We left for our annual moose hunt on October 18th, it gave us a few days to find a good camp spot and a bit of scouting before the opening on the 20th. I ended up walking the same trail I had found last year, lots of moose signs and several swamps and ponds. This year lots of blow downs across the trail prevented ATV's from driving too far in it so, on foot, I had the whole place to myself.

On the third day, I took the path of the main trail that led to one of the ponds. As I approached the pond I saw this small bull in the water on the far side. We saw each other at the same time. He started trotting away to the shore and in the tall grass. I had the VX3 already on 2.5 and quickly found the bull in the crosshair as I took a knee. Gave him a bit of a lead and fired. At the shot I saw him drop like a bag of hammer, never to budge again.

Upon closer examination, it looks like I gave him more lead than required at only about 75 yds and the 250gr TTSX hit him in the neck which explained the reaction at the shot. Straight through, obviously, and a smashed neck.

Not a huge test for the mighty .375 Ruger but I'll take it anyway. This short compact rifle was a pleasure to carry and felt lighter than it actually was.




Ruger Alaskan in .375 Ruger;
McMillan Mark II Classic in GAP camo;
Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 in Ruger low rings;
Bedded and action smoothed by Guntech;
Barnes 250TTSX pushed by 83.5gr of H4350 @ 2750fps

How many boards have you posted this on? (4 I know of)

Yes 4, congrats, you can count. Most of these boards have different audiences.

OK - I was just wondering if it's the only thing that you ever shot - hence the broadcasting to the masses!

Well done BTW!

Nice bull.
Interested in the rifle- how's the recoil? Accuracy?

Thanks for the post... I only read one board!

And my gut definately puts me into the masses!!!

Why do you care?

I find it interesting that you apparently read it 4 times.

BC - good job. Thanks for posting the story and pics. I have a vested interest in your story as I own the same rifle except mine has a 23" tube. I've been pondering using the 270 TSX or 300 gr Partition for just such an application and have leaned toward the Partition. Recoil of the 375 is very manageable if you're not trying to squeeze every last ft/sec from the round. I have a 300 gr Hornady load that shoots at 2375 with 66 gr Varget. It is surprisingly easy on the shoulder. Even when pushed to 2500+ with 70 gr it isn't bad.

Can you go back out and shoot one in the shoulder and report back the results?

Good work with the stubby 375. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing man. I have been lusting after the 375R since it came out. I don't need one....but I sure do want one. Lol.

Reno

Nice bull.

Well done!

BCSteve-

Great story and glad that you got a moose!

If I shot one or fifty, I would tell everyone!!!

Nice bull, really cool rifle.

Piss off, Kudu11 what does that matter?

Wow! Congratulations. Moose is a dream hunt of mine. "One of these days.."

That .375 of yours is quite the rifle, and now it's a "meat maker" too.

I've only used my .375, a Ruger Number One, on black bear. It works just fine on them BTW. Thinking moose would be another good use for it!

Congrats, and thanks for posting. Someday, I'm going moose hunting too...

Regards, Guy

Congrats! Great hunt report!

I would like to do the same with my Talkeetna.

They do all seem to fall in the water.

Do you have a pic of the rifle as you have it done up now?

How do you like the Mickey stock for it? Is it really the same as the Sako Classic pattern?

Congratulations on the moose and I really like the rifle.

Nice job. The 250gr TTSX is the bullet I've been wanting to try in my .375 Ruger as well, as the 260 Accubond didn't penetrate like I wanted. Looks like this one will. My moose season opens Saturday, so I hope my luck is as good as yours.

Congrats and glad you posted it here or I would not have seen it!!!!

Outstanding! That rifle looks like a masher!

Decent bull, very nice rig. Congratulations!

The rifle as it shows in my original post is how its done up now. It's started as a factory Ruger Alaskan in the Hogue stock. Not sure what the Sako Classic looks like.


Thanks guys. It's not my first moose and not my biggest either but my first one with the .375 Ruger. I've shot moose with a 7mm Rem Mag, .35 Whelen and .300 WSM but the .375 Ruger Alaskan was awesome to carry with it's 20" barrel. It's also comforting to carry in grizzly country.

I'm not going to lie, the recoil is there. I even bought a Past shoulder sissy pad for bench work. In the field, as usual for me, I didn't feel anything.

With the load described above, when I finished developing the load I shot two 3 round group on the same target and ended up with a 6 shot group slightly over an inch.

That rifle is one really nice package. If it was not well thought out (which I'm sure Ruger did), it certainly turned out well!! Congrats!!

nice meat bull, young enough to be tender, big enough to fill the freezer....yummmm


and those .375 Rugers seem pretty danged nice. Pard killed a 9 something bear on Kodiak last year at about 18 yards

nuther pard was backing him up with a .458 Lott, wasn't needed.

course they cut the bear off perfectly and the bear never had any idea what hit him.

it can go a lil different with a bear that's revved up.

Congratulations and thanks for posting it here. I'm not a forum traveler and would have not seen the write up or photos had you not posted with us.

I'm not going to lie, the recoil is there. I even bought a Past shoulder sissy pad for bench work. In the field, as usual for me, I didn't feel anything.

With the load described above, when I finished developing the load I shot two 3 round group on the same target and ended up with a 6 shot group slightly over an inch. [/quote

Sounds like what I would probably do at the bench, yeah in the field it's not a concern.

I used the 250gr TTSX in my .375 HH. A couple years ago I called in a 54" bull and shot him straight on at about 45ish yds. The bullet entered his chest and exited out behind his last rib.
I think I am going to use that set-up again next season.

I like that rifle. Appears it performed as it should. Glad to hear you got a great moose. Lots of good meals there. Thanks for sharing. I'd love to find one of those. (rifles)

Good job. I really like those Ruger 375's. Congrats.

Thats what I like to hear! I can't find any up here yet, but if I do I'll certainly be trying them.

+1

i know this isnt the 1st time you've heard this but... GFY dick

I like the looks of your rifle quite a bit. Neat setup. The moose looks delicious..

Thanks! It's basically a stock Ruger Alaskan with the McMillan stock that I borrowed from my .35 Whelen. I never thought that the 2" shorter barrel would fell so different. I love the handling of the short Alaskan. I don't think the stock is going back on the Whelen. Actually, the Whelen may have to look for a new home!

Well, your 375 will do anything your whelen will do but shoot .357 pistol bullets.