I have a Ruger African 375 that can be loaded one in the chamber and three in the hinged floor plate - magazine. No matter how I load it 4 -3 rounds being used the second last round and the last round periodically get gammed. IF I load 3 -4 rounds and work bolt very quickly sometimes it ejects the live second last round and feeds the last round. Having never used the hinged floor plate design before am I missing something??????????????? This issue could really screw a guy up especially Buffalo hunting!!! I basically only have two reliable rounds before an issue can arise. HELP!!!

perhaps a properly set up H&H??????????????????????????

What does it does when you actually shoot it and empty the magazine?

If I understand what you are doing… You are loading the magazine through the opened floorplate.
The last round in is it on the side to match the follower? If not it will cause problems.

AM,

I'm presuming your 375 Ruger is housed in the M77 Ruger action. I have a 300 SAUM, shorter and slightly larger diameter case in the M77 Ruger short action. I can feed 3-down in the magazine and thumb the fourth round sufficiently far enough in the magazine to slip under the Mauser-style extractor when closing the bolt to feed into the chamber. This maintains a correct stack within the magazine allowing four rounds to be chambered via bolt cycling without issue.

If you're charging the magazine and chamber in the same manner then you'll likely need a visit to a competent gunsmith to fix the feeding issue. When you do, you'll want to load dummy rounds with the various bullets you intend to use so that the gunsmith can determine where/what is causing the misfeeds. I'd recommend loading some FN solids within your mix of dummies so that the gunsmith can eliminate any issues that'd prohibit 100% feeding with those as well.

Good luck...

I load shells threw the opened bolt. If I press down on the third round while closing bolt I have an empty chamber. If I hand place a fourth round into chamber while holding down on the third magazine loaded round I have a loaded gun with a max of four rounds. The problem is only on the second last round it seems to jump out of the magazine and the gun wants to load the final round and not the second last round causing a jam! Or I have even had it that if I work the bolt quickly enough it will actually eject the second last live round and feed only the last round. Any way I try it I have only two reliable rounds before a jam or live round is ejected. I have always used rifles that are used with a clip and so this has never happened to me before. Not sure of the answer?

Thanks

First thing I would do is call Ruger and ask them for a new magazine spring. Request a stiffer spring because it might help hold the loaded rounds in the correct position.

Sounds like an issue with the left side feed rail or possibly even the follower to me. As already stated by others, take it to a competent gunsmith for a thorough check.

Thanks for all the advice as it doesn't sound like this is something I can repair myself. Honestly I can't remember the last time I shot more than twice at an animal,but if I ever needed to guess when the gun would fail!

Thanks again guys

When you open the floorplate, how is the follower spring oriented, is it to the rear of the follower, or is it to the front?
If the spring has been put in upside down, the rear of the follower will tip, causing your type of problem. The front of the follower should have more spring pressure than the rear so that cartridges pop up nose first, but still pretty flat so that they slip under the claw extractor under spring pressure.
If you remove the follower spring from the floorplate and the follower, it's correct orientation should be, long side in follower, short side in floorplate.
If that checks out to be correct, then I would look at if there is any binding taking place between the magazine and the follower, this will leave telltale signs in the mag and on the side of the follower, if there is evidence of this, then polish the follower with 800grit wet and dry until it travels up and down smoothly. You can also do the same to the left side action feed rail to smooth it up if it's rough.
If none of this helps, then a gunsmith will have to re-time the action from scratch.

Hope this cures your woes.

Cheers.

Ok, the spring can only go one way and looking closer its correct. It seems to me that the right rail where the bolt rests on extends further out to the middle than the left side. The right rail to me seems to hold the bullet from popping up until the bolt forces it forward. The left rail is not as wide as the right rail and the bullet can pop out of the magazine as the rail doesn't fully stop it. Should both of these rails not be the same width extending to the center?

Thanks all!

That sounds correct to me, left side feed rail is narrower than the right side. It works by holding the cartridge in place until it moves to where the left rail gets even narrower, then pops up under the claw extractor. Sometimes fat cartridges hang up and the bolt will actually slip over the top of them, but your issue sounds like it's in the timing of the feed rails. They may need reshaping or extending.
Does it do it if you operate the bolt fast or slow, or does it do it no matter what speed you operate the bolt?
It's difficult to diagnose without having the rifle in front of me.

All the best with it, it may need a trip to a gunsmith to sort it out.

Cheers.

IMO, every DGR factory mass produced rifle should go to a sure nuff competent smith to be tweeked, and some custom rifles should also if you encounter any difficulty....Buy them, test them, and if any thing goes bad, get them fixed.