Yup. The Ruger Alaskan in 375 + 416 are very well named and set.up for here. . Not all parts of one are Everyone's cup of tea. But the rifle as a whole is extremely well thot out. It's even.more so with the Guide Gun. And that one is available in lots more calibers . What's not to.like

Well its done i ordered the guidegun in 416 on Saturday it should be in in the next ten days. a big thank you to everyone for your input helped me decide.

Excellent. !! Have u been laying in brass? If not u should. And Federal 215 primers . Have u ordered dies yet? And lots and lots of Speer 350 grain bullets. And if you can find a stash of old Hornady 400 gr RNSP. For blasting loads the 350s@2350 or 400s@ 2150fps. Make great.loads for realistic practice with enough recoil to be useful but not so.much to be traumatic.
I'm really happy for you! Congratulations.

quote:

Originally posted by Tanoose:
Well its done i ordered the guidegun in 416 on Saturday it should be in in the next ten days. a big thank you to everyone for your input helped me decide.

You will be well serrved with your choice

Get your brass quick. Hornady must have just made a run. I got some from Natchez but Midway sent me a notification they had just gotten a shipment.

416 Ruger Guide Gun will work very well. I chose the 375 Ruger Guide Gun because loading components was more available in my area. I have a two loads worked up so far. 300gr. Accubond traveling 2590fps and giving me a 1/2" group and a Woodleigh 350gr. traveling 2391fps with an 1" group.

thanks everyone ,i am working on getting brass and bullets as we speak and also a box or two of factory ammo from my local shop,i always put factory ammo through a chrony before i reload so i can match velocity. thanks again to everyone.

As to matching the velocity that may not be possible but is probable. That may not make sense. But, factories load ammo by volume of powder, not weight of powder. And they.use Non Canister powder. Unless Hornady them self tells you in writing that they used X powder. Then it is a mystery as to what is in the case. However the 416 Ruger has the volume so you will be able to get the same velocity you could from the 416 Rem Mag. .
It will be totally different than when I got my first 416 Taylor and tried to get the velocity that Andy Runyon reported he got with his 404 Barnes. " nearly.identical to the 416 Taylor " . Perhaps he had a Long!! barrel. But.I couldn't even get his powder charge into the case. . Maybe he used a 2' drop tube?? So I ended up having to settle for less velocity. Beins I was a velocifile at.that stage in.my.life. I fully stress tested the P17 Eddystone action on that rifle.
You won't need to do that. Hornady or Hodgdon book loads will give you All you need. And in point of fact. The Taylor loads I used worked spectacularly . Never failed to slam a bear on the ground.

Please post.up some pics once you get it set up. And remember, big bore rifles are a part of rifles as a whole, all to themselves. It is going to take time to get to be best buddies with this rifle. Don't get frustrated.

I hear what your saying and will do with the pics. i have seen two posts where they got 2325 fps in the guidegun and 2375 in the alaskan. both 20" both factory loads. hey i would be very happy to get 2300 fps and if i dont i would still be in good shape for the big bears, and any trip to africa should that come my way.

http://i.imgur.com/w4BZuh2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hAYi5lQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7h8DxN5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xJj5tTI.jpg

Hears those pics of my 416 i picked her up this morning, topped with a leupold 1.5x5 with german #4 reticle. weight is 8 pounds 10 ounces 8.13 with the sling. i will let you know how she shoots in a couple of weeks.

Looks Great. How do u like the lop? . Check the eye relief on 5 power. . The rifle will recoil the same whether your hangin on and hard all over or whether your relaxed on the bench. Your eyebrow will appreciate at least 3.5" from eyebrow to eyepiece.

Really sweet setup.

Nice on my 416 I was scoped on the first shot not fun make sure you have enough eye relief.

with the one spacer in my lop was 13 1/4" i took out the spacer and now have 12 3/4" which is perfect for me, i have short arms. a good 4" from eye to scope, so i should be fine. i used the medium rings supplied with the rifle it comes up like a fine shotgun and plenty of room between bolt and scope. i hope to go shooting in a couple of weeks. not to sure about the recoil pad we will have to see if i am not comfortable with it i will try to find someone who may have a p f990 pad in stock as they dont make them anymore these are 1 1/2 inch thick

One thing to remember about a rifle for Alaskan hunting. Most of the time you will have a lot more than a T-shirt on. And sometimes a pack. Imo its great you are comfortable with a short lop. . A long john shirt. Fleece shirt and a slicker And a day pack shoulder strap will push the actual lop sometimes an inch further away. But even at 13 3/4" it will still be within your lop zone enough for you to relatively comfortably take a shot.
A PAST recoil shield can help you figure out how the rifle firs you when your dressed for the Brush.

i hear what your saying , i also have about another 1/2" to slide the scope back which would also help.i thought this scope would be perfect for the guidegun but i also have somewhere an older model vari-x2 2x7x32 that might also work, i have that option if i need it.actually i think the 1.5x5 will sit better because the 20mm tube goes the whole length wher the 2x7 bells out not allowing it to sit back as far. not to worry this 1.5x5 should be just fine.

