375 Ruger vs 375 HH

[Laniarius]

Daga Boy I meant to add that the416Ruger was beset with extraction problems when it first came out. Hornady were trying to get the magical 2400fps with a 400 grain pill as were hand loaders. Though Hornady used a special mix of powder there was the odd problem with factory ammo. All reloads of the 416 Ruger I knew of had problems and could not get near the 2400fps without bolt lock up, smoke coming out of the action and similar nasty events. That is no longer a problem from what I hear so Hornady/Ruger must have changed something in the mix and reloaders backed off or found a new powder that does the trick. The reloaders I know settle for 2300fps.

Excellent thread. I enjoyed the whole thing, but this was the particular topic I was trying to understand: the potential for sticking in the heat with the 375 Ruger. Sounds like the reported problems were with the 416 Ruger and early on.

I would appreciate if anyone else has insight to add on to this. Others have said "I've never had a problem", but that doesn't really answer it. From what I understand, sticky extraction in Africa heat is almost unheard of with the 375 H&H. Based on usage so far, have there been any instances of the 375 Ruger sticking in the heat? It might be only one in 10,000, but it could still be statistically way less reliable than the H&H. Of course there are lots of variables, I get that. From what I gather, a few who have commented here are bona fide PHs or have otherwise significant experience and talk to enough people to have a good "anecdotal" data set, an ear to the ground in the Africa. None of you have said anything about actual issues with the 375 Ruger, which is good. But, I would like to specifically ask: has anyone heard of actual problems with the 375 Ruger in real heat?

So you know where I'm coming from: never hunted in Africa but want to. I'm considering getting a 375 and want to get a few years of practice with it before going (i.e., can afford the rifle and shooting in the near term, but not the trip yet). I'm definitely a traditionalist, I love the 30-06, 1911s and revolvers (as opposed to polymer) etc., so the H&H has huge appeal. However, I'm also an unabashed Ruger fanboy. These two strong tendencies are at war in my soul when it comes to 375 Ruger vs. H&H.

 

[Rule 303]

Laniarius, I have not heard of problems with the 375Ruger. I would think loading them to not exceed recommended max and with a temperature stable powder should mean no overload induced problems. I appreciate that in your neck of the woods it would be problematic to test your loads in 40 to 50C heat.

 

[BobT]

So you know where I'm coming from: never hunted in Africa but want to. I'm considering getting a 375 and want to get a few years of practice with it before going (i.e., can afford the rifle and shooting in the near term, but not the trip yet). I'm definitely a traditionalist, I love the 30-06, 1911s and revolvers (as opposed to polymer) etc., so the H&H has huge appeal. However, I'm also an unabashed Ruger fanboy. These two strong tendencies are at war in my soul when it comes to 375 Ruger vs. H&H.

I can't help with the sticking case issue but I was in pretty much the same boat a couple of years back, the 2 cartridges ballistics are very similar. In the end, nostalgia won out and I found a Whitworth Express .375 H&H in pretty good shape for a reasonable price, I have since grown to really love this rifle and will be taking it on my first safari this summer. The 2 choices for me ended up being between a Winchester M70 or a 98 Mauser, the caliber was decided quickly.

Good luck, I'm pretty sure either one will work just fine!

 

[Eric Anderson]

Excellent thread. I enjoyed the whole thing, but this was the particular topic I was trying to understand: the potential for sticking in the heat with the 375 Ruger. Sounds like the reported problems were with the 416 Ruger and early on.

I would appreciate if anyone else has insight to add on to this. Others have said "I've never had a problem", but that doesn't really answer it. From what I understand, sticky extraction in Africa heat is almost unheard of with the 375 H&H. Based on usage so far, have there been any instances of the 375 Ruger sticking in the heat? It might be only one in 10,000, but it could still be statistically way less reliable than the H&H. Of course there are lots of variables, I get that. From what I gather, a few who have commented here are bona fide PHs or have otherwise significant experience and talk to enough people to have a good "anecdotal" data set, an ear to the ground in the Africa. None of you have said anything about actual issues with the 375 Ruger, which is good. But, I would like to specifically ask: has anyone heard of actual problems with the 375 Ruger in real heat?

So you know where I'm coming from: never hunted in Africa but want to. I'm considering getting a 375 and want to get a few years of practice with it before going (i.e., can afford the rifle and shooting in the near term, but not the trip yet). I'm definitely a traditionalist, I love the 30-06, 1911s and revolvers (as opposed to polymer) etc., so the H&H has huge appeal. However, I'm also an unabashed Ruger fanboy. These two strong tendencies are at war in my soul when it comes to 375 Ruger vs. H&H.

I have never had a problem with the .375 ruger in the Carolina heat up to 100 def F. It will be 30 degrees cooler when I go to RSA this June.

 

[Laniarius]

Thank you all, for the replies (that almost sounds like I think I'm the OP... just jumping on to this thread).

The perspectives in this thread have helped convinced me that the 375 Ruger can serve the same purpose as the 375 H&H, and that based on the response from Mossberg, Howa and now other ammo manufacturers, it looks like it has a future. In terms of personal preference in the rifle, I love the M77 and the particular features of the Ruger African. And using the same 375 bullets, and with ballistics similar to the H&H, that's enough for me in terms of romanticism and traditionalism (at my budget!).

 

[Laniarius]

I have never had a problem with the .375 ruger in the Carolina heat up to 100 def F. It will be 30 degrees cooler when I go to RSA this June.

