375 Ruger vs 375 H&H

[MarineHawk]

The .375 Wby with 300 gr NP definitely is good for bear. One shot at 97 yds:

 

[enysse]

How does that brown bear taxidermy mount look, MarineHawk? I remember the hunt.

 

[MarineHawk]

enysse, it worked out pretty well. I'm going back for the same thing with the same guide in the same place in September--with Moose also on the menu.

This boys get to practice their hunting skills:

And it comes in handy during the holidays as a Christmas Bear:

 

[enysse]

Thanks for the pictures, I'm glad your boys have a good role model to follow. With the stories and adventures you have they probably have some cool dreams and hunting goals.

 

[MarineHawk]

Thanks for the pictures, I'm glad your boys have a good role model to follow. With the stories and adventures you have they probably have some cool dreams and hunting goals.

Thanks enysse. I'm trying. recently, we have had some interesting adventures.

FWIW, my friends and I brought the bear (shipped from AK) from the shipping depot into the house when my wife had the boys out of town at the beach for a couple of days. The temp was 102 fahr. It was harder than the hunt. But it worked. "Hey wife, surprise!"

 

[colorado]

Great pictures of your bear and your boys! Here's another pick of my bear, and the 300g Swift A-Frame that took him at 13 yards in the alders ..

 

[MarineHawk]

Good pics Colorado. You got closer than I did. Nice bear. In my Sept. hunt, I may use the same 300gr NP (I chronoed mine at and avg. of 2,756fps MV), or a 250gr TTSX (loaded at appx. 3,100 fps) or my .340 Wby with the 225gr TTSX at 3,160 fps for shots at bear, but also at longer shots at wolves.

 

[matt85]

you guys have got me really jealous, Alaskan Grizz will be my next hunt after my cape buffalo.

-matt

 

[MarineHawk]

you guys have got me really jealous, Alaskan Grizz will be my next hunt after my cape buffalo.

-matt

If it makes you feel better, I'm fairly jealous of you cape buffalo hunters.

 

[colorado]

Me too!

 

[gxsr-sarge]

Nothing like keeping a 4 year old thread alive...

If you don't reload (or have the time to reload), factory ammo in 375 Ruger is much more limited that 375 H&H - pretty much Hornady of which I'm not a huge fan.

375 H&H factory ammo comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. You can get Barnes, Woodleigh, Swift, Nosler, Kynoch to name a few. I took Federal/Barnes TSX in 375 HH on my last hunt for Leopard, Buffalo & Hippo. It was shooting 1/2" MOA at 100 yards. I couldn't possibly do much better hand loading.

Also, as indicated above, you'd probably be more likely to find 375 HH over there in case of a pinch. I've left my share of 375 HH boxes in Africa as well as countless other hunters as compared to the 375 Ruger.

 

[colorado]

We have an XCR II in 375 Weatherby, shoots about 200 fps faster than a 375 H&H, will shoot 375 H&H factory ammo. Great cartridge, created in 1945, still hasn't caught on lol ... truly

 

[Velo Dog]

Howdy,

I have yet to see even one box of live ammunition for the latest, Ruger version here in Los Anchorage, AK.

On the other hand, some gas stations or Mom & Pop Stores here probably sell the original H&H version.

My preemptive apology to anyone who's feathers get ruffled about this but, in my old prune faced opinion:

"If you cannot put any N. American animal onto it's chin with a well placed shot from the .375 H&H, then you don't need a new fancy caliber, you just need to practice more often."

Regards,
Velo Dog

 

[philip in china]

Amen to that sentiment, Velo Dog.

That bullet mushroomed perfectly. Very impressive performance.

 

[Velo Dog]

philip in china,

Yezzer, those A-Frames are very consistent workhorse bullets, tough, predictable/consistent and usually available in local Sporting Goods stores, at least where I live (and I'm selfish so that's what matters).
Definitely my favorite of all the Premium soft nose bullets these days.
They not only are all of that at traditional velocity but, as we see here once again, they are all of that, even at Weatherby velocities.

Many bullets will not do their thing consistently at varying speeds.
Either they fail to open at lower velocity/long range, leaving you with nothing more than a Military FMJ spitzer type wound or, they shatter if they hit a bone at the higher velocities/close range.
The A-Frame handles those varying scenarios without even breathing hard.
It is what many others claim to be but, are not quite.