Could I just use a 470 NE DR? I'm a bit insecure around things that would readily kill and eat me...

But, that's just me.

Tanoose ; its good to have a spare scope. And the 2-7 is a good one to have as a spare.
With the German #4 reticle tho, imo you have the right scope mounted. The 3 big black bars in the reticle really help to pull your eye to the center of the cross hair. I always push the scope as far forward as it will go. I want it as far from my face as I can get it.

i'm fine with the 1.5x5 i made an adjustment this morning.i have the german #4 on all my scopes i find that its exactly what you said its like when i use peep sights my eyes automatically center the bead.another new thing for me is the use of iron sights. before my eyes aged all my levers and bolt actions had peep sights, but i really like these express sights, so that wont be a problem

Sharpshooter nice double ,i always wanted the butch searcy ph model in 470 or 500NE maybe someday.

quote:

Originally posted by Tanoose:
i'm fine with the 1.5x5 i made an adjustment this morning.i have the german #4 on all my scopes i find that its exactly what you said its like when i use peep sights my eyes automatically center the bead.another new thing for me is the use of iron sights. before my eyes aged all my levers and bolt actions had peep sights, but i really like these express sights, so that wont be a problem

Very nice gun!! You will love it, It will kill anything on this planet if you do your part.
Get up here & test it on one of our Brownies!

Yup. Ya know Tanoose; if you work at it a bit once you get.up here . You can at a minimum kill 1 grizzly every year with a coastal brown bear on top every 4 years which means every 4th year you can get a grizzly and a brown bear. . And black bears. And if it's still the case when you do.move here you can get 2 grizzlies a year in some units.
You'll have LOTS of skinning to do. So you should start thinking about skinning knives.

sounds great , while i want to mainly hunt deer moose and black bears the big bears are definitely on the menu,hence the reason for the 416.and i'll probably back it up with a 30/06 or maybe a 338wm. now in the next couple of years the plan is to visit so as i can decide where i want to buy my house . se ,sw up near talkeetna or up near fairbanks,i want to live like 10 min. outside of town with a short drive to hunting. i am thinking south because i also love to fish.i figure after a couple of years of visits i can then buy my place . the big bears werent the main reason for the 416 the truth is i just always wanted one,and i see maybe a 458 in the future. But thats a couple of years away.

quote:

,i want to live like 10 min. outside of town with a short drive to hunting.

So dose every one else a short drive to hunting means every body from town well be there.

Hunting in AK means lots of travel by boat plane or other means.

If you think your going to get easy hunting around the major cities you need to do some research

i hear what your saying ,hear at home my short drive, depending on what i'm hunting is anywhere from 3 to 6 hours.I'm sure i can find a place in Alaska where i can take the same drive to find deer black bears and moose.its a town i'm looking for not a major city, hell i'm in NYC now i dont need anymore major cities.

Deer and Moose are 2 Really different area animals. With few exceptions. Central Southeast has Shiras moose and Sitka Blacktail deer and plenty of black bear. Northern Southeast, the ABC islands are brown bear and deer. . The way you get around in S.E. is with a boat . I thot u wanted to learn brown bear??
Alaska has many thousands of square miles that at times is totally devoid of game animals and when moose season opens there are massive migrations of city.people that show up out in remote/rural Alaska. The best way to get away from them is to have some land,water or weather feature that restricts the movement of the hordes. If u want to live where a bunch of other people do then you will have to share with them. By the time you get here there will be even more technological advancements that allow/encourage more and more people to be way out there. Used to be you had to be Tough to live, work and hunt in Alaska. Now all you need is to spend a bunch of money on gadgets. I yearn for the days before Google Earth and GPS.

