Woodleigh 375 caliber 350gr. PP bullet?

[700xcr]

Wondering if anybody has any experience with this bullet? I like loading heavy bullets for the caliber and was planning on loading some up for the 375 Ruger Guide Gun. I have load data from Woodleigh Bullets. With this bullet should cover anything I think I would ever hunt.

 

[Kano]

If that's the ones loaded in the .375 Norma African PH ammo (and I think they are), these are good bullets. Used them and seen them used on buffalo.

The only problem I had with them was that these loads would shoot so far away from my usual POI that I had to set my sights just for them, while almost any 300 gr ammo would hit the same minute-of-buffalo bullseye from my rifle.

 

[Velo Dog]

700XCR,

My preference in the .375 H&H is a 300 gr round nose bullet at 2400 fps but, I confess to having only taken a relatively small amount of animals with it, compared to many in this forum, with various bullets and various calibers.
And, I have never shot a dangerous animal with the .375, only N. American game and African PG.

Doctari505 I think might have been the designer of the Woodleigh extra heavy bullets and he swears by them for heavy game.
(Heavy animal .. heavy bullet, who can't connect those dots?)
Doctari505 writes in this forum and he likely will be happy to speak with you about these bullets.
I can think of no one who has had more experience with bullets, large animals, autopsies on same and general Africana than Doctari himself.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[doctari505]

Hi 700 xcr - In my experience, when considering Africa's heavyweights, moving up in bullet weight from 300 to 350 grain really shifts the .375 H&H up a gear. If you do the math, it is easy to understand why this bullet weight just seems to 'hit harder'.
When comparing a 300 grainer at 2500 to a 350 at 2300 the heavier option gives you more momentum and a better KO value for almost identical ME.
When designed correctly heavier for caliber bullets should expand to a larger final diameter than lighter ones of the same type. Permanent wound channel size, with expanding type bullets is reliably three times a bullets final expanded diameter. So a bullet which expands to .5 inch gives a 1.5 inch diameter hole or PWC (permanent wound channel). One that expands to 1 inch leaves a 3 inch hole. Logically, the bigger the hole though the heart/lung area, the more rapidly effective the shot will be. Granted, expanding to a larger final diameter does put 'the brakes on' more - but this seems to be adequately compensated for by such bullets better momentum value - the secret to bullet penetration. Ideally an expanding type bullet should be recovered under the skin on the opposite side of a side-on animal and this seems to happen with the heavyweights, even on buffalo - with the added advantage being a nice and big PWC.
I have no experience with these bullets in the .375 Ruger but I see no reason why they will not work as well as they do in the .375 H&H assuming the Ruger also has a 1:12 twist. Heavy for caliber bullets are usually longer and because of this they need to spin faster to stabilize. My experience is that even 380 Rhino's will stabilize in a 1:12 twist. 2300 fps is plenty fast enough for 350's - and I would not recommend any more than this for the Woodleighs.
You may also like to look at North Fork's 350 grain .375 offerings. These bullets are rapidly gaining an excellent African reputation, and they come in SP, CNS and FNS configuration which covers all the options.

 

[700xcr]

Hi 700 xcr - In my experience, when considering Africa's heavyweights, moving up in bullet weight from 300 to 350 grain really shifts the .375 H&H up a gear. If you do the math, it is easy to understand why this bullet weight just seems to 'hit harder'.
When comparing a 300 grainer at 2500 to a 350 at 2300 the heavier option gives you more momentum and a better KO value for almost identical ME.
When designed correctly heavier for caliber bullets should expand to a larger final diameter than lighter ones of the same type. Permanent wound channel size, with expanding type bullets is reliably three times a bullets final expanded diameter. So a bullet which expands to .5 inch gives a 1.5 inch diameter hole or PWC (permanent wound channel). One that expands to 1 inch leaves a 3 inch hole. Logically, the bigger the hole though the heart/lung area, the more rapidly effective the shot will be. Granted, expanding to a larger final diameter does put 'the brakes on' more - but this seems to be adequately compensated for by such bullets better momentum value - the secret to bullet penetration. Ideally an expanding type bullet should be recovered under the skin on the opposite side of a side-on animal and this seems to happen with the heavyweights, even on buffalo - with the added advantage being a nice and big PWC.
I have no experience with these bullets in the .375 Ruger but I see no reason why they will not work as well as they do in the .375 H&H assuming the Ruger also has a 1:12 twist. Heavy for caliber bullets are usually longer and because of this they need to spin faster to stabilize. My experience is that even 380 Rhino's will stabilize in a 1:12 twist. 2300 fps is plenty fast enough for 350's - and I would not recommend any more than this for the Woodleighs.
You may also like to look at North Fork's 350 grain .375 offerings. These bullets are rapidly gaining an excellent African reputation, and they come in SP, CNS and FNS configuration which covers all the options.

Thanks for the information. I e-mailed Woodleigh Bullets and got load data for the 375 Ruger. They claim I could load up to 74gr. of Re17 and get 2360fps. The 375 Ruger has a 1:12 twist. That is why I got the Ruger over the Savage or Howa in the 375 Ruger cartridge. Savage and Howa rifles has a 1:14 twist in their barrels. I like the idea that the 350gr. PP Woodleigh bullet has a ballistic coefficient of 0.400.

