# 375 winchester cast loads



## spencerhenry (Mar 6, 2010)

just ran my first test load through the chronograph today. 24gr of imr 4198 with 254gr plain base flat nose cast bullet. i dont have a book for that exact bullet, but it shows a 248gr at just under 1600fps. my chrono says 1750 for this load, seems a bit fast for the load, but shoots ok. recoil was about like a moderate load 30-30, i didnt shoot any groups, just ran a couple through to check the load, but certainly put them all in the same county. i may be getting a slight bit of leading, my goal was to have them be around 1500fps. a nice low recoil load with pretty good power. i may or may not hunt with it, but a .375 caliber bullet at 1500fps will do a good number on a deer, or bear, or just about anything i am going to shoot at.
anybody else load cast bullets in their .375 winchester, or 405 winchester, or 45-75, or 45-70, or 30-30, or 348, they want to share?


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## Marco (Mar 10, 2010)

I had cast some 158 grain tumble lubes with a Lee mold for my .357 Mag Timberwolf carbine. Dropped them into a pail of water right from the mold, sure stiffend them up. Was running over Alliant 2100. My alloy was wheel weights.
If I get time to do more casting I would like to try a 2 place mold where you can cast the nose separate out of pure lead and transfer the nose to the other cavity and finish the base with Lino or wheel weigh & quench. Seems like it would work better on game.


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## dingeryote (Mar 19, 2010)

spencerhenry said:


> just ran my first test load through the chronograph today. 24gr of imr 4198 with 254gr plain base flat nose cast bullet. i dont have a book for that exact bullet, but it shows a 248gr at just under 1600fps. my chrono says 1750 for this load, seems a bit fast for the load, but shoots ok. recoil was about like a moderate load 30-30, i didnt shoot any groups, just ran a couple through to check the load, but certainly put them all in the same county. i may be getting a slight bit of leading, my goal was to have them be around 1500fps. a nice low recoil load with pretty good power. i may or may not hunt with it, but a .375 caliber bullet at 1500fps will do a good number on a deer, or bear, or just about anything i am going to shoot at.
> anybody else load cast bullets in their .375 winchester, or 405 winchester, or 45-75, or 45-70, or 30-30, or 348, they want to share?




I used to cast all manner of handgun and a few rifle bullets.
Even rehabbed an old plumbers pot for heavy alloying in the winter.
I drifted back to jacketed thanks to no time with work and just havn't gone back to my old habits after a move.

You say you're getting a bit of leading with that load, but it is it in the last couple inches of the bore? 
What alloy are you running, and what lube?
Gas check?

Hows the bore? did you slug it?
It might be a bit frosted or could have been previously slightly fouled in that spot... 
Shooting cast bullets can be maddening fun and leads to a whole 'nother bunch of tinkering. LOL!!

I imagine finding real wheel weights anymore is impossible, and Linotype is all gone, so I'd be lost after I burned through all the old lead I still have.
I almost hope I don't get the bug again..

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## dingeryote (Mar 19, 2010)

Marco said:


> I had cast some 158 grain tumble lubes with a Lee mold for my .357 Mag Timberwolf carbine. Dropped them into a pail of water right from the mold, sure stiffend them up. Was running over Alliant 2100. My alloy was wheel weights.
> If I get time to do more casting I would like to try a 2 place mold where you can cast the nose separate out of pure lead and transfer the nose to the other cavity and finish the base with Lino or wheel weigh & quench. Seems like it would work better on game.



Marco,

Ross Seyfried had H&G cut him some molds for exactly that purpose.

Check out the archives of "Handloader" magazine for the article.
Right around 1988 IIRC.

The biggest problem was the two halves seperating on impact and overcoming the problem with mold temps.

a Wilke gas check on a soft alloy HP will do about the same and still allow for higher velocitys, but it's almost as much of a PITA setting up for the gas checks modifications...

I gave up and just ran a Keith style Lyman 429421 in the .44mag and never missed the hollow point. Two holes leaking leaves a good blood trail.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## Austin1 (Apr 9, 2010)

spencerhenry said:


> just ran my first test load through the chronograph today. 24gr of imr 4198 with 254gr plain base flat nose cast bullet. i dont have a book for that exact bullet, but it shows a 248gr at just under 1600fps. my chrono says 1750 for this load, seems a bit fast for the load, but shoots ok. recoil was about like a moderate load 30-30, i didnt shoot any groups, just ran a couple through to check the load, but certainly put them all in the same county. i may be getting a slight bit of leading, my goal was to have them be around 1500fps. a nice low recoil load with pretty good power. i may or may not hunt with it, but a .375 caliber bullet at 1500fps will do a good number on a deer, or bear, or just about anything i am going to shoot at.
> anybody else load cast bullets in their .375 winchester, or 405 winchester, or 45-75, or 45-70, or 30-30, or 348, they want to share?


Like you said a 1500fps load will put deer in the frezer. I shoot a 280gr load with a gas check the check does keep down the leading in a 375H&H I push it at 1700fps. Take a look at cast Boolit forum, spelled like that Cast Boolit, lot's of info and anything you need to know about cast bullet shooting.In all the great cals you mentioned.


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