Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Ruger 375

I kind of like that funny looking bolt handle on the original H&H in the picture. It kind of grows on you.

Have you shot that particular H&H and what do you think of it? Thanks.

Nice Bar! Great Photo!

Are you planning to shoot anything that requires 375 power? If PG only, many lighter cartridges recoil less and work very well - including shots on eland - with the right bullets.

This is the result of a shot at just under 200 yds. with a Nosler 180 grain partition from a 300 WSM.

Gee's Phil I do like your Airplane, I could be very happy spend what is left of my pilot career flying that puppy!!

+1 on that. Flying small aircraft is a lot more fun than flying large jets.

Speaking of recoil, it's all in you head. Didn't any of y'all ever play football when you were young? You got knocked around a whole lot worse than the butt end of a rifle. You can work up to heavier recoiling rifles. It really helps to shoot one that is a lot larger than the 375. Then when you go back to the smaller caliber you think it is a pussycat. It works the same way with temperature. Around here cold weather is 40 degrees. Don't laugh, you northerners. It was 110 degrees and 90% humidity this summer. Then it gets to 20 degrees and when it warms up to 40, it isn't cold anymore. I used to wear a Past recoil pad to shoot a 7mm mag off a bench. I don't wear it anymore and I shoot up to a 450 NE. If recoil bothers you, try shooting standing up.

Wildcat--I will be shooting plains game including kudu and gembok. I understand that a 30-06 or 300 mag can be used and I have several rifles in both of these calibers, I just wanted to get another gun because eventually I want to go back to Africa for eland and zebra plus have a rifle for a griz hunt (if my retirement fund ever recovers). Thanks and get it coming.

Bob

Well, we can always jump to the "every serious rifleman should have a 375 at least some time in his life" argument. How can you argue with that?

Yea, as a PP, I like Phil's plane too.

I took my 375 Ruger African to Namibia in 2010. 75 gr RL15 pushes a 235 tsx @ 3k fps, is very accurate, and a decisive killer of plains game. Recoil is not bad either. I added an additional crossbolt (sent no charge from Ruger) and shortened the stock 1/2" and added a full 1" red pachmayer decelerator. Topped w/ a 2x7 Kahles, it is, IMO the perfect PG rifle.

Wyoguide--first time I ever heard about the additional crossbolt from Ruger, did they recommend it? Who installed it and does it void the warranty if someone other than Ruger installed it? I wonder why Ruger doesn't just build them with the crossbolt in it? Thanks.

Bob

I had an additional cross bolt added too, the Pachmayer also, and the tang-action and barrel glass-bedded. Not only a good PG rifle but a good elk smoker too. Ruger got the rifle proportions correct, IMO, for this cartridge.

Bob - No, ruger didn't reccommend it. But after hearing of others splitting problems w/ the wood stocks, I decided to be proactive and add it before I ever shot it. Same w/ the 1" decelerator. I don't know about what it does to the warranty, actually never thought about it till you said something! A friend of mine w/ a milling machine bored the stock for me. My rifle came w/ medium height rings, and I wanted lows, so when I called ruger CS about exchanging, I asked if I could purchase a factory crossbolt, so it would match the other. The lady who helped me said no problem, she'd just include it w/ the ring she was sending, no charge..........

George - I agree on the proportions. When I decided I needed a 375, initially I wanted an H&H, but CZ's are too bulky for my taste in factory form. Model 70's were not readily available at that time, and for me, are a little on the thick side too. Once I got to reloading for the Ruger, I really started to like it. Easy to load for, not finicky at all. Now I want one in 9.3x62.............

Same road I traveled.

Just shot my LH Ruger 375 -10 F with loads up to 74 Gr RL 15 with the 270 gr TSX.

Also Shot a load with 81.5 Gr of Ramshot Big Game the Ram Shot load had noticeably less recoil?

Don,t care to shoot a lot in that temp.

In answer to the recoil issue, oner of the most important things is to not get hurt the first time. If you don't get hurt you probably won't develop any flinch. As has been stated shooting standing from sticks is good practice, but for sighting in , or hand loaders, having a "standing bench" is a real boon. Avoiding the crouching position at the usual sit down bench will usually keep shooting anything with recoil much more pleasant.

Or, just adjust the stool down to a lower position so that your upper body and especially your neck is vertical instead of leaning forward like most people do at the bench.

I use the .375 alaskan as my primary hunting rifle here in Mt. I also have a .416 Alaskan that I used this past fall for Cape Buffalo in Zimbabwe. The 375 is quite tolerable to shoot but there is a DEFINATE step up in recoil when you go to the .416. Not unbearable but it is very noticeable! Good Luck!

Speaking of the .375 Ruger, check out this posting I made on Big Bore Only.

DF

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...wkeye_375_Ruger_with_Leupold#Post6141696

I got one of the Ruger 375's when they first came out. Before I ever fired a shot through it I had a gunsmith fully bed the action/barrel, added an ebony forend tip and a better recoil pad. I have shot several plainsgame with it using my own handloads with Swift A-frames. I topped it off with a Zeiss 2-8 Conquest. The rifle has performed flawlessly and recoil is not bad at all.