375 Ruger vs 375 HH

[colorado]

Agree, particularly for Alaska the Ruger Hawkeye makes a lot of sense. A stainless / synthetic CRF in 375 caliber for under $1000 and in lefty too! It would've made more sense in a 375 H&H, but manufacturers keep creating new calibers. Always have, always will.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Agree, particularly for Alaska the Ruger Hawkeye makes a lot of sense. A stainless / synthetic CRF in 375 caliber for under $1000 and in lefty too! It would've made more sense in a 375 H&H, but manufacturers keep creating new calibers. Always have, always will.

Colorado.........I respectfully disagree with your statement that "It would've made more sense in a 375 H&H...".

What Ruger set out to do and accomplished with the 375 Ruger was to come up with something ballistically equivalent to the beloved 375 H&H, but do it with a shorter barrel AND a standard action. The 375 H&H uses a magnum action. Yes, it's only slightly longer than a standard long action, but gun manufactures crank out a lot of standard actions and few to none magnum length. So cost to the consumer is an issue.

It's interesting, Ruger came out with the 300 RCM (Ruger Compact Magnum) and 338 RCM about the same time as the 375 Ruger. The 300 RCM and 338 RCM are about dead and the 375 Ruger continues to gain in popularity. I think a lot of guides like the performance, affordability and value of the 375 Ruger. And as mentioned, so do the lefties.

 

[CTDolan]

The 375 Ruger is a gem and the finest cartridge to see the light of day since the 338 Win Mag.

 

[colorado]

I understand and totally respect your opinions. It's good that you love your cartridge and rifle!

 

[Rule 303]

I'm resurrecting and hijacking an old thread here. Being bored at work, and strolling through gunbroker looking at Blaser R8's that I'll never afford to own, I came across a little diddy called 375 Blaser Magnum. A little research shows its based on a 404 Jeffery shortened down to 30-06 length.

Has anyone had any experience with this cartridge?

Just the same as the 375 Ruger. Both are a 30-06 case length based on the 404J case. Would be minor differences but sweet FA.

 

[1dirthawker]

colorado,

you are neither right or wrong on your favorite rifle. much like blondes, brunettes and red heads, each person has a preference. yours is not better ballistically. yours is not better via aesthetics. you prefer yours because it was used in the golden age of african hunting. i cannot dismiss the lure of that view.

that said, your choice is no better or worse, simply different. the 375 h&h is proven, i suspect the ruger will be as well over time. if you prefer a brunette over a blonde, i accept and applaud your choice. to all, don't be angry because you prefer a classic over a new cartridge, its all good!!

the 375 ruger is simply another way to skin a cat. not the best way or THE way, just another way.

 

[Milehighshooter]

If more gun manufacturers could be more reasonable in regards to prices and weight of H&H guns, this wouldn't even be a topic of discussion. They charge more, because the target buyer usually has more. Ruger seems to have no trouble producing a reasonably priced 375, no reason Winchester or CZ shouldn't either. Both are parts bin guns. Howa/Weatherby made both, at about the same price and weight points, so it CAN be done.

 

[Rule 303]

If more gun manufacturers could be more reasonable in regards to prices and weight of H&H guns, this wouldn't even be a topic of discussion. They charge more, because the target buyer usually has more. Ruger seems to have no trouble producing a reasonably priced 375, no reason Winchester or CZ shouldn't either. Both are parts bin guns. Howa/Weatherby made both, at about the same price and weight points, so it CAN be done.

True. Remington 700 SPS in 375H&H sells for the same price as any other SPS and though 2 lb lighter than a CZ550 it's felt recoil is less due in part to the stock. As you say, no reason CZ & Win can not do this.

IMHO excessive weight in a rifle is a poor substitute for stock design and material for recoil reduction. Yes some weight is needed but a 375 H&H or Ruger does not need to weight more than 8lbs to 8.5lbs bare.

 

[enysse]

I bought CZ 550 when it first came out and it didn't cost more than $750. I prefer that the gun is heavy and stout. I would not want it lighter at all.

I would rather exercise and build my arm strength up prior to the hunt. 2-3 lbs isn't going to kill me.

 

[Rule 303]

I bought CZ 550 when it first came out and it didn't cost more than $750. I prefer that the gun is heavy and stout. I would not want it lighter at all.

I would rather exercise and build my arm strength up prior to the hunt. 2-3 lbs isn't going to kill me.

Ensy, I have to ask, why would you want to carry more weight than you have to? Why would you not want it lighter?

From experience a few extra pounds tells at the end of the day especially if you have been climbing steep hills or going through thick scrub. I have lugged Bren Guns and M 60's around all sorts of country in my younger days and yes the weight does not kill you but why if you don't have to?

 

[DG870]

As a young man who had grown up reading Jack O'Connor my first center first rifle was a .270 Winchester and I would argue that the only suitable for deer was the .270 and everything else was inferior for multiple obvious (at least to me) reasons.

Now that I'm much older, but probably not much wiser, I've found that lots of rifles in lots of different calibers will make a deer just as dead as my beloved 270.

