Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Shoemaker's 375 Ruger Article

.............I have had no such problems with the .375 Ruger. Feeding and extractions regardless of loads were absolutely flawless. On several occasions this past summer, I took mine into the hot California desert using max loadings in 100 + degree heat. And not one time did I have a problem with a frozen bolt or a sticky extraction.

Also! I have not read any reports, where an actual user of the 375 Ruger while in Africa reported these problems. Not from Boddington, Steve Hornady or any others. I have also contacted Hornady in the past regarding this issue and they even report no issues coming from Africa as of 3 months ago.

Yes! The H&H has a lower operating PSI. The 375 Ruger is rated to 62K if I`m not mistaken. But a higher operating PSI does not necessarily mean frozen or sticky bolts in hot weather, assuming the max loads are tailored to the individual rifle and not exceeded.

If hunting in Africa though, it wouldn`t be a bad idea to reduce things by a grain or so to be on the safe side when hunting dangerous game. The animal won`t know the difference anyway!

..You betcha!!!! And all over the place out here too.

bigsqueeze,what the hell are you doing awake? For sure a guy cannot go wrong with either cartridge! Do you own a H&H?

I`m not worried about any future ammo or reloading supply availability with the 375 Ruger. Afterall, the cartridge has been out only about two years now and look at how its taken off.

Howa has an 375 Ruger M1500 coming out this year. I believe that CZ is coming out with an offering, as a CZ rifle chambered in the 375 Ruger is pic`d on the front cover of my `08 Hodgdon reloading magazine. For only two years? NOT BAD!

.....I`m on the west coast! Earlier here! I have reloaded for and have used a 375 H&H. An old M/70 dating back to the 50`s. Don`t have anymore!

That`s right you cannot go wrong with either. I prefer the same ballistics, but from a shorter, better carrying and better handling package, that the 375 H&H cannot or does not offer. There`s the real difference and where the 375 Ruger shines...............NITE NITE!!

What is wrong with you? Holy moley.

You have not handled my 375,which is indistinguishable from a Hawkeye in 375 Ruger,if you put the Hawkeye in a synthetic stock.Here's the dirty secret...

The Ruger action that houses the 375 Ruger,or the pre 64 M70(say)that you use to BUILD a 375 Ruger,is the same dimensionally(on the outside) as those chambered for 375 H&H;the differences are internal only,in magazine length,loading port cutout,bolt travel, etc.

In fact, IIRC,I think Dave Scovill took a standard Ruger action in 338,and had the bolt stop and magazine modified,and rebarreled to 375 H&H;I think Phil Shoemaker has this rifle,last I read.(This would be essentially the same action as used on a 375 Ruger)

I could take a pre 64 M70 (or Classic)375 action, screw the same barrel contour on it as an Alskan or African,stock it the same,chamber to 375H&H,and you will not know the difference between that and the "alleged" advantages of a Hawkeye 375 Ruger.

This is a little trick that astute 375 users have been doing for...oohh..40-50 years....Al Biesen used to build them for guys like John Jobson.

So, we take a case that has been around since the turn of the LAST century,neck it up,give it a very cleverly designed rifle that 375 afficianados have been building for years,along with marketing hype touting it as "more efficient,fits on a standard action,etc..." and we have the 375 Ruger.

I point this out not to disparage the concept, the cartridge,the rifles(all of which I think are GREAT because they come as a package,from the factory and provide a great 375 bore at reasonable prices),but to point out that if you think there is some inherent superiority to the Ruger design over the H&H in weight, efficiency, or performance,you're wrong.....you ain't looking close enough And you really don't have a lot of experience building, loading for, or shooting 375 H&H's.

It's fun to watch the younger guys who post on here proclaim something as absolutely "new" and "wonderous",and more "efficient" than everything else that came before it, when ,in fact,most of the new wondrous cartridges designs out there(WSM's and RUM's,too) are rehashes of something that came before,and are in fact older than dinosaur shidt.

Mr. Bobin!!!! How long is the barrel on your 375 H&H? And what is the overall length of that rifle??

When I say a shorter, better handling and carrying package, I`m not referring to the actions themselves or comparing the "ACTIONS" for size, their dimensions, or the magazines. I didn`t even mention them. This has absolutely nothing to do with the actions, barrel contours, magazines, custom builds or any thing else you mention in your last post!!

I`ve been around for 57 years and have hunted 38+ years along with the same amount of years reloading. So I guess that makes me a younger in-experienced guy. And I never "proclaimed" anything as "wonderous" as you say. A total idiotic exaggeration on your part. I instead presented the facts during this entire thread.

Let me explain and make this as simple for you as I can.

The .375 Ruger is available in the Alaskan version! The overall length of that rifle is 40.25" with a 20" barrel! Well sir! That is the rifle that I own! Can you please name for me sir, ANY maker from the factory, that chambers the 375 H&H in a rifle, with the SAME dimensions in overall length and barrel length as the Ruger Alaskan rifle? Hmmmm?.......Unless its a custom build,,,NO YOU CANNOT! When I say a shorter, better handling package I`m referring to the rifle size; not the action, not the magazines, not the barrel contour! I suppose you are going to tell me that a longer H&H rifle, is a better handling rifle than an Alaskan?? If so, you`re smoking something whacky and you sir have never handled the Alaskan rifle.

