First shots fired tonight (finally) using 270gr Hornady ammo. I initially just brought it just to check the recoil before sighting in my very sweet CDL 243,but I was totally hooked after the first round. The recoil is almost identical to my Marlin Guide Gun, which I love dearly. I didn't get sub-MOA, but I can tell the gun is most definitely capable, as I did put 2 through the same hole.

I freaking love this gun. The power to recoil ratio is extremely favorable to the shooter, and the shorter barrel is well worth whatever minor velocity loss there is. I can't believe I would ever say this, but I think I like this gun more than my 45-70.

You be a wise man! LOL.

Love my Alaskan too, including its "not so well liked" by some Hogue stock.

Aside from the Ruger African`s wood stock and 3" of longer barrel length, this link applies to the Alaskan too.

www.gunblast.com/Ruger-Hawkeye375.htm

A few good loading samples there to play with.

I've owned both the 375 and 416 ruger at one time. Loved them both. The 375 was my favorite. Recoil was no worse than my m77 338 win mag. Stocks are ugly but they feel almost perfect. I got moa out of the 375 and handloaded 300 grainers to 2600fps with h4350. Not bad for a 20" barrel. Cant go wrong with the alaskans!

TXpitdog,
You're gonna really love your 375 Ruger!!
Mine is at the 'smith, being bedded and having the trigger pull lightened.
It shoots lights out with 270 and 300 gr. Barnes TSX bullets- I decided to do the bedding to insure full contact between action and stock, as well as adding some strength to the wood stock.
If you hand load, be sure to add some crimp, being careful not to collapse shoulders.

I got to fondle an Alaskan 416 this week. Really nice. Came to the shoulder better than my Whitworth or Ruger African. I liked the Hogue stock. Then again I like Hogue's S&W revolver grips, AK grip and AR grip.

I've had my Alaskan for about 1 month now, so I know exactly how you feel...
Love going to range with it, and especially love the look you get from the guy next to you when you touch it off....Hunting season can't get back around soon enough this year!
johnny

I have the African, not the Alaskan, but what is common to both (and unusual for 375 H&Hs traditionally) is that the Ruger action/rifles ares proportioned more like most rifles chambered for the 30/06 genre of cartridges. This gives you a nice light, handy rifle useful even for the mountain west but with ample power. And contrary to traditional thinking, perhaps, is the 375 H&H/ 375 Ruger recoil is not so heavy as to require a 9lb rifle or so, typical of many H&Hs.

I've fire many other fast mediums and 30's that were more punishing. The 375 Ruger is a wnner.

I think the thing that really stands out is the recoil. There are plenty of calibers that can generate as much or more power, but you really feel it and can tell you're firing a magnum level round. The 375R just feels like a bigger 30-06, and the 30-35lb recoil is right at the maximum of what I can shoot all day enjoyably. In Texas, there really isn't anything that requires more than an '06, so for me the beloved 375 Ruger is primarily all about fun. I will kill a hog with it just to blood it, but hogs don't require something this big.

I forgot to mention that I have a Vortex Viper 2x7x32 on my 375,which is about as close a perfect match as you can get. I had the scope on my Hawkeye '06 this year for deer season, and it worked beautifully from the thicket all the way out to my longest shot of 177yds. 2x with the 375 in a 20" barrel makes for a quick handling hog hammer. Love it!

Here's a quick pic before I put the scope on...yes, it's a lefty!

Nice...

I have the african and love it. I'd like a 416 version. Or, if not a matte blue, walnut version, at least a laminate stock on a 20" SS model. Hate the Hogue......

I just loaded up some 235gn Speers for evaluation. The feedback on the 235gn Speer seems good. I am interested to see what the accuracy is like with them.

This may have been addressed, but where did you get that Laminate stock? I really like that.

It was a very limited run sold through Davidson's as best I can tell.

Question for you guys. What is the velocity loss with the 20" vs the 23" African in the 375 Ruger?

I have a SS UL Hawkeye in 30-06 and it came with a 20" barrel. I like the gun alot. I lost about 100 ft/sec with most bullet weights compared to 24" 06's I've had. I get 2700 with 180's in the 20" and 2800 with most 24" - so what......

I've handled the Alaskan and it feels good. Your reports on recoil are encouraging. I've shot a few lighter 375 that were loaded up and they weren't all that fun for 20-30 off the bench.

Don't own one myself, but HAVE seen one in action. Superb rifle. Accurate and very powerful. Seeing as how I enjoy bustin' on him just 'cuz, don't tell DocRocket that as I was unmerciflly taunting him on NOT using HIS 45/110 He took his buffler with the 375 Ruger and it does VERY well indeed!

I am working loads now and with 300 TSx no problem right at 2700 fps. I tried 270 north forks today and got just over 3700 and tiny groups and got over 2800 but accuracy was not there. I think my barrel in 23 inches

sorry my gun is a 375 ruger but it is a CZ action made by AHR

............After I bought may Alaskan, and before I began reloading for it, I came across this link which I posted earlier on this thread.

www.gunblast.com/Ruger-Hawkeye375.htm

You`ll see the chrony results for about 20 loads using Quinn`s 23" barreled African test rifle.

I worked up to and duplicated a couple of the H4350 loadings Quinn listed. One load that I duplicated lost me only 67 fps (or 22.33 fps per inch). The other was slightly less averaging 64.5 fps (or 21.5 fps per inch).

That falls right about in line with the 100 fps (or 25 fps per inch) you were losing from your 20" barreled 30-06 vs the 24" barreled `06.

If someone likes the shorter and handier Alaskan and prefers the 20" barrel, any velocity differences between the Ruger African vs the Ruger Alaskan should not be an issue at all. Under any circumstance, there isn`t one thing that the Ruger African can do that a Ruger Alaskan cannot do.

bwinters

My understanding is a loss of ~20-30fps per inch. The 20" barrel was my only misgiving on the Alaskan when I bought it. I had my eye out for the blued African but I couldn't refuse the deal I found on the Alaskan. I am now very happy with the barrel length and stainless feature of the Alaskan. I hope the black coating on it holds up well because I like it quite a bit.

I figured it would lose 100 ft/sec or less with the shorter barrel - looks like you guys are happy with the gun. I'm watching one on GB.......

Thanks.

My 20" 375 Ruger with a max load of RS Big Game with Barnes 270 GR TSX clocked @ 2725 FPS 3 shots @ .49".

With 72 Gr RL 15 270 TSX 2605 FPS 3 Shots @ .75".

I love my 416 with 350gr Barnes TTSXs