The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Second Crossbolt on a Ruger in 375 RugerGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I have a new unfired Ruger African in 375 Ruger but it is an older model with only one crossbolt. Did Ruger switch to two cross bolts because of stocks splitting or to simplify production with one stock for both 416 and 375 ? As a belt and braces type of person if in doubt I will do the second crossbolt. In the past I have pillar bedded the tang action screw to act as a vertical crossbolt . Obtaining a replacement stock in a small market like Australia is not easy . Mark | ||
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I have yet to own, or use, a wood stocked Ruger in either 375 or 416 that didn't eventually split. I am convinced that that is the reason they added the factory sissy slots. So yes, you should add a second crossbolt and make sure the front one is secure and well bedded Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship Phil Shoemaker Alaska Master guide FAA Master pilot NRA Benefactor www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com | |||
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As above. | |||
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Hello, Mark Smith: Mine is is a .458 Lott, but my M77 RSM had the same problem: the stock cracked at the tang. The following photos show the remedy. The stock work, inletting, and additional cross bolt, etc. were done by LeRoy Barry of Canyon Creek Custom Gunstocks in Montana. The blank came from Cecil Fredi, of Las Vegas, Nevada. In it's present configuration, it is vault like. Cheers. Chip.   | |||
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Thank you Phil , Mike and Chip . It is easy with a unanimous answer like you have given . They will be going to the gunsmith for them second crossbolt , bedding and pillar bedding of the tang screw . Your experience Chip sounds expensive and I would prefer to preempt this problem. Mark | |||
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The newer 375 Ruger and 416 Ruger Africans do have a second crossbolt. I have two older 375 Ruger with one crossbolt and barrelband. The first had the sling in the forend. My first rifle split at the forend channel longways done the forend on the left side after 7 rounds. I think the barrel biberation caused the split, I sent it back. I got a new stock with a smart letter telling me to make sure the action screw stayed tight. I sent it to Hill Country Rifles to bed the action and glass the forend channel. It has been 100 percent. I shot it every weekend for a year getting ready for my Austrian boar and elk huntin 2014. When I bought the second one I did not give it a chance. It went straight to Hill County. I have not shot it as much, but it too as been fine. Bottom line I would have the action bedded and forend glassed. | |||
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I'm hesitant to insert my experience and opinion on this, because I don't want to be seen as intruding on those who value the tradition of wood. A few years ago, I got so darn tired of dealing with gunsmiths, especially stock work, that I started looking for an alternative. I would have work done, and spent a lot of money for it, and it wouldn't be right. It was Very frustrating. So, when I had the metal work finished on my 458, in order to start playing with it, I just dropped it into a Hogue stock that I already had. It worked so well and solved so many problems that the only change I've made is to purchase a 416 Ruger take-off stock off gunbroker. It looks exactly like the other Hogue stock, except it has the Ruger logo. It may have some extra rigidity built in, but I can't see it. I have shot it at least 100 times, probably closer to 200, with some loads that produce what I call fierce recoil, enough to gut a Leupold 1x4, with no peep out of the stock. For me at least, problem solved, and also important to me - for less than $150, without having to deal with annoying gunsmiths. The stock I'm using has no apparent cross-bolt, and I inspect it often on the recoil lug for any sign of damage. I've seen none or anything of concern. My initial thought was to buy one of the stocks that has the rigid aluminum insert molded in, which surely would do everything cross bolts and glass bedding would do and more. So far, I see no reason to replace the stock I'm using. After all, on the stainless 416 Rugers, they come with, or used to, the very same stock I'm using on my 458. ************* Degenerate 1:1 1 Then Trump said, "Let Us re-make a Nation in MY Image, after My likeness, to rule over everything in the Nation, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it". "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis Per my far-right friend: "reality sucks" D.J. Trump aka Trumpism's Founding Farter, aka Farter Martyr. Qualifications: flatulence - mental, oral and anal. | |||
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Having one cross bolt is like having a pair of jeans with one leg.. On a big bore that will be hunted with on many occasions requires full length glass bedding, two cross bolts glassed in, and whatever else one can thank off. and don't shoot it on a leadsled..However I have seen many, manny 375 H&H rifles that lasted forever right out of the box..some did not. Stock splitting has a lot to do with bedding for sure and gets more serious as the caliber increases.. I have lusted after Pierre van Tonders original pre war mod.70 carbine (20") in 375 H&H, wood worn smooth, even the checkering (not sanded) and no trace of blue, the throat is a bit washed but it shoots pin holes with the original sights.Ive shot a lot of stuff with it,its never worn a scope..no splits,not even with my handloads!! Id kill for that gun! Oh yeah, install another cross bolt and glass bed your gun.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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You don't really need a second cross bolt.Make sure before shooting the rifle for the first time that you bed the action before, specifically the action lug steel plate(glue it to the sock with glasss bed-don't use release agent).Then tighten the action lug screw with the recommended high torque and use red loctite so it does not loosen.Usually these stocks crack behind the rear tang, on the first shot, if it is not bedded.If bedded right and the guard/lug screw is kept always tight, the stock will never crack.Again,if you buy this rifle and take it to the range without first bedding it, kiss the stock good bye.I am assuming that the 375 Ruger is similar to the Ruger MK2 magnum.Lastly,if you bed it, use sand paper to remove a little wood behind the tang so wood and steel do not touch. | |||
