Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 Ruger Again?

Damn good thing I am finding out now that I couldn't fly with handloads,so I can get off all those flights that I wasn't supposed to be on for the past 30+ years.....before they call and tell me I wasn't supposed to have done it...and before they take action retroactively....against me....

I coulda lost a lot of money that I would/should not have spent to get thrown off now.....instead...so thanks for letting me know back then...when I should not have done it....

Does this make any sense to anyone reading this?

No, which is why I'm politely asking for clarification prior to calling bullchit. I have now upped my check from "several" to "a bunch" and can't find any such thing.

George

Typical Swampcrotch bullshit. Reloads are fine as long as they are in boxes, cardboard, plastic or metal. A good question would be, how many times has he been on an airliner with guns & ammo?

Rules have changed several times just lately.

So which airlines are you referring to?

George

The swamp-itch is at it again....spouting crap he knows nothing about!

Yeah, but what if you forgot to pack it, or the baggage handlers lost it?

Actually, I load all my hunting ammo too, and yours is a very round, IMO.

..........Yup! Been beaten to death and then some. So let`s have some more fun, debate and beat it some more.

At one time, I did own a Win 375 H&H. It weighed about 11 lbs or so w/scope and was about 46" long. Although I`m quite strong, it nevertheless handled like a pig attached to the end of a shovel. Winchester and Browning have lightened their newer 375 H&H rifles up a bit, but still have the same `ol longer 375 H&H overall rifle lengths. The 375 H&H Kimbers are not exactly light either.

Then came along the 20" barreled, 40.75" OAL 375 Ruger Alaskan which I bought new in early `08. To say the least, a huge difference for the better in every conceivable handling dept; speed, handiness, shouldering, carrying; you name it. Many don`t care for its Hogue stock and it can be swapped! I just happen to like it. Mine weighs right at a hair over 9 lbs with scope. Listed weight for the Alaskan without scope and rings is 8 lbs.

While there is no killing difference between the 375 Ruger and 375 H&H, the 375 Ruger Alaskan nevertheless does duplicate any and all performance ballistics that any longer barreled and longer lengthed 375 H&H rifle can dish out. Much better handling from a shorter OAL rifle that gives up nothing ballistically to any longer 375 H&H rifle, is the Ruger Alaskan`s theme song. And it doesn`t disappoint.

As with all newly intro`d cartridges (especially those that have grown by leaps `n bounds in popularity) such as the 375 Ruger, many out of the way gun stores and other local gun stores don`t have ammo availability as of yet. As a reloader, I don`t need to worry about 375 Ruger ammo. Brass is available. In the future, I suggest you become a reloader.

Should you delight yourself and engage in a N/American or long ranged out of the country hunting trip, baggage handlers and airlines will not know the difference in whether you have a 375 Ruger rifle and its reloaded/factory ammo or a 375 H&H rifle and its ammo. One can get lost in transport just as easily as the other. In either case, your PH will have back up rifles and ammo for just such situations. Though it can happen, this losing of rifles and ammo in transport and,,,"therefore I should not buy any newer cartridge regardless of how popular",,,is a bunch of crap! This particular argument is always brought out when anyone comtemplates purchasing a newer round. I guess back in 1912 and through the late teens, people were afraid to pack up their newly intro`d 375 H&H rifles and ammo and trek to exotic hunting destinations too uh? Yeah right!

You can also call Hornady and learn from them, that they already have and are in fact still in the process of acquiring more distribtion approval permits for various So African provinces for their 375 and 416 Ruger factory ammo. Aside from Africa, Hornady`s worldwide distribution process is ongoing. And it happens to be a fact, that African PHs are getting their hands on 375 and 416 Ruger rifles. Does anyone think that Hornady would introduce two obvious winning cartridges, and then NOT have an going program for worldwide distribution?

If your priority is the more traditional and/or more on the nostalgic side, then get a 375 H&H and live with the added rifle length, weight and the more difficult handling. But if you want a powerhouse with the same or slightly better ballistic performance chambered in a shorter and better handling overall pkg which is just as accurate, then the 375 Ruger is your choice chambered in either the Ruger Alaskan or African. Both are extremely durable, accurate, and both feed flawlessly as well. Mine is and does!

The 20" barreled Howa M1500 chambered in the 375 Ruger would also fall into the great handling, accurate and durable categories and at a great price too.

My wife works as a travel agent and I think it is probably just as likely that they would lose your rifle. Then what would you do without a rifle? Probably either wait at the airport for it or borrow from someone else.
We flew to Alaska for our wedding anniversary to hunt caribou and we both used reloads. Nobody cared!
whelennut

I think what Swampy is thinking is not reloads, but what is stamped on the cartridge. For instance if you have 35 Whelen reloads in a 30-06 case, South African officials may frown on this. Whatever the gun has stamped as caliber, ammo has to have the same stamp on it. So, if you reload, you must use proper brass. I also think Federal is going to make the 375 and 416 Ruger rounds now. Both are very popular in Alaska. I read where someone is going to neck down the 375 ruger to .338 to try, and also 35 caliber.

Last April, SAPS never even asked about or to see our ammo (reloads btw, in plastic 20rd boxes). All they did was give the serial#'s a cursory look, took all of 5 min, out the door. Of course, Chris & Bruce from Gracy were there making things go very smoothly!

CDNN is making the decision easier, if you can live without the barrel band.

.375 Ruger Africans for $650.

Pete

Now that is a GREAT post!

I hear the "what if they lose your ammo" thing on this forum a lot.
I flew to Colorado to hunt elk a few years back and one of the guys had a rifle get lost on the way to Colorado?
Why is it that nobody ever asks that question?
What will you do if your rifle gets lost on the way to Africa?
I had a rifle confiscated in Amsterdam when changing planes 5 years ago.
It really sucks!
whelennut

I fly internationally at least every 2 years and my work collegue flys annually. In addition to that, i have work teams come over here to Europe every Summer and in the last 6 years we've never, never had any of the airlines permanently loose a bag.

I live in Bosnia and the types of airlines who fly here are not always the most up-to-date in their technology. However, individual bar-codes on every checked bag makes the tracking headache go away. The longest we've waited for a bag was 3 days...

3 days would suck on a 7 day hunt in africa

why coming from so far for only 7 days ???!!!

just saying. Some are 7 day hunts. Might be all i'll be able to afford if i ever get to go!

I am pretty more than sure the 375 Ruger is not going away. I am in the market for a 375 also and the CZ 550 in H&H is too long and heavy so it'll probably be the R Hawkeye African in 375 R which I may then do some twin king to. The Ruger cartridge is too well designed--ie, "30/06 length" action size--to disappear into the dustbin of history. Us lefties are very limited.

Bob, what stock is your 375 custom in? if you dropped the wood from the Ruger and dressed it in an ultralight stock, you might be able to save a few ounces....what about bottom metal, is your custom ultralight aluminum?
on top of that... and no knock to customs at all... the cost per ounce in that pound of weight difference are pretty expensive... a Ruger 375 can be had for around $700... my guess is that is about what you have in the barrel alone.

I'm not even sure what is out there for the 375 ruger but maybe the OP is best off to grab one and make some mods to lighten it up.