The .375 Ruger is 13 y/o now. A look back at people's early opinions

[Ryan]

After reading this post comparing 375 Ruger to HH, I have some questions: How do they compare recoil wise? Ruger less, same, or more, load for load? Ruger rifle weight compared to Win 70 Safari Express (about 10-11 lbs)? I've not handled or shot one but it seems quite interesting.

I just weighed the pictured rifle in 375 Ruger with my luggage scale. Laminate stock, scope and all it weighs 10.2 pounds. I have never shot a 375 H&H, but I can say I had no issue with it's recoil.

 

[BeeMaa]

I just weighed the pictured rifle in 375 Ruger with my luggage scale. Laminate stock, scope and all it weighs 10.2 pounds. I have never shot a 375 H&H, but I can say I had no issue with it's recoil. View attachment 442447

Nice rig and from the size of the blood pool, nice shooting as well.

Question for you - would it be possible to rotate your scope 90 degrees to the left? Some of the more simple reticles like a German #4 will allow this and you would also need the left side of the scope to be free of any turret. The only reason I mention it is because I've seen a few members here do it for more clearance when loading and ejecting shells would have less of a chance of hitting the right side turret and falling back into the action. Also, it looks like your QD lever is close to the turret as well.

 

[Ryan]

Nice rig and from the size of the blood pool, nice shooting as well.

Question for you - would it be possible to rotate your scope 90 degrees to the left? Some of the more simple reticles like a German #4 will allow this and you would also need the left side of the scope to be free of any turret. The only reason I mention it is because I've seen a few members here do it for more clearance when loading and ejecting shells would have less of a chance of hitting the right side turret and falling back into the action. Also, it looks like your QD lever is close to the turret as well.

Thanks, the exit wound is on the shoulder just above the muzzle. And yet it still ran around 100 yards with that shot.

Yes. It's Leupold VXII 1-4X with a heavy duplex reticle. So for a right-hander you could rotate it 90 degrees counter-clockwise and the turret would be out of the way. Someone was selling this model of scope not too long ago on AH.

 

[BeeMaa]

Thanks, the exit wound is on the shoulder just above the muzzle. And yet it still ran around 100 yards with that shot.

Yes. It's Leupold VXII 1-4X with a heavy duplex reticle. So for a right-hander you could rotate it 90 degrees counter-clockwise and the turret would be out of the way. Someone was selling this model of scope not too long ago on AH.

Yes, rotate it counter clockwise. Then Up adjustment now moves it Left, Down adjustment moves it Right. Right adjustment moves it Up, Left adjustment moves it Down. It's not as complicated as it sounds reading it. I did it on a friends Savage bolt action 20 bore slug gun with the same scope, works great. Much easier to load from the top.

 

[Ryan]

Yes, rotate it counter clockwise. Then Up adjustment now moves it Left, Down adjustment moves it Right. Right adjustment moves it Up, Left adjustment moves it Down. It's not as complicated as it sounds reading it. I did it on a friends Savage bolt action 20 bore slug gun with the same scope, works great. Much easier to load from the top.

Easy enough. I'm a lefty, this kinda thing is par for the course.

 

[BeeMaa]

Easy enough. I'm a lefty, this kinda thing is par for the course.

My apologies. I must have been sleeptyping this morning when I wrote that without looking closely at your LEFT HANDED RIFLE! Disregard and I'll now go bang my head on a wall.

 

[Ryan]

My apologies. I must have been sleeptyping this morning when I wrote that without looking closely at your LEFT HANDED RIFLE! Disregard and I'll now go bang my head on a wall.

No worries. In your defense, the scope is set up normal, Leupold puts their windage turret on the right side. It just so happens to be quite advantageous for me. But all kinds of other stuff does need to be reworked or rethought, bow tuning instructions are all for right-handers.

 

[noyb72]

I am a South Paw s well and you are correct, we ave to take full advantage of what little advantages we have!

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I've never shot a .375 Ruger. I've got a lot of trigger time with a Ruger #1 .375 H&H. Aquestion asked was how recoil compared between the two, I suspect it would boil down to how each rifle was set up? A shorter 20" bbl on the 77 would probably have more muzzle blast? It's also been mentioned that you loose 60 to 70fps with the shorter bbl, I don't think a game animal in the world could tell the difference.
The .375 Ruger should be a fine ctg. & the shorter 77 a dream to hunt with.

 

[CBH Australia]

wife has a 6.5 CM. I don't dislike the cartridge. I dislike the BS hype around it, and the uneducated shooters it brings, that think it's instantly and always accurate no matter what.

I've used its shoulder angle to make a cartridge that will best the .260 Rem and 6.5 CM. My .265 IWB.

7-08, .265 IWB, 6.5 CM, 7 CM
View attachment 394836

I have a .375 H&H but have read good things about the .375 Ruger.

@Viral_SIGness is there a thread or an article about the 6.5 IWB? I would like to read about it.

 

[ldmay375]

I've never shot a .375 Ruger. I've got a lot of trigger time with a Ruger #1 .375 H&H. Aquestion asked was how recoil compared between the two, I suspect it would boil down to how each rifle was set up? A shorter 20" bbl on the 77 would probably have more muzzle blast? It's also been mentioned that you loose 60 to 70fps with the shorter bbl, I don't think a game animal in the world could tell the difference.
The .375 Ruger should be a fine ctg. & the shorter 77 a dream to hunt with.

