.375 Weatherby Magnum

The .375 Weatherby Magnum (9.5×73mmB) is a medium-bore rifle cartridge. The cartridge is blown out, improved and provided with the Weatherby double radius shoulder – given the Weatherby treatment – version of the .375 H&H Magnum.[1][2] Unlike other improved versions of the .375 H&H Magnum like the .375 Ackley Improved, the .375 Weatherby Magnum is not a wildcat and existed as a proprietary cartridge until the CIP published specifications for the cartridge.

.375 Weatherby Magnum
.308 Win (left), .375 Weatherby Mag, .30-06 (right)
TypeRifle
Place of originUSA
Production history
DesignerRoy Weatherby
Designed1944
ManufacturerWeatherby
Produced1945
Variants.375 H&H Magnum, .375 Ackley Improved
Specifications
Parent case.375 H&H Magnum
Bullet diameter.375 in (9.5 mm)
Neck diameter.402 in (10.2 mm)
Shoulder diameter.492 in (12.5 mm)
Base diameter.512 in (13.0 mm)
Rim diameter.532 in (13.5 mm)
Rim thickness.051 in (1.3 mm)
Case length2.860 in (72.6 mm)
Overall length3.600 in (91.4 mm)
Rifling twist1 in 12
Primer typeLarge rifle
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
270 gr (17 g) 2,940 ft/s (900 m/s) 5,181 ft⋅lbf (7,024 J)
300 gr (19 g) 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) 5,223 ft⋅lbf (7,081 J)
235 gr (15 g) 3,135 ft/s (956 m/s) 5,125 ft⋅lbf (6,949 J)
Test barrel length: 20 in
Source(s): Barnes & Amber

History

The .375 Weatherby Magnum was designed by Roy Weatherby in South Gate California in 1944 and put into production in 1945. The original cases were fire formed from .300 H&H Magnum Winchester brass, then from Richard Speer’s 300 Weatherby brass before finally settling with Norma as a source for cases. It was also with Norma that Weatherby finally found a source for loaded ammunition.[1] Production of .375 Weatherby ammunition ceased in 1960 but was reintroduced in 2001 due to demand.[2]

Comments

The .375 Weatherby was designed as a dangerous game cartridge. The cartridge is able to fire a 300 gr (19 g) bullet at 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) generating a muzzle energy of 5,224 ft⋅lbf (7,083 J)[3] with the trajectory of the 30-06 Springfield. This performance level makes it an appropriate all round African safari cartridge that is usable against plains game species as well. The .375 Weatherby is considered overly powerful for North American game.[2]

As the .375 Weatherby is an improved cartridge, .375 H&H Magnum ammunition can be fired in .375 Weatherby chambers with a slight loss in performance of the .375 H&H ammunition. Cases thus fired are in essence fire formed to the Weatherby cartridge's dimensions and if reloaded should be reloaded using .375 Weatherby reloading data. Reloading data is available from A-Square, Barnes and Hornady.

Ammunition is available from Weatherby (Norma), A-Square and Connelly Precision. Rifles are available from Weatherby and A-Square. Most .375 H&H rifles can be converted to the .375 Weatherby Magnum by having the new chamber reamed with no further modifications made to the rifle. The cartridge also makes an excellent choice for those who want a step up in performance over the .375 H&H Magnum without the recoil or cost of the .378 Weatherby Magnum.

Design and Specifications

The .375 Weatherby Magnum is an improved version of the .375 H&H Magnum. The parent case is based on the .300 H&H Magnum blown out and necked up to accept a .375 in (9.5 mm). The cartridge features the Weatherby double radius shoulder. The Weatherby Magnum is not considered a proprietary cartridge as the CIP has published specifications for the cartridge.

CIP recommends a 6 groove barrel with groove width of 3.25 mm (0.128 in), a bore Ø of 9.35 mm (0.368 in) and a groove Ø of 9.55 mm (0.376 in). The recommended twist rate is one revolution in 305 mm (12.0 in). Case capacity is 105 gr. of water (6.82 cm3). The FreeBore/Leade for this Cartridge is 0.373 thou. as per the Factory Spec's.

Performance

As an improved cartridge the .375 Weatherby Magnum provides a leap in performance over its parent cartridge. The velocity gain over the .375 H&H Magnum works out to be about 240 ft/s (73 m/s) and an increase in maximum point blank range of about 25 yd (23 m) with bullets of equal weight. The .375 Weatherby Magnum fires a 270 gr (17 g) at 2,940 ft/s (900 m/s) generating 5,181 ft⋅lbf (7,024 J) and a 300 gr (19 g) at 2,800 ft/s (850 m/s) which generates 5,224 ft⋅lbf (7,083 J). The cartridge generates more energy than factory loads for the .375 Remington Ultra Magnum, .416 Rigby or the .458 Winchester Magnum.

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See also

References
  1. Gresham, Grits; Gresham, Tom (2007) [1992]. Weatherby: The Man. The Gun. The Legend (1st ed.). Natchitoches, LA: Cane River Publishing. p. 290. ISBN 0-944438-02-4. Archived from the original (Hardback) on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  2. Barnes, Frank C. (2006) [1965]. Skinner, Stan (ed.). Cartridges of the World (11th ed.). Gun Digest Books. p. 100. ISBN 0-89689-297-2.
  3. ".375 Weatherby Magnum". Weatherby. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

Sources
  • Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. Cartridges of the World. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972.
  • Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 7th edition, 2007.
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