Lightweight 375 Ruger project (I might be crazy)

Alaska Luke

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I love to hike so my rifles get carried a lot. With that in mind I sent my 375 Ruger off to a gunsmith to loose weight. So far he's cut the barrel to 16 inches and shaved a bit of metal off both the barrel and the action. He also replaced the safari style sights (they are 3oz) with a lighter Williams front site. I ordered a quick detach peep site I'll install if the scope ever breaks. I'm using a plastic stock that I glass bedded.
The total weight for this rifle should be 6.8 lbs plus whatever scope I put on it.
I'll post pictures when it gets back. This is what it did look like.
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I might be a bit crazy but here's the logic. I handload so I'll load down a bit so that ballistics are basically between a 376 Steyr and a 375 H&H. Recoil should be manageable. In a sense I'm "wasting " cartridge capacity by making a carbine out of a magnum. On the other hand all the alternatives I looked into were either harder to handload (350 Remington Magnum, 376 Steyr) or I'd take a real step down in power (358 Winchester). This project should be about as handy as my 308 Ruger Scout rifle while being a lot better if I chase a grizzly. Even with lighter loads this thing should reach 400 yards IF I use a range finder and my 2-7 scope. My hope is that it will basically be my one "do everything " rifle for big game. Not too heavy for sheep and not too small for brown bear. Anybody else build a "mountain bear gun?"
 
Hi Alaska Luke,

I don't think your idea is crazy at all.
I think you had a specific idea for this rife and you've carried it out. Also, because this is a rifle of your creation, you'll feel a sense of pride and enjoyment when using it which will lead to good, confident shooting.

Well done.

The only other thing I think I would say is "I think you're kidding yourself a wee bit!" when you say recoil will be manageable. It will probably be manageable - but not real friendly.
l'll be honest and say I reckon it's going to back you out from under your beanie!
But it'll be worth it for the light weight, portability and maneuverability.

It's a really nice rifle and you should be proud.

Cheers,

Russ
 
Haha "manageable" is a relative term. I think I'm still an amature compared to some of the guys around here with their 500s and such.

I'll definitely practice with lighter handloads. I never notice recoil in the field so this has worked well in the past. I have a pet load with Varget and a 260 grain Nosler Partition going about 2550 fps. Kicks about like my old 338 and it killed the grizzly in my picture just fine. On the other hand a full load with IMR4350 has noticeably more buck. I want to try Accubonds eventually. They look way better for stretching the 375 out a bit compared to the Partitions. I've considered 235 grain rounds a few times (Woodleighs for bear, Speers for caribou). But experimenting gets expensive. Unless someone chimes in saying they are way better I'll probably stick with what's proven.
 
I have 2x Ruger Alaskans - one in .375 Ruger and one .416 Ruger. The latter I’ve used and abused for the last few years and never felt it to be to heavy or clumsy.

What kind of velocity will you get out of the 16” barrel? I’d be worried if it is that short that it will negatively affect the balance of the rifle.
 
Dewald balance might be a real concern if I had the original stock. The replacement stock is lighter in the back so the gun was a bit muzzle heavy as it was. I think balance will be okay. Velocity is more limited by my tolerance for recoil then barrel length. I'm expecting 2550 fps with 260 and 270 grain bullets with loads a bit under max. Those loads were okay to shoot without the scope when the rifle weighed just under 7.5 pounds. With a scope it will be about 7.35 lbs so I feel good.
One reason for going short is the brush here can be pretty dense in places.
 
WOW! I thought my Ruger Alaskan was already pretty short at 20"! I have recognized the same issues and sought short handy rifles that carry well for the 98% of the time one uses them - carrying. My efforts in this direction are being directed to a 22" .495 A-Square. I also have the Alaskan in .375 Ruger, but I really love it exactly as it is with Hogue overmolded and 20" barrel. I have several ARs with 16" barrels, but that is a varmint cartridge. Interested to hear how you like your creation when it is done. I think you will have checked the block on "light" and "handy"!!!!
 
Sounds like the right cartridge for your idea. The Ruger is designed to maintain velocity with short barrels. My concern would be less of recoil and more of concussion/flash. I don’t wear ear protection when hunting and that 16” barrel with all that expanding gas sounds horrific.

Not sure if you plan to thread the muzzle but a linear compensator would direct flame and blast directly towards the target and only add an 1.5-2”. You’d still be short and handy but less ear bleeding. Possibly you could have the gunsmith return it without the front sight until you determine if you need a muzzle device/threading?
 
Standard Velocity I've gone back and forth over that idea. For now my priority is just getting it back in time for bear season so no new changes. Alaska just got a "shelter in place order" so it might be dicey even getting it in time. We can still hunt I think but I don't know if the post offices will shut down or slow down.

Prior to the trim my 375 was noticeably less "blasty" then my 308. Not sure why. I don't think I've taken a shot without ear plugs since I was 14. It will be interesting to see how it compares.
 
I love my Alaskan in 375 Ruger and wouldn’t touch it , i think it makes the perfect size and weight rifle already .
 
To be honest if I was hunting in Africa I'd have a more "traditional " setup. I actually backpack with overnight gear on some of my hunts. That's when weight matters. A heavier and longer 375 makes a lot more sense for the typical safari hunter, who I assume is not carrying as much non rifle weight. What's logical for me is not everyone's cup of tea.

With the Coronavirus thing going on my Kodiak hunt probably won't happen. Plan B is to hunt bears when they wake up in April. Hopefully I can get a ways back on this old snow machine and then I'll have to start hiking. Perfect place for a lighter rifle, fingers crossed it gets back in time. A Kodiak hunt would have been a bit later.
20200327_184551.jpg
 
I had a 5.8 lb 375 ruger NULA built me. Was great to carry and recoil was not as bad as one would think.
 
