifles...
one of my other ELK RIFLES is a custom combo I put together , I ordered a spare fibermark weatherby synthetic stock for my 340 wby rifle and a 378 wby barreled action, and after doing some rather extensive bedding, modifications, because of the additional recoil lug on the 378wby barreled action, and strengthening the stock work with two large pillar bed inserts and drilling the stock wrist area from the butt too the rear of the action so I could insert custom bent section of 5/8" thread rod coated with a great deal of epoxy bedding compound to both add a bit of weight and rigidity to the stock, and adding two 1/4" thread rod sections to the forearm area with a good deal more bedding compound behind the forward barrel mount, recoil lug to the bedding in the stocks forward in-letting and modifying it to fit the extra recoil lug the 378 wby action has, plus two cross bolts epoxied into the stock , one on both ends of the action bedding ,and adding a 2.5x Leopold scope, and a thick recoil pad I had one really powerful rifle that weighted about 9.75 lbs .
Ive easily got about $1900 in this rifle, but thats a screaming bargain compared to the $3000 weatherby wanted for a similar custom synthetic stocked 378 wby when I inquired

Now its both extremely accurate and... it kicks like a mule,felt recoil exceeds my 458 mag, but if you absolutely want to knock an elk or any other large game silly this tends to get their attention!
theres absolutely no need for this level of power to be used on ELK or MOOSE, but if your into powerful long range rifles its both impressive and very effective.
its one of those times where you get almost too much of a good thing!!
the facts are that in skilled hands , and used within a reasonable range,any caliber from about a 270 Winchester-up thru a 338 win mag is going to prove to be very effective, If you can precisely place your shots, and know your games anatomy.
but if your willing to accept the harder recoil levels a 378 wby has and use top quality bullets and practice a good deal with the rifle,you can just about ignore problems involving lack of penetration, or excessive drop, at anything approaching reasonable ranges, that may be an issue with lesser calibers, now you still need to precisely place your shots,and know your rifles trajectory, but busting thru an ELKs shoulder is hardly going to slow a 378 WBYs 300 grain bullet. enough to destroy the projectiles effectiveness..
Its also not a rifle your going to shoot from the prone position without getting the recoil levels far up past the comfort levels or point you'll want to do that more than absolutely necessary.
]firing from a sitting or standing position's not too bad with a sling, being properly used , but you'll darn sure know when its gone off!
I doubt you'll fire more than 10-12 shots before your shoulder starts to bruise,and your common sense tells you to stop shooting!
but when your hunting its a non-issue because you'll seldom fire more than once or twice.
its also the reason you'll occasionally see barely used 378 wby,416 wby and 460 wby rifles for sale at decent prices that have been barely used.
you can fire a 300grain bullet at about 2870fps,very easily,with zero pressure indications and long brass life, making enough energy to hunt African dangerous game and it shoots almost as flat as a 7mm mag for most of 500 yards
if your used to absorbing heavier recoil, the 378 wby makes an impressive , and expensive tool, but Ive found the 250 grain bullets in a 340 wby do everything you can reasonably expect from an ELK rifle with less recoil.[/color]


for anyone whose interested, the 378 wby kicks like a mule and works great as an ELK rifle, but its not proven to be any more effective than my 340 wby, so I only hunt elk with it when I get the odd masochistic urge to let it beat me half silly.
http://www.grumpysperformance.com/markv_fibermark.jpg


http://www.norma.cc/content.asp?Typ=59&Lang=2&DocumentID=308&Submeny=4&Rubrik=Calibers&Title=378+Weatherby+Magnum

http://www.chuckhawks.com/378weatherby.htm

378 Weatherby Magnum

In 1952, Roy Weatherby designed this cartridge. He began with the 416 Rigby case, added a "magnum" belt and his patent "double-radius" shoulder, and necked the case to accept 0.375-inch bullets. In order to assure ignition of powder charges exceeding 100 grains, he asked Federal to develop a new primer. The result was the Federal 215 "Magnum" primer, now familiar to handloaders. Weatherby personally field-tested his 378 during an African Safari in 1953. He used the, then new, Schultz & Larsen rifle, especially developed to his specifications. During that hunt, he took a bull elephant with one shot. With best loads, the 378 Weatherby exceeds 375 H&H performance by fully 300 fps. With pointed, efficient bullets, trajectory is similar to best 270 Winchester loads; hence, the 378 can deliver staggering doses of energy to targets at extreme ranges. For example, it can deliver more energy at 500 yards than the 30-06 develops at the muzzle! Such performance has a price – heavy recoil. Few shooters will ever learn to handle the recoil generated by this chambering in a rifle of normal weight. Addition of a muzzle brake is practically a necessity for most shooters. As with any other such chambering, hunters are well advised to consider using only bullets of best possible construction, to assure adequate weight retention so that penetration will not be compromised significantly, should the bullet happen to strike heavy bone going in. Obviously, this cartridge is more powerful than necessary, except for hunting in Africa.

