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.378 Weatherby Magnum

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.378 Weatherby Magnum
.378 Weatherby Magnum, center
TypeCenterfire/Rifle
Place of originSouth Gate, California
Production history
DesignerRoy Weatherby
Designed1956
ManufacturerWeatherby
Produced1953-Present
Specifications
Case typeBelted
Bullet diameter.375 in (9.5 mm)
Neck diameter.399 in (10.1 mm)
Shoulder diameter.560 in (14.2 mm)
Base diameter.582 in (14.8 mm)
Rim diameter.603 in (15.3 mm)
Rim thickness.059 in (1.5 mm)
Case length2.913 in (74.0 mm)
Overall length3.65 in (93 mm)
Rifling twist1 in 12
Primer typeLarge rifle magnum
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
300 gr (19 g) Full Metal Jacket 2,925 ft/s (892 m/s) 5,699 ft⋅lbf (7,727 J)
300 gr (19 g) Round nose 2,925 ft/s (892 m/s) 5,699 ft⋅lbf (7,727 J)
270 gr (17 g) Truncated solid 3,060 ft/s (930 m/s) 5,615 ft⋅lbf (7,613 J)
270 gr (17 g) Pointed soft point 3,180 ft/s (970 m/s) 6,062 ft⋅lbf (8,219 J)
260 gr (17 g) Partition Type 3,140 ft/s (960 m/s) 5,743 ft⋅lbf (7,786 J)
Test barrel length: 26 in (66 cm)
Source(s): Weatherby [1] / Nosler [2]

The .378 Weatherby Magnum was designed by Roy Weatherby in 1956.[3] It was an original belted magnum design with no parent case, inspired by the .416 Rigby and headspacing of the belted .375 H&H Magnum.[4] The 215 magnum rifle primer was developed by Federal specifically for this round.[4] The cartridge can hold upwards of 7.13 g (110 gr) of powder. The 378 Weatherby Magnum cartridge also has the double radius shoulder design found on the first and smaller proprietary line of Weatherby magnum cartridges.

The motivation behind the development of the .378 came from the disappointing performance gains of the improved,.375 Weatherby over its parent case, the .375 H&H Magnum.[5][6] Roy Weatherby in 1953 killed an African elephant with one shot while on safari. However in using this event as a marketing tool, it was revealed some African countries have a minimum 10.16 mm (.40 caliber) bullet size for hunting dangerous game.[4] Weatherby responded by necking up the .378 to 11.63 mm (.458 caliber) and called the new cartridge the .460 Weatherby Magnum, which was introduced in 1958.[7]

It is considered a Safari grade cartridge. The .378 Weatherby Magnum is appropriate for taking all African game animals from large African antelopes, Nile crocodile, hippopotamus, to the Big Five game. Some hunters on the North American continent employ the .378 for American elk, Brown bears, and polar bears.

The .378 Weatherby will generate considerable free recoil, an average of 104 J (77 ft·lbf) from a 4.1 kg (9 lb) rifle. This compares to 27 J (20 ft·lbf) from a rifle chambered for .30-06 Springfield. But is only 10% more than the recoil of the .375 H&H Magnum while having 22% more energy. It has less recoil than almost all cartridges of its energy. While the recoil is stiff, exaggerations have likely done a lot to reduce the popularity of this caliber.

The .378 has been responsible for numerous wildcat cartridges, being necked-down as the .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer and necked-up as the .500 A-Square.[8][9] Some of the .378 Weatherby Magnum wildcat cartridges are shortened versions, like the .30-378 Arch (7.62 mm) and the .460 Short A-Square (11.63 mm).[10][11] Some .378-based wildcats have gone on to be part of the Weatherby line: .30-378, .338-378, .416 and .460.[12]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Weatherby
  2. ^ Nosler
  3. ^ FAQ at www.weatherby.com.
  4. ^ a b c Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pp. 479,480
  5. ^ Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual, Rifle, Second Edition, pg.287
  6. ^ http://www.nrainsights.net/first%20freedom/weatherby.asp /Official Journal of the National Rifle Association
  7. ^ http://www.weatherby.com/products/ammo.asp?prd_id=13/ Weatherby Ammunition
  8. ^ Ackley, P.O. (1927) [1962]. Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders. vol I (12th Printing ed.). Salt Lake City, Utah: Plaza Publishing. p. 442. ISBN 978-99929-4-881-1.
  9. ^ Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pg 604
  10. ^ Ackley, P.O. (1979) [1966]. Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders. vol II (8th Printing ed.). salt Lake City, Utah: Plaza Publishing. p. 141. ASIN B000BGII48.
  11. ^ Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pg 561
  12. ^ Weatherby Ammunition
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