375 REM ULTRA MAG

[BARTFRNCS]

Could someone give me a review of this chambering. I am thinking about building a rifle in this chambering. Thanks in advance

Bart

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Could someone give me a review of this chambering. I am thinking about building a rifle in this chambering. Thanks in advance

Bart

Well my first reaction to your post was to ask what purpose is the rifle to be used for, PG or DG? But in the end I don't think it matters. Recoil is the reason for this.

If it's PG, according to my Swift reloading manual a 250gr A-Frame can be pushed at upwards of 2900fps at the muzzle and a 270gr upwards of 2800fps. This will give you the ballistics to shoot 300 yards quite easily and you'll have plenty of knock down power yet for Eland size game. AND, you'll do so with a load that is quite recoil friendly especially in comparison to the RUM.

If it's DG, well I guess I see no purpose. I do not have any experience hunting DG, but I do read an awful lot about it. And I don't think I've read too much wrong when it comes to the 404 Jeffery or 416 Remington / Rigby cals. The 416 Remington has pretty identical recoil numbers, but that's pushing a 400gr pill at 2400 which is going to have considerably more momentum which equates to deeper penetration. This is what you want on DG.

So I guess I'd say either stick with the 375 H&H if it's for PG or go to the 404J or one of the 416's for DG.

For recoil reference, look here: Rifle Recoil Table

 

[JamieD]

I might be bias, well I am bias and a addict. I have two 375 RUMs both on Rem. 700 actions, if you want you can PM me with any questions.

I'll give you some info. I run a
250 ttsx at 3200
270 tsx at 3100
350 tsx or bbs at 2800
Out of 23" barrels.

Both rifles shoot great, way better then I can, like 1/4"-3/4". One of the rifles has a seekins detachable box the other a Wyatts. I would seriously consider having Wyatts build the rifle if you are going to do it on a Rem. 700, it feeds like hot butter.

I think that it is close to the prefect all around round. It shoots flat enough to be a long rang deer and elk gun with a 250-270 gr. bullet and a BC of .425-.473. It hits about as hard as a 416 with a 350 gr. bullet. The 416 has a advantage of more frontal area with solids but with a SD of .356 the 375 should really penetrate. Lord willing I will find out shortly how a 350 gr. tsx works on cape buff.

The recoil is strong but manageable, less than my 416 Rigby with a 400 gr. at 2750, more than my 300 Win. I think the limbsaver pad is a must, you will feel the kick but there's no pain. From the bench I would suggest a lead sled. Make sure the stock fits well, for guns that kick I like the Wby. or Rem. BDL style of stock. They don't seem to hit the cheek as hard and for me at least they seem to stay in my shoulder better during recoil.

I shot 8 plains game animals an elk and bison with mine in the last year. I have shot 200-300 rounds through the first rifle and 50-60 through the second so I've played with it quite a bit.

With no belt it is very easy to reload. My go to powders are reloader 17 and IMR 4831.

I did this in a hurry so if you have any questions ask. I've done quite a bit of research on the Rem. 700 and 375 RUM.

 

[JamieD]

Sorry PHIL I started my post earlier in the day and hadn't read yours yet, if I had read yours I would have commented on some of your points. I need to get to work now so I will just comment on recoil.

I have been working up loads for a CZ 550 in 375 H&H at the same time as my new RUM. Math says that the RUM has to have more recoil and after several shots my shoulder can tell the difference and the RUM has some more blast, some of this would be due to the shorter barrel. The stocks on my RUMs may fit me better but for just a few shots I would rather shoot my RUMs. as a mater of fact my new rifle has a MPI lite Wby. style stock that I shortened to 13" LOP this is the lightest of the three guns and the one that is most comfortable to shoot. Any way like I said it may be the stocks but the recoil of the RUM seems so fast and strait back that it is over before you know it. The H&H seem to come up much farther and shove me back more. I guess this follows as the bullet is in the barrel longer. Like I said after several shots with the RUM from field position your shoulder can feel it, off the bench I use the led sled, but I only shoot 1-6 shots at a time from field positions at a time. As I live in the country I do this most days and some times more then once.

I would put the feel of the kick of the RUM in the same area as a 300 Win, they can bite as they are usually lighter, 375 H&H, or 12 ga. with heave field loads, less than my Rigby (I have it loaded to 2750 so it recoils more then the standard 2400), and I think more pleasant then 12 ga. with heave slugs. I think it feels less than a 300 Wby. that I used to have and more than a 7mm Mag.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Sorry PHIL I started my post earlier in the day and hadn't read yours yet, if I had read yours I would have commented on some of your points. I need to get to work now so I will just comment on recoil.

I have been working up loads for a CZ 550 in 375 H&H at the same time as my new RUM. Math says that the RUM has to have more recoil and after several shots my shoulder can tell the difference and the RUM has some more blast, some of this would be due to the shorter barrel. The stocks on my RUMs may fit me better but for just a few shots I would rather shoot my RUMs. as a mater of fact my new rifle has a MPI lite Wby. style stock that I shortened to 13" LOP this is the lightest of the three guns and the one that is most comfortable to shoot. Any way like I said it may be the stocks but the recoil of the RUM seems so fast and strait back that it is over before you know it. The H&H seem to come up much farther and shove me back more. I guess this follows as the bullet is in the barrel longer. Like I said after several shots with the RUM from field position your shoulder can feel it, off the bench I use the led sled, but I only shoot 1-6 shots at a time from field positions at a time. As I live in the country I do this most days and some times more then once.

