Best bullet for 30-378 Weatherby

[dylanfoster1919]

Planning my second trip to Africa and would like to know the best bullet to hand load for kudu/sable sized animals. On my first trip I took my 300 win mag loaded with 210 berger hunting bullets and they killed the smaller game fine but my kudu and gemsbok ran 75-100 yards. Just wondering if there is a better choice bullet to load for my 30-378 weatherby mag

 

[Von S.]

Hello, howdy, bienvenue...

I shot an Impala with a 458 WM right through the chest that cleaned the heart right out of the body and it ran 100 yards at full tilt like it wasn't scratched until it planted it chin stone cold dead.

Many bullets will fail with the 30-378 at a few hundred yards and in and no two shots on the same species of animal are ever the same.

What is the max range you will be shooting?

 

[1dirthawker]

dylan,

consider the barnes x or the north fork bullets. a 30 378 is like a 300 ultra. i have seen 200 gr swift a frames rivet out on brown bears, no penetration. so, you need a VERY tough bullet.

 

[dylanfoster1919]

Hello, howdy, bienvenue...

I shot an Impala with a 458 WM right through the chest that cleaned the heart right out of the body and it ran 100 yards at full tilt like it wasn't scratched until it planted it chin stone cold dead.

Many bullets will fail with the 30-378 at a few hundred yards and in and no two shots on the same species of animal are ever the same.

What is the max range you will be shooting?

Well the max range is hard to say. The first week ill be in the northern cape. Ive never been there so not really sure on that. The rest of the time ill be in limpopo so my max shot there is around 100 yards

 

[Von S.]

Dylan,

I have been using a 30-378 for more years than it has been popular to do so and have attempted with many different bullets.

If you believe your max shot is going to be in the neighborhood of 100 yards.....well....you have maybe more rifle and round than necessary, but that's for you to decide.

I like to use a Nosler 210 Accubond LR.

In Texas it as dropped Deer and Pigs at 1000+ by that rifles new young owner.

Old age and nerve damage have pretty much well have made it impossible for me to make hyper accurate long distance shots anymore.

 

[Dr Ray]

I would suggest a stoutly made bullet because the velocities will be very high even when hitting a target at say 300.
Suggest you try a number of the 200 grain Bullets for accuracy and by shooting into a bag of sand to see the results.
On plains game you may find the bullet zips through the light skinned game and you may lose the animal.
Honestly I suggest you’d be better off with a 338 Winchester magnum if you feel the 300 is too light.
Many of the bigger animals are going to run basically wherever they’re shot. This appears to be “truer” when heart shot.
I hope this helps but I still recommend going to something that doesn’t shoot as fast for the reason that the bullet will probably pass through and the energy spent on the landscape.
Hope this helps?

 

[IvW]

Consider a different caliber.

Definitely do not try a Nosler Accubond in 30-378 caliber in Africa.....

Your 300 WM with 200 gr premium grade bullets should be good for everything up to Eland.

 

[Areaonereal]

200 grain Woodleigh, A Frame, Northfork...220 Nosler Partition.

 

[IvW]

200 grain Woodleigh, A Frame, Northfork...220 Nosler Partition.

Neither the Nosler or the Woodleigh will stand up to the ultra velocity of the 30-378. Hell even the A Frame will have a problem at close range with full power 30-378 loads. Just stick with the 300 WM...

300 yards even in the Northern Cape will be a long shot, Limpopo province less than half that....

 

[Eric Anderson]

The only way to guarantee an animal won’t run 100 yards after being shot is a CNS hit. Hunt long enough, and you will get that animal that runs 100 yards after you liquified it’s heart and lungs.

From personal experience, tsx bullets are the only softs I will drive over 2900 FPS. Over 3000 FPS, I only use cutting edge brass solids.
Varmit loads excepted.

Magic happens at high velocity, but you have to have a very tough bullet, AND you have to accept lower penetration. When a projectile hits above about 2500 FPS, the tissue simply can’t get out of the way fast enough, and it’s kenetic energy gets dumped very quickly and converted into a massive shockwave that rips apart tissue at the cellular level.

