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Posted By: jkinpa Talk to me about the 375 Ruger - 02/24/20
I like my mid bores.i hunt mostly with a 35 whelen or 338wm.

I’ve got a 338wm Winchester Classic barreled action that I’m looking to do something with.
375 Ruger?
Originally Posted by jkinpa
I like my mid bores.i hunt mostly with a 35 whelen or 338wm.

I’ve got a 338wm Winchester Classic barreled action that I’m looking to do something with.
375 Ruger?
....................With the exception of a different case design, about the same performance as the H&H. The Ruger has about 8 grains more powder capacity enabling slightly better velocities given the same tube lengths. And from a 20" barrel, it can equal the ballistics of a 24" barreled 375 H&H. If shortening your Winchester's barrel down a few inches to make it a handier rifle is something you are thinking of doing as well, you will still have the ballistics of a 24" barreled H&H.

I enjoy my 375 Ruger Alaskan. I have never had any issues with feeding nor extracting with this cartridge.

The 375 Ruger is a wonderful round.
Really like my .375 Guide model. But I get just 5 grains greater powder capacity measuring capacity of fired RP H&H vs Hornady .375 R brass. No matter, I easily get 270 gr to 2700 fps, and 300 gr to 2575 fps. Hornady brass is excellent, took one batch to 16 reloads before tossing. Just to see. Primer pockets never loosened.
I haven't killed anything with it but think it is a good round. Taking it for black bear in Maine this year. Recoil doesn't seem bad to me and there are reduced loads you can use for practice and probably for deer.
How about a .358 Norma Mag?
Originally Posted by jkinpa
I like my mid bores.i hunt mostly with a 35 whelen or 338wm.

I’ve got a 338wm Winchester Classic barreled action that I’m looking to do something with.
375 Ruger?

What would you use the .375 Ruger for? Unless you intend to go to Africa for large plains and/or dangerous game, not much benefit over what you already have.

That said- I do own a .375 Ruger, a Hawkeye African, that has been to Africa for large and dangerous game, to Argentina for Asian Water Buffalo, and Texas for Nilgai. With either 270 gr. Barnes TSX or 250 gr. TTSX bullets, it has performed perfectly. I stocked it with a Mcmillan Mcwoody mag fill stock, and topped it with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8 scope.

If you really want a .375 Ruger rifle, you could do far worse than Ruger's version, IMO, and you could probably find one used for far less than doing a conversion of another action.
Originally Posted by Bighorn
Originally Posted by jkinpa
I like my mid bores.i hunt mostly with a 35 whelen or 338wm.

I’ve got a 338wm Winchester Classic barreled action that I’m looking to do something with.
375 Ruger?

What would you use the .375 Ruger for? Unless you intend to go to Africa for large plains and/or dangerous game, not much benefit over what you already have.

That said- I do own a .375 Ruger, a Hawkeye African, that has been to Africa for large and dangerous game, to Argentina for Asian Water Buffalo, and Texas for Nilgai. With either 270 gr. Barnes TSX or 250 gr. TTSX bullets, it has performed perfectly. I stocked it with a Mcmillan Mcwoody mag fill stock, and topped it with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8 scope.

If you really want a .375 Ruger rifle, you could do far worse than Ruger's version, IMO, and you could probably find one used for far less than doing a conversion of another action.


Lotsa good sound advice here....thanks!
I think? Making me rethink on this 🙄
You don't need the length of the Winchester action for a 375 Ruger.

Why not just convert it to the real thing--375 H&H?

Or start loading for the 338, and experiment with some really HEAVY bullets that are available from Swift and Woodleigh?
Originally Posted by DakotaDeer
You don't need the length of the Winchester action for a 375 Ruger.

Why not just convert it to the real thing--375 H&H?


