Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 or 416 Ruger. Which would you pick & is the 416R the right move from Ruger IYO?

Just a few questions I thought we could touch on, please add your opinion

How does the 375 Ruger stack up against the new 416 Ruger. The 375 looks close on paper but that's paper I guess.
Do you think Ruger should of gone with the .423 or .458 option instead.
How much difference will the 20" Alaskan differ from the 23" African. How about muzzle-blast.

Which would you pick for yourself & why, or just buy both

Thanks

416 is just right for the average Africa hunter. It will work for a PG rifle and has pretty good punch for the bigger and more dangerous game. There is an excellent selection of 416 bullets, also. The case wouldn't be good for a .458...little or no shoulder.

I've owned both... make it a Rigby... bigger hole

Your uses would be what and where?

Thx
Dober

I've got a 416 Rigby, but I could warm up nicely to a 416 Alaskan with a good stock switched in. Maybe a Swirlie. Can't like the Hogue stocks.

I don't see anything wrong with either cartridge, in fact I like them both. But, I wouldn't give up my H&H or my Rigby for either. But I could like owning all 4.

David

Buff, Sambar, Elk, Donkey, Camel & Boar. Australia mainly but I want to keep my options open for Brown Bear & Moose.

.416 makes sense, for a DGR. Lots of bullets, plenty of case for decent velocities, and ".416 Ruger" sounds cool . I'd really like to have a .404 Ruger (.423 bullet), but I'm clearly a loony... .

Should be fun in an African...

Dennis

..........Depends on how you`re going to use it, on what game and at what ranges! The 416 will give you better stopping power for the closer ranges on dangerous game, while the 375 is a better longer range, flatter shooter for the plains game. However, if given a one caliber/rifle all around choice for N/A and Africa, my choice between the two is the 375 Ruger.

It offers the better balance IMO for everything, from the plains game to the dangerous stuff over here and in Africa.

Having seen a 23" 375 Ruger African in action at the range, I don`t see any noticeable difference in muzzle blast between that vs my own 20" 375 Ruger Alaskan.

Taking an identical sample 270 gr.loading from Jeff Quinn on "gunblast.com" 2/6/07 archives, the velocity difference between his test 23" African vs my 20" Alaskan was 67 fps or 22.3 fps per inch. A total overall loss of only 2.3% for the 20" er........I certainly wouldn`t lose any sleep over that difference! The 20" will do anything the 23" will.

For now, I think Ruger made the right move in coming out first with the .416 Ruger. They could very well expand on the 375 Ruger casing at a later time with larger bores.

Thanks for that info Bigsqueeze, very impressive indeed!

From one loony to another make mine a .411.

The difference between the 375 and the 416 Ruger is the same as the difference between the 375H&H and the 416 Rem.
For most hunters the 375's are more versatile while the 416's offer a bit more thump for the type of shots that PH's need to take.

Or perhaps go down in diameter. Maybe Rick will luck out and be able to buy factory ammo once in a while for his 338 campfire...

The 416s are simply more powerful than the 375s, end of story...

I really like the 416 Ruger and I still like the 416 Remington..The 20" barrel won't make any practical difference in the field, only on paper...its handy and quick pointing and power to spare IMO..

The Ruger is just more compact and makes up into a very nice light, easy to handle rifle, much handier and better handling than the bulky Rigby and somewhat handier than the Remington I suppose..The Ruger has a great future IMO. Balistically the 416s are all equal.

I wouldn't rush out and sell my 416 Remington Mauser for a 416 Ruger but if I were looking for a new 416 caliber, the 416 Ruger in a good custom Mauser action would be my choice today. I just built one but it sold before I got to use it in Africa. Today I finished my new full Mauser magnum actioned 404 Jefferys and loving it already.

Lot of choices out there and they are all good.

I pick the .375 Ruger, which I think is generally more useful now since I am hunting more in North America than Africa. I like the .375s anyway, and the Ruger is a very good one. I sent my .376 Steyr and .375 H&Hs down the road after the Ruger rifle arrived.

The .400 Ruger that I like is the .400 Jeffery No. 1 or .450-.400. I think I will probably get one of those.

jim

May we see some pictures? Congratulations.

Musing...

.375 H&H, Ruger, RUM, Weatherby, Steyr, Dakota...
.416 Rigby, Remington, Ruger, Hofmann, Taylor...

How many ways are there to Rome?

He traveled under starie dome, he traveled fast - one way to Rome.
I leisured through the breakers foam, I traveled slow - one way to Rome.
My road was narrow - his was wide,
with lovely beanfields to the side.
My road was twisted - all askew,
even plucked (maintainence crew).
I started here, he started yonder-
lets now start and fight to wonder:

which road was Best. And lets not gives this fight a rest,
till we have forgotten the way to go home,
so we can all stay, fighting in Rome.


Heck, listen to me. Sheesh...

North America? Easy...375 RUger.

Africa I don't know but I expect a .416 would be better there for big animals, butyou gotta decide how often you are going to hunt the big guys.

Only time I could see the 416 being better than the 375 in NA is if you have to stop big grizzly charges, and with good bullets, that is not a given, anyway...

Although haven't gotten the African back from the re-bore yet it's still in the works. It's we loonies who keep the Ruger 404 faith alive!

CMG,
I am fairly computer ig therefore cannot post pictures but I could take some pictures of the rifle and send them to you if you will email me your email address to the below email..rayatkinsonhunting.com..as I can do that.

As to the 416 vs. the 375, both will work, the 416 is more powerfull, thats about the size of it....:)