A great analogy is water. Hit it at a moderate speed and you slice through, hit it faster and you make a huge splash and it sheds velocity until you hit terminal velocity very quickly.

Drag is exponential, not linear.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Nathan Foster's Ballastic Studies website has an extensive write-up on the 30-378
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.30-378+Weatherby+Magnum.html

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Well the max range is hard to say. The first week ill be in the northern cape. Ive never been there so not really sure on that. The rest of the time ill be in limpopo so my max shot there is around 100 yards

I know it's not the answer you're expecting, but I concur with others to back down to your .300WM. Use a 200gr bullet, definitely no lighter than 180gr. A-Frame, North Fork in a 200gr. Same in 180gr but I'd add TTSX if those work for you.

If you absolutely must take the 30-378, then I'd recommend the 200gr North Fork. Even then I might back down the load a bit. That caliber was not meant for the shorter range shots in Limpopo.

 

[IdaRam]

Add me to the camp that suggest using a different cartridge/rifle. The 30-378 is a wonderful long range cartridge, but a “not-so-wonderful” short range cartridge. If you do choose to go with it, I think mono metals such as the TSX in 200 or 180 gr are the smart choice. As has been said already, even A-Frames won’t cut it at short range. Here is what I believe is a good example that tests and supports that theory:
The following pictures show two 7mm 175 Swift A-Frame’s fired from a 7mm STW leaving the muzzle at 3150 fps at two different antelope that presented virtually the exact same shot presentation, facing directly at the shooter. The first was at 75 yards, the second at 312 yards if memory serves correctly. As you can see, the first has riveted out and is flat as a pancake. The second is a perfect A-Frame mushroom. Obviously neither bullet exited the antelope as the bullets were rcovered.

175 gr 7mm A-Frame, 3150 fps, Pronghorn Antelope, 75 yards, facing shooter

175 gr 7mm Swift A-Frame, 3150 fps, Pronghorn Antelope, 312 yards, facing shooter

Yes, they worked and resulted in 2 dead antelope. But I would not want to be shooting heavier game at closer ranges with this set up. Especially animals such as wildebeest, kudu, sable, eland, etc.
I have learned from this “test”. Stay within the velocity envelope of the bullet you are shooting! If you don’t, well there is only one person to blame for bullet failure and/or lost animals.
Choose the proper tools for the task at hand. Hyper velocity cartridges are the proverbial “square peg in a round hole” for close range work, meaning inside about 300-400 yards.
Sorry about being so bashful with my opinion
Whatever you decide, I hope you have a wonderful second trip!

 

[dylanfoster1919]

Thanks for the info. I might just buy a 375 H&H or a 378 weatherby mag to use so i could have it as a backup gun as i will be using my 458 lott for buffalo

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Add me to the camp that suggest using a different cartridge/rifle. The 30-378 is a wonderful long range cartridge, but a “not-so-wonderful” short range cartridge. If you do choose to go with it, I think mono metals such as the TSX in 200 or 180 gr are the smart choice. As has been said already, even A-Frames won’t cut it at short range. Here is what I believe is a good example that tests and supports that theory:
The following pictures show two 7mm 175 Swift A-Frame’s fired from a 7mm STW leaving the muzzle at 3150 fps at two different antelope that presented virtually the exact same shot presentation, facing directly at the shooter. The first was at 75 yards, the second at 312 yards if memory serves correctly. As you can see, the first has riveted out and is flat as a pancake. The second is a perfect A-Frame mushroom. Obviously neither bullet exited the antelope as the bullets were rcovered.

175 gr 7mm A-Frame, 3150 fps, Pronghorn Antelope, 75 yards, facing shooter
View attachment 267516
View attachment 267513

175 gr 7mm Swift A-Frame, 3150 fps, Pronghorn Antelope, 312 yards, facing shooter
View attachment 267515
View attachment 267514

Yes, they worked and resulted in 2 dead antelope. But I would not want to be shooting heavier game at closer ranges with this set up. Especially animals such as wildebeest, kudu, sable, eland, etc.
I have learned from this “test”. Stay within the velocity envelope of the bullet you are shooting! If you don’t, well there is only one person to blame for bullet failure and/or lost animals.
Choose the proper tools for the task at hand. Hyper velocity cartridges are the proverbial “square peg in a round hole” for close range work, meaning inside about 300-400 yards.
Sorry about being so bashful with my opinion
Whatever you decide, I hope you have a wonderful second trip!

