I think the lack of ammo is indeed a legitemate concern.

The 375 Ruger is meant to be a big game rifle, as in Grizzly Bear, etc. It is a huge heavy round that has TWICE the recoil of a 30-06, so my guess is you will hate the rifle after, oh, the first two rounds. Brutal recoil is not conducive to accuracy or your doctor bill....

If you're looking for a close enough alternative to the scout rifle, what about the Ruger Compact Magnum in .308?

 

I have looked at the compact magnum as well, but I'm really just not in favor of blued carbon steel at all. I know it's silly aesthetics to some, but I really do like the look and maintenance advantage of stainless steel and have everything else in stainless steel as well.

Thank you for heads up on the recoil though, I should have done a bit more research on that beforehand as I agree completely that not wanting to shoot the rifle that much if at all due to that much recoil defeats my purpose of having it.

 

If you really want a stainless, handy rifle, and don't mind not having a detachable magazine, there are options. Would I be wrong in assuming that iron sights are a big part of what you're looking for? If so, what about taking a standard stainless Hawkeye in the caliber of your choice and:
-shorten the barrel to whatever length you want
- then have a front sight installed
- and install a rear such as the NECG

While a big boomer might appeal to many people, for whatever their reason, I've also always been leery of somewhat uncommon calibers because of ammo availability, cost, boo boo shoulder (ok, I'm wimpy) and so on. That's not to mean I have anything against the big bores, it's just that I myself don't have any interest or need of one.
As far as the little itty bitty .308, I recently dropped a bull moose with my scout.

 

As a matter of fact, yes, iron sights are definately what I'm after, it's funny that you posted your thread on them as I've always liked them and wondered why they are becoming so scarce.

I have also thought about getting a hawkeye and having the barrel shortened and a front sight put on, however the cost to do this on top of the cost of the rifle to begin with (on top of finding a good gunsmith) has made me look towards a rifle that is already setup this way.

I should probably just suck it up and wait for Ruger to come out with either a stainless compact magnum or the export version of the scout here in the US and just go shoot what I have in the meantime instead of blabbering on the forums about what I want to feed my addiction jones-ing with.

 

I'll throw in my thoughts too since you brought it up. The .375 Ruger was meant as an alternative to the .375 H&H but uses a standard length long action so in theory manufacturing costs would be lower to build the gun. At least that's my take on it. And you can find them new for around $700 if you look which is a LOT cheaper than most big game rifles in .375 H&H. The ballistics data that Hornady and Ruger developed are pretty impressive - again, compared to the .375 H&H. It's a big game rifle as Tater said. When you buy a box of Hornady ammo in .375 Ruger you are buying from Hornady's "Dangerous Game" line of ammo. So yes, the recoil is pretty stout but it's purpose is hunting big game, not plinking, target shooting, etc. Factory ammo is $2 each so there's another factor to consider.

If you were a reloader (I know the OP said he is not) you can de-tune the load down to a more benign level and the accuracy is very good. I shot a box of 20 factory rounds when sighting in mine and I was done! But that would be same with any other big game rifle in any similar caliber - .375 H&H. .416 Rigby, or especially .458 Lott.

Ruger did a nice job with the Alaskan and the Hogue stock has a nice cushy recoil pad. But it is a round that speaks with authority. Of course, when used as intended in a hunt you may only fire once, possibly twice so the recoil isn't going to bust you up as if you shot a couple of boxes at the range.

Revoliver, I'm like you - my rifles tend to be all synthetic stocks with stainless steel barrels. And that is one of the things I like about the Alaskan. I may never get my Alaskan coastal brown bear but it won't be because I didn't bring enough gun!

Wave

 

The .375 Ruger was designed to replace the much older .375 H&H, something it failed to do, largely because of the legendary appeal of the H&H due to its time in Africa. The .375 Ruger also labors under giant velocity spikes between one shot to another with Hornady ammo, sometimes in excess of 150 FPS. It also lacks the tapered case that the .375 H&H has, which contributes to reliabilty. Also, because the .375 Ruger has nearly the same velocity as the .375 H&H in a shorter case, it has higher pressures than the H&H and therefore making it less reliable in hot conditions. In short, the .375 Ruger has very little appeal outside of North America and PH's from Africa have slapped it down like a red-headed step-child.