[Dennis Keith]

Back when I was a young buck working for GW Stone as a knife maker the "Guys" were planning on going on a bear hunt in Alaska. With the acquisition of a .378 Wetherby we all headded to the range at the Dallas Gun Club (G W was a Member) to sight the big rifle in. While taking my turn at the bench as designated recoil dummy we spotted a cat headding for the pidgeon coop. As the Club sponsored Live Shoots in those days (around forty years ago now so don't go all ugly on the practice I have no idea if they still do) I was told, "Shoot that cat." I asked "With This" I was told "it ought to kill it, if you do your part." Well that cat was at about 200 yards and we were zeroing for 300. I'm not sure if I hit the cat or not but there appeared a red cloud at about 200 yards that turned that cat inside out! Last I had anything to do with big bores. I don't know for sure what kind of energy it delivers out front, but the damn thing sure stands your hair on end when you touch it off!

[rimrock]

http://www.thegunsource.com/item/11088_Weatherby_Ammunition_WBY_AMMO_378WBY_MAG_300 GR.aspx
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/20117

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?pageNum=1&tabId=1&categoryId=7400&categoryString=9315***652***670***9013***

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=741855

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=194152

youlll also get sticker shock when you go to reload the ammo

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0004433001
keep in mind you only get about 65 cartridges from a pound of powder

[rimrock]

btw, I took my 378 to a range with a 500 yard GONG that was a 1 foot diam. round piece of 1/4" steel suspended by two chains,hanging below a upside down (U) bent section of 1" rebar
after sighting in the rifle at my customary 3.3" high at 100 yard zero , I tried two shots at the gong, the range guy was spotting just to see If I hit, after two shots he told me not to shoot at the gong anymore as I was punching nickle size holes thru it at 500 yards
Range Velocity Impact Drop ToF Energy Drift
0 2870 -1.5 0 0 5487 0
50 2781 1.44 0.65 0.06 5152 0.57
100 2697 3.27 2.42 0.11 4846 1
150 2615 3.88 5.4 0.17 4555 1.72
200 2535 3.22 9.65 0.23 4281 2.74
250 2457 1.2 15.26 0.29 4022 4.07
300 2380 -2.25 22.31 0.35 3773 5.73
350 2304 -7.26 30.91 0.41 3536 7.74
400 2230 -13.91 41.15 0.48 3313 10.11
450 2157 -22.31 53.14 0.55 3099 12.85
500 2086 -32.57 67 0.62 2899 15.99

[Bushman]

Rimrock, you are probably the exception to the rule, but the average guy just cannot tolerate recoil at that level and still shoot accurately. Craig Boddington wrote a article a year or so back saying that a guy was LESS effective at long range with one of those big rifles because of the recoil. If I wanted a play day at the range, I don't think that a .378 WM would be my rifle of choice. That kind of recoil is what can detach a retina. My buddy had doctors orders to lay off shooting the big stuff because of the potential to further damage his eyesight.

[rimrock]

BTW
proper sling use, a rifle recoil pad for your vest
and a recoil pad on the stock
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0001001641
http://www.grumpysperformance.com/010-01641.jpg
http://www.grumpysperformance.com/094-310010.jpg
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00094310010

is mandatory when your using a 378 wby and I won,t even think about shooting it from the prone position
if I was not over 6'2" and 260 lbs I doubt Id be shooting it even as little as I do, yes I hunt elk with it occasionally, but the 340wby does anything Ive ever asked an elk rifle to do so the 378wby is more of a toy, built to see just how much more effective it would be, the answer is not nearly enough more to warrant the increased recoil over the extremely effective 340 wby loaded with 250 gain bullets at 2900fps, compared to a 300 grain at about the same speed in the 378wby, but the 340 takes about 80 grains of propellant, the 378 takes about 110 grains of powder

recoil with the 378 wby is near 60ft lbs
the 340wbys closer to 38 ft lbs making it very easy in comparison
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

btw most 300 mags with a scope would be closer to 27 ft lbs for a way to gauge recoil and a 7mm mar would be about 22ft lbs