I would put the feel of the kick of the RUM in the same area as a 300 Win, they can bite as they are usually lighter, 375 H&H, or 12 ga. with heave field loads, less than my Rigby (I have it loaded to 2750 so it recoils more then the standard 2400), and I think more pleasant then 12 ga. with heave slugs. I think it feels less than a 300 Wby. that I used to have and more than a 7mm Mag.

I don't doubt your points JamieD, and actually I prefer to read posts that aren't exactly in agreement with mine. That's how I learn things. I own a .300WM too and I'd just as soon shoot my .375HH as well even full power 300gr loads.

 

[buffybr]

I bought a Rem 700 stainless in .375 RUM for a Cape Buffalo hunt in Zim in 2005. Right out of the box, on its first trip to the range, its recoil was basically unbearable, and I quit shooting it after 8 rounds. I'm not new to shooting, I have several other magnum rifles, and have competed for more that 20 years in Trap and Skeet, and shot one Trap event that was 500 12 ga targets on one day.

To tame this beast, I put a new laminated stock on it that fits me, is full glass and pillar bedded, has a Limbsaver pad, and a mechanical recoil reducer in the stock. I had a KDF muzzle brake installed on it and adjusted the trigger to 2 1/2 lbs. I topped it with a 2-7x Leupold.

For the Buffalo hunt I tried several different bullets and settled on 300 gr TSX bullets at 2830 fps that shot MOA to 200 yds. My Buffalo was a one shot kill at 50 yds, and I also shot a Chobe Bushbuck, a Zebra, a Nyala (at 210 yds), and a Common Reedbok with this rifle/bullet on this trip.

In 2007 I booked a PG hunt in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, and the only rifle that I took on this trip was my .375 RUM, this time with 270 gr TSX bullets at 3040 fps. These bullets also shoot MOA to 200 yds.

I shot 13 animals on that trip with my .375 RUM/270 gr TSX that varied in size from Steenbok to Eland. Most were one shot kills including a Vaal Rhebok at 200+ yds and a Gemsbok at 348 yds. Three of the animals were shot from prone positions, and there were absoluty no problems with recoil or muzzle blast.

My .375 RUM is one of my favorite rifles, and for my next hunt in Africa, I am torn between taking it or my .300 Weatherby. I guess it will depend on if there is a Buffalo on my list.

 

[colorado]

The key to taming the recoil of a 375 RUM or 375 Weatherby is to shoot a 500 Jeffery. I have 7 3/8 lb 375 Weatherby (that weight includes the Leupold 2-7x33mm scope), and after putting 4 or 5 rounds down range with my 11 lb 500 Jeffery, the 375 Weatherby feels like a 30-06 ...



Regards,

Chuck

 

[TERMINATOR]

The key to taming the recoil of a 375 RUM or 375 Weatherby is to shoot a 500 Jeffery. I have 7 3/8 lb 375 Weatherby (that weight includes the Leupold 2-7x33mm scope), and after putting 4 or 5 rounds down range with my 11 lb 500 Jeffery, the 375 Weatherby feels like a 30-06 ...



Regards,

Chuck

Like when I was a kid and we would make a cool pool feel warm by spraying each other with an ice cold hose before jumping in!

 

[TERMINATOR]

Personally, I agree with the poster that wonders what the point is.

If you are going after Plains Game, a .300 mag of any maker is the perfect PG rifle so if you like the Rem RUM series get a .300 RUM

If it is DG, I would go bigger than .375 because some places/animals require .40 cal or bigger so you might as well go .416 Rem or if you like getting thumped a .416 Wby

To me the hopped up .375s are way overkill for most PG, yet not the ideal DG rifle.

And any gun that you HAVE to put a muzzlebreak on to shoot it is an issue for me. I bet if you polled the PH's on this site they would overwhelming say they cringe when a client pulls out a boomer with a muzzle break on because they are risking deafness.

I know more than one that is deaf in one ear because their sport touched one off next to them before they could cover their ears.

Muzzlebreaks work without a doubt. I guess some people are fine hunting with hearing protection but I don't want to.

I personally love the Kelly Mag-Na-Port system of 4 slits because it pulls a little recoil out without a noticable increase in noise but more importantly fights muzzle "jump" allowing me to stay on target in the scope. It also takes more recoil "sensation" out than it does actual recoil because the gun isn't coming up into your face/jaw/teeth.

I have the Mag-Na-Port on every centerfire rifle I own because when shooting a 7mm-08 or .270 I can watch the hits in the scope and in the bigger cals (.300 mag and .375 H&H) I get back on target quicker.

 

[enysse]

I personally love the Kelly Mag-Na-Port system of 4 slits because it pulls a little recoil out without a noticable increase in noise but more importantly fights muzzle "jump" allowing me to stay on target in the scope. It also takes more recoil "sensation" out than it does actual recoil because the gun isn't coming up into your face/jaw/teeth.

I agree it helps a lot!

 

[Karl S]

I have a 300 ultra mag and I like it except for what it does to my trigger finger. When I fire it standing the bolt comes back into my trigger finger and teats off all of the skin and makes my finger bloody. Which doesn't make it fun to shoot. I do shoot a lot and have a .378 Weatherby magnum. I can handle the recoil but not the finger pain.

I was thinking about grinding off the bottom of the bolt and polishing it.

I have already tried adding a mercury recoil reducer and putting it into a Weatherby type fiberglass stock.

I really don't want to magnaport it.

Any suggestions?

I live in Kodiak and go bear hunting a lot by myself. I like to have a rifle with a lot of power behind it. I generally take a Weatherby on nice days and the Remington when its raining.

 

[spike.t]

i must confess that i dont get the point of the ultra mags when the "original/plain/old" mags do the trick, and they were developed to be better than the "old fashioned" non mags that also did the job well........:headscratch: