My .395 Ruger Max Is Done

05 August 2008, 09:01

The .395: The Thinking Man's Caliber.
Whether for squirrel or elephant, you won't go blind!

My Smithy called to say he had finished the world's second .395 Ruger Max.
I won't be able to pick it up until Saturday.
Pictures on a bison robe to follow.

No need to bring out the "This Thread Is Worthless Without Pictures" emoticons, unless you want to direct them at Max, aka prof242.
He has the first one built with the same reamer as mine.

He has killed an elk cow with his ...

Max! The suspense is killing us. Can you post a pic before I do?

05 August 2008, 19:35

boom stick

Congrats again on boldly going where no man gas gone before...

Does that make u Captain Kirk?

P242 would be who???
I am just a "Red shirt" that gets killed on the landing party by the yet unknown alien.

05 August 2008, 20:15

rnovi

Tease!

I don't exist without pix!

05 August 2008, 21:25

prof242

OK, OK. Am trying to learn how to operate this camera my daughter gave me. Will expend effort tonight, after a meeting, to try and get something up (no comments, please).

09 August 2008, 06:14

RIP

I am like a kid at X-mas. Picking up the .395 Ruger Max at 8 AM tomorrow.

09 August 2008, 10:18

rnovi

are we there yet?

10 August 2008, 06:15

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by rnovi:
are we there yet?

rnovi,
Back seat driving on the way to Grannie's house?
I was like that too.

A 300WinMag Hawkeye was rebarreled to .395 Ruger Max. It weighs just under 8 pounds without the peep, just over 8 pounds with the peep. Call it about 8 pounds. 23-7/8" barrel. Call it 24". 1:12" TWIST. In the factory synthetic stock, it is a little muzzle heavy (No. 4 sporter contour McGowen Precision barrel), it balances right at the front of the action,at the line where the barrel shoulder meets action face, with the peep on.

I bet a Trijicon 1.25-4X in Ruger rings, and a magazine full (3) and one more up the spout, and a slip-on pad would make it balance perfectly:

Three of the .395 Ruger Max cartridges and one .375 Ruger:

The sun glaring off the patridge, making it look bigger but the photo cannot capture the blinding intensity:

The NECG peep:

More X-mas in August for me today, my son squeezing off a shot with a Ruger P90 .45 ACP, safety-decocker model. He got correction on his grip. "Get that left thumb down where it is supposed to be." Shooting offhand one-handed at a pop can on the berm was more to his liking. A fine pistol, and a "Chip Off the Old Block":

10 August 2008, 06:49

Macifej

quote:
The .395: The Thinking Man's Caliber.

I'm feeling totally left out here...guess I'll have to aquire some sort of donor for my own .395"

10 August 2008, 07:06

RIP

Oh yes, the bullets pictured are the ones made by Macifej, .395/310-grain VeloHex SHARRC.

Max killed an elk with one on his first outing with the .395 Ruger Max.

Hoping he will get his rifle pics posted here, and remind me of his load data, as all I have is AccuLoad data so far.

BTM, Macifej, I think an IWBB run with the Hex Point is in order, to see what it does in a really tough medium for comparison to your solids.

10 August 2008, 08:18

Jim Manion

Now there's an all weather hunting rifle!

Super sight set up.

With all the travel mess with 50 cal and above, can a .495 be far behind?

10 August 2008, 08:19

Macifej

quote:
can a .495 be far behind?

Don't know but I got me a .485" I be workin' on...

10 August 2008, 09:00

Charles_Helm

Congratulations on the new addition to the .395 Family and thanks for the pictures. Nice to see you are out there with your son as well.

10 August 2008, 09:05

prof242

I think I may have tortoise or snail DNA in me. Everything I've got to do is going slowly and everything I want to do has its movement taken by a time-delay camera.

Rousing gun, RIP. Will be working on mine tomorrow...after church.
Max

10 August 2008, 09:16

Canuck

RIP, BIP, now Chip! I sense a theme.

Great looking firearm RIP. Bet you are itching to take it for a test drive.

Cheers,
Canuck

10 August 2008, 09:21

Macifej

quote:
tortoise or snail DNA

Maybe Sequoiadendron giganteum or Pinus longaeva...

10 August 2008, 10:19

boom stick

quote:
Originally posted by Macifej:
quote:
can a .495 be far behind?

