Look what showed up in the mail from Nebraska today....

[secondofangle]

<a href="http://s277.photobucket.com/user/secondofangle/media/IMG_20140108_161252601_zpstoavkoty.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/secondofangle/IMG_20140108_161252601_zpstoavkoty.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_20140108_161252601_zpstoavkoty.jpg"/></a>

375CT dies from Dave Viers. They look great. I just wonder if they'll rust. they're covered in low viscosity oil, perhaps from the machining process.

Last week I received the box of 500 SMKs from CTD - the box weighs 25#!

And 100 pieces of Jamison brass from CT.

Looks like I'm ready to go. Only thing is, even after reloading for 20 years, I'm a bit intimidated by loading for this cartridge - biggest I've reloaded till now is 300 RUM, and this has like 40% more Retumbo going into it...

Any load suggestions? I was gonna start at 130 grains....

ETA: even thought I got the RCBS #47 shellholder, I forgot that to adapt it to my RCBS 50 BMG press I need RCBS adapter #88715 - Midway has them for 29.99 plus some ridiculous shipping and it would get here late next week. Amazon has if shipped next day with prime for a total of $29.58 shipped NEXT DAY AIR.

 

[flashhole]

No load suggestion but sure would like to see a loaded cartridge with something familiar for reference in the photo. Good luck.

 

[SporterII]

.....
Looks like I'm ready to go. Only thing is, even after reloading for 20 years, I'm a bit intimidated by loading for this cartridge - biggest I've reloaded till now is 300 RUM, and this has like 40% more Retumbo going into it...

Any load suggestions? I was gonna start at 130 grains....
[/QUOTE]

I load a lot of special high performance, ah, 223 W/ 25.1gr.
I can definitely believe first loading the 375 is intimidating,
Want to tell you I got to chuckling at your comment.
Sounds like you know what to do.

 

[ArmyJerry]

use a string and a rifle vice to shoot the first shot.

Just follow the book, measure everything carefully, sleep on it, go over everything again before you shoot, you will be fine.

 

[secondofangle]

use a string and a rifle vice to shoot the first shot.

Just follow the book, measure everything carefully, sleep on it, go over everything again before you shoot, you will be fine.

BUT THERE'S NO BOOK! It's an unofficial wildcat cartridge! If you guys can point me to published data for reloading, I'll be all over it!

 

[Ultraman550]

I'd ask Dave Viers.

 

[secondofangle]

OK. So I took a "factory" round from CheyTac loaded with a 350 grain SMK. I did an autopsy on it. It was loaded almost to compressed, I could BARELY hear the powder when shaking it. I pulled the bulled. Bullet weighs 350.5 grains. Powder charge is 136.6 grains. It is an extruded powder. It LOOKS like retumbo. I know that a lot of powders look like Retumbo. I'm just saying. In my gun, based on a G1 BC, these "factory" loads shoot as though they're going 3150 FPS in my DTA HTI. We shall see. I may call CT tomorrow and see if they'll reveal their "ingredients". I mean, you advertise your brass and your bullet, why is the powder a secret?

<a href="http://s277.photobucket.com/user/secondofangle/media/IMG_20140108_180836192_zpsbejbiwfs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/secondofangle/IMG_20140108_180836192_zpsbejbiwfs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_20140108_180836192_zpsbejbiwfs.jpg"/></a>

 

[Asperly Aimless]

This article mentions 136.5 gr of Retumbo, but it is with a different 350 gr bullet. I hope this helps: Texas Shooter Nails Target at 3650 Yards with .375 CheyTac « Daily Bulletin

 

[secondofangle]

Good info, thanks. I saw that article but didn't note the load. 350 grains is 350 grains, generally. But I will work up to that cautiously