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Thank you for your comments EM , but I like the wood stocks. Your comments are interesting shootaway as I have three Ruger Africans in 375 Ruger, the first two have been shot with one crossbolt without splitting the stocks , so far. One now has the second crossbolt and has been bedded and the second one is at the gunsmith. It is clear from the answers that I am on the right track but I am not sure about splitting first shot. It is contrary to my experience. Mark | |||
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Then you might be OK with the 375.I was referring to my 4 Ruger Lotts.I would still bed them before firing.You can do it yourself easily.If they are like the MK2,just fill the lug recess hole half way with Glass Bed.and then insert the steel plate.That ia all that is needed to stop any movement of the action in the stock.If I bought a 375 that is the first thing I would do.Then peace of mind. | |||
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The .375 doesn't require anything but "proper bedding" and properly laid out wood, most all custom gun guild members declare..I am in agreement with this! However Ive seen a lot of custom rifles split out?? and bedding was the culprit..Ive seen old English rifles in some larger calibers, that have been shot to death and still rock solid, Ive seen the same split out..sooooo who knows.. I like cross bolts, glass bedding, even a forend screw on a pure hunting rifle. Im just playing it safe, as there are no gunsmiths on safari, only gun butchers!  Why is this? Wood can shrink or take a pounding and create gaps and that's the foothold of disaster in time, because the metal has a running start at the wood. Wood if not properly laid out and cured or not hard enough can pound that gap somewhere like perhaps the recoil lug..End grain on a proper piece of cured quality wood is as hard as glass I suspect, but all that glitters isn't gold so playing it safe is always a choice I recommend if you hunt the wild places..stocks, both wood and plastic have ruined or complicated many a hunt..I recall one gun that spent the last two weeks of a hunt wrapped in rawhide, resighted and the hunt was successful, but his high dollar custom had to be restocked I assume.. Whats the best protection is up to you..with that you must live with. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Quick question: was this the Hogue with the aluminum skeleton or the regular model without it? Thanks.
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If there is an aluminum skeleton in there it's not apparent. I don't know if it's imbedded in the stock material. I'm assuming there is no aluminum skeleton in there and the stock is the regular model. Initially I used a plain Hogue stock, but when I found a factory take-off on gunbroker, from a 416 Ruger, I bought it and have been using it ever since. It has the Ruger logo on the end of the pistol grip. One would think the Hogue with the aluminum skeleton would provide extra assurance to avoid problems with heavy recoil. I haven't had any problems from recoil with the regular stock, but if I did, or starting from scratch, I would get the upgraded Hogue. As we know, the Ruger 77 MKI has a relatively small recoil lug, compared to other actions I'm familiar with. That naturally leads to speculation that it might need some help with additional cross bolts and a second recoil lug. That would be the case, IMO, with wood, and heavy recoil. Based on my experience, the one recoil lug is sufficient with synthetic stocks. With fiberglass stocks, such as McMillan and others, of course the lug area should be properly epoxy bedded. ************* Degenerate 1:1 1 Then Trump said, "Let Us re-make a Nation in MY Image, after My likeness, to rule over everything in the Nation, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it". "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis Per my far-right friend: "reality sucks" D.J. Trump aka Trumpism's Founding Farter, aka Farter Martyr. Qualifications: flatulence - mental, oral and anal. | |||
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Thanks. If it had the aluminum skeleton insert it would be visible, I believe. Pictures I have seen show it very plainly. So apparently Ruger uses the regular Hogue stock on their rifles. Must be pretty strong. I would use the aluminum-reinforced version if starting from scratch on a 416, because they could use a little additional weight anyway. The 375s are a bit heavier and I would prefer not to add the weight. Seems the regular model could handle the 375. Jeff
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I would have a cross bolt at the back for just about any calibre. Lot of rifles, Weatherby a notable, have the cross bolts hidden. The simple problem is the magazine section of the stock balloon out on recoil. The cross bolts stop the ballooning going past the bolts and hence stop slitting. A second recoil lug barrel is altogether different. Rem 700s ban be and are without them on big calibres because apart from the very big recoil lug the Rem 700 has a lot of stock material behind that recoil lug. M98 is just the opposite, tiny recoil lug and small amount of stock material behind the recoil lug. | |||
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These problems come about when you get into the larger bores than the 375 and to some extent the 416s. A properly bedded 375 in properly laid out wood that's properly cured should never split out..If you doubt that look at the many big bores of the 1920s that are still being used today that have not split..some have, some have not, go figure.. Ive never stocked d 375 that split out and many folks don't want cross bolts etc for various reasons, but I recommend to a buyer that he cross bolt them twice and glass bed them from tip to stern, play it safe, its a good insurance policy not to mess up a $50,000 safari. The second cross bolts protects the stock from splitting out in the grip, so its as important as the primary cross bolt..On even larger bores its a good idea to install a threaded bolt in glass through the grip.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I never trusted a hidden cross bolt, they as a rule have no head and the action can still swell or balloon out. Ive seen Wbys split out. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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please follow the advices given below. we even had a member that had his laminated 375 ruger stock that splitted. my 2 375 rugers are bedded and the the older version like yours splitted with a previous owner... lesson learnt glassing is important as the canadian distributor will charge an arm for a new stock ...i imagine the same for australia. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores Second Crossbolt on a Ruger in 375 Ruger
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