Don't know but I got me a .485" I be workin' on...

how bout some TSA compliant .4995" rifle bullets???

with .8" from tip to canalure they will help fill up the 3" BFR cylinder for 500 S&W
They should be popular for TC Pro as well.

A no touchie front end flat nose conical solid with shark fins like that pretty 338

10 August 2008, 10:22

Macifej

NO PISTOLA SOLIDS AMIGOS!!

10 August 2008, 10:32

boom stick

in a tc pro it is not a pistol...
cup nose copper???

10 August 2008, 10:36

Macifej

quote:
cup nose copper???

10 August 2008, 11:38

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by Jim Manion:
Now there's an all weather hunting rifle!

Super sight set up.

With all the travel mess with 50 cal and above, can a .495 be far behind?

Lord Jim,
Now that I have removed the forend swivel base and nut from inside the barrel channel, water will drain out of the forend nicely when it gets rained on.

I knew Macifej and boom stick would jump on the .495 one way or another ...

10 August 2008, 11:54

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
Congratulations on the new addition to the .395 Family and thanks for the pictures. Nice to see you are out there with your son as well.

Charles,
Thanks. Proud of that young man, he is a "computer scientist" also.

Here is another pic of the .395 Ruger Max with scope, and my Richard Harland collection.
Ndlovu, The Hunting Imperative, African Epic
The .395 Ruger Max needs to be proven on elephant.

Bare and empty rifle minus peep = 7lbs. 15oz.
Plus peep, iron sighted = 8lbs. 1oz.
Peep weighs 2 oz.

Add Ruger rings and Trijicon 1.25-4x scope, a slip-on Pachmayr pad and nylon/elastic shell carrier on butt, and take away peep: 9.25 lbs
4 rounds ammo = 0.4 pound
Nylon strap and swivels: 0.25 pounds

Loaded and slung for walking after elephant 9.90 lbs.

And did I mention that it then balances perfectly on the front action screw? Look Ma, one finger!

10 August 2008, 11:58

Macifej

Super-Functional!! No fluff..I like it!!

10 August 2008, 12:06

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by Canuck:
RIP, BIP, now Chip! I sense a theme.

Great looking firearm RIP. Bet you are itching to take it for a test drive.

Cheers,
Canuck

That's great, Canuck, you got it! I knew you were high IQ!
When my Pop was alive, I would slip up and call him "Pip" now and then, and he would always correct me: "Son, I never worked for Gladys Knight!"

10 August 2008, 12:14

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by Macifej:
Super-Functional!! No fluff..I like it!!

Thanks, Mac!

I just love self flattery, hence another quote before it gets deleted.

Anyone wanting to use that little Trijicon on a Hawkeye standard length action should be warned it is a tight fit!

I had to use a Dremel Tool to radius and polish the edges of one side of each of the Ruger rings to relieve the tightness where they abutt the ocular and objective bells.

Then some silicone adhesive between rings and scope tube, and a large brass Star Trek token in my pocket to make it a QD. Peep in other pocket.

10 August 2008, 12:35

RIP

If I carry 10-rounds of ammo in and on the rifle it will be about 10.5 lbs. and butt-heavy.

Maybe the extra ammo should stay on a waist belt carrier, so the fully loaded rifle stays under 10 lbs.

A butt stock carrier is a nice convenience for unloading the magazine and keeping the ammo handy.

10 August 2008, 21:11

Charles_Helm

When's the Ele hunt?

I like the Harland collection -- you are two volumes up on me there.

10 August 2008, 21:56

RIP

Heaven knows when the ele hunt happens.
Sooner if I quit wildcatting.
Only one other cat tickles my fancy:

.458 Ruger Max, made up just like the .395 Ruger Max above, except with a 1 pound stock and a lighter barrel.
Gotta get lighter than 7 pounds to beat Will in the flyweight "Big Sticks."
.458 is truly "MAXimum" on the .375 Ruger case.

And now I go to work on the Iron WaterBoard Buffalo ...

11 August 2008, 09:04

prof242

Here we go again.
The first pic is of the NECG barrel band front sight with a red light tube. Easily picked up.

This pic is of the NECG peep sight on the Ruger base. Although the regular iris piece is in now, it works best with no screw-in. Macifej, note your bullet in the trigger guard.

And finally, the complete rifle laying on a caribou pelt from my trip to Quebec two years ago.

11 August 2008, 09:09

Macifej

I like that rear site Max!! That's the way I'd do it.