One reason I prefer the North Fork bonded cores to the A-Frames. The NFs don't have that rear core of lead like the Swifts and you'll still have a "stem" of the mushroom at fairly high impact velocity.

 

[gillettehunter]

I'll make a suggestion or two that you may not of thought of. If you like the Bergers and want to take your 30-378 then perhaps you might want to run the 230 grainers at perhaps 3000 fps. That should be fairly mild in your rifle and slow enough to still be effective. If you like the .300 WM and Bergers then try the 215's. You can run them at the same speed(shorter bearing surface) and they hold together a bit better. If your twist is fast enough then some of the mono metal bullets in heavier weights should work well. My thoughts
Bruce

 

[IvW]

The only way to guarantee an animal won’t run 100 yards after being shot is a CNS hit. Hunt long enough, and you will get that animal that runs 100 yards after you liquified it’s heart and lungs.

From personal experience, tsx bullets are the only softs I will drive over 2900 FPS. Over 3000 FPS, I only use cutting edge brass solids.
Varmit loads excepted.

Magic happens at high velocity, but you have to have a very tough bullet, AND you have to accept lower penetration. When a projectile hits above about 2500 FPS, the tissue simply can’t get out of the way fast enough, and it’s kenetic energy gets dumped very quickly and converted into a massive shockwave that rips apart tissue at the cellular level.

A great analogy is water. Hit it at a moderate speed and you slice through, hit it faster and you make a huge splash and it sheds velocity until you hit terminal velocity very quickly.

Drag is exponential, not linear.

Just as much as "magic" happens at high velocity so does spectacular failure when used in the wrong application. The spectacular killing ability and "massive shock wave" can only occur when you still have penetration.

No penetration will result in spectacular failure.

The recipe for hunting in Africa has always been heavier for caliber bullets at reasonable velocity, you do not need ultra velocity and high risk of component failure...

Drag... have nothing to do with hunting kudu or sable sized antelope.

 

[IvW]

Thanks for the info. I might just buy a 375 H&H or a 378 weatherby mag to use so i could have it as a backup gun as i will be using my 458 lott for buffalo

The 375 H&H is the single most useful caliber you can use for Africa.

You have a 300 WM, paired with the 458 Lott you will not need anything else. Forget about excessive speed. The 300 loaded with 180 or even better 200 gr bullets is more than enough for kudu and sable size PG as mention in your original post...

If you cannot kill a kudu or sable with that combination I cannot imagine how you are gonna kill it better with a 30-378 or a 378 Weatherby...

 

[1dirthawker]

The following pictures show two 7mm 175 Swift A-Frame’s fired from a 7mm STW leaving the muzzle at 3150 fps at two different antelope that presented virtually the exact same shot presentation, facing directly at the shooter. The first was at 75 yards, the second at 312 yards if memory serves correctly. As you can see, the first has riveted out and is flat as a pancake. The second is a perfect A-Frame mushroom.

@IdaRam,

the top bullet is EXACTLY what happened to 200 gr A frames that were shot by 300 ultra's into 3 different brown bear at ranges out to 175 yards. very poor penetration.

IVW's commentary above on spectacular velocity and spectacular failure is spot on in my never to be humble opinion. might as well engineer the possibility of failure out of the equation and use a 300 win mag with good bullets.

 

[Dr Ray]

@IdaRam,

the top bullet is EXACTLY what happened to 200 gr A frames that were shot by 300 ultra's into 3 different brown bear at ranges out to 175 yards. very poor penetration.

IVW's commentary above on spectacular velocity and spectacular failure is spot on in my never to be humble opinion. might as well engineer the possibility of failure out of the equation and use a 300 win mag with good bullets.

Well said.