You say that I`m wrong to point out that there is an inherent superiority to the Ruger design in weight, efficiency and performance..... You further state that I don`t have alot of experience loading for or shooting 375 H&H`s! WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS there sir!!! I use to own a 375 H&H and reloaded it for many years.

If I`m wrong as you say, about the inherent superiorty of the 375 Ruger design in weight, efficiency and performance, then would you be so kind as to explain to all of us, HOW AND WHY a 20" tubed 375 Ruger, can duplicate and exceed by a small margin, 24" barreled 375 H&H ballistics? PLEASE EXPLAIN SIR!!

How is it sir, that my lowly 20" tubed Alaskan, can propel a 270 gr Hornady SP at a chrony`d speed of 2808 fps max load (WANT DETAILS?), using my reloads and averaged 2703 fps using Hornady factory 270 gr. ammo? HOW AND WHY IS THAT? From a 20" tube, a 375 H&H can`t match that performance even with max loadings!! SO THEREFORE, THERE MUST BE A SOMETHIN GOING ON HERE!! COULD IT BE IN THE CASE DESIGN???? A MORE EFFICIENT CASE DESIGN PERHAPS??? HMMMM??

With the 375 Ruger, regardless of bullet weight, how can you have equal or better performance from a barrel 4" and maybe 5" shorter,,,UNLESS THERE IS A MORE EFFICIENT CASE DESIGN TO BEGIN WITH??? Please explain!!

In your explanation, don`t bring up actions, action dimensions, magazines, builds, barrel contours and all that other irrelevant crap, which has absolutely nothing to do with anything I previously mentioned as I never even mentioned them.

Give us your explanation! NO SPINNING YOUR ANSWER EITHER!

bigsqueeze:Goodness, aren't we animated this morning!My 375 has a 24" tube; if I cut it to 20,it's the same as your RugerAlaskan

Sako made a Carbine in 375 H&H that was shorter than the Ruger Alaskan;I know because I shot it plenty on trips to Alaska.Yes I've handled the Alaskan; the experience was so heady,I was revived with smelling salts. Seiously, the Alaskan is a great rifle for it's intended purpose,once you get it restocked.The Hogue stock is a POS.

If you read my post carefully, I SAID the 375 Ruger is a great package FROM THE FACTORY.But to suggest you can't get a 375 H&H built the same way is nonsense,and this is what you stated; to paraphrase you get a rifle that the 375H&H doesn't or can't "offer".I say you're wrong.That's all.

Generally H&H rifles were built heavier,and longer than they needed to be from the factory;Ruger has corrected that;and used the Ruger cartridge to facilitate the transition.Acknowledged.

Yes the 375 Ruger has a skosh more capacity and is a hair faster,in theory.Big Deal.I don't care;neither does the game.

If the differences are not in the actions,magazine lengths,barrel conoturs,and stocking, where precisely are they?

My apologies if I insulted you with reference to your age; by your writing, I mistook you for someone younger...

Does anyone know the case capacity of the Ruger 375 by chance?

Thanks

Fred

Ooops! Just found the answer to my own question on the first try-
According to one site, the H&H has 85 grains capacity to bottom of neck, and the 375 Ruger has 6 to 8 % more capacity, depending on who you believe.
Fred

+1, Bob.

Man, am I glad I let someone with more experience and better writing and reasoning skills articulate the same attitude I have regarding these two cartridges!

What I'm taking away from this discussion is that both cartridges are good, both do the same thing. One (Ruger) might get you slightly higher velocities, but most everyone agrees you don't need the extra velocity. So, the great advantage? A shorter overall rifle? Some may see that as an advantage, some may not. I suspect those that would most likely see this as an advantage are Alaskan guides who end up chasing bears into the alders or PH's in Africa who have to follow up wounded game in the thick stuff. People like Phil. For the average hunter, though, I would believe this to be mostly a perceived advantage, rather than a real one. Different folks, different likes and dislikes. Obviously, guides like Phil and PH's in Africa haven't put any conditions on how long the barrel on your rifle needs to be or what the overall length of your rifle is since it doesn't make much difference for the hunter.

The other thing I will add is on the availability of ammo in Africa. Just because you have a distributor in RSA does not mean that you can get that ammo anywhere you hunt in Africa. I find it humorous that on one hand, this distribution of Ruger ammo in Africa is supposedly happening as we speak, very rapidly, but on the other hand, other manufacturers chambering rifles in .375 Ruger takes time, don't you know. If you think things happen slowly here, then the pace in Africa is glacial by comparison. Currently in Zim, even finding 375 H&H ammo is a challenge should you lose your ammo in transit. And if you can't find the H&H, it would be a miracle of no small proportion to find the Ruger variety. Perhaps if you're hunting with the high end guys in Tanzania, they might be able to pick up some ammo for you to have it waiting when you arrive in camp, but I sure haven't heard of this happening much, at least with the hunters I talk to. If you're hunting in RSA or Namibia, then you might be able to get the ammo, but I sure wouldn't want to count on that. As they say, YMMV.
Test

This is a very funny thread. I can hardly imagine a finer splitting of frog hairs than to argue the distinctions between the .375 H&H and the .375 Newton (oops, Ruger ). As far as attainable velocities go, you could likely have equal variation amongst several rifles with the same chambering as you could with rifles of different chamberings. I took three 22" barreled .280's to the range last summer; fired three loads through each of them. Velocities varied as much as 150 fps. Tolerances vary; so do velocities. Don't mean squat. Efficiency is relative.

