Trouble grouping .375 H&H

[Dr Ray]

Suggest changing powder for a start and back off max by two grains. Use a magnum primer.

 

[Ridgewalker]

With a new rifle I usually start out trying several factory loads just in case I need to buy some I’ll have an idea of what works best. Have you fired any factory loads and if so, were your results the same? If the results were the same, it’s probably in your rifle or scope. JMO

 

[Von S.]

the old accuracy problem!
years of shooting fclass rifles, properly put together by benchrest gunsmiths has taught me this.
yes loads will improve accuracy, but in a correctly built rifle with good parts and good bullets, any load will give good hunting accuracy.
with the right loads, these guns will put ALL shots into 1/2 moa if you can read the wind (another subject altogether).
what will put shots out of the group under these circumstances is hold and squeeze technique, problems of which are magnifies by lack of follow through.
absolute consistency of how the gun sits on the bags, recoils, and bag hardness , will not allow realization of full grouping potential.
form this I have made all my hunting rifles of good parts, properly put together by good gunsmiths.
this does not preclude mauser actions, but they along with Winchester etc do need a little trueing up, primarily squaring the front of the receiver to the bolt hole.
these guns from 223 to 375 will put ALL shots of almost any load into 1 moa or less. (not just the occasional group).
for hunting this is way more accuracy than required.
just load so ammo will function in the gun, and settle on a sane velocity/pressure goal , and go hunting.
consistency of ammo loading and even more so shooting technique are the main issues.
it is easy to blame a gun for poor technique, especially when the gun is loud and comes back hard and fast.
I know I can shoot a 17 mach 1v better than a 375, and even a 223 better than a 300 win.
for me 30/06, 7mm rem mag is max for easier accuracy.
I have to work hard to shoot small groups with guns bigger than that.
bruce.

Fantastic Bruce

 

[Shootist43]

In addition to all of the previous suggestions, did you check the overall length of the brass after you resized it?

 

[sestoppelman]

Suggest changing powder for a start and back if max by two grains. Use a magnum primer.

Why? He hasn't said what powder he was using. Mag primers are not always needed in this round or any other. I never used mag primers in my .375 loads even with a case full of slow powder.

 

[rnovi]

I love playing Internet Expert on these things.

My bet is the lead sled is creating as many problems as it solves. I had one and ended up giving it away, especially since the recoil on the 375 isn’t that bad to me. I’m usually good for around 50 rounds off the bench with my 8.5# scoped Montana 99.

What I found with the lead sled was that it changed how I could hold the rifle and how to try and line my eye up with the scope. It was enough that not only did my groups open up significantly my point of aim/impact also changed. It was massively frustrating.

I also found the sling studs were causing a problem shooting off bags And
touching the bags under recoil - so off they came. That helped a LOT.

The third thing I changed was my left hand (I’m a right handed shooter) under the forestock. I found that my left hand would throw the point of aim on the bench. So, for bench shooting my left hand is isolated away from the gun.

By focusing on my technique and getting the basics down my groups regularly shrank to 3/4” or better.

Have you tried letting someone else shoot it? How have they done?

 

[Rick Cox]

Very recently I went to buy some primers at the Canadian Tire store, a large Canadian hardware store. I pointed out the primers I wanted, 'Large Rifle' to the young fellow trying hard to help and stood back to get out of his air space while he slid open the glass window and got them for me. I hurried home and loaded up about 30 rounds of 35 Whelen with 225 gr. Accubonds before I looked at the boxes and realized he had given me Magnum primers. Guess what? The grouping is not as tight as I hoped, it went from a usual 1" to closer to 2.5". So now I have some expensive plinking rounds....

 

[Rick Cox]

I love playing Internet Expert on these things.

My bet is the lead sled is creating as many problems as it solves. I had one and ended up giving it away, especially since the recoil on the 375 isn’t that bad to me. I’m usually good for around 50 rounds off the bench with my 8.5# scoped Montana 99.

What I found with the lead sled was that it changed how I could hold the rifle and how to try and line my eye up with the scope. It was enough that not only did my groups open up significantly my point of aim/impact also changed. It was massively frustrating.

I also found the sling studs were causing a problem shooting off bags And
touching the bags under recoil - so off they came. That helped a LOT.

