I'm building a new 375 Ruger at the moment that I hope to use on a future brown bear hunt in Alaska.This is what I have so far.

-M70 stainless classic action
-McMillian supergrade(magnum fill)
-Pacnor barrel( contour to match 338 profile)23"
-stainless one peice Williams bottom metal
-NECG masterpeice sights
-barrel band swivel

Sounds like a hell of a start. Let's see some photos when you get it put together.

I’ve seriously contemplated nearly that exact same build or conversion for my scheduled 2009 brown bear hunt.

-Winchester M70 stainless action
-McMillan Supergrade (or Echols Legend) Stock
-Shilen (or other quality) 23" barrel
-No iron sights
-Talley mounts and rings
-Leupold VX-III 2.5-8 scope
-Target weight for rifle-with-scope of 8.5 pounds

I also keep looking at the photos of the current Winchester M70 Extreme Weather SS (if FN ever builds and releases the darn things) and wonder what that platform would be like with a slightly beefier 23-inch barrel and chambered in .375 Ruger.

In either case, a good Winchester M70 stainless rifle in .375 Ruger would seem just the ticket for the Alaskan Peninsula.

quote:

Originally posted by Timberline:
I’ve seriously contemplated nearly that exact same build or conversion for my scheduled 2009 brown bear hunt.

-Winchester M70 stainless action
-McMillan Supergrade (or Echols Legend) Stock
-Shilen (or other quality) 23" barrel
-No iron sights
-Talley mounts and rings
-Leupold VX-III 2.5-8 scope
-Target weight for rifle-with-scope of 8.5 pounds

I also keep looking at the photos of the current Winchester M70 Extreme Weather SS (if FN ever builds and releases the darn things) and wonder what that platform would be like with a slightly beefier 23-inch barrel and chambered in .375 Ruger.

In either case, a good Winchester M70 stainless rifle in .375 Ruger would seem just the ticket for the Alaskan Peninsula.

You will be way over your target weight with that combo, even if you use a No.3 sporter profile, the lightest possible barrel.

If you use a Douglas/McGowen No.3 equivalent sporter contour on your barrel of choice in .375 caliber (0.625" outside diameter at the 24" point of barrel), and a 1-pound Brown Precision stock, or a McMillan Edge, possibly (light weight version), you will easily make it and the rifle will be well balanced.

Light barrel requires light stock to balance.

The No.3 barrel sporter contour can be accurate if rifle is properly bedded.

Rip, you may be right. The Winchester action is relatively heavy to begin with.

My “light†.375 H&H is currently a Remington M700 Alaskan Wilderness Rifle I’ve modified just a bit. Out of the box and equipped with Conetrol mounts and a Leupold VX-III 2.5-8 scope it weighs just 7 lbs. 12 oz. It’s wonderful to carry and very accurate, but I have to admit that it is a bit sharp in the recoil department when shooting prone over my pack in the field with 300-grain Swift A-Frames.

On a whim, I ordered a slightly heavier HS Precision stock for it. With that slightly heavier stock with its integrated bedding block the rifle with the same mounts and scope now weighs 8 lbs. 6 oz. and is a pussycat to shoot, even prone. Accuracy is still great.

My 8 ½-pound goal was based on how that particular Remington .375 H&H handles and shoots. My hope would be that the shorter .375 Ruger cartridge might allow me to get to about the same weight with a Winchester action. At least that was my hope. Lightweight, me thinks, is good as long as it’s accurate and doesn’t kick you into next week.

I bet you can reach that target weight.

quote:

Originally posted by Moose-Hunter:
I bet you can reach that target weight.

Yep,
If he does what I said.

Seems like it would be easier to make that into a 375 H&H or Weatherby. Doesn't the Ruger require a different bolt face and Magazine box? Action is long enough for H&H or Weatherby is it not?

I built my .416 Ruger on a Mauser action with a 20" barrel at about a no. 4 contour Lothar Walther barrel and it came out at 8-3/4 loaded and with iron sights. That's exactly where I wanted to be. Your wood will pretty much determine where you end up if your looking for say a 9 lb. rifle..I had a super light peice of Russian Circasian walnut from Bill Dowtins oldworldwalnut.com..I am also going to stock my 404 in a piece of his his wood, a dark blood red chunk of really nice stuff...

Rip

Does it sound like my rifle will balence with that barrel and the magnum fill McMillan?They will not warrenty an Edge over 338 mag.A few items I forgot to list for the build:

-Williams spring steel extractor
-Talley QD rings and bases
-Cerakote when complete(graphite black or olive) I can't decide.The stock will be olive.

Rsm458Lott,
Dare to be great!
Use The Edge on your .375. Throw the warranty to the wind!

With a No.3 sporter contour .375 barrel: If you use the standard fill McMillan fiberglass instead of the graphite and Kevlar "Edge" you will be butt heavy/muzzle light, poorly balanced.

I prefer to balance the Winchester M70 Classic or Pre-64 .375 H&H or .375 Ruger on the front action screw.

It looks really neat when I hold it out at arms length on my index fingertip, perfectly stable and horizontal/level:

"Look Ma, good balance!"

The Brown Precision "Pounder" is what the McMillan "Edge" is emulating.
I hear Brown Precision is making a "Pounder" for the Ruger Mark II and that would also work on the Ruger Hawkeye African or Alaskan.

