.378 Weatherby Magnum

Infobox Firearm Cartridge
name= .378 Weatherby Magnum


caption=
origin= South Gate, California
type= Centerfire/Rifle
service=
used_by=
wars=
designer=Roy Weatherby
design_date= ca1950
manufacturer=Weatherby
production_date=1953-Present
number=
variants=
is_SI_specs=
parent=
case_type=Belted
bullet=.375
neck=.399
shoulder=.560
base=.582
rim_dia=.603
rim_thick=.059
case_length=2.913
length=3.65
rifling= 1 in 12
primer= Large rifle magnum
is_SI_ballistics=
bw1=300
btype1=Full Metal Jacket
vel1=2925
en1=5699
bw2=300
btype2=Round nose
vel2=2925
en2=5699
bw3=270
btype3=Truncated solid
vel3=3060
en3=5615
bw4=270
btype4=Pointed soft point
vel4=3180
en4=6062
bw5=260
btype5=Partition Type
vel5=3140
en5=5743
test_barrel_length=26 in (66 cm)
balsrc= Weatherby [http://www.weatherby.com/products/ammo.asp?prd_id=11/ Weatherby] ] / Nosler [ [http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=11&b=3/&s=102/ Nosler] ]

The .378 Weatherby Magnum was designed by Roy Weatherby in 1953. [Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. "Cartridges of the World" (Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972), p.58.] 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.Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pp. 479,480] The 215 magnum rifle primer was developed by Federal specifically for this round. 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 .378 Weatherby Magnum cartridge was put into production 1953 to replace the .375 Weatherby Magnum.

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.Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual, Rifle, Second Edition, pg.287] http://www.nrainsights.net/first%20freedom/weatherby.asp /Official Journal of the National Rifle Association] 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. 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. [http://www.weatherby.com/products/ammo.asp?prd_id=13/ Weatherby Ammunition]

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. [cite book
last = Ackley
first = P.O.
title = Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders
edition = 12th Printing
series = vol I
origyear = 1962
year = 1927
publisher = Plaza Publishing
location = Salt Lake City, Utah
pages = 442
isbn = 978-9992948811] [Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pg 604] 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). [cite book
last = Ackley
first = P.O.
title = Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders
edition = 8th Printing
series = vol II
origyear = 1966
year = 1979
publisher = Plaza Publishing
location = salt Lake City, Utah
pages = 141
id = ASIN B000BGII48] [Any Shot You Want, The A-Square Handloading Manual, pg 561] Some .378-based wildcats have gone on to be part of the Weatherby line: .30-378, .338-378, .416 and .460. [ [http://www.weatherby.com/products/ammunition.asp/ Weatherby Ammunition] ]

ee also

* List of rifle cartridges
* 9 mm caliber other cartridges in the same caliber range.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/378wm.html .378 Weatherby at the Reload Bench]
* [http://www.chuckhawks.com/378weatherby.htm .378 Weatherby by Chuck Hawks]