 

[DOC-404]

Here is some additional info for you..
http://www.rhinobullets.co.za/index_files/Page912.htm

 

[doctari505]

Interesting you mention ballistic coefficient 700xcr because at the shooting distances 350 grn .375's are most often used at (less than 100 paces in most instances) BC has no real influence. Out here we place a lot more importance on sectional density, especially when the pachyderms are on the menu because SD has a far greater influence on terminal ballistic performance.

 

[matt85]

I just did a little goofing around with a ballistic calculator and the 350gr Woodleigh is a poor choice of bullets for longer ranges. at 2350fps this bullet is really only useful to 200 yards before it begins to suffer serious drop. however, the 350gr Woodleigh is probably very good for thick skinned DG at close range. if you wanna shoot long range with your 375 Ruger you should try the Nosler 260gr accubond pushed to around 2800fps. this bullet has an BC of .473 and is designed to perform well at long range.

from what ive gathered from my reading there are three types of bullets for hunting in Africa. bullets for plains game, bullets for thin skinned dangerous game, and bullets for thick skinned dangerous game. plains game bullets should perform well at long range and give decent expansion and penetration. thin skinned DG bullets should be designed to expand quickly and hold together at high speed. thick skinned DG bullets should be very tough and have a very high SD.

when it comes to one bullet that will handle all these tasks... that's really a matter of opinion. i don't think there is a single bullet design and weight that will do all three tasks equally well.

note: this rambling is just a theory ive come up with after reading many threads and reviews from this forum and others. i know you didn't mention shooting at long range but i figured id touch on the topic since you mentioned BC.

-matt

 

[Red Leg]

Yes and no Matt. You are technically correct about three sorts of rounds - though I would add a fourth (solid) if you include elephant. However, I usually take my .375 when I am planning to hunt a "mixed bag" which would include PG and DG (excluding elephant which I have not hunted). In my opinion, it is in that environment that the .375 really shines (as it has for a century). On that sort of hunt, the last thing I want to mess with are multiple loads - I can almost be guaranteed that Murphy will insure that I have the wrong load in the chamber at the wrong time. So, when I head off with either my Blaser or Mauser it is with a quality 300 gr bullet (I personally like the TSX). It is very effective on buffalo, and yet I can still take a shot at a zebra out to a bit more than 200 with no problem. If I am going on a purely PG hunt, I prefer the .300's and the .338.

 

[700xcr]

Range that I would be shooting the 375 Ruger would be around 200yds. at the most. Any farther would be the 300 H&H or 270wsm.

 

[colorado]

A fellow on another forum did a test with the 300g Barnes TSX, 300g A-Frame, 300g Nosler Partition and 350g Woodleigh PP. The test consisted of shooting a series of water jugs separated by 3/4" plywood. They all did great with the Woodleigh expanding the most and penetrating 7 water jugs/plywood slabs. The TSX and A-Frame did next pest with the Partition a tad behind them. That 350g Woodleigh PP is one hell of a bullet as long as you don't drive it too fast. 2400 fps is the top recommended impact velocity I think

 

[matt85]

max impact velocity is 2500fps for those bullets so you shouldnt have to worry about pushing them too hard with a 375 Ruger.

-matt

 

[colorado]

Nice, I have a bunch of them. I should load them in our Rem 700 XCR II in 375 Weatherby

 

[ActionBob]

Any experience with 300 grain trophy bonded bear claws at 2400fps on buffalo? My 375 H&H seems to be more accurate with them than A frames. Also which solid is likely to match poa the best with this? I have Hornady DGS and they are off a good 4 inches or more.

 

[enysse]

ActionBob, how does your gun shoot TSX? The trophy bear claw is a lot like a TSX. Banded solids probably match up.
If the Swift A Frame and DGS group together, that is a good combo.

 

[colorado]

Or you could try the 350g Woodleigh PP / 350g Solid combo. From what I hear the 350g Woodleigh brings the 375's a step up. If you're curious I can send you a box of the 350g PPs. If you like them and they shoot well in your rifle, send me a check. If not, send me the remaining bullets back. I have load data from Woodleigh for the 375 H&H. I plan to start loading them in our 375 Weatherby.

Best of luck with your hunt,

Chuck

 

[matt85]

ive had good luck getting Swift A-frames and Hornady bullets (DGS and DGX) to perform closely in a 450/400 NE double rifle. not sure if it would work for all rifles/cartridges.

-matt

 

[richteb]

I could be wrong, but I think the main reason Woodleigh make a 350gn 375 is that a lot of the old 375 flanged doubles were regulated using this bullet weight. Also Norma no longer loads a 350 gn bullet in their 375 range (unless they started recently). Whatever weight or calibre the Woodleigh bullets are excellent and will not let you down. I have been using them more then 15 years and have never had one fail.

 

[matt85]

Midway USA carries Norma 350gr ammunition but it is on clearance. this could mean they don't make it any more but then again Midway puts all the poor sellers on clearance from time to time.

-matt

 

[richteb]

Matt you are absolutely correct, Norma are loading 350 375 H&H , but the 375 Flanged in only available in 300 gn.