Check out Hodgdon's web site-they added 375 Ruger loads!!!!

Thanks for the headsup.
Looks like good data for (I reckon) 23" velocities and pressures mostly under 60Kpsi. Conservative.

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Max loads from the Hodgdon website:

375 Ruger / 300 gr Bullet / 80.7 gr H4350 / 2,660 FPS / 59,600 PSI

375 H&H / 300 gr Bullet / 81.5 gr H4350* / 2,645 FPS / 49,500 CUP

416 Rem / 400 gr Bullet / 88.0 gr H4350* / 2,395 fps / 46,400 CUP

* Compressed Load

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
Max loads from the Hodgdon website:

375 Ruger / 300 gr Bullet / 80.7 gr H4350 / 2,660 FPS / 59,600 PSI

375 H&H / 300 gr Bullet / 81.5 gr H4350 / 2,645 FPS / 49,500 CUP

And I'll bet that .375 H&H load (compressed) is in a 24" barrel and the 49,500 CUP pressure is about the same as 59,600 PSI for the .375 Ruger which has a shorter barrel (23") and burns less powder (not compressed) more efficiently in a bigger case for higher velocity.

Anybody know how well the 375 Ruger is selling? I don't know of anyone buying one so my thoughts are its not a big seller like everyone thought it might be. I sure would not give up my H&H for one. Another flop???

I think a few of us one here have bought them -- I'm thinking about buying a second -- it's a really good factory rifle, more than the cartridge -- much handier than any of the factory 375 H&Hs I've handled, and light, but w. very moderate recoil...

(I'm referring to my Alaskan -- 20" barrel.)

I have a barreled action Mauser in .416/375 Ruger that I will stock very soon..I really like the case design and think its a winner.

I doubt that I would sell a good .375 H&H just to own a new Ruger, but if I were purchasing a .375 today, I would give the Ruger a lot of consideration..

I was actually going to ask the same question as Woodrow S. I recently traded off my 375 H&H and now I miss it. The replacements I'm looking at are either a CZ 550 or the Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan. I gave the H&H brass and dies away with the rifle, so either way I will have to set up for a new caliber. This seemed like as good a time as any to try the new Ruger.

What are the general thoughts on the rifle itself?

quote:

Originally posted by Scrollcutter:
What are the general thoughts on the rifle itself?

I own one of each, African (23" matte-black-chromoly and walnut) and Alaskan (20" stainless and synthetic). I am a Ruger collector.

They are the best bargain going for a "Starter DGR." I got lucky with pretty walnut, and only had to chamfer/polish the lower edge of the chamber entrance to get faultless feeding. Then I put the African in an HS Precision stock (full bedding block) and it went from 1.5 MOA with factory ammo to 3/4 MOA.

The Alaskan fed fine from the get-go. The Hogue rubber-coated and aluminum-pillared stock is homely but I will switch it for the HS Precision.

The African will go back into the walnut where it belongs, with glass bedding and addition of a second crossbolt (hidden allthread) to go with the single visible primary crossbolt from the factory.

The bare-naked African weighs 7.75 lbs and is as perfect as a mass produced factory rifle gets, for general big game plus DG hunting, IMHO.

Yep, I'll hang on to one .375 H&H because that one I have is very special, and was my plains game rifle for Africa.

A .375 Ruger is better than a .375 H&H, to all but the stodgiest nostalgic.

Soon there will be a .395 Ruger Max for the really adventurous souls.

My Dec 2006 Ruger African Hawkeye .375 Ruger pictures are hereby recycled to pad my post count.

RIP
Thanks for the pictures - beautiful wood. Do you think the African should be a bit heavier or is the recoil not too bad?

Gatehouse,
Yeah, right.

Don't forget to mention that your barrel was 20" and the Hodgdon barrel is probably 23" or longer.

It would be very hard to get a .375 H&H to get that kind of velocity from a 20" barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatehouse:

quote:

Originally posted by Gatehouse:
I am concerned I am living on the edge..


From the Hodgon site:

260 GR. NOS AB
H4350
83.5C
2837
60,100 PSI


Looks like my load is WAY OVER maximum...

quote:

Originally posted by Oldcoyote:
RIP
Thanks for the pictures - beautiful wood. Do you think the African should be a bit heavier or is the recoil not too bad?

Ol' Coy:

My favorite .375 H&H is 6.75 lbs bare/empty, but has a slimmer 24" barrel (no.3) and a 1 pound stock on a pre-64 M70.

I think the Ruger African is perfect as is. 7.75 lbs with the trim wood stock and slightly heavier 23" barrel (approx. no.4). It is well balanced with that barrel contour and slender wood stock. Perfect.

IIRC, the barreled action weighs 6 pounds and the African stock weighs 1.75 lbs.

Anyone having trouble with loading after crimping reloads?

