Experiences with Ruger .375 Alaskan?

Well, ActionBob, I should have done a bit of research -- I could have answered my own questions. My apologies. It appears Ruger supplies the Guide Gun with three muzzle attachment options: 1) the brake, 2) a muzzle weight (similar to the CR body of the Browning A-bolt) with no brake, and a simple cap to protect the muzzle threads. Adjustable LOP through stock spacers, and a reportedly better trigger than the original Alaskan. Also a bit heavier overall than the Alaskan, a good thing in such a rifle. And best of all it's available in a left-handed model, which is great for me, because, to paraphrase Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride movie (a modern classic), "I am not right-handed!" :). I'll have to look into this a bit more. Many Thanks! Anyone else, feel free to chime in.

Tony, so you are a lefty. Me too, except I'm right eye dominate and have shot right handed all my life. However, you being a true lefty are in luck. I looked on Gunbroker and they are several left handed 375 Rugers. There's are three listed w/ 20 inch, stainless, laminated Hawkeye in LH action: The first one listed is the best deal listed at $730.

Dave

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508702602

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508041461

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508702602
 
I haven't fired mine yet. What's the recoil like in the 416 without the brake?
 
I haven't fired mine yet. What's the recoil like in the 416 without the brake?

I don't have a 416, but the recoil might be like this:

 
I seem to have permanent damage/ringing (since last winter) in my left ear from forgetting my muffs when I had a thick warn hat on over my ears. I did fire that shot under the canopy at our range but the concussion and blow back is terrible as well... Cursed things those brakes! Great little rifle without it though...

And I'm not sure why you'd want a longer barrel in the Alaska bush? Seems the guide gun was made to be an improvement for AK. It is very quick handling. Nice in the African bush as well. With the stock spacers it is ugly to the point of being beautiful in it's utility.
My own experience with brakes in a .338 win mag and a .340 weatherby have been less than positive. Deafening report and both had 26" barrels. I can only imagine what that .375 Ruger would be like. I'll stick with the unbraked barrel weight, I think.
 
Tony, so you are a lefty. Me too, except I'm right eye dominate and have shot right handed all my life. However, you being a true lefty are in luck. I looked on Gunbroker and they are several left handed 375 Rugers. There's are three listed w/ 20 inch, stainless, laminated Hawkeye in LH action: The first one listed is the best deal listed at $730.

Dave

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508702602

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508041461

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=508702602
Thanks I did see those. I'm leaning more toward the guide gun now. They're not much more than what these folks are asking.
 
I haven't fired mine yet. What's the recoil like in the 416 without the brake?

Really the recoil without the break is not bad at all!
 
As I understand it, one of the goals for the 375 Ruger cartridge was to equal the performance of a 375 H&H out of a 24" barrel, but to do it with a 20" barrel. The cartridge is a bit "snappier" than the 375 H&H and I believe can achieve about 200 fps more velocity if fired from the same length barrels. For all practical purposes and especially for hunting, they are ballistic twins but the Ruger may have the advantage in a short barrel as it is designed for it.

So why not just buy a Ruger Guide gun? It seems to have everything you're asking about. Lots of discussion and fans of it here on AH.
Well, I just "pulled the trigger" (pun intended) on the Guide Gun in 375. I'll post an update for the good of the order when I have it and have a chance to run some rounds through it. Thanks to all for all the input!
 
Hunters helping hunters make informed, intelligent decisions. Wouldn't the world be a better place if more people acted like us? :)
 
I'm a bit late to this conversation but let me add a bit.

I bought the Alaskan in .375R a couple of years ago when I found one dirt cheap on GB. It shoots very well with factory ammo. It shot the 250gr GMX best of all with groups consistently under an inch and right about an inch with the 270gr and 300gr.

Once I got to Africa my buddies talked me into putting a suppressor on it and for some reason the 300gr no longer grouped well but the 270gr did so that's what I shot.

With the exception of the Blue and Black Wildebeest and my Kudu all of the bigger animals I shot I took with it.

The only animals that required a follow up shot at all were the two zebra I took while the Sable, Nyala, and Waterbuck all fell stone dead with the Sable and Waterbuck both being shot right above the sternum at near perfectly straight on shots.

