I understand there may be a few different ways to go about this.
Here is what I want. A 375 caliber rifle in the 375 H&H class in a short, crawling around in the brush configuration. With metal as maintenance free as possible. And with a wood stock I can do the checkering on. Preferably controlled feed, and a fast action.
This gun will get used, it will not spend time in the safe. I don't want to spend extra money on a rifle that will probably get banged up a little. Highly functional, not a piece of art.
I am guessing the Ruger Alaskan in 375 Ruger is going to be my best choice, then replace the stock.
I work with a gunsmith so I can get very good rates on labor. Cheap to none.

Build? Buy? What do you think?

The Ruger Alaskan price would be hard to beat even with free labor. I would leave the stock alone and find another project to practice my checkering. For what you are talking the factory stock makes more sense. You say you don't want to spend extra $$ on a rifle that will get beat up.

That said I have a rifle that I swap the stock back and forth. For the MTNs I have a very light carbon fiber stock. For the times of easy hunting or stand hunting I have a very pretty piece of Bastogne I stick on it. Both have good bedding and I have no point of impact changes.

For what you've described, a M-70 in something like a .300, .338, 7mm magnum rebarreled to .375 Ruger, or with a little extra effort the .375 H&H is doable.

IMO the cheapest route is merely to buy the Ruger as you pointed out......but then you have a Ruger!

If you can live without the CRF feature (Highly over rated IMO) most magnum chamberings in the Remington 700 can be converted as well. Howa, Sako, Weatherby, and push feed Winchesters can be used.

You can also buy a CZ rifle and have a stainless barrel installed.....there's a lot of options.

"but then you have a ruger"

What would be the negatives of the ruger? I don't have any experience with them.

quote:

What would be the negatives of the ruger? I don't have any experience with them.

In my opinon there is simply nothing wrong with the new Rugers. They simply don't carry the history of a Mauser or M70. When they first came out there were barrle issues. Those have gone away. Some don't like the fact the action starts as a casting. There afre slos some of us who simply can't stand to leave a factory rifle alone.

The other options vapodog gave will work as well. The Ruger will give you a good quality rifle and get you going for the cheapest price.

Ok, all good advice.
I'll probably sell that Nightforce I never use, and spend the money on the Ruger, which I will use.

I fully admit that the last Ruger long gun I bought was when they printed the 200th anniversary on the barrel.....a long time ago.

I've owned a few of their handguns and like them a lot.....they seem to need trigger jobs but that is doable.

In the '70s and 80's I bought nothing but junk from Savage and Ruger and Weatherby.....to this date there has been none of them grace my doorway. All three of them may have changed but it don't change my memory....there's a lot of fine Winchesters, Mausers, Remingtons, Sakos, and others to choose from!