Stay on that front sight,
Velo Dog.

 

[Craig Willey]

I just purchased a .375 Ruger, because I believe it is a cartridge of the future. Bought a Heym SR-30 chambered for that. It was not cheap, but a gun with life time guarentee on everything but the barrel doens't come cheap. Since I live in Germany, and have a friend that works for the factory, it maks things easier. Second reason is that I have a SR-30 in .308 Win, and I can practice technique with cheap ammo and low recoil; same action and bolt pull length (because .375 Ruger fits in a standard length action/chamber), and close to the same weight.

I have a Hornady import/export rep. contact that can help with getting ammo where needed. Let me know where (city/country), and I will ask him about how to get it there. I need Hornady .375 GMX, because I hunt in a lead-free zone, and he is getting it for me. Takes about 6 weeks. The German importer told me that Hornady didn't make .375 Ruger with GMX, and the Hornady rep got with him and is sending him a case in the next container headed to Germany.

 

[Velo Dog]

I just purchased a .375 Ruger, because I believe it is a cartridge of the future. Bought a Heym SR-30 chambered for that. It was not cheap, but a gun with life time guarentee on everything but the barrel doens't come cheap. Since I live in Germany, and have a friend that works for the factory, it maks things easier. Second reason is that I have a SR-30 in .308 Win, and I can practice technique with cheap ammo and low recoil; same action and bolt pull length (because .375 Ruger fits in a standard length action/chamber), and close to the same weight.

I have a Hornady import/export rep. contact that can help with getting ammo where needed. Let me know where (city/country), and I will ask him about how to get it there. I need Hornady .375 GMX, because I hunt in a lead-free zone, and he is getting it for me. Takes about 6 weeks. The German importer told me that Hornady didn't make .375 Ruger with GMX, and the Hornady rep got with him and is sending him a case in the next container headed to Germany.

Hello Craig Willey,

Even though I have no personal interest in the Ruger version of .375, I really do hope you are correct that it catches on and becomes popular.
It looks like a well balanced cartridge, as long as one does not try to load it too hot (like any other cartridge) and apparently it fits into surplus Mauser actions with not too much work.
My favorite .375 is still the old tried and true H&H version (mostly for nostalgia and ammo availability) but, it takes major work ($$) to adapt any surplus 98 Mauser to fit it comfortably.

If the Ruger version catches on (no thanks to grumpy old men like me), it will be one more option for hunters and rifle nuts to tinker with and hopefully get their children and grand children away from baseball, plus other Government Approved activities, and into the Politically Incorrect world of firearms / hunting.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[colorado]

I've got a Remington XCR II rechambered to the relatively recent (1945) 375 Weatherby caliber. I can shoot factory 375 H&H or 375 Weatherby (another 150 fps faster with a 300g bullet). Can't go wrong with the 375 H&H. I've heard a lot of Alaskan hunters speak highly of the 375 Ruger as well.

 

[Craig Willey]

Any action you can shoot .30-06/.270 out of, you can just screw in a .375 Ruger barrel, modify the bolt face and extractor, and you have a .375 Ruger (I'm sure there are some actions that take a little more than that, and some actions that can't handle the pressure). All I need to do now is put about 200 to 500 rounds down the barrel and get use to the recoil. This is my first big-bore rifle, and I have only taken it to the range one time. I have done a lot of reading, but you can not prepare for the recoil from reading. I have a mercury recoil reducer and shooting vest I had made with an extra Limbsaver pad sewn in, but that doesn't help much at the bench. I needed to sight in the scope from a bench. Shot three times, took a break, shot three more time, and went home. I was useing Hornady 300 gr DGX and a friend did some hand load Barnes 250 TTSX. Both hit within 2 inches of center at 100 meters. I think the range I shoot at has a LeadSled that I will use next time to get the scope sighted in better.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

I have put over 400 rounds through mine in less than a year, and I am still amazed at the accuracy I get. Even with big 350 grain cast bullets at 1900 fps I get near one big hole accuracy. The 375 Ruger will be my elk rifle this fall. So far I have gotten over 10+ reloads from the Hornady brass, quite the bargain, wish I could get that from my 300 Win Mag.