The third thing I changed was my left hand (I’m a right handed shooter) under the forestock. I found that my left hand would throw the point of aim on the bench. So, for bench shooting my left hand is isolated away from the gun.

By focusing on my technique and getting the basics down my groups regularly shrank to 3/4” or better.

Have you tried letting someone else shoot it? How have they done?

I find there is often a difference as well between using glasses or contacts.

 

[rnovi]

Agreed there Rick. Since getting my eyes lasered a few years ago my groups have also improved. I forgot about that.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Hello all,

I have a Winchester Model 70 in .375, Ive shot factory rounds through it of numerous grains and makes. I started reloading 300gr barnes for it to get a better group and I got a group to clover leaf at 100yds. I used that load to make more the same way and went out and shot. The groups were inches apart from each other, nothing more than 2 inches but definitely not the clover leaf I shot with the load when I first used it. I cleaned the rifle, Made sure the screws were tight, scope rings weren’t loose, and shot it again. I got the same results with 5 rounds of 3 shots I did not have a group inside 2 inches. I did however have multiple holes touching from different groups.
If this info helps I have tilley detachable rings, Reloaded barnes 300gr tsx, and shot it off of a lead sled.
Guidance or ideas on what to do would be great. Thank you to all in advance!

Tighten the screws of your scope again..make sure it is all tighten down..it can only be a telescope that is not fit properly, since your rifle was capable of clover leaf accuracy, you still use the same ammo..so the possibility of a loose scope can be the culprit..take a look again at your scope mounts and the scope rings again..

 

[Opposite Pole]

Tighten the screws of your scope again..make sure it is all tighten down..it can only be a telescope that is not fit properly, since your rifle was capable of clover leaf accuracy, you still use the same ammo..so the possibility of a loose scope can be the culprit..take a look again at your scope mounts and the scope rings again..

I’ll second that, had that issue on my 223, suddenly the groups opened up a lot, tightening the scope rings fixed the problem. Naturally 375 would magnify such issue greatly.

 

[colorado]

A group with my 500 Jeffery off of a lead sled. I typically practice offhand, but load development is always done on the sled. Three shot group, 570g TSX at just over 2200 fps

It's not the lead sled.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Impressive

 

[Newboomer]

To me, a 1 to 2 inch group at 100 yards is plenty accurate for a 375HH. It will give you a kill shot anywhere within the range of the caliber. It's not a long range sniper rifle, it's a 300 - 350 yard hunter.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

You did not mentioned what scope you have on the .375 , is it a scope that can tolerate heavier recoil as well? Looking at all the aspects you mentioned...the only variable can be the scope , scope mounts, scope mount screws that stripped and not able to torque down on all equal platforms

 

[Gert Odendaal]

A group with my 500 Jeffery off of a lead sled. I typically practice offhand, but load development is always done on the sled. Three shot group, 570g TSX at just over 2200 fps

It's not the lead sled.

Colorado , it is not a surprise at all to get such a grouping with the .500 Jeffery caliber rifle..the .500 Jeffery is known to be the most accurate heavy bore caliber in existence.... not even the .505 Gibbs can match it`s accuracy ....you can shoot out accurately to at least 250 meters with your .500 Jeffery Gentleman..

If I built a .500 Jeffery , it will have a 28 " inch heavy barrel , a long distance accuracy stock and stagger magazine to load the bullets out far for more distance and accuracy...and a nice Silvers re-coil pad....and a heavy duty recoil medium to long distance telescope like Weaver or a Leopold...my ultimate eland hunting rifle on the plains...

 

[sestoppelman]

To me, a 1 to 2 inch group at 100 yards is plenty accurate for a 375HH. It will give you a kill shot anywhere within the range of the caliber. It's not a long range sniper rifle, it's a 300 - 350 yard hunter.

300-350 yards is a fair poke for a .375.. not something I would consider a good idea.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

300-350 yards is a fair poke for a .375.. not something I would consider a good idea.

That is exactly why Colorado has a .500 Jeffery to shoot out accurately to 250 m up to 350 meters with his .500 Jeffery rifle

 

[Newboomer]

The gun will do it but I don't. I did at SAAM, not in the field. I like to get as close as I can. Most of the fun is in the stalk.

 

[sestoppelman]

That is exactly why Colorado has a .500 Jeffery to shoot out accurately to 250 m up to 350 meters with his .500 Jeffery rifle

Good luck with that!