Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 Rifle Suggestions

Another vote for Winchester..They have had there moments but they are the first and last word in serious rifles or shotguns,for that matter.Plus,there perty!!

Jayco

I, personally, want to give the Kimber Talkeetna a shot. I have a couple M70 SS (factory stocks/sights, yet to be replaced), a Whitworth, a 375 Ruger African, and a 375 Ruger Alaskan semi-custom (Lilja 23.5" SS/Bansner stock/ Rifle Basix trigger/ etc/etc). If the Kimber Talkeetna would have been available at the time, the 375 Rugers (had another SS with 22.5 Lilja & McMillan built for my son at same time)likely would not have been built.

Several years ago I had AHR build me one of their DGR .375 H&H based on the CZ550. Beautiful rifle and balances well.... but it's still a pig IMHO (over 10 1/2lbs fully loaded).

I picked up a Ruger Alaskan last year. Dumped the Hogue and dropped it in a McMillan and added a Swaro SR 1.25-4x24mm with the illum. reticle. Just tips an ounce or so over 9lbs fully loaded. Balances and shoulders nicely. Recoil while stiff, is quite manageable.

I previously contemplated a Kimber Talkeetna. I'd personally chop the barrel back to 20 - 21", coat it and rock on. I've heard mixed reviews, so would personally want to fondle one for a bit before buying. If it feels and shoulders like Kimbers current 8400 Long Actions.... I'd pass.

There are plenty other great options in that price range, but I went with a Weatherby Dangerous Game Rifle in .375 Wby topped with a Bushnell 6500 Elite 1.25-8x30 and Near Mfg. rings. I think I came out in total to about $3,100. Though I did get the rifle used but unshot for about a $500 discount.

Taking it to Alaska for brown bear, black bear, and wolf on Sept. 5.

Ditto. For a stock I'd get an Echols Legend standard fill,but that's just me

Forget Alaska. The only thing you'd need a .375 for there would be a brown bear. On a cost per animal basis, it's cheaper to go to Africa and get an elephant, buffalo, hippo, and some plains game than a good brown bear hunt in Alaska.

In Africa you can take a shower every night, eat sitting at a table with silverware, have your laundry done daily, and never ever worry about rain or cold weather. And forget those miserable hip boots.

So get yourself a .375 (Holland and Holland) in Model 70 with a wood stock and go to Africa. You can buy ammo anywhere if you lose yours and the cartridge won't be obsolete in 20 years.

Forget the CZ550 and the Ruger MkII. Those firms save money by making "one part fits all" so their rifles are too heavy for the smaller .375 bores. And forget the .338. It's illegal to use it on dangerous game in Africa.

Kimber Talkeetna, 1.75-6 VX-III, I'd shorten the barrel to 22" but that is just me.

The Ruger Alaskan in 375 Ruger is the obvious choice. Since you have a lot of extra cash to spend to customize it I would spend it on a good synthetic stock - a lot of great choices as long as they don't make the finished rifle lighter than factory- a reliable scope can add another $500-1500 depending on what you choose, and you should have a few $s left from that $3000 with a complete rifle that is as reliable, handy, powerful, and weather proof as they come. BTW, CRF to boot, 3 in the mag and 1 in the chamber.

Having chased around AK several times after brown bear, the handiness of the Ruger is welcome in tough terrain and the short barrel and cartridge pack a definitive punch. I don't think you need extra inches of barrel to close the deal on a bear.

Now, if you still have some $ to spend, think of re-boring the little Alaskan to 404 Ruger and then you'll have the ultimate DG rifle, and it would only add about $300 to your bill. There, we burned up that $3K right quick!

It will also work in Africa, when you get there. If it's a 404, even elephant isn't out of it's power range.

Here's the deal for you. Stainless, CRF, McMillian, Ziess scope, ready to go...

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2711043/m/3391062531

What a deal! SPF though.....

A Ruger 375 Alaskan would be a good choice. I have a CZ550 which I like very much and which shoots 3 shot groups at 100 shooting Hornady 270gr with all shots touching. The only thing that would be the tie breaker for me as to which rifle to choose would be ammo
Is 375 Ruger available everywhere? As for the wood stock withstanding the Alaska wet, I would not worry about it. Take the rifle down in the evening, dry it out, and retorque your action screws to 55inch lbs or so and you should be good to go. The CZ550 is the working weapon of choice for lots and lots of PAes in Africa.

I want a 375HH and I have my sights set on an Interarms Whitworth Mauser.

If the Echols Legend was made to fit a drop box magazine it would be far and away my first choice. It is undoubtedly the finest synthetic stock I have ever handled. Anyone else notice the checkering is significantly better on that one than McMillans other stocks?

Ryan,

I believe the Echols Legend was originally designed by D'Arcy to accomodate his slightly wider mag box which allows him to get a 4+1 geometry in where the regular M70 factory box is 3+1. someone on AR mentioned it was merely a matter of millimeters. Frankly, I'm surprised no other gunmaker has done something similar.

Indeed it was, but that magazine box is unavilable to us.

I can say I really agree with all the different suggestions mentioned above and you would do well with whichever choice you make. I do want to suggest that you do not cut corners with the scope. You mention express sights which can be very effective when practiced with. You are talking about a hard hitting rifle to be used in tough locations under harsh conditions. You do not want a scope that goes south when the temperatures drop to below freezing or when temps go into triple digits.


"I want a 375HH and I have my sights set on an Interarms Whitworth Mauser."
My personal choice and used one in Africa for Cape Buffalo and Eland and Koodoo and Black Wildebeest.
Frank

Oh hell, just to be different. Get a Ruger No. 1H, tropical. Beautiful wood! Put a leupold VX3 1.5-6 power on board. Buy the dies, bullets, powder, brass, etc. You can do all the above for under $3,000, then get him to give up the rest of the money for trophy fees....!


maddog

Ryan; yes and it isn't cheap when you can get it....but it costs a lot of money and time to make,too.

A buddy just had his pre 64 M70 375H&H dropped into a Legend standard fill....sweet!

For $3K plus whatever for a scope I'd recommend a whole kit:
a 416 Ruger Alaskan
a 375 H&H Ruger safari or Winchester model 70
3 Zeiss Coquests in 1.8-5.5 and/or 3x9
a Pelican 1720 case

The short barrel 416 would be good for anything you run into up close in the thick and the 375 H&H you can get ammo for anywhere.
Loosing your ammo or busting a scope is more likely than having a gun rust up to the point where it won't work.

I think I would go Weatherby if picking a new rifle.
Second choice would be a Howa in 375 Ruger.
whelennut