I ran across this thread and thought I would share a few pictures of a rifle Kevin Weaver of Weaver Rifles in Peyton, Colorado just built for me. I was intrigued with the .375 Ruger but am not a fan of Ruger rifles so I had Kevin build this rifle off of a standard pre-64 Winchester Model 70 action. We added a 24 inch #6 contour SS Kreiger barrel, NECG sights, barrel band swivel, cerakoted all the metal and dropped her in a Hi-Tech stock. Probably around 9 pounds after I added a Leica 1.75x6 scope in Talley detachable rings. I haven't shot her yet. It's been in the high 90's in south Texas since I received the gun but she should shoot minute of buffalo or brown bear!







Should make a great all-purpose carry rifle for the Alaskan bush or the African veldt!

"Probably around 9 pounds" does not cut it.
Put that hawg on the scales! No. 6 barrel contour is quite obese!!! Must be terribly muzzle heavy!!!
Thanks for posting the pic of that pig!!!

Here is my one and only .375 H&H (Pre-64 M70 action, Douglas No.3 sporter barrel, Brown Precision "Pounder" stock) which I will never part with:

6.75 lbs. bare-naked-empty. 8.5 lbs with scope, sling and ammo as shown, it finally shot 3/4 MOA (3-shots) after I got the bedding perfected:



The Weimaraner is "Jack."

quote:

Probably around 9 pounds" does not cut it.
Put that hawg on the scales! No. 6 barrel contour is quite obese!!! Must be terribly muzzle heavy!!!
Thanks for posting the pic of that pig!!!

Nine pounds, 3 ounces on a postal scale. Slightly muzzle heavy... just right for cradling in a set of shooting sticks.

And no I wasn't looking to trade... glossy scopes with covers and stainless barrels with blued accessories aren't my style... I am happy with mine, I'm sure you are happy with yours!

Absolutely happy. I particularly love that bead blasted stainless barrel and the contrasting (accenting) matte black hardware on the barrel.

I also have a matte black Leupold 2.5-8x in Kimber rings, and that is the scope I used in Botswana on this rifle, to slay all plains game.

It started off in Africa with a one-shot kill of a blue wildebbeest at 150 yards, though it was first blooded on an Alaskan black bear at 300 yards: a 350 pound 6'3" bear that dropped dead on the first shot.

Walt Sherman of Tallahassee, FL, barreled and chambered that Pre-64 M70 action. Kelly Olson of Eagle River, AK, installed the barrel hardware and glass bedded the Brown Pounder stock and sprayed on the texture paint.

So my rifle weighs about 1 pound and 3 onces less than your pig, eh? That would be without sling (nylon strap) and without ammo for an even 8 pounds with scope and rings, for my rifle, and it balances perfectly on the front action screw.

First shot in Africa with this rifle, 2001:

Hey, everybody makes fun of my rifles here, so I can make fun of a barrel-heavy pig when I see one.
Note: The front sling base is now on the tip of the forearm, where it will stay. That helps makes it more accurate and lighter. Every ounce counts.

quote:

Hey, everybody makes fun of my rifles here

Don't know what you're talking about... I never made fun of your rifles. But I don't care for your rifles or for you either. I simply posted a pic of a new .375 Ruger I had built. That was what the thread was about. Folks who insult other people's rifles and then started beating their chests about some of their hunts always crack me up. Trying to compensate for something, I guess... oh well another for the "ignore" list. BTW been on a few safaris myself...

Poor sport, taking this stuff too seriously ,eh?

I am famous here for my ugly rifles!

No. 3 barrel and one pound synthetic stock: right at 8.5 lbs with reasonable scope, ammo, and 1" nylon sling: It is the only way for a well balanced rifle of light weight in either .375 H&H or .375 Ruger.

The Hawkeye African .375 Ruger has about a No.4 23" barrel and has a spritely 1.75# walnut stock and it weighs about a pound more than my .375 H&H, but it too is well balanced, and the neatest factory rifle ever made.

Sheesh! A No. 6 barrel is way too heavy for a .375 Ruger or .375 H&H!

Now where is that picture of the dead black bear and yours truly on a solo stalk in Prince William Sound ...

What does everyone think on the balence of this rifle?I can sell the magnum fill when it gets here and order a standard fill while using my factory stock during the wait.Is the differance going to be enough to notice?What about durability?

yes, it may be a little light up front. I wasn't there when RIP calculated opposing forces either side of your front action screw but it seemed presumptive. Since he has no idea what optics/mounts you intend to use it doesn't balance anywhere yet. While not law, finished stocks usually break one pound depending on LOP/pad/bedding/paint used. And while we are taking wild shots in the dark lets go ahead and ignore manufacturer recommendations. Hell, load this thing till it pops. Throw caution to the wind.

I'm not sure you were shooting for decaf anyway since you opted for a M70, steel bottom metal instead of blind, and irons instead of clean barrel. Light has its place but a little muzzle heavy in a gun like this is not a bad thing. Take a serious look at bwanamrm's rig.

I'm not sure how long ago you ordered your McMillan but given the wait time for one and their awesome staff they may allow you to alter your order. I'd be a liar if I said I never asked Heather to change something I ordered. If you already have your barrel use every bit of the straight cylinder. Its won't be the same as weight further out but it's what you have. I would have used something heavier like a No.5. If you don't like what you've got take a hit and start over. Don't settle. I'm sure RIP could bust out his calculator and burn up some engineering paper to re-design your dream machine.