BTB...is that a hide from one of those giant Rocky Mountain O'Possum's??

11 August 2008, 09:19

RIP

Max!
You did it!
World's first .395 Ruger Max is now photodocumented at accuratereloading.com, another scoop for the web site!
Those will be a nice lead-in to your ".395 Safari" article coming up, eh?

Nice prime caribou skin.
Lilly is your 400/.395NE, but what was this girl's name?

Her butt looks very nice on that caribou fur.

What is her favorite load?
What makes her perform so well when you shove it in her chamber and tickle her trigger?

11 August 2008, 19:38

prof242

RIP,
Last night, I was constantly going back and forth on photobucket and here to get things posted. I'll provide more info later (am at work right now).

As for a name...haven't thought about that yet. Might just be "Baby" because all my favorite girls are baby to me, like my daughter.

Ah yes, her butt on caribou fur, But don't all butts look good on fur? And your last sentence above, I think I may be having an org...
Load data will also be listed asap.
Max

11 August 2008, 20:09

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by RIP:
Heaven knows when the ele hunt happens.
Sooner if I quit wildcatting.
Only one other cat tickles my fancy:

.458 Ruger Max, made up just like the .395 Ruger Max above, except with a 1 pound stock and a lighter barrel.
Gotta get lighter than 7 pounds to beat Will in the flyweight "Big Sticks."
.458 is truly "MAXimum" on the .375 Ruger case.

And now I go to work on the Iron WaterBoard Buffalo ...

It seems I've heard that "just one more wildcat" line somewhere before?

Good luck with the cats and the Eles.

11 August 2008, 20:09

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by prof242:
Here we go again.

Nicely done!

12 August 2008, 02:13

Canuck

quote:
Originally posted by RIP:
quote:
Originally posted by Canuck:
RIP, BIP, now Chip! I sense a theme.

Great looking firearm RIP. Bet you are itching to take it for a test drive.

Cheers,
Canuck

That's great, Canuck, you got it! I knew you were high IQ!
When my Pop was alive, I would slip up and call him "Pip" now and then, and he would always correct me: "Son, I never worked for Gladys Knight!"

ps: Leslie has taken to calling me "Crip" lately (instead of Chris of course, and short for "cripple"), due to the nasty 3rd degree burn I got on my ankle almost a month ago.

12 August 2008, 06:31

RIP

Canuck,

Sorry to hear about the burn. Hope it was not too large and healed well without skin grafting. I missed out on the accident report. Motorcycle exhaust pipe, dragster crash, or errant flame thrower?

You have lucked into an excellent IP address however: CRIP. It won't have to make sense after you are well, but it will have a history and a bit of gravitas.

All the good single-digit IP addresses are taken. Even my family members are branching out into double-digit IP's, like Chip.

Live long and prosper, Crip.

Rip

12 August 2008, 07:37

.366torque

quote:
Originally posted by RIP:
Canuck,
Sorry to hear about the burn. Hope it was not too large and healed well without skin grafting. I missed out on the accident report. Motorcycle exhaust pipe, dragster crash, or errant flame thrower?

Live long and prosper, Crip.

Rip

Doc RIP, here is the story.

12 August 2008, 08:06

RIP

.336torque,
Thanks. I really should get out to the other forums more often.

The friend who dropped the boiling water pot on "Crip" should be called "Grip."

Rip

12 August 2008, 09:03

.366torque

You're welcome RIP. The worst part is, Canuck said he has a sheep hunt in the very near future!
Any quick healing tips?

12 August 2008, 10:08

rnovi

WELL DONE! WELL DONE I SAY!

What kind of velocities are you getting?

So, how do you like the Trijicon? I've seen their scopes online...but not in person. Are they worth the money?

13 August 2008, 05:53

RIP

rnovi,
Thanks for asking.
I am not "The Man with One Rifle" so do not beware.

I had to farm this one out to Bro' Max, he has some load data to post here eventually, and I will eventually "get to it soon."

I may be working at my wildcats at a snail's pace on a shoestring, but I will eventually shoot all of them at something!

Max deserves a new single-digit IP address for his .395 Family membership.

I propose "ZIP" since he was so fast about posting his Baby's photos.

Bro' Zip ought to post some data from the Zipgun anytime now ... I will later.

As for the Trijicon, it is my first, but Craig Boddington says they are good in the commercials he does for them sponsoring his TV shows ...

If it is funky in any way it will be replaced by a Leupold.