NYC to Alaska will be culture shock where ever you move to even Anchorage.
Were I live there is no drive to hunt! Its out of the front door!!
I have harvested several nice animals out of my kitchen window.
Its a different life style. We live 15 miles to the nearest gas station.
Our closest neighbor is 4 miles down the mountain.
Every time my wife sees another Grizzly all that she can think about is another Rug.
She uses a 30/06 with 200gr TSX and can place them on a dime out to 200yards.
I tend to use something larger. 375 ruger, 416rem, 45/70
But lately i have started using handguns more.
Hope you have a good adventure in the future!

yes i do want to learn brown bear and want to live in brown bear country. having deer in the same is a big plus. if i have to travel for moose or black bear thats ok i am willing to do that. i have a lot to learn and i have a lot of research ahead of me.its a lot different hear in NY a five hour drive to the Adirondacks to the ceder river flow i can show you deer bear and moose sign all in the same area.no moose season hear yet but there numbers are growing every year.

I reccomend a cruise where you visit the smaller ports in Southeast for starters. Your spouse would even enjoy the trip.

i have a bunch of literature coming. over a dozen towns from ketchikan to homer and some north of there around trapper creek and talkeetna. thanks for all your help

And take the train to Fairbanks in the early fall. And take a smaller plane flight to Kotz in the early fall. With a stop in Galena. If you crave utter isolation, take a trip out to Attu . Or the Arctic in Late December.

quote:

Originally posted by Tanoose:
i have a bunch of literature coming. over a dozen towns from ketchikan to homer and some north of there around trapper creek and talkeetna. thanks for all your help

I would high recommend traveling there and visiting a while before moving there. Preferably Oct to January.

AK is a dream for many but works out only for a few.

p dog my plans to move there are 5 years from now. so i have 5 years of visits to decide.the way time has gone lately 5 years will be hear before you know it.

I have 375 H&H, 416 Rem Mag and 458 Lott. That's just because I like guns. My suggestion is whichever one you shoot best. I've killed cape buff, Lion, Hippo, & elephant with my 416. I've killed buff and Leopard with my 375 H&H which got the job done nicely. I've killed paper with the 458 Lott. With me its always a tough choice between the 375 and 416. I shoot both quite well and effectively. In the end its all about bullet placement. One of the most important thing to consider is when your traveling. 375 ammo can be found most anywhere in the world. Not so with 416 and 458.

Have not shot enough bears to be an expert on the subject, so would go with what Phil sez...

I have however shot more than enough cape buffalo to know the .458 Win. with handloads and proper bullets is perhaps the better tool up close and personal on buffalo, not that I would feel slighted with a .416. The 416 Rem and 404 have been my DG choice over the years.

If I were a bear guide, I'd opt for a 458 Lott I suspect, and it can shoot 458 Win. if need be. I really like the LOtt a lot.

Nice choices you must think like me. And I added a .505 just to be sure.......

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Vining:
I have 375 H&H, 416 Rem Mag and 458 Lott. That's just because I like guns. My suggestion is whichever one you shoot best. I've killed cape buff, Lion, Hippo, & elephant with my 416. I've killed buff and Leopard with my 375 H&H which got the job done nicely. I've killed paper with the 458 Lott. With me its always a tough choice between the 375 and 416. I shoot both quite well and effectively. In the end its all about bullet placement. One of the most important thing to consider is when your traveling. 375 ammo can be found most anywhere in the world. Not so with 416 and 458.

quote:

Originally posted by Tanoose:
i have a bunch of literature coming. over a dozen towns from ketchikan to homer and some north of there around trapper creek and talkeetna. thanks for all your help

Have you thought about Fairbanks area? Lots of access to good areas off the road and river system.

no i haven't Dave but i have alot of time to explore. my biggest challenge in getting there is being able to talk my wife into leaving NY. i really hope she will come otherwise then i guess i can look for a smaller place lol

Tanoose,

Where you can find good work is going to be a big factor. If you have a good work ethic and a marketable skill a town off the road system or ferry line route would be my suggestion for a real Alaskan experience. If you live where you can drive your pick up or 4 wheeler to where you want to hunt or fish everyone else can too. If you can only find work in the more urban areas of Alaska your kind of screwed as hunting and fishing will be a competitive sport and getting out to REAL Alaska will be spendy. Also if your wife is not into the whole Alaska thing I guarantee neither of you are going to be happy.

Mark

My plan is to retire there Mark and i would like to buy our home within the next 4-5 years,i will figure out where after we have visited a few times.i plan to visit all seasons so we can see what Alaska is really like.