Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 Ruger velocities?

I've got a 375 Ruger Alaskan with a 20" barrel. I'm gettin 2525 fps with H414 and 300 gn Barnes X bullets. I'm looking for some real world info on wether or not I can expect any more speed out of that 20" barrel? I have some Reloader 17 and some hybrid 100V I was thinking of trying. Also does anyone know what's the cheapest 300 grain bullet I can shoot for practice.

I think the sierra boattails are the cheapest 300s.

I'm getting 2725 with the 300's in a 23" Brux tube via H-4350.

...........Also have a 375 Ruger Alaskan. Haven`t loaded up any 300 grainers yet, but did use this link to work up and duplicate a load or two using the 270s.

http://gunblast.com/Ruger-Hawkeye375.htm

From the 20 loads posted, there are two 300 grain loadings using H-4350. From the African`s 23" barrel, you`ll find velocities at around the mid 2700 fps range. Figuring at around a 20 to 30 fps "per inch" velocity loss for 3" of shorter Alaskan barrel length, you should be at around the low to mid up to the latter 2600s using H-4350 and a 300 grain bullet.

But as we all know, there are faster bores and some slower ones too. In any event the H-4350 imo, is a better choice for the 375 Ruger than is H-414. But then again, that would really depend on what your particular Alaskan prefers.

One of the H-4350 270 gr loads that I worked up to and dup`d, was the 270 gr load which gave Quinn 2875 fps from his African test rifle. That same load in turn got me 2808 fps from my Alaskan. In looking at Hodgdon`s data, you`ll find that Quinn`s loads are a few grains over their H-4350 recommended maximums. I bring that up simply because, that if I can propel a 270 gr at just over 2800 fps, then the mid 2600s shouldn`t be a problem using the 300 grainers when I decide to start using them and H-4350.

If the max velocity you`re getting is 2525 fps with the 300 Barnes, then try working up some loads using some H-4350 and see what you get.

Hodgdon is known for their more conservative max listed loadings. Regardless, make sure you still work up your loads by 1/2 gr increments.

H4350 was the first powder I tried. I really wanted to use it but I could NOT get the 300 gn barnes bullets to seat over anything close to a max load. That powder wouldn't compress enough to get the bullet seated and I actually bulged the case out trying! I'm not sure if this was from the extra length of the barnes bullet or what? The flake type powder of the h414 compressd much more easily and gave me no problems at all. Sooooo I think I need to stick with a flake type of powder and hope I can find one with some more fps.

Max MV I've gotten from my 375 Ruger Alaskan is 2619 fps with H-4350 and a 300 grain Barnes TSX. The same load in the African's 23" barrel (same temperature and range conditions) produced 2688 fps MV. The H-4350 charge that resulted in these velocities showed no pressure signs on the African, but sticky bolt lift in the Alaskan. As a result, I don't consider H-4350 the right powder for MVs in the 2600s in the shorter Alaskan barrel, at least with mu chamber dimensions. I have not yet tried RL-17 but have that on my list for this summer.

In my 404 Ruger African's 23" barrel, RL-17 has produced the best MVs (2425 fps with a 400 grain bullet), so suspect that a powder slightly slower than the 4350s (RL-17) would produce similar results in the 375 Ruger. Although only opinion until I have firing data to support it, I suspect the slower burn rate of RL-17 will likely safely allow MVs in the 2600s with a 300 grain bullet in the 20" Alaskan barrel.

Thanks for the info so far everyone.