Summed up: It's fine for North America, and it's available, just less so than the H&H; as to its future availibility I have no clue... It comes in a long-action instead of a magnum length action, which has its pro's and con's. Overall it's a wonderful cartridge for North America, not so much for other continents because of higher pressures and virtually no ammo availibility outside of the U.S. It kicks pretty good but real men can take it with a little recoil tolerance.


P.S, it doesn't have a belt like the .375 H&H, making it less appealing IMO aesthetically. Who doesn't think a belted magnum is awesome?

 

There are a zillion 357 H&H weatherby's on the market, everyone of them has story or full size mount on the wall to prove it's self. For $700+ I can get a 357 H&H and a 300 mag Howa with an overmolded stock right out of the box.

Going back to the Weatherby, the only rifles I have sold for more than I paid new is when someone watched me make a hell of a shot to to kill a trophy deer or whatever we were hunting. They had to have that gun. In the hands of a fair shot a Weatherby has done it time and time again.

 

Well, I guess that settles it, it's a great rifle, but just not what I'm after. I've got my 6"GP100 little brother and it's 77/357 big brother for shooting all day at whatever on the cheap, but I'm looking for the 'Father' rifle now to complete the set.

Sucking it up for now is definately looking like my best if not only option.

Thank you all for the replies!

 

Well, some time has passed and the urge to get the .375 Alaskan has only grown stonger!

I just can't stop thinking about having that just slightly larger version of my 77/357 that is just a bad arse mother for possible hunting trips with the in-laws and just to pull out and have a blast with on the firing line at the range with with a couple of (expensive!) rounds. I also keep thinking about what I posted earlier, about already having the GP100 and 77/357 for cheap(ish) range (and small game) fun.

The ammo availability concern has been subsided a bit due to finding out that Savage is also offering rifles in .375 Ruger, so that should help and I really don't plan on going outside the US with it, or trying to shoot it all day at the range either, so there's more reason to not worry about the price or availability.

I don't know if this makes sense, is just desperate addict reationale/justification, or a combination of both.

 

I don't know if this makes sense, is just desperate addict reationale/justification, or a combination of both.

The answer is Yes, Yes and Yes!

And my humble gun collection is filled with examples to prove it.....



(It's funny - the same guys at the range who say "what'd you buy that thing for?" are the same ones who want a turn shooting it!)

 

Revoliver, I say go for it! Of course I would since I already did the same thing. I don't think there's a lot of them out there but they do exist. If you get a newer one you'll get one with the upper sling stud on a barrel band. Mine was a new/old stock 2009 gun and the stud is on the forend. Not a big deal but some complained it pinched their finger on recoil so they moved it.

It's a pretty cool rifle and all your friends will want to shoot it so watch out - the ammo is expensive as you know. I put a scope on mine but you wouldn't have to for range fun. There are a few others here on the forum with one so you'll have some company!

Wave

 

I have owned several 375 h and hs and recoil is a matter of stock design and rifle weight and recoil tolerance. I am 56 years old and to sight in a 375 leavel recoil rifle I have a bench that is designed to be fired from standing and this idea I saw in old gun magazines and was used by the British to test double rifles. I have fired over 160 rounds of 375 h and h in a 2 hour period with no ill effects. But then when I purchased a new rem 870 tactical ayear ago I fires in on 3 hour period 80 3 inch mag slugs 60 23/4 inch slugs and 100 rounds of 3 inch buckshot loads and as I said I am 56 and 5 ft 9 inch 280 lb I AM MOST ASSUADLY NOT A NAVY SEAL RECOIL TOLERANC EIS AMATTEROF PRACTICE AND GETTING USED TO IT.

 

I'm definately going to get one.

I love shooting my 77/357 all day and then letting off with the (to me) 'handcannon' GP100, but I really, really want a sleeper BFG (big friggin gun, or in the case, caliber) to pull out and just blow up anything I aim at and everything around me with (due to muzzel blast).

If anyone asks me why I have it, I'll tell them it's for semi hunting! And by God, if bwinters can fire it, I can too!

 

Revoliver - That's the right attitude! Shoot, I think the Hornady Dangerous Game ammo boxes look cool! You'll wake up the other guys at the range for sure. When you get it let us know and post a photo, range report etc. (I'm sitting here imaging what a 300 grain DGS bullet would do to a pumpkin...)