My .375 Ruger African is a grand rifle chambered in a grand cartridge. I expect the cartridge will be around for a while, but I have brass and dies, so it matters little to me. I went to Africa with a .404 Jeffery and a .35 Whelen, against all sorts of fear-mongering advice. My ammo arrived; I killed things.

What I really need to know is -- does the correct direction of sling swivel release button orientation vary between .375 H&H and .375 Ruger?

Dennis

Bobin!..............By your reply, I can see and suspected that you would do the `ol tap dance, or the 2 steppin routine and not answer my questions head on or directly. Aside from "custom builds" which I stated, I never said that obtaining a H&H in the size of the Alaskan wasn`t possible. Anyone with a 375 H&H, can cut down a rifle to the same porportions as the Alaskan which will handle just as well. Perhaps I should have stated that or been more clear!

Forget if you would the rifles themselves, your dislike of the Hogue stock, the barrel contours, the actions, the magazines and so on and just concentrate if you can on two things and two things only. The two individual cartridges as designed and barrel length and answer the question put to you from my last post.

As I said from the beginning or earlier, this has nothing to do with stopping power as both are equal. Any animal won`t know the difference and it is truly "no big deal"

You say that "in theory" the Ruger is a hair faster! No sir! That is not a theory. That is a ballistic fact! The Ruger case holds more powder than does the H&H case, plain and simple!

So again, if you would be so kind as to answer my question directly put to you in my last post, which obviously bears repeating again.

If I`m wrong "as you say" about the inherent superiority of the 375 Ruger design in weight, efficiency and performance, then how and why is it sir, that the 375 Ruger, from a 20" barrel, can duplicate and exceed slightly 375 H&H ballistics from a 24" barrel? Care to Hornady directly who developed the Ruger round and tell them that`s a theory?......Please stay on that issue alone sir and answer that question. Forget the rifles, magazines, chambers, chamber dimensions, contours, bolts, stocks, or anything else. Stick with the cartridge design and barrel length.

........Just relaying info as was told to me by Hornady as it relates to their marketing program for their factory ammo.

RinB,
In a 27" original length tube and 95 grs. of IMR-4831 ( I use some of the old surplus 4831 and its even better) I can get 2653 FPS in the 404 Jefferys..Remember its case capacity is near that of the .416 Rigby and some folks get near 2800 FPS with the Rigby.

I chronograped this rifle I'm building with that load and came up with 2592 FPS for 10 shots taking out the high and low..I have reloaded these cases shooting that load as many as 14 time with 3 trimmings in the past..It is max and recoil is grim.

Mike Brady tested my loads in his test barrels at Northfork and came up with 2500 plus in a 24 inch barrel and safe pressure.

My DG hunting loads are 93 grs. of IMR-4831 for 2444 FPS in my new rifle. Solids and softs shoot together in my gun..I deem 2400 FPS as the perfect velocity for bullet performance and recoil tolerance in my case. It will be my using load, as it has in other 404s over the years. I have shot more DG with the 404 Jefferys than any other cartridge with the exception of the .416 Rem perhaps..

It's a wonderful round and nostalgic, my all time favorite, but for those without nostalgia, the 416 Ruger or Rem will serve them just as well and at less expense.

I don't see the 375 Ruger as a threat to the .338 Win..The .338 Win didn't come on with a burst and drive everyone nuts, it slowly but surely by use and word of mouth worked its way to the top of the sales peramid..It earned its bones and sales are not right up there..These kinds of cartridge stay on top of the heap..Folks that have used it realize that any caliber that can push a high sectional density bullet of .338, weighing .210 grs. at 3005 FPS and a 300 gr. Woodleigh at 2500 FPS and not tear you apart just have a lot to offer...

The .338 will be with us for many years to come and rightfully so. I can't think of a better all around cartridge.

This is no slam on the .375 Ruger as it is what it is, a great round, but its not going to wreck the firearms industry with sales, folks won't dump all their big bores and rush out and buy one, but it will do well I believe..There is room for all...

bs (short for big squeeze, or is it?)

I guess you never heard of sliced bread.

I have had a .375 Ruger African since Dec '06, well before ammo was available. Since then I have shot and hunted with it, and my other .375s have gone down the road.

I like the .375 bore for North America, and the 270 gr premium bullets make a wonderful complement for this rifle.

The M77 Hawkeye African is also an excellent design in most ways (I fixed a couple of things I didn't like). The M77 has become my action of choice for production bolt guns.

jim

........In reading your post here and your last one, I can see that you`re a great contributor,,,,,,WITH LOTS OF INFO TO ADD!!!