My 375 H&Hs are M70’s and Interarms Mark X / Whitworth types. I cannot say there is a noticeable difference in recoil from those and the 375 Rugers in 20 & 23.5”.
I agree performance wise no game animal will know the difference between the 20 & 24” barrels, or if the brass case was H&H or Ruger.
I am a fan of the slightly smaller action of the Ruger. I definitely enjoy the 20” barrel. I cannot say that as the shooter, that I notice the muzzle blast of the 20”. But, I have a 375 H&H and a 416 Ruger with 20” barrels.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I picked up a Ruger Hawkeye a couple of months ago for a song. It’s got a 23 3/4” barrel on it. Shoots great 1 inch at 100 yards with 300 grain PPU RNSP and solids and 70.4 grains of W760 powder right at an average of 2450 fps. At one time I had a win mod 70 in 375 h and h an it was a fine shooting rifle. I’m pretty sure no animal on earth would know the difference between them. The .375 Ruger is a fine cartridge.

 

[K95]

Here some time ago I built a custom rifle on a new left handed Sako fin bear action. I wanted a rifle that would do it all. The mythical all rounder. The caliber I choose was the 375 Ruger for a whole heap of reasons that you probably already know. Barrel length is 23”. I started playing around with Alliant powders, Rel 15 and Rel 17 thinking this burning rate should match the cartridge. What I found was that both powders where well suited but 17 won out with velocity and accuracy. As you can see from the photo below 77,78,79,and 80 grs all shot in the same 3/4” group. 81 grs shot a little higher. This was the load I eventually went for. With 81grs of Rel 17 and a 300 gr Norma Oryx it will put 5 shots into 3/4” group at 2709 fps all day long. There is no pressure signs and recoil is light from a 10 lb outfit.
I would use this bonded bullet for every thing up the really big stuff. It works a treat on our Australian Buffalo.

 

[noyb72]

I have drawn up that 265 IWB, sort of an almost Ackley Improved 260. It would be great in a 98 Mauser or any other "intermediate" action that can handle the longer COAL.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Here some time ago I built a custom rifle on a new left handed Sako fin bear action. I wanted a rifle that would do it all. The mythical all rounder. The caliber I choose was the 375 Ruger for a whole heap of reasons that you probably already know. Barrel length is 23”. I started playing around with Alliant powders, Rel 15 and Rel 17 thinking this burning rate should match the cartridge. What I found was that both powders where well suited but 17 won out with velocity and accuracy. As you can see from the photo below 77,78,79,and 80 grs all shot in the same 3/4” group. 81 grs shot a little higher. This was the load I eventually went for. With 81grs of Rel 17 and a 300 gr Norma Oryx it will put 5 shots into 3/4” group at 2709 fps all day long. There is no pressure signs and recoil is light from a 10 lb outfit.
I would use this bonded bullet for every thing up the really big stuff. It works a treat on our Australian Buffalo. View attachment 444851

@K95
It is a beautiful rifle to go with it Ken so how bout a photo yo go with it.
Bob

 

[Rocco490]

I like the 375 Ruger cartridge design. I dislike the limited factory ammo options and rifle options. It deserves a lot more factory support. I would like to see them also offer a full size 338 Ruger based off it with similar case capacity and same overall length with bullet loaded able to handle loading long heavy high bc bullets as well as the standard 225 250 275 hunting bullets

 

[Captain Munro]

I like the 375 Ruger cartridge design. I dislike the limited factory ammo options and rifle options. It deserves a lot more factory support. I would like to see them also offer a full size 338 Ruger based off it with similar case capacity and same overall length with bullet loaded able to handle loading long heavy high bc bullets as well as the standard 225 250 275 hunting bullets

I agree with the limited factory offerings being an issue, especially since I am not a hand loader yet (working on it).

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I like the 375 Ruger cartridge design. I dislike the limited factory ammo options and rifle options. It deserves a lot more factory support. I would like to see them also offer a full size 338 Ruger based off it with similar case capacity and same overall length with bullet loaded able to handle loading long heavy high bc bullets as well as the standard 225 250 275 hunting bullets

I agree with the limited factory offerings being an issue, especially since I am not a hand loader yet (working on it).

With places like Hendershots, Choice Ammo and others offering a wide selection on the 375 Ruger, even the non-reloaders can get a bullet to their liking.

https://hendershots.net/product/375-ruger-extreme-custom-ammo/

375 Ruger Archives

375 Ruger ammo is a rimless, standard-length rifle cartridge designed for the hunting of large dangerous game. Shop online today.

choiceammunition.com

 

[Captain Munro]

With places like Hendershots, Choice Ammo and others offering a wide selection on the 375 Ruger, even the non-reloaders can get a bullet to their liking.

https://hendershots.net/product/375-ruger-extreme-custom-ammo/

375 Ruger Archives

375 Ruger ammo is a rimless, standard-length rifle cartridge designed for the hunting of large dangerous game. Shop online today.

choiceammunition.com

Cool! I see Hendershots loads for the 416 Ruger as well. I understood that only Hornady offered 416 Ruger in standard factory ammo. Good to know the options out there in case.

 

[Ryan]

With places like Hendershots, Choice Ammo and others offering a wide selection on the 375 Ruger, even the non-reloaders can get a bullet to their liking.

https://hendershots.net/product/375-ruger-extreme-custom-ammo/

375 Ruger Archives

375 Ruger ammo is a rimless, standard-length rifle cartridge designed for the hunting of large dangerous game. Shop online today.

choiceammunition.com

In the lower 48, which is why I started reloading. Now Swift has some choices besides Hornady when it can be found.