Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Your Pick .375 Ruger, .375 H&H, .338 Win Mag, .416 Ruger For A Big Game Rifle?

I read this on the internet.



�When a client shows up in camp with a .375 Holland & Holland, you immediately know that you have a practical and able chap as a customer, a wise and knowledgeable hunter who will listen to reason. When a client shows up in camp with a .458 Win Mag, you know that most likely the only experience the hunter has had is reading the pages of Outdoor Life magazine, probably 30-year-old editions. When a client shows up in camp with a Remington or a Weatherby in any caliber, you know the hunter�s experience probably does not extend past the clerk at the gun counter. When a client shows up with a double rifle, you know you have an elitist for a customer, much like the guy coming down the charter boat dock at the marina carrying a fly rod, and you approach him with caution. When a client shows up with a .416 Rigby, you know you have someone who has studied and respects the rich history and traditions of the sport of dangerous-game hunting. And when a client shows up in camp with a .404 Jeffery, you know this is someone who cares enough about said history and traditions to go to the immense trouble of building and loading a gun and cartridge long sacrificed to the gods of mass production and commercialism. You take a liking to this guy immediately.�

makes me think a .404 Ruger might be the answer to the question.

375H&H is always a good choice. .338 Win Mag is a little on the small side if you happen to meet a grizzly bear. The .375 Ruger will work fine but make sure to take plenty of ammo it is a little hard to find sometimes. The .416 Ruger is the same as ammo can be harder yet to find plus the recoil is something that needs to be worked up to. Most people find it more than acceptable.

My Sako Fiberclass .375 H&H is my go to Alaska rifle.

One of the .375's since a brown bear is a possibility. I don't see a big advantage for one cartridge over the other. I found a super deal on a Talkeetna so that is what I own.

30/06 springfield covers grey squirrels to Elephants. I see no need for anything else.

profundity right there......................................................

That would be the .338 WM and /or the .375 H&H. We (wife) and I use both.....exclusively! Though the .375, is of the AI persuasion!

Nothing wrong with the other two. The Ruger pretty much duplicates the H&H, the .416.....I’d prefer a flatter shooting more versatile cartridge. Ammo availability also gives the “nod” to the WM and the H&H! memtb

Come on Phil, didn’t someone tell ya that “when the light gets dim....iron sights are in”!
I’ve got irons on my rifle, and hope to “never” use them....especially in poor light! memtb

if I needed ammo in Alaska for that reason the only two I would use is 1st choice 338 win.mag. 2nd would be 375 H&H

I’m going to give you the award for being “The King of bringing up forgotten threads.”
6 for 8

I lived in and hunted Alaska 12-years and I started hunting with the 338 win mag in a Ruger 77 tang rifle .I learned quick wood stocks and blued rifles are not the greatest thing In Alaska so I.bought a stainless 338 Ruger 77 mark II rifle .It is super accurate but I was hunting the tundra alot and shots under 300 ,yards were way less than those over 300 yards .I then saw weatherby was making the 338-378 weatherby accunark .I got one then another one and put big 6'5x20 scopes on.them .I also bought a 416 rem mag for the thickets and for a tent gun for bears at night .That combo worked awesome .Now I am thinking about building a 30 inch barrel 338-378 weatherby for even more range .I still use my 338 win mag in.the lower 48 but my 338 win mags in Alaska got loaned to friends who used them up to 300 yards with great success .That's the only down side to the 338win mag but it's an awesome rifle in Alaska but the 338-378 weatherby accumarks made everything alot better.They are like big game varmint rifles .If I can handle them I will try to use the 300 grain bullets in the 338-378 weatherby they add range to then also .

376 steyr
Cause I got one
Cause it's scary accurate
Cause I got 600 pieces of brass
Cause it'll launch a 270@ 2500+

OK...and now for the “upside”!

In the US, the .338 with 185gn TTSX for the medium stuff and 265gn LRX for the bigger animals.
On the African Continent, the .375 H&H with the 270gn TSX as an all rounder.
John

.375 H&H with a 300 grain soft and a solid.

I have a harem of "perfect, all around Alaskan rifles " that I keep in camp as loaners for guides, packers and clients. They are chambered in .338, 9.3x62, 375 H&H and Ruger and .416 Ruger and Rigby.
The 375 Rugers are the most popular by far. The 375 H&H and the 9.3x62 come in a distant second.
Although both .338's are superbly accurate, very few of today's hunters seem interested in either them or the 416's

I also just returned from the annual SCI convention in Las Vegas and heard from a good number of African PH's that the .375 Ruger is making serious inroads in popularity over there as well.

I love the 9,3X62, but I would guess that the 303 has killed more buffalo.

When the .375 Ruger came out I thought it would start replacing the .338 Win. Sounds like that is about right.

"...heard from a good number of African PH's that the .375 Ruger is making serious inroads in popularity over there..."
Did they talk about the availability of ammunition for the 375 and 416 Ruger on the Africa continent? Don't get me wrong both cartridges are very innovative and I am a strong proponent. However when I took my 416 Ruger to Zim the PH said that ammo was only available in a large city in South Africa.

I cannot say that the 375 Ruger totally replaced my 338 Win. But, will say it did replace it for the moose hunting that I do in the more restricted visibility areas that I hunt. And if, I were a specifically targeting bear, the 375 Ruger or the 416 Ruger does replaces the 338 Win for me. Needed perhaps not, but psychologically comforting for me without a doubt a yes.

The 375 Ruger has replaced the 375 H&H for my hunting, unless I am in a nostalgic mood. And that mood is usually sedated at the range and not the field. Though I still own more rifles in 375 H&Hs than any other cartridge.