358 D&R Magnum

[Macduff]

Anyone heard of this caliber before?

I picked up a nice Ruger #1 chambered for it...but I can't find anything about it.

I'm guessing that it's a wildcat, as the only thing I can find is a single forum post quoting a post from a different forum, stating that it's a 378 WBY case necked down to .355.

Worst case, I'll get a new barrel for it, but I figured I'd see if any of yall know of the cartridge first.

IT came from the estate of a hunter in Indiana and he had used it on a hippo at one point, which was interesting.

 

[jruby]

Get a chamber cast done and then decide how to move forward. It is always good to know what you have and then make a decision. Once had a 35 weatherby was easy to neck up 300 weatherby to 35 and fireforn it. Friend has the rifle now.

 

[greyfox]

Jruby nailed it,, get a chamber cast.

Kits are (were?) available from Brownells. Wildcats are just that, and even if you have one marked as such, there are different manufacturers of reamers and the only way to know the specs are A: Cast the chamber or B: Shoot what you hope is something close or you'll not have to worry about shooting again!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Anyone heard of this caliber before?

I picked up a nice Ruger #1 chambered for it...but I can't find anything about it.

I'm guessing that it's a wildcat, as the only thing I can find is a single forum post quoting a post from a different forum, stating that it's a 378 WBY case necked down to .355.

Worst case, I'll get a new barrel for it, but I figured I'd see if any of yall know of the cartridge first.

IT came from the estate of a hunter in Indiana and he had used it on a hippo at one point, which was interesting.

@Macduff
From what I can gather from my research it's a shortened 378 Weatherby case a bit longer than the 350 REM mag and is capable of driving a 180 gn TTSX to 3,000fps at 52,000 psi or over 3,200 fps at 62,000psi.
So a lot of work to do what the Whelen will do.

You could possibly have a couple of threads taken off the end of the barrel then run a 358 Norma reamer into it
But
You will have bolt face issues due to the size of the rim. If the action is long enough you could just put a 375,378,460 Weatherby barrel in it.
Being based in the 378 Weatherby case me thinks your options are limited.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Get a chamber cast done and then decide how to move forward. It is always good to know what you have and then make a decision. Once had a 35 weatherby was easy to neck up 300 weatherby to 35 and fireforn it. Friend has the rifle now.

@jruby
How was the 35 Weatherby.
I bet she was a real screamer. Would have been brilliant with the big 310s.
With 225s it would be a warps speed varmint gun.
Bob

 

[jruby]

At the time it was more than I wanted or needed. I am pretty sure it was/is a competitor to the 358STA. I never chronyed it but it was extremely accurate. The rifle was built on a interarms mark x action with a 26" barrel. I replaced it with a pre64 Winchester in 358 norma.

On the 358DR magnum I would think it's forteit would be the larger 358 slugs. I do not personally see the advantage it would have with bullets under 225g.