Good point. Africa doesn't have a monopoly on heat, although it is in a dominant market position. Especially by comparison as the South African "winter" approaches. I worked there in '95, and while I never felt cold outside, all it took was a warm sweater, I've never felt such a chill inside before or since. With no heating and thin walls, all you can do is huddle around a space heater. A real motivator to get outside and be active.

 

[Laniarius]

A few months before this post came to be I went looking at 375's for giraffe hunting. The 375 Ruger hadn't even been around five years and I think was still only chambered for the Ruger M77 and Hornady ammo but it wasn't fading away like other new cartridges. Add to that, it came in a left handed version (Ruger definitely knew that would help sell it) and I took the leap to it. It's now breaking ten years old, chambered in multiple rifles and factory ammo is made by three companies. So, I don't think it's going to overtake the 375 H&H but it's not going to leave either.
As for nostalgia, it's gaining that slowly but surely by its users. Just like the 30-06 did that Roosevelt used in Africa only three years after it's creation, or the Weatherby rifles and rounds Roy Weatherby took to Africa or even the 458 Win Mag and Lott rounds that aren't old by any means.

I really like the reference to Roosevelt and the then-newfangled whippersnapper of a cartridge, the 30-06.

 

[siutis]

I have both. 375 Ruger hands down.

 

[dsmerrills]

I would choose a 375H&H loaded with woodleigh 350gr RN for the Dangerous stuff and a lighter bullet than 300gr for the other not so dangerous stuff.

 

[Jimmy 9.3]

I debated this very question myself and came away with a 375H&H.
The biggest reason for me was the availability of ammo.
If I go on safari and my rifle is late arriving but I have ammo, chances are there will be a rifle I can use with my ammo.
If the ammo is the problem and the rifle shows up, ammo should be easily available.

I don't know what the current trends are with the PH's or outfitters or how likely they would be to switch from one of the most popular calibers on the continent, but I put my money on the H&H for these reasons.

Seams to me that you carry a rifle way way more that you shoot it ... so IMHO.... I'd carry the light'er 375 Ruger ..... but that's just me .

 

[BeeMaa]

Seams to me that you carry a rifle way way more that you shoot it ... so IMHO.... I'd carry the light'er 375 Ruger ..... but that's just me .

Do as you wish. My Blaser R8 weighs 7.75 lbs and shoots like a dream. For the record, I'm 70" tall and 160 lbs.

Full disclosure, just over 10 lbs ready to hunt.

 

[Rule 303]

I would choose a 375H&H loaded with woodleigh 350gr RN for the Dangerous stuff and a lighter bullet than 300gr for the other not so dangerous stuff.

My 375H&H weighs less than 10lb scoped and balances at the magazine. Easy to carry.

 

[Laniarius]

It's still fair to say that all else being equal a 375 Ruger will weigh less. For example, similar rifles: a Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger is 8 lbs bare and a Model 70 Safari in 375 H&H is 9 lbs bare.

 

[Rule 303]

It's still fair to say that all else being equal a 375 Ruger will weigh less. For example, similar rifles: a Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger is 8 lbs bare and a Model 70 Safari in 375 H&H is 9 lbs bare.

Yeah, nah mine is less than 8lbs bare and felt recoil is way less than a CZ550 in 375H&H that is more than 2lb heavier.

 

[BeeMaa]

It's still fair to say that all else being equal a 375 Ruger will weigh less. For example, similar rifles: a Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger is 8 lbs bare and a Model 70 Safari in 375 H&H is 9 lbs bare.

And yet my Blaser R8 375H&H weighs less than 8 lbs.

 

[Laniarius]

Maybe the generalization applies more to traditional bolt action designs, where a standard vs. magnum length action will reduce weight in the action itself.

Would there be a weight reduction if the R8 were in 375 Ruger?

 

[Deepfork]

And yet my Blaser R8 375H&H weighs less than 8 lbs.

The R8 is a great rifle! I have a Howa 1500 in .375 Ruger, very reliable and accurate. I'll never own a R8, anytime I have enough lose change lying around to buy a Blaser my wife finds out and remodels a bathroom or something.

 

[BeeMaa]

Maybe the generalization applies more to traditional bolt action designs, where a standard vs. magnum length action will reduce weight in the action itself.

Would there be a weight reduction if the R8 were in 375 Ruger?

All other things being equal, I don’t believe there would be any appreciable difference. Matter of fact, because the H&H has a larger case than the RUGER, it means more metal has to be removed from the chamber, further reducing the weight. Still negligible IMO.

With the exception of mountain hunting, I don’t believe a 1/4 lb is much to care about. When it gets to 1/2 lb or more, that’s where I start to look more closely.

 

[Laniarius]

Ok, thanks. I guess that's a characteristic of the R8 design with the changeable barrels.

 

[Rule 303]

All other things being equal, I don’t believe there would be any appreciable difference. Matter of fact, because the H&H has a larger case than the RUGER, it means more metal has to be removed from the chamber, further reducing the weight. Still negligible IMO.

With the exception of mountain hunting, I don’t believe a 1/4 lb is much to care about. When it gets to 1/2 lb or more, that’s where I start to look more closely.

Weight can also be saved in the stock. My 375H&H is a Rem700 with the cheap SPS plastic stock. This results in less weight and reduction in felt recoil. A minimal amount of metal has been removed from the rear of the magazine well, just the section for the 3rd action screw. Rem did the same for their RUM cartridges.