Wave

 

What range do you consider the rifle/.375 ruger good for? I know using iron sights I would only really feel confident out to 200yds. or so, but as I would like to also have it available for possible hunting trips with the in-laws, and according to them the ranges vary between 300-500yds, I would to be sure that this rifle/round would also hoepfully be up to those ranges as well (scoped of course).

 

Greetings,

I have a 375 RCM Alaskan, and it has some big game recoil. I tamed that recoil some by adding a couple pounds of lead to the butt stock. Most dangerous big game boomers weigh 9 to 10 pounds for a reason... All big game rounds cost big dollars, and reloading your own saves big bucks, and a 375 with a 335 grain round nose cast lead bullet at 2,000 fps is deadly on most medium sized game. My only big game experience with the 375 was the killing of a 600 pound domestic hog at close range with a 270 grain Hornady factory load, and it slammed the hog down for keeps.

I have not shot mine at long range, but with a proper scope, I have no doubts about it's ability to shoot decent groups out to 300 yards if the shooter does his part.

moondog911

 

I'd like give this thread a proper ending by thanking everyone again for their support even though in the end I decided to get and actually bought a diferent rifle (the Ruger M77 Hawkeye .308 Tactical).

 

Bummer! My 375 Ruger Alaskan is a lifetime keeper for me. Way too many positives for me to switch, I hand load though which helps & makes it that much more fun. You can learn to get used to recoil, it's not that bad. And the round is so powerful, you gotta love it. 300 yards is I feel a good planned max. It's absolutely accurate enough, you just need to plan to shoot it that far (proper scope and some practice). I'll shoot mine to 250 now, just scope and practice for 300 for me, should I ever decide to "need" that range

Puts hogs down hard with a 300Grn Hornady DGX (no exit!), blew through a deer with a 270 Grn TSX (duh), and I'll let you know how it does on Canadian black bear in June!

I like plenty of power, what can I say. Practice, then put the smack down. Its about having fun

 

Just like I always hear from PH's in Africa, them DGX's are unreliable. People in Africa generally bash them DGX's because of that. A 300 grainer should've exited, after all they're designed for the big uglies of the Bushveldt, LOL.

 

I now have a Ruger .375 .. I have the original version with matte finish, and no barrel band... I absolutely love the rifle... I hope to keep this one for as long as I am breathing... I am wanting one of the new versions with the muzzle break... I may go 416 Ruger when I get another one...

 

The Ruger .375 makes sense to me. Just because it is new does not mean it is unworthy.

Shooters are a conservative group and I would imagine that professional hunters are even more so. The old .375 H&H is a well established round and has much going for it and is the favorite of many of the really experienced and accomplished hunters that I know who have hunted from Alaska to Africa - like big bears, lions, buffalo and such including distant plains game.

I primarily am a "gun tinkerer" and almost all of my hunting is restricted to small rodents using small calibers that I try to get maximum velocities out of.

On an impulse, I acquired a MKII .338 mag and decided to rebarrel it to a .375-.338. That round easily fits in the standard length LA MKII. Tinkering around with Varget & H4350 I was able to get over 2800 fps out of the Sierra 250 gr. spbt using Varget and about 2700 out of the Hornady 270 sp using H4350. At somewhat over 70 grains of powder I realize about 100 percent case capacity. Trajectories up to 400 yds are almost as good as the .30-06 with 180 and 190 hunting type bullets.

I can easily buy .338 brass that I fireform up to .375 using the COW (cream of wheat) this gives me nice concentric straight necks and sharp shoulders.

I admit should I try to sell the .375-.338 it would be considered to be somewhat of a "turkey" because it is not a .375 H&H or not even a .375 Ruger. But the wildcat is powerful, shoots good, fits in a regular size action and I can buy brass for it. The cost of the dies was sort of debilitating.

 

I know this is an old thread, but I must say, I am so happy I bought one. I picked up the discontinued Alaskan model with a 23" barrel and black laminate stock. I reload, but anyone who thinks this thing will have problems in the heat, let me say, it won't, 300gr bullets at over 2600fps in 105 ambient, 115 with heat index, and measured 120 at the shooting position, never had a sticky bolt, or any hiccups at all. I would not hesitate to take it to Africa. I am hoping that with Howa and Savage jumping in, that we may get more brass availability, even though all through this craziness I have been able to buy it, plus it lasts much better than my belted mag cases, even though I only neck size them. This certainly isn't a rifle for everyone, but it would be just about the last one I would dream of letting go of.

 

Maybe the .338 Compact magnum may be better suited for you ?