New 375

Finally after reading all the pros and cons about which 375 to get I got off the fence and just brung home a 375 Ruger Alaskan. I liked the CZ in 375H&H but felt it was to heavy and I felt the 375 Ruger African was to light and heard some problem with the stock splitting. If I was just going to hunt Africa I may have well went with the CZ but I will be hunting the Rocky Mountains and maybe Alaska for brown bear and felt what a brown bear rifle needed the Alaskan had. I ordered some barnes ttsx 250 grain bullets and cases and will try to work up a load for moose,eland and plains game.

Sounds like you made the right choice for the right reasons, especially if Alaska is in the picture. Mighty wet and cold up there at times! Keep us posted on how the shootin' goes.

If you have to wrestle with salt water residue you have certainly made the right choice.
Look forward to your reports.

I put a weaver 1x3 scope on it for now. It does give me a quick sight picture and looks good on the rifle. For years I never used anything but 4x scopes and never felt handicaped.

Used the same gun with a 2.5x 8 leupold on 2 trips to SA. On PG with Hornady 270 grns (factory) all 1 shot kills. Had great success with 300 grn Woodleigh weldcores on 2nd trip on everything (including buffalo x 1shot). I thought I was a traditionalist and meant to move on to a H&H but....the ruger is a good damn round even if the Alaskan is a bit of an ugly bugger.
Be assured, it will take everything you are after from PG to eland.
Cheers
Jon

I think you made a good choice.
I have the Alaskan in 375 Ruger and use 250 grain Barnes TTSX bullets myself and I am very happy with it :)

I have everything I need to get started except for powder. I have some 250 grain barnes ttsx and some sierra 250 grain to start out with because they are a little cheaper. I do have some h-4831, h-4895, imr-4831, imr-4350, and some hodgons superformance powder but it looks like alot of data likes winchester 760 or h-380. Anybody have any ideas on powder?

I use Reloader 15 in both .375 Ruger and .375 H&H.

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Originally Posted by lwaters

I have everything I need to get started except for powder. I have some 250 grain barnes ttsx and some sierra 250 grain to start out with because they are a little cheaper. I do have some h-4831, h-4895, imr-4831, imr-4350, and some hodgons superformance powder but it looks like alot of data likes winchester 760 or h-380. Anybody have any ideas on powder?

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Maybe this will give you an idea.
Burn Rate

I have used 74 grain of VihtaVuori N150 for my Barnes 250 grain TTSX bullets in my 375 Ruger Alaskan and is not max pressure, but I ran out of space in the case.
The accuracy is very good, but I will try some VihtaVuori N140 to see if I can get higher speed and still keep the accuracy.

I can only get the vihtavuori and reloader powders through mail order and then they charge me $27 hazardous shipping fee. I can get the hodgons and imr powders at a couple of gun stores in town. If I buy 8lbs. or more I come out ahead buying it from Midway mail order. Just hate to buy that much and it does'nt work that good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lwaters

I can only get the vihtavuori and reloader powders through mail order and then they charge me $27 hazardous shipping fee. I can get the hodgons and imr powders at a couple of gun stores in town. If I buy 8lbs. or more I come out ahead buying it from Midway mail order. Just hate to buy that much and it does'nt work that good.

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I guess Hodgdon powders from about H4895 to H4350 in burn rate would work fine.
So your H4895 and imr-4350 should be good.
I would try the H4895 first for the Barnes 250 grain TTSX bullets as they take up rather much case space.