RIP,
Very Attractive. I wish Ruger would make it in Left Hand. As it is, my MK-II will be in the walnut stock (definitely plain one) until Accurate Innovations completes their design for lefties. Then am thinking of using their laminated bamboo, yeah bamboo, stock. Its supposed to be ultra-strong and, since the rifle is a .395 Max, its gotta have something different. It all depends on weight.
Max

Oh, picked up a CHD Champion bullet swaging press (actually does sizing too) yesterday for $75 at a gun show. Got it mounted and, although still have to use the cheater pipe on the handle for leverage, it really does great on resizing bullets. Its 'hell for heft'.

tmoran
if you are having troublel chambering after crimping, it is either beause your cases need to be trimmed or you are not setup properly and you crimp is buldging the necks

the 375 ruger is slightly larger than the 375 hh in internal case volume... when i get around to it, mine will be run at 375HH vels, and meant to shoot the same brass forever

Ditto jeffeosso.

prof242,
Picking through the gunshows yields treasure at a bargain price, sometimes. That press ought to gitterdun.

Your MkII left hand should gitterdun too. If you don't like the trigger, after-market replacements are numerous. The trigger is really the only difference between a MkII and a Hawkeye, and the after-market might be better yet.

Ruger wood is highly variable on the Africans and all Hawkeyes I have seen. Some are prettier than what I showed, some are downright plain. I picked through the used guns recently and found a 7mmRM Hawkeye to trade for (right hand of course) with a pretty walnut stock, unfired, with box. The stock is the same as the African except for lack of crossbolt. I plan to put a No.4 contour barrel on that for my .395 Ruger Max. I have an HS Precision MkII synthetic stock (full aluminum alloy bedding block like the Accurate Innovations stock) that fits the Hawkeyes perfectly. I don't know if they make that in Left Hand. Bamboo sounds good. Can you get it in blue for a BLUE MAX?

We'll see if I get my .395 Ruger Max dies from Hornady when you do, or 6 to 8 weeks later.

Disclaimer: This is not a highjack. Some comments made above are pertinent to the Ruger Hawkeye Rifle in .375 Ruger.

I've decided to purchase an African. I'll probably drop it in a HS Precision or Ruger canoe paddle stock for a 2008 trip to Alaska. Then of course, I'll put it back in the wood stock for an Africa trip in 5 years or so.

For those that have one already...where did you buy and what did you pay? I'm seeing highly variable street pricing.

Slatts,
You are one smart guy. Now I know why you chose that avatar of Albert Einstein with his tongue stuck out to represent your picture. Are you as smart as Einstein? I'll bet you like to have fun like him too. That picture of Einstein was probably taken of him while he was on the way to visit his mistress.

$805 USD is what I paid for an African and an Alaskan. That is retail fo' po' fokes in Kaintuck. No hornswogglin' allowed in Kentucky.
Kentucky invented the word "hornswoggle" to be applied to carpetbaggers.

If you can pick wood, look at all you can find before you buy.

Slatts,
May I borrow your avatar to represent the smart and fun-loving people of Kentucky? We do not all belong to the KKK here in this state.

Hey RIP,

Thanks for the advice. I just received a quote for about $800 and might just complete the purchase. Unfortunately there aren't many likely to be stocked where I live so I can't pick wood.

No, I'm not as smart as Einstein, however a few of the people that work for me are pretty close. Feel free to use the avatar pic. You can probably find a better representation of the Einstein Tongue pic via an internet search.

Love the pics of the African by the way. That rifle speaks to me and it's saying, go forth and hunt well.

Thanks.

Bought the African last June. Shoots extremely accurately. Had a Limb Saver put on it. Glad to have it. Nice too, that it outperforms the H&H. All my buddies have to shut their pie hole about H&H this, H&H that.

Trophyman

Trophyman. How about some non Hodgdon reloading data?

Both are great calibers and no since comparing them balistically, they are fully equal in every way in the game field. This is like argueing the .270 and .280 REm as to which is best....

I would put more emphasis on the particular rifle as to which one fit me best, than worrying about the difference between a .375 Ruger and a 375 H&H...

quote:

Originally posted by tmoran:
Anyone having trouble with loading after crimping reloads?

I had the same problem and tought it was crimping. Mine failed to chamber even without crimping. Ruger must hage realy tight chamber in the neck area. It was burrs on Hornady cases. I deburred them from inside and mainly outside and problem disappered. I have not shot mine so far since I am waiting for 30 mm rings from Ruger. I am also getting replacement pad for mine. Original pad is hard as a rock just about the same as old ruger pads. They could not explained how it was possible. There was a second 375 ruger African in the shop when I was picking mine and pad on that one was very nice soft almost too soft. Anyway Ruger customer service was very nice about it and offered to take rifle back for pad replacement but I opted for installing it myself. I do like rifle and suspect that it will be my favored. I have CZ Safari in 375 H&H but it is too heavy for hunting involving lot of walking. Ruger will go with me next time I go to Colorado for sure.

quote:

This is like argueing the .270 and .280 REm as to which is best....

Not really Ray. The 270 and 280 go into the same actions.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Pierre vd Walt:
Trophyman. How about some non Hodgdon reloading data?

Pierre,
Sorry for the delay in replying. I called Hornady and they gave me some loads to try. So did Barnes. Both asked not to make them public yet. Something about liability....... they will give it out on the phone if you call them. They'll give min and max loads, but won't get too specific. Can't blame them in today's sue-happy world.

Trophyman