After we opened up the Zebras it was obvious that neither really needed the follow up. Even the big stud which ran a ways had both lungs and the off shoulder taken out with the first shot which entered at about the last rib and buried up in the far shoulder. It was a fairly long shot with him quartering hard away and after seeing the damage done I really couldn't believe he ran as far as he did. The second shot was just behind the right shoulder and buried up in the opposite shoulder just inches from the first.

Functionally the gun has been excellent and it continues to perform reliably and it will most certainly be making the trip with me when I return to Africa in the next year or two.

As for muzzle brakes I have a great deal of experience with them. The 360 deg radial discharge brakes are all with the exception of the Gentry Quiet Brake very hard on the ears, more so the ears of anyone to your left and right than your own and should never be fired in an enclosed situation like an indoor range or from inside of a hunting blind without extremely good hearing protection.

Personally I like having a brake on my magnum rifles because it just makes them more enjoyable to shoot. It doesn't make much difference if you're only firing one to three shots especially on a hunt but from the bench the recoil reduction really makes a difference over the course of many rounds fired in a single sitting.

After trying a dozen or more different makes of brake over the years I came across the North West Precision muzzle brake (slotted version) and now have them on 8 different rifles with another on the way right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221311913421?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=520190416845&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Even more important than the noise from the radial brakes is the fact that if you are shooting prone or in show/ice covered foliage the blast will fill your eyes with debris and can blind you so you can't see the impact of your bullet and the possibility of eye damage is fairly high from them.

Even without the brake though I didn't find the recoil to be terrible and unless you are particularly recoil sensitive or have underlying neck/shoulder problems it's not a big deal.

Personally I'd send the factory brake to NWP marking the 12:00 index point and have them make one for you.
 
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I have the ruger model the OP asked about. It's a fantastic gun for the money. I've managed many sub moa groups with Hornady 270 grain ammunition. The rifle is durable and has accounted for several nice animals in my freezer. The only complaint I have is subjective. I don't like the appearance. Still, it is hard to not like such a usable gun.
 
I have the ruger model the OP asked about. It's a fantastic gun for the money. I've managed many sub moa groups with Hornady 270 grain ammunition. The rifle is durable and has accounted for several nice animals in my freezer. The only complaint I have is subjective. I don't like the appearance. Still, it is hard to not like such a usable gun.

People either love or hate the Hogue stocks. Personally, I like them but don't own one. If you don't like the looks of the gun, for not much money you can buy a laminated stock. http://www.rifle-stocks.com/
 
I have the 416 Alaskan and I love it. I have a 416 guide gun and love it. I would buy a 375 alaskan if I found one.

I am in the same position ( I don't have a guide gun ) , but if I found a 375 Ruger Alaskan I would also purchase one, these rifles are great .
 
I have a ruger .375 Alaskan stainless 20" with hogue rubber stock the best gun I bought for myself shoot the 300 gr Barnes 2400ft nice small gun easy to handle and shoots well

I'm not a fan of the laminated stock and muzzlebrake of the guide gun but also have not heard anything bad about them

Keep well
Ryno
 
Currently on GB: http://www.gunbroker.com/item/563040304
This one has the traditional laminated stock, which is what I have. The GuideGun has a different style and color to its laminated stock.
 
The one featured on GB listed above is the same model I have. If one can appreciate the appearance, it's a fantastic rifle and likely a bargain if it doesn't go much higher in price.
 
My own experience with brakes in a .338 win mag and a .340 weatherby have been less than positive. Deafening report and both had 26" barrels. I can only imagine what that .375 Ruger would be like. I'll stick with the unbraked barrel weight, I think.
It's not bad at all without the brake even with the 20" barrel.

I put an aftermarket brake on my Alaskan and it went from not bad to being a real joy to shoot. I have tried a dozen different types of brakes over the years and find the Northwest Precision Muzzle brake to be one of the best pieces of engineering to ever come along. Great reductions in both muzzle flip and felt recoil and not hard on the ears either. I have them on 7mm STW's, 300wm's, 300 Rum's as well as the .375 Ruger.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Muzzle-Brake-Compensator-Rifle-or-Pistol-/221311913421

As for the caliber itself I love it and will probably build one for long range applications to go with the Alaskan.
 

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I have the 375 Ruger Alaskan and the 416 Ruger Alaskan. Both are controlled round feed and both are very reliable and very powerful. These are my go to rifles for deadly and dangerous game. Hendershot’s can load up any ammo combination for both rifles.
 

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