375 Ruger vs 416 Ruger for an all-around rifle

[Whiterabbit]

Hi Guys,

I am trying to combine my main hunting rifle with my "dreams of Africa" rifle, and want advice on cartridge. It will absolutely be one of the two I've posted in the topic.

For hunting in the US, I will be using cast bullets and significantly downloading the cartridge. It will be somewhat like a trapdoor 45/70 in that respect. For larger game, the sky will be the limit.

I see lots of financial advantages to select .375 over the .416, but as a large-caliber junkie (my current dreaming-of-Africa rifle is a .510 caliber) there is a tic in my head that says I am better off selecting a .416, even though it means that all other shooting will be more expensive. And yet, I see plenty of threads here of folks who have taken a 375 Ruger to Africa for their Cape Buffalo (which is my African Dream).

So I have to ask those who took a .375 to Africa for buffalo, am I being overly worried over something that may not happen in the next decade, and that if I get my lifetime chance to go to Africa, that 375 will take a Buffalo just as cleanly as a 416 given proper bullet and load selection?

Or is there enough of an advantage to the .416 for the case of very large game, that I should consider it more strongly over the 375, knowing that it will be more work to get it running well for all non-very-large game shooting?

Opinions? Am I agonizing over nothing?

 

[CTDolan]

You're agonizing over nothing but don't feel bad as I have done the very same and settled on the 416 Ruger (and not for any practical reason but simply because I am a big bore junkie and therefore like a bigger hole in the end of the barrel).

In my opinion (as I've stated it elsewhere on this site), the 375 Ruger is the best cartridge to come along since the 338 Win Mag. It would as well be an obviously fine choice (and, if one wants to get practical about it, better).

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Let's see...................which one would I recommend..........

 

[CAustin]

416 Ruger Guide Gun! Guess what I suggest!

 

[Doug375]

I have a 416 Ruger Hawkey African and used it on a Cape Buffalo. It did the job well. However, if you want just one rifle to do it all, I think you'd be better off with the .375 Ruger. You don't give up much....At least nothing a buff will notice....but you will have a caliber that is better for plains game hunting. That said, why not a 375 H&H?

 

[ChrisG]

.375 is probably the more practical choice. I don't have a Ruger, but the h&h version. That said.... The .416 Ruger is just a much more fun choice! This black bear collapsed when that .416 slug flattened him.

 

[TOBY458]

Look at it this way. You can load 350 grain bullets in the 416 and get the same velocities as a 300 grain in a 375. Then you can load up to 450 grain in the 416.

 

[lwaters]

I feel if you are going to be mostly hunting dangerous game I would go with the 416. If I was going to also hunt a lot the plains game and just shoot a buffalo than I would get the 375. I think also the 375 would be good here at home for everything from elk to brown bear.

 

[npm352]

If your original post is best "all- around" rifle...I don't think anyone would argue for a .416 over a .375. If it is all around, you're likely to shoot more whitetail than elephants, so the .375 seems like the best bet. But, there are people who like the .416 because it is just plain cool.

 

[Dewald]

Nothing like a 350gr .416 Swift A-frame to flatten large plainsgame at 2400fps. When buffalo are on the menu go 400gr at 2250

 

[Crazycanuck grizman]

The classic .375 H&H, all the way. Thanks for listening.

 

[Bill Bunn III]

My suggestion is the 375 H&H not the fad ruger. But then again I am a bigger fan of traditional rounds than new ones. I would have to say I would look at the 404 Jeffrey over the 416 also. If I didn't have to chose I would say a 375 H&H and the 404 Jeffrey. If I could only chose 1 it would be the 375H&H as it is a little more versatile. than

 

[Sika98k]

My money would go on a 375 H&H. Probably better availability of ammo if your 375 Ruger ammo goes missing enroute.
It should be an easier round to manage than a larger calibre rifle so you’ll shoot better with it. I’ve used one the last two trips and as the PH said “it’s the perfect all round calibre for Africa”.

 

[Dr Ray]

Let's see...................which one would I recommend..........

Both of course! Lol!

 

[Dr Ray]

Hi Guys,

I am trying to combine my main hunting rifle with my "dreams of Africa" rifle, and want advice on cartridge. It will absolutely be one of the two I've posted in the topic.

For hunting in the US, I will be using cast bullets and significantly downloading the cartridge. It will be somewhat like a trapdoor 45/70 in that respect. For larger game, the sky will be the limit.

I see lots of financial advantages to select .375 over the .416, but as a large-caliber junkie (my current dreaming-of-Africa rifle is a .510 caliber) there is a tic in my head that says I am better off selecting a .416, even though it means that all other shooting will be more expensive. And yet, I see plenty of threads here of folks who have taken a 375 Ruger to Africa for their Cape Buffalo (which is my African Dream).

So I have to ask those who took a .375 to Africa for buffalo, am I being overly worried over something that may not happen in the next decade, and that if I get my lifetime chance to go to Africa, that 375 will take a Buffalo just as cleanly as a 416 given proper bullet and load selection?

Or is there enough of an advantage to the .416 for the case of very large game, that I should consider it more strongly over the 375, knowing that it will be more work to get it running well for all non-very-large game shooting?

Opinions? Am I agonizing over nothing?

My humble suggestion which may make your widow unhappy!
Both!
Use the 375 for medium sized game such as elk and bear fir example and take the 416 to Africa for the mean and nasty buff!
You don’t come back recycled so live well while you can!

 

[johnnyblues]

The buffalo in my avatar was taken with my 375 Ruger shooting 300 grain Swift A frame bullets. Also took my waterbuck and my bushbuck with it.

 

[JakeH]

For an all-around rifle I’d go with the .375, but if it was a dangerous game focused rifle then it’d have to be the .416.

 

[Shawn.54]

My vote is for the 375 Ruger with the proper bullet choice it will do anything a 300 Win mag will and also knock the snoot out of a Cape Buffalo.
And if you get to Africa and your ammunition is lost you do what you would do if ammunition got there and the rifle was lost you rent one and go hunting.
Shawn

 

[WAB]

When we lived in Alaska my .375 H&H was my go to bear gun. It flattens the biggest griz with authority. My dreams of Africa finally came true and I totes the .375 after buff. I shot two buff with it but was just not happy with its performance (300 gr A-Frames). It killed them but it seemed to take a bit for them to figure out they were dead. I had a M-70 custom build put together in .458 Lott. It shoots like a dream and the three buff I have shot with it appear much more aware that they have been shot. I have also shot plains game with it to good effect. Needless to say, I would go with the .416 if buff or ele are on the menu.

 

[Odinsraven]

416 rigby if your suitcase fails to turn up 416 rigby ammo is readily available ...... the 416 and 375 Ruger not much chance ....actually was around the gun stores in P.E. last year and 416 rigby 2 boxes SP one soilds over 4 stores ....375 HH all had ammo in some form or other usually 300 gr SP and Solid ...none had ruger Lott or any of the modern variants