I just bought a new Ruger RSM in .375 H&H. I have heard of these guns cracking their stocks in the bigger calibers. Is that a problem with the .375 as well? I'm wondering whether I should have it glass bedded right away for stability, or only if accuracy is a problem.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I have an RSM in .375 that has been shot a lot, including on a trip to South Africa. It is not bedded and is fine. I would keep the screws tight and not worry about the bedding if it were me.

JV, I bought one used and fired it over 300 times with no problems. It's a very accurate rifle with 270gr Barnes TS bullets. Shoots close to 1/2 inch. Donato

Hello JV,
I only recently took delivery of the same rifle and spoke with the factory about supposed problems and they were firm, but polite to tell me that any problems they have with the rifle are few and far between and advised that I note the instructions in the owners manual about any modifications to the stock. In short, don't do it for in the event you do have a loss of accuracy, splitting, etc., no warranty will be offered. I like mine very much and in fact soon to take delivery of another one in 458 Lott. Now if it will take that punishment, should be fine. If not, then it will go back to the factory. They built it and Ruger will be around for a long time I would think and let them take care of it. I firmly believe it is the best buy on the market for the dollar in big bore bolt guns. Good Luck.

Hello JV,
I also recently took delivery of same rifle and also read of the supposed problems with the rifle and called and spoke with Ruger about "glassing" the stock. Owner's manual/book st

My .416 has a bit over 400 rounds, no problems. I'm sure someone has split a stock or two though.

Thank you for your opinions. I guess I will just shoot the rifle and hope it will be all right.

Just bought one myself. Took it tio the gunsmith to change out the trigger for a Timney, put on a Kick EZE recoil pad, jeweled the bolt, and most importantly discouvered that the cross bolts was just for show it didn't reinforce anything and that lousy thingamajig metal up front is a POS. Had the gun glass bedded as I don't want the stock cracking....mine is a decent piece of straight grained walnut...not Circassian...but decent. Oh and I put on a 1.75-6 Leupold VarX3 with Warne QD rings. The factory sights are decent to my eyes and quick. Certainly not a 1900 collar gun but I only paid 1050 for mine ... it had been test fired but couldn't even tell that for sure, as it looked brand new. Certainly not Winchester Safari quality which I am used to.

Hey Gila Jorge,
Would you let go of that old lowly Ruger for what you paid for it?? Figure it would go pretty fast. Just curious??

My initial question about possible problems with the stock have just been answered. After I had received the rifle today, I disassembled it for inspection and found a crack almost all the way through the web between magazine box and trigger. The action screws were extremely tight, I could actually hear cracking sounds from the stock while I was loosening them.

Since I do not want to wait several months for another rifle, I have asked the german distributer if they will install a second crossbolt and glass bed the action. Otherwise they will have to take the rifle back.

Hello JV,
Damn, sorry to hear about the stock cracking on your Ruger. You may or may not have read my other post, but just got my new Ruger 458 Lott yesterday and the stock was broken into two pcs, front and rear, just behind the tang. Looks like the freight people ran over it with a fork truck!! Actual tire tracks on the outside box. Not sure how it is there, but the retail customer would have no recourse with the distributor but rather his dealer and the factory and no one here would even touch installing a second cross bolt other than the factory. Good luck and would appreciate keeping us appraised of the end results. I may well have the same problem down the road and believe me, Ruger will need to circle the wagons!

While they are at the crossbolt, PLEASE ask them to put a 3/8 threaded rod down the wrist and epoxy it in.

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
While they are at the crossbolt, PLEASE ask them to put a 3/8 threaded rod down the wrist and epoxy it in.

jeffe

Do you really think there is a risk of the wrist breaking even with a .375? I hoped that would only be a problem with the .416 and .458, but if you think reeinforcing the wrist is necessary, I might as well have everything done at once.

@driver,

in Germany, the distributor does all the service work for Ruger. They try to avoid shipping guns back and forth between the States and Germany. I've had two laminate stocks break on my 77MKII .338 Win, they replaced the first stock and bedded and crossbolted the second one after it broke. They did a great job on it, the stock has lasted several hundred rounds since then and the gun shoots great.

Hello JV,
I can see why involving the factory in the U.S. would be a hassle and even more so these days. Well, in any case, hope it works out for you and I am gathering all these reports of various problems just in case I need "evidence..." at a later date. I have spoken with the factory people some three times now, twice before buying the 375 and once with the 458 Lott and all times the factory person in their service department stated that they had no problems with the rifle of any sort regarding the stocks. Did not ask her about other issues, but time will tell.
I recently sold a Mauser 98/ Parker Hale 458 WM and don't believe you could split that stock with C4. Very robust rifle in all respects. Wonder if I could get that ol' girl back??????

I certianly beded mine (416 Rigby) and installed a Decelarator reciol pad,and an Ivory front bead. If there are any issuse with this work then my smith will take care of it under his warrenty. I have never and do not intend to start sending rifes back to the factory as the facory work is always inferrior to the work of a quality smith... Also recently added a 1.25X4 S&B scope.............

Hello jwp475,
Would certainly agree with you that the work of a quality gunsmith would be better than a factory production product, but if the problem is a factory design issue, as in breaking stocks, cracking from recoil, etc., then the 'smith has no responsibility for such an issue. Could you go ahead and have the gunsmith modify, alter, re engineer, etc. the problem area, sure but that is letting the factory off the hook one might say and furthermore, any work done on the rifle by those other than the factory releases the factory from any consideration to you on warranty down the road no matter what the problem might be and not inclined to be that kind to the mfg.

My brother had his RSM .416 Rigby crack after the first 30 rounds. He bed it him self and noted that it significantly improved accuracy! I have a RSM in .458 Lott and will be beding it my self this week. In my rifle there are numerous points that the recoil lugs are free floated making no contact with the supporting structure. The cross bolt dose little els than hold the stock together lateraly. It is not even a close tollerance hole reamed to the bolt Dia. This is a good rifle that can be a great rifle with a little work. You will find few production guns that do not require some modification. Don't sweat the owners maunal notes about the stock mod's. Just educate your self about the process or got to a reputable gun smith and get the gun improved. Bedding stocks is not that hard it just rquires time and attention to detail.

Good luck and Great hunting

Well, so far I have not paid for the gun, it went back to the distributor and they can figure out whether they want to repair it or take it back.

I just got a call from my dealer. Apparently, Ruger has made some internal changes to the stock design. Now the distributor will not repair the old model stock, but instead get me a whole new rifle, which will take about five months.

Here are the results of my beding work on my RSM .458 Lott. I found a hair line crack in the stock aft of the tang when I was preping the stock for beding. I hope the beding will prevent further crack migration.

Here is the Pre bed group. I used 350gr Barns X bullets vel 2880 fps. 100 yards benched. Three shot groups. It mesures .940 center to center or 1.398 across.
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Here is the Post beding group same load and distance. Three shot group. It messured .660 center to center or 1.118 across.
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I generaly messure my groups center to center. I bed the rifle in three steps with Brownels steel bed kit. The steel recoil plate is now part of the stock forever!!!

The change in accuracy is nominal but I will test it further and see how my 500gr loads group.

The .350gr X bullet seams to be the most accurate as of now.