It was a perfect day for chronographing the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Alaskan Stainless with 20" barrel, at 77 degrees F.

10 shots each for the averages:

300-grain Hornady RNSP average = 2586.8 fps
2607
2599
2594
2576
2590
2607
2568
2565
2583
2579

270-grain SP average = 2682.4 fps
2667
2677
2667
2671
2708
2684
2665
2669
2704
2712

The excellent express sight on the Hawkeye Alaskan were shooting right to the center of the big white bead at 50 yards with the 270-grainers, right out of the box. No sight adjustment was made. That bead covered 4 or 5 inches at 50 yards and my 3-shot groups were about 2" in size, for hasty shooting over the chronograph. A scope will tell how accurate it is with handloads.

The factory ammo is pretty good stuff, and does indeed with a 20" barrel equal or better the 24" velocity of the .375 H&H, at least with the 300-grain load. I feel the 270-grain load could easily be boosted with handloads.

Recall the 10-shot averages for the 23" barreled African that I reported here previously? No, I don't either, but I will go search for them. Same loads and similar temperature, IIRC ...

And here is the "Forty-Ought-Seven" brass starting to take shape (thrown in here for exposure, since .375 Ruger data has been so hot lately, and there is only a small hardcore bunch of .395 afficianados) :



The solid lines are a paper cutter 1-centimeter scale. The dotted lines are 1/2".

Note that the .395 caliber is a "one-centimeter bore."

First we had the "9.5mm Tornado." Now we have the "10.03mm Tatanka" aka ".395 Tatanka" aka "40-07 Tatanka."

You should tell these people they forgot the .395 Tatanka!

Good to see the plan coming together, as well as the .375 going along.

Hornady factory loads, all from the same 270-grain lot and 300-grain lot, 10-shot average for each:

Rip's Hawkeye African 23" barrel velocities 66F:
300-grainers: 2657.5 fps
270-grain: 2782.1 fps

Rip's Hawkeye Alaskan 20" barrel velocities 77F:
300-grainers: 2586.8 fps
270-grainers: 2682.4 fps

Hornady Advertised velocities at unknown barrel length and ambient temperature:
300-grainers: 2660 fps
270-grainers: 2840 fps

Regarding the African and Alaskan: they are both good.

The Alaskan feeds flawlessly with roundnose and spitzer.

My African needed the breech end edge of the barrel (chamber edge at the bottom) chamfered and polished in order to feed as smoothly.

The later production Alaskan must have gotten that bug smoothed out, or my African was a fluke.

Barrel lengths?

A matter of preference:

Charles,
Yep, they have been around since B.C. years, "Before Costner," and they can't even spell "Tatanka" correctly!

Ignoring the 11 degree F temperature difference which would have favored the 20" barrel in this case, so might have made the velocity loss per inch a few "fps/inch" greater (somewhere around negligible):

The 300-grain factory loads lost 70.7 fps with the 3" barrel chop: 23.57 fps/inch

The 270-grain factory loads lost 99.7 fps with the 3" barrel chop: 33.23 fps/inch

Care to enlighten us on the barrel length photo?

quote:

Hornady Advertised velocities at unknown barrel length and ambient temperature:
300-grainers: 2660 fps
270-grainers: 2840 fps

RIP, according to the Hornady website, those numbers are from a 24" barrel.

Here is a screenshot of the tables on the Hornady 375 Ruger webpage...



Looks like you are getting slightly better than published velocities with the 20in barrel (as did Gatehouse). And you are within 2.5fps of the 24" barrel specs with the 300gr bullets, and only a little under with the 270br bullets...not bad considering an inch less barrel.

Seems Hornady's claims for the 375 Ruger were pretty much bang on.

Cheers,
Canuck

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Ignoring the 11 degree F temperature difference which would have favored the 20" barrel in this case, so might have made the velocity loss per inch a few "fps/inch" greater (somewhere around negligible):

The 300-grain factory loads lost 70.7 fps with the 3" barrel chop: 23.57 fps/inch

The 270-grain factory loads lost 99.7 fps with the 3" barrel chop: 33.23 fps/inch

That's very interesting info....you don't lose much with the shorter Alaskan.

How do you find the two to shoot? Similar? Any noticible difference in muzzle blast, recoil, etc???

FYI, FWIW...My African feeds all three factory carts slicker than whale crap on an ice flow.