NTO someday I'll be as cool as you.

Actually if this isn't to bad I may get an MPI stock for it next winter. That should make it a bit lighter still but more importantly I think a slightly different stock design would help with recoil. Should be in the mail soon.
 
Assuming you are of normal human dimensions and not suffering from some medical issue, I think such a rifle is a little odd. I am all about rifles that are carried a lot and fired relatively rarely. In a .375 that is essentially a 8.5 lb rifle with scope and ammunition. For a fight in a stairwell a sub 7 lb rifle would have utility - but then it wouldn't be a .375 of any description. Shootability is every bit as important as any other characteristics. An African .375 may have to make a double tap a 30 yards or a perfectly placed shot at 250. A sub 7 lb rifle is anything but ideal for those two scenarios. A .375 of any weight would never be my choice for a general purpose mountain rifle.
 
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Yeah have Rick at Extreme Rifle works do you a Stock I have several he can do one as light as 18oz. I have a 375 RUM he built that weights less than 6lbs
 
Red Leg I'm fully embracing the madness.

NTO, funny you mention Rick. He is doing the rifle for me. He offered a lighter stock but I didn't think the was time.

Joking aside I could add weight back with a cheap Hogue stock if this was too much of a good thing. Ideally I'd like a fiberglass stock with dimensions similar to a Remington Sendenero. I think a 7 pound rifle with that would be just as comfortable as a 8 pound rifle with the old stock (narrow with a hard recoil pad).

Partly I love to experiment. I did it with rafts, and backpacking gear. Now rifles.
 
Well I got my rifle back from the gunsmith today. Rick did a very nice job of lightening it up. He also polished up the trigger. It's a work in progress, there wasn't time to cerokote the barrel for example but even so its very nice.

received_151167092965755.jpeg


I took it shooting and recoil from a field position wasn't a whole lot more then before I lightened it up. Muzzle rise is a bit more but not awful. Not a whole lot louder as far as I can tell. I always put ear plugs in hunting anyway.

I tried both a fixed Leopold 2.5 scope and a 1-4 Leopold scope. Both work well. I think I'm a bit more precise on 4x. But the 2.5 has a bit more eye relief. I like that extra margin of safety for not getting "scope eye." Also its easier to shoot both eyes open and use peripheral vision.

Sadly I broke off the front site when I tried to tap it sideways. I ordered an aluminum replacement and a site pusher. Hopefully they get here in time for hunting. I suppose I could hunt scope only. But I like backup. I'll probably just hunt with my 358 Winchester. It has a scope and a backup red dot.
 
I often question the statement that the ruger case was designed not to lose velocity in shorter barrels.
what makes it defy the laws that pertain to ALL other chamberings?
the only thing I can think of is that the ruger case has more capacity than the h&h case, and what they actually mean but do not say is tha in shorter barrels it can therefore compete with the smaller capacity case in a longer barrel.
if so, this is the kind of white lying advertising becoming more prominent today in the firearm trade which relies on ignorance, urban myth, and the desire to believe what you want to see.
put the ruger case in a longer barrel and surely it will go faster, just like any other round.
unless it is loaded below potential using a too fast powder.
bruce.
 
Interesting, I hope it works out Well.
I am envious of your bear hunts.
Something for discussion and debate.
How would a 9.3x62 work in a short barrel? I understand it is close to a .375 H&H
Secondly what about Tikka? The Tikka Lite and Tikka Battue are listed at 2.9 and 3.1 kg equating to under 7pounds if someone wanted a lightweight Bear rifle.
And there are many aftermarket accessories available for Tikka including carbon fibre stocks if you wanted to reduce weight.
 
Well I got my rifle back from the gunsmith today. Rick did a very nice job of lightening it up. He also polished up the trigger. It's a work in progress, there wasn't time to cerokote the barrel for example but even so its very nice.

View attachment 341547

I took it shooting and recoil from a field position wasn't a whole lot more then before I lightened it up. Muzzle rise is a bit more but not awful. Not a whole lot louder as far as I can tell. I always put ear plugs in hunting anyway.

I tried both a fixed Leopold 2.5 scope and a 1-4 Leopold scope. Both work well. I think I'm a bit more precise on 4x. But the 2.5 has a bit more eye relief. I like that extra margin of safety for not getting "scope eye." Also its easier to shoot both eyes open and use peripheral vision.

Sadly I broke off the front site when I tried to tap it sideways. I ordered an aluminum replacement and a site pusher. Hopefully they get here in time for hunting. I suppose I could hunt scope only. But I like backup. I'll probably just hunt with my 358 Winchester. It has a scope and a backup red dot.

Hi Alaska Luke,

I punched in some data for a 260gn projectile going 2550fps using Varget in a rifle weighing 7.35lb and the recoil turned out to be 42.98ft/lbs...

I'll be honest and say that was a lot less than I was expecting mate.
Here I was thinking it would be in the neighbourhood of .458WM recoil (70ft/lbs in my 8.8lb rifle) but it's a not...
Still enough to let you know you're shooting something serious but!

With that short barrel I bet it's impressive shooting it at dusk!!!

Cheers,

Russ
 
CBH I actually looked for a Battue but didn't see any in the states until I was already invested in a 375 Ruger with all the reloading components etc. It would have been a simpler route to basically the same thing.

Badboymelvin I did that same calculation before I spent money on this project. My sweet spot is about 38-40 pounds of recoil. I can take more but I wear out faster. I'm thinking I'll make some loads that are about 100fps slower for practice and sighting in. Obviously with full more loads for fine tuning.
 

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