Hi all, new member here so I thought Id show off my recently found deer thumper. Bought this a couple weeks ago used. Old Style frame Contender made in last half of 93. Super 14 barrel chambered in .375 Winchester. I have gathered everytihing I need to reload for it, except for primers and powder.
This old doll really is a joy to shoot, and is just accurate as all get-out. Really hoping I can take my first Handgun deer with it this year. The Bushnell Red-dot isnt the most graceful looking scope, but it holds up to the recoil just fine and keeps the rounds on a beer can at 75 yards with boring consistency. Have not shot at 100 yards yet, but see no reason why it would be much different group-wise. The following 5 shot group measured 1 1/4" outside to outside. [img][/img]
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Your 375 Win will really hammer a deer. This round would also be great for boar. Good luck hunting this season.

That's some great shoot'n with a hammer of round! If I may, I would suggest pachmayr grips and forearm. They will make a world of differenc in the shootability of the contender.

Nice shootin', that 375 will take the snuff out of any whitetail.

contenderfan,

Welcome to HHM. What load did you use to shoot the group with? I assume it was a factory load because you stated that you haven't reloaded for it yet.

Doc

for 100 yards or less, a red dots fast to get on target and plenty accurate for deer hunting.

Very nice! Look forward to reading here about your deer hunting success!

X2 on what KRal said about the Pac's. I've got them on my tender and encore..

Shortgun

contenderfan,

I have a "Super 14" in .375 Win and love it. You will be very pleased in the woods with it deer hunting and like the others said it's a HAMMER and a good Boar round. I have a 4X Leupold on mine and it has served me well for many of rounds. I shoot the 235gr Barnes in mine and have had great performance with this bullet on deer. The factory 200gr. Winchester PP works good to
if you dont reload. JMO FWIW

Contenderfan,

Great shooting, congrats!



Jeff,

Are you using the 235 grain Barnes Triple Shock? I was considering trying this bullet in my 375 JDJ but I worried about expansion since I assumed that it was designed for the 375 H&H. If you're using it in the 375 Win with good results then I would think that it should work great in the JDJ too!

You should be pleased with it. I had one many yrers ago and enjoyed it very much. Very accurate too.

Thanks to all for the welcomes...the ammo was factory Winchester 200 gr. power points (CXP2) I dont plan on buying much of this stuff, it's too expensive...$50.94 per 20 rd. box. Hopefully soon I will be set up to start reloading for this old doll.
I dont find the recoil objectionable at all...nothing compared to some of the thumpers I have shot before. If I go with different grips/forend it would likely be Herret Style wood. Seems like my Contenders always wind up with Herret Style wood sooner or later.

I would highly recommend the 225 gr. Hornady SP. It expands much better than Xs and others. Has better ballistics than the 220 Hornady. I have used it extensively in .375 JDJ and .375/.284. It causes more damage than other bullets and has less recoil. It should be the berries in the smaller powder capacity .375 Win.
I've shot about a dozen deer with the 235TSX in the .375/.284 (much faster than your gun). Performance has left a lot to be desired. Can't say that about the 225 Horn.

Thats great information, thank you Dr. Rogers!

I'm really glad this caliber is back on the forum. It is rather rare to find them and they are a ball to shoot. I think a lot were converted to the JDJ. Because of the cost of jacketed bullets I'm playing around with commercial cast for practice and plinking. I'm sure that they would work just fine on game. Keep the data coming!

Bill in OR

Doc Rogers,

Have you tried the Speer 235s at all? I've used them in my JDJ with good effect.

The other Doc

Still need primers and powder, but my case length trimmer and shell holder came today so I sized/deprimed 20 pieces of brass tonight, then trimmed them to length. Also set the expanding die while I was at it, and got the flare on the case mouth set.
All I need now is primers and powder, I have about 60 Hornady 220 gr. soft points to start with so I figured I may as well use them before I try something different. Looking foward to running some handloads through the old doll.

good day i have had 2 375 win's one being a winchester big boar. sold don't know why but did. now one of my 8 encore barrels is a 375 i'v shot a 200+ razor back boar with it.IT IS A HAMMER balled him up and knocked the squill out of him. but i use it for deer for the most part her in nobel county oklahoma you may hunt an open weat fild or tember along a creek.it's just to bad the 375win has never been a real popular rond but we can keep it alive and injoy its littel known power.
god please watch over us and the country we love.

Speer 235s have a blunter nose than the 225 Hornadys. They do not fly as flat at long range, but they do cause a lot of damage at short range. In my .375 JDJ the Speers are a 150 yard bullet, the 225 Hornady is a 250 yard bullet.

My 375 Win is THE barrel that I regretted selling… I GOT IT BACK AND IT IS HOME TO STAY!!!!!!!!!!

I would go with the Hornady 220gr bullets. From what Speer and Sierra have told me their minimal expiation vel are much higher than Hornady’s. With the Hornady’s, RL 7, and CCI LR primers mine shot a 4 shot 3/4in group at 100 yards.

Well I got the primers and powder I needed today. Went with 35.5 gr. of Reloader-7 and CCI primers, I already had a box of 220 gr. Hornady FP's so I loaded up 10 this evening. Will take them out tomorrow and see how they do. Range report to follow.

Great, keep the reports coming!

Bill in OR

Well I finally got some loads rolled for the .375 Win. Contender, got out and shot some today and I like what I see so far. I dont see anything wrong with this group, but half the fun of reloading is experimenting, so...

I dont have a chrony, but the empties look great with no signs of high pressure. But, unless something spectacular happens with accuracy, I really see no reason why this wouldnt do just fine as a hunting load. The old doll kept up with my 3-9 x scoped Omega muzzleloader today very easily...keep in mind shes only wearing a Red dot with no magnification. The aiming point lost its sticky, so I traced a circle around it to show where it was in relation to the group.

5 shots @ 100 yds. 1 3/8" group. Two shots in lower right hole.

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I have only had one 375 winchester so far, and it was a Savage 99. It should serve you well. I just let a buddy have 2 boxes of new factory ammo. He traded me 375 brass for it. I use 375 to make my 35 Bullberry ammo.

You might want to make your own Aiming Dots. I have found using a Red Dot sight that a Bright White aiming dot works very well. To construct find a can of the correct size for a template, like a Tuna can for example. Use white card stock for the dots. Using the can mark a circle, and cut outthe Target Dot. Use spray adheasive to stick them to card board, or what ever. If you need another size, find a bigger, or smaller can size for different yardages. I like a size that gives me a white border around my Red Dot to center it. You may be able to shoot smaller groups.

Good luck with your 375, and welcome aboard the Forum.

Bob

I will try that idea, sounds like a good idea.