Cheers,
Canuck

Canuck, my friend,
Thanks for calling attention to the .395 Tatanka.

Thanks also for reminding me of the 24" barrel for the Hornady factory ballistics, though you failed us on the temperature.

The Alaskan weighs 8.25 lbs and is the kind of ugly that I find endearing, and the little bit of butt-heaviness can be gotten used to.

The African is 7.75 lbs, beautifully trim, and a perfectly balanced piece, in walnut and matte black.

I find the shootability of both to be fine, and with my muffs and plugs I did not feel any muzzle blast effects from the 20" barrel.

My African is feeding as well as my Alaskan now, and down south we say slick like greased owl crap.

I am happy to have gotten the pretty wood on the African. Just to help toward that 10,000 post goal, some pics repeated. All hail The African! And the Alaskan!

The African was bedded in an HS Precision stock and is sub-MOA for 3 shots at 100 yards.

I'll bet either the African or Alaskan will do that routinely if properly bedded in whatever stock. Maybe even the Hogue rubberware stock.

Macifej,
For the below I can only say: No excuse, Sir!

quote:

Barrel lengths?
A matter of preference:

4'-10" and 6'-6" best I can tell.

RIP,

Your chronometer results yield nearly identical velocity for the 270 grain bullet as my 20" .375H&H with a 270 grain bullet.

My results averaged at just about 2630.

I haven't chronoed any 300 grainers out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Canuck, my friend,
Thanks for calling attention to the .395 Tatanka.

Thanks also for reminding me of the 24" barrel for the Hornady factory ballistics, though you failed us on the temperature.

The Alaskan weighs 8.25 lbs and is the kind of ugly that I find endearing, and the little bit of butt-heaviness can be gotten used to.

The African is 7.75 lbs, beautifully trim, and a perfectly balanced piece, in walnut and matte black.

I find the shootability of both to be fine, and with my muffs and plugs I did not feel any muzzle blast effects from the 20" barrel.

My African is feeding as well as my Alaskan now, and down south we say slick like greased owl crap.

I am happy to have gotten the pretty wood on the African. Just to help toward that 10,000 post goal, some pics repeated. All hail The African! And the Alaskan!

You are most welcome! That 40-07 is looking good. Do you have a pic of the "oughts" in row?? I am thinking a graphic of the 30-06 to 50-08 is in order.

Thank you kindly for the review of the Hawkeye's. Much as I suspected but good to have confirmed.

The refresher on your African beauty was nice too, but I see that you got a much nicer chunk of wood than I. Mine is very plain, and even has a teeny-tiny bit of filler in a small internal knot. But she'll be a working gal, so matters "knot" to me. Also hope to dress her in synthetic one day anyway.

PS: I am going to assume that Hornady's numbers were generated at approximately room temperature (~70deg) in some cushy indoor range. We could always inquire with "the Mitch", eh? Or am I missing the boat entirely...is there a standard SAAMI temperature??

Cheers,
Canuck

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
RIP,

Your chronometer results yield nearly identical velocity for the 270 grain bullet as my 20" .375H&H with a 270 grain bullet.

My results averaged at just about 2630.

I haven't chronoed any 300 grainers out of it.

Surestrike, thats not bad velocity from a 20" H&H. I was able to wring out close to 2750 fps with 270gr'ers with my 24" barreled H&H. I only got about 2600fps from 265gr GSC HV's though.

Of course, keep in mind that Hornady's numbers are comparing SAAMI to SAAMI, not handloads.

Gatehouse is getting about 2750 fps with his 375 Ruger and 270gr Barnes TSXs, out of a 20" barrel!

No matter how you slice it though, the 375 Ruger is at or near 375 H&H velocities and fits in a standard action. That's all I was looking for.

Cheers,
Canuck

Canuck,

Make no mistake I am not bashing the Ruger at all. I think they've got a winner.

One thing I am just about sure of is that in a 20" barrel the Ruger is going to push the 300 gr a bit better.

My data is with a 270gr TSX and a max load of IMR 4320.

That has been my load for some time now and it is quite accurate as well.

I fondled the African an few days ago at the Bass Pro here in Denver. I almost dropped plastic on it. It is a well executed rifle for a very fair price.

The problem is I have a new double a new .458Lott and will be getting a divorce if I buy any more iron this year.

Hmmmmmmm...Lets do the math here. Is it worth it?