,,Pretty much just that .. Anyone shot theirs much yet ,, How are the stocks holding up ... Has anyone come up with the perfect stock for the Alaskan yet ????

I have been trying to shoot between 1/2 to 1 full box of both my 416 Ruger and 450/400 each weekend, to get ready for my Zim trip this summer. I love this gun, and just can't wait to get dies and load up a lot of 350 grain Barnes for hunting here. With the Leupold upon 6X, it's great out to 200 yards, so far.

This past session my hunting partner went with me, so we could shoot a bunch of his 300 grain loads for his 375 H&H Sako. He will hunt buffalo along on my hunt. He is pretty recoil sensitive (to the point that he usually puts brakes on everything from 270 up), but shot a dozen of the big 416 Ruger and did not do badly at all. He was impressed that it did not kick badly in the Hogue stock and standard configuration.

I really like it, and plan to take it for a walk tomorrow - looking for an Idaho bear, if the weather isn't too bad. Right now, I wouldn't change a thing.

I just picked up a 2009 catalog. The Alaskan looks very handy. I wonder whats up with Ruger!? the safari grade 375 weights a back breaking 10 pounds while the 375ruger Alaskan is only 8. The Alaskan configuration seems like a natural for the 375 H&H (with longer MkII action). Ruger limits their offering of these useful easy carry designs to their own pet rounds? I guess Ruger is pretty smart, cause they got my attention with that Alaskan.

Four Bore , That is what every T .D. & H . up here wanted since Ruger came out with the Mk II stainless .... I don,t know that the 375 Ruger was worth the 14 year wait , but it is great ... Blank . with the 350 gr TSX @ 2500- 2600 fps . It is an easy 300 yard rifle that has similar drop to a 55 gr 223 rem .....I have yet to experience or read about or hear .anything that would lead me to believe the 350 gr TSX is,nt the single best bullet for all things the 416 would be needed for ...With the exception of The GS custom HV and HP bullets ...........

Perhaps the Big 416,s , Whby / Rigby , Lazz. are better off with the 400gr bullets , but I don,t know ........

I noticed with the 375 Ruger that the Houge stock soaked up recoil very well ...

I finally decided to sacrifice one of my Hogue stocks to see how it was built and took a belt sander to the outside of it. I found that the rubber is really thick and you can completely remove the thick, flat sides on the forend and round it off so it feels much better. You can also remove the stippling, palm and grip swell on the grip. All of this removes quite a bit of weight and makes the stock almost feel handy.

I also found that the new 416 will drop right into one of the old canoe paddle stocks - which makes it very light, tough and portable.

One problem I have discovered with the 416 is when using the new Hornady DGX ammo with the steel jacketed soft nosed bullets is that the top round often bounces off the feed ramp and jams against the back of the barrel. the second and bottom round do not do this.
Anyone else have this problem?

Phil: After reading of your problem with the feed on the DGX's, I wondered about mine. Had not experienced any problem so far at the range, but I decided to try any and all ways, with both the DGX and DGS. Did them slowly while watching, and also hard and fast off shooting sticks

Cycled 1-2-3 in the magazine with chamber empty, one loaded round in chamber and those combinations, and one empty case in chamber followed by 1-2-3 in the magazine. Then I mixed them up in various orders, like I might have them in the field (one DGX followed by 3 solids, etc). Never had a misfeed or jam. Used all 20 from each box.

The metplat on the DGS is a little smaller, and the edges of it are slightly more round so it really feeds slick. The flat is bigger on the DGX and the edge of the lead/jacket quite sharp.

After probably a hundred cycles of each style, I checked the rounds for marks. None on the DGS, but there were some rough spots on a couple of the DGX. Started right at the edge of the metplat on a couple, and sort of chattered back along the ogive for a quarter-inch or so.

I will definately keep my eyes on it as we go along. Only have about 80 rounds thru the rifle so far, but function has bee good. I really think the performance with the 350 TSX will be even better.

Good luck with yours.

458 Win...The canoe paddle 416 ruger... love it!

Blank, thanks for your imput. I found that a slightly weaker spring helped mine feed the top round better and I also found that the solids fed better.

Mr. Phil?

Do you have a preference between the 375 Ruger and the 416 Ruger? I'm moving to Alaska this summer and hope to someday get in an Africa hunt. I plan on mostly hunting moose and caribou when I can but certainly will have a bear tag on me in case a bear makes a nuisance of himself.

If you were to buy one or the other, which would it be? Is the 416 any more useful than the 375 - real world, not just gun-loony-ballistic-hair-splitting difference useful?

Thank you, sir!