Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Ruger Hawkeye African .375 Ruger and Barnes TSX- Wow!

Several weeks ago I bought a Ruger Hawkeye African, in .375 Ruger. Also bought a couple boxes of the Hornady 300 gr. DGX bullet ammo.

Initial results were, well, less than impressive- the best groups I could get were around 2.5" at 100 yd, with the average of 30 rounds being a little over 3 inches. Rounds were shot over a period of three range visits, with thorough cleaning between visits.

I took the rifle apart, checked for any obvious bedding problems, checked the scope mounts, nothing looked wrong.

Time to handload! Bought Barnes TSX bullets, in 270 and 300 grain weights, a set of RCBS dies, and 50 Hornady unprimed cases. Since I had a supply of RL 15 powder already on hand, and CCI 250 primers, I loaded up a number of rounds, as follows:

270 gr.- 73.5, 74.0 gr. RL 15, COAL 3.30"
300 gr.- 71.5, 72.0 gr. RL 15, COAL 3.30"

Bottom line is, NONE of these test rounds shot poorly! Best performers were the 270 gr. 74.0 gr. load, with a .79" 3-shot group at 100, and the 300 gr. 71.5 gr. load, with a one-hole group, at .27" center to center. No group was larger than 1.1".

It was 28 degrees this morning, and I didn't feel like setting up the chrono- that will be next.

I'm pretty impressed with this kind of accuracy, from a "DG" rifle. I just feel lucky to have stumbled on a bullet type and powder that work well, without having to to a lot of experimentation.

This rifle is headed to Argentina with me in August, for Asian water buffalo and wild boar. Will probably settle on a 300 gr. load, but I imagine the 270 gr. would work as well.

Congrats. Gotta love it when great results come so easily.

Go here and see more good 375 Ruger loadings. The African is the test rifle.

gunblast.com/Ruger-Hawkeye375.htm

I note that Jeff Quinn bought his right handed test rifle because it was so accurate, even tho he is a lefty.....

You have yourself a nice rifle, and yes the 270gr Barnes bullets will do all that you need them to do and more. I would load those up and hunt them. I have found Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets to often be the most accurate bullet in a gun, and always accurate enough for a hunting rifle. My 416 rigby will shoot several weights of Barnes into a ragged single hole at 100 yards. Big bores often are quite accurate when the nut behind the trigger is working well

Sounds like you are set lots of guys are doing well with RL 15 I would imagine either bullet would do everthing you would want. Nice shooting

I have come to expect that kind of accuracy from TSX's. I have experienced the same accuracy with Hornady GMX's.

Either the 270 or 300gr will work.

Congrats and have fun.

You found one of the three types/brands of bullets in 375 cal that shoot extremely well. Every caliber Ive used TSX in have shot very accurately. the other really good one to try is the accubonds. If I remember correctly, the sierra game kings also shoot well in the 375 cal.

270 TSX works best in my Alaskan, also maybe it's just me but felt recoil is much less compared with the 300gr