I've found that debating the selection of the "perfect rifle" for the next big hunt is an important and fun part of the hunt. I'd hate to guess how much whisky has been consumed be the fireside searching for the best boom stick and the best cartridge to chamber.

I've really enjoyed this thread and I'm glad that we have lots of choices for our own "perfect" rifle. Life would be pretty boring if we all shot the same thing.

 

[enysse]

Ensy, I have to ask, why would you want to carry more weight than you have to? Why would you not want it lighter?

From experience a few extra pounds tells at the end of the day especially if you have been climbing steep hills or going through thick scrub. I have lugged Bren Guns and M 60's around all sorts of country in my younger days and yes the weight does not kill you but why if you don't have to?

Because like Craig Boddington, I have found heavier guns easier to hold steady when you have to make a critical shot, especially in the wind. I have always shot heavier rifles significantly better than lighter rifles, the heavier weight helps with recoil and in my arms just feels right at the end of the day.

And I have watched a lot of other people shoot and they tend to shoot lighter rifles poorer than heavier rifles. Yes they make complain about carrying them but overall they shoot them better.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Because like Craig Boddington, I have found heavier guns easier to hold steady when you have to make a critical shot, especially in the wind. I have always shot heavier rifles significantly better than lighter rifles, the heavier weight helps with recoil and in my arms just feels right at the end of the day.

And I have watched a lot of other people shoot and they tend to shoot lighter rifles poorer than heavier rifles. Yes they make complain about carrying them but overall they shoot them better.

I haven't given it any thought in actual practice, but I recall the same situation with stability when checking whether or not my scopes are powered when I put them away. I can support the much heavier SSG3000 with less wobble than I do the Howa 1500. I always tuck by elbows in tight, so maybe the weight causes my angular support to be enhanced? Either way, it is an interesting fact that I have noticed.

I think it also comes down mostly to what a person is comfortable with. I chose to not shoot at an animal from standing unsupported while in SA, but when given the chance to "play around" on an M16 range I was slaying pop up targets from 50m to 300m like a champion! 17 years of practice versus a few months with the hunting rifle, I just didn't have the confidence that I really should have had.

 

[enysse]

It's just my opinion, I prefer the CZs weight. All of my guns have long barrels and heavy weight. I will not buy a short barreled firearm. It may hit the brush more but the fact is I shoot them a lot better.

 

[Rule 303]

It's just my opinion, I prefer the CZs weight. All of my guns have long barrels and heavy weight. I will not buy a short barreled firearm. It may hit the brush more but the fact is I shoot them a lot better.

Enysse, thanks for the answer. Each to his own.

I guess to a lot comes down to what people consider heavy and light. I am not overly keen on very light rifles, say 7lb all up. Well the Win M94 I like and shoot well with it any time of day, but then I am not shooting past 200mts with it. Medium weight I shoot far better at the end of the day than heavy, say 10lb +. Then again climbing the mountains in New Zealand I find with lighter rifles I shoot better as most shots in the mountains are taken with a rest, if off hand then very close.

As DG870 said it would be a boring world if we were all the same

 

[Savage Hunter]

Because like Craig Boddington, I have found heavier guns easier to hold steady when you have to make a critical shot, especially in the wind. I have always shot heavier rifles significantly better than lighter rifles, the heavier weight helps with recoil and in my arms just feels right at the end of the day.

And I have watched a lot of other people shoot and they tend to shoot lighter rifles poorer than heavier rifles. Yes they make complain about carrying them but overall they shoot them better.

I know that when I am hunting with my 22, I have to use a rest.
with a rest, I don't usually miss a squirrel head. Without a rest, I don't do well at all. the lightness of it just makes me sway.

 

[Milehighshooter]

I don't take offhand shots when hunting, and with the high altitude I hunt in, I like my rifles to be light. My 30-06 is a bit over 7lbs, and I'd like to buy a new stock to get it under that. I have a 308 being built that should be under 6lbs. The majority of my hunting is done from 10k-14k ft, every ounce counts!

 

[lwaters]

I think the 375 ruger exists because it is easier for ruger to make. About the only magnum length action that is popular is the 375 h&h and the 416 rem to a lot leeser degree. The rums never became very popular. So it just makes more sense to have a round that can be made from the standard action. Lets face the gun manufactures don't sell a lot of medium and big bore rifles.

 

[colorado]

It's just my opinion, I prefer the CZs weight. All of my guns have long barrels and heavy weight. I will not buy a short barreled firearm. It may hit the brush more but the fact is I shoot them a lot better.

As "Boris the Blade" said in one of my favorite movies: "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable, if it doesn't work you can always hit him with it."

 

[Michael Dean]

There's one factor that decides the issue for me; the simple fact that you have to depend on Hornady for ammunition is a deal breaker in my book. There are many great ammunition manufacturers that make and supply ammo for the 375 H&H. Hornady is your one and only choice for the 375 Ruger.

For me personally, I reload and can use any bullet manufacturer I want. That being said, if I'm in a bind and have to rely on purchased ammunition, Hornady is the last choice in my book.