Would need a box and follower, but certainly an option. I have one I bought on here from a forum member - seems to feed well. Ejection port is shorter than the factory 375 h&h.
257 Weatherby
I love the round. Have the Ruger 20" barrel in a stainless left hand with laminated stock. Topped with a Leupold 1.5x6x32.
It's accounted for a brown bear on Kodiak and a moose in S W Alaska. I handload 270 TSX and have no complaints. I may give up some velocity with the shorter barrel but the animals haven't complained.
It would be even better in a longer barrel and would make a lot better long range elk round than most would expect. I'm a big fan of the 338 Win Mag, two moose and an elk, but I would never give up my 375 Ruger.
Really like my 375 Ruger Guide Gun. Had my gunsmith polish bolt rails,adjust trigger to 2 pound crisp pull with no creep,free float barrel and glass bed action. Topped it with Leupold VX3 2.5-8X36mm scope with Alaskan Arms LLC quick detach rings. Also have NECG Ghost Ring Sight that fits where back scope ring attaches to receiver. Handload 78.5grs of RL17 powder and Nosler 300gr. Accubond that I get 1/2" 3-shot group at 100yds. Chronographed at 2590fps average. Also load a Woodleigh 350gr. PP that I get an inch group and is chronographed at 2390fps. The Nosler 300gr. Accubond load has killed 2 mule deer and 2 cow elk.
33 Nosler is an interesting round.
Posted By: OAM Re: Talk to me about the 375 Ruger - 02/27/20
I'm a bit of a big bore junkie. I have a 375 ruger alaskan, 375 h&h model 700 and a m70. I love the short barrel on the ruger. The recoil is very manageable with the muzzle brake sold stock with the rifle also. I will warn you not to be the guy shooting a .375 with a muzzle brake at a crowded range though. Whenever there is a new cartridge with claims to be a little faster, flatter, or have more kinetic engery there will be guys that are sentimental to its predecessor and immediately bad mouth it. I.e. 270 wsm vs. 270 win, 6.5 creedmore vs. 260 rem vs. 6.5 swede, ect. This year my 375 ruger really grew on me and is my new favorite brown bear/moose rifle.
Not a whole lot of difference in a .375 Ruger and a 9.3x62. I've used my 9.3 on deer. It's a fun gun to shoot and knocks big bucks down like thunder.
Originally Posted by OAM
I'm a bit of a big bore junkie. I have a 375 ruger alaskan, 375 h&h model 700 and a m70. I love the short barrel on the ruger. The recoil is very manageable with the muzzle brake sold stock with the rifle also. I will warn you not to be the guy shooting a .375 with a muzzle brake at a crowded range though. Whenever there is a new cartridge with claims to be a little faster, flatter, or have more kinetic engery there will be guys that are sentimental to its predecessor and immediately bad mouth it. I.e. 270 wsm vs. 270 win, 6.5 creedmore vs. 260 rem vs. 6.5 swede, ect. This year my 375 ruger really grew on me and is my new favorite brown bear/moose rifle.


If I lived up where you do I'd probably have a 375 Ruger already.

Can't really justify one for Colorado, although I have a Savage 111 without a barrel and, while I have lots of rifles .338 and under, no bolt rifles with bigger holes. So while a 6.5PRC or .264WM is tempting, a .375 Ruger keeps crossing my mind.
In my eyes, the 375 Ruger throws 35 cal weight (and heavier) bullets as fast (or faster) than the 338 velocities. Best of both worlds in the same length action and bolt face as the 338. The only downsides, that I see, is that it's not right for a lightweight set up, and they're limited factory rifle options. But if the factory rifles do fit, no downsides wink
Originally Posted by Coyote_Hunter

Can't really justify one for Colorado, although I have a Savage 111 without a barrel and, while I have lots of rifles .338 and under, no bolt rifles with bigger holes. So while a 6.5PRC or .264WM is tempting, a .375 Ruger keeps crossing my mind.

I live in Colorado and I have one built on an old push feed M70 XTR. I took it pronghorn hunting and killed a doe and one wounded buck at 275 yards, dropped him pretty hard. Put a 270 grain Hornady SP through the hip and it came out the neck in the off side. Cool cartridge and I'd use it a lot more if the dang rifle wasn't so heavy. It would make one hell of an elk stomper.
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