375 Ruger

[hoytcanon]

I have a whack of Ruger rifles, and in more than four decades of collecting, shooting and hunting with more than 300 of them, they have never let me down in a pinch or tough spot... and there have been a few.

I prefer nice walnut on my Blued rifles, but on stainless, I like something a little tougher, that can handle rougher use and more extreme weather, because that is when I use them. Laminate is a good option, you get the feel of wood with the durability of synthetic, plus some nice dense weight for mitigating a degree of recoil. Another inexpensive option are Bell & Carlson stocks, less rigid and not hand laid as are McMillan or Brown Precision etc... but also much cheaper and quite well made... I have many of both and they function equally well.

 

[CBeck]

I believe that turned out to be solid advice from @Red Leg.

Did you send out your stock to be refinished or did you do it yourself? If sent out, who to?

Also are you running after market 3 position safeties or am I reading something wrong? If so what maker?

Beautiful work by the way.

I have personally found the Ruger Hawkeye African to be a great rifle. Very thin and trim with great handling. No it’s not a Ruger RSM or a Rigby or ever will be. It is very similar in stock profile and handling characteristics to vintage Rigby’s and the Rigby Highland Stalker.

I refinished the stock myself. I’ve done quite a few over the years and I am about to start the 375 Hawkeye African in the photo above. I hate the muddy tinted polyurethane finish on them.

And no sir, not aftermarket safeties, all of my M77’s from the mkII boat paddle to both of these Ruger M77 Hawkeye Africans all have a three position lever safety

In other words… Rear position locks the bolt and the firing pin, middle position, unlocks the bolt, but keeps the firing pin locked and forward, is of course fire

 

[KuduKiller]

I have the African model. Cape Buffalo, croc, giraffe, warthog and others were put in the salt with this rifle. I had a Leupold Dangerous Game scope on it but put a vortex on before my croc hunt last year. I am taking it with me in June for my Hippo hunt. I’ve used Barnes TTSX as well as Hornady DGX and have been successful with both. I have ordered my ammo through Midway and Buffalo Bore. I love this rifle!

 

[prdhuntrs]

Has anyone had a chance to handle one of the FTW Hunter model ruger? I’m not crazy about the looks of the rail on top but really like the way the rest of the rifle looks. Haven’t put my hands on one yet though.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have the African model. Cape Buffalo, croc, giraffe, warthog and others were put in the salt with this rifle. I had a Leupold Dangerous Game scope on it but put a vortex on before my croc hunt last year. I am taking it with me in June for my Hippo hunt. I’ve used Barnes TTSX as well as Hornady DGX and have been successful with both. I have ordered my ammo through Midway and Buffalo Bore. I love this rifle!

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That Warthog is a seriously old warrior! Very nice.

 

[pilar]

I have a Alaskan , how ever when I bought it it has a 23 inch barrel with no brake
The stock imo is terrible and @ 8lbs we named it the “ Puta Madre Burro” from the recoil
I did some custom work on the stock ( adding some weight) and a cheek pad/ riser & illuminated 3-9 on low profile rings
If I was doing it again I would buy a M70 375 h&h for ammo issue, ( imo hornday is playing games with brass and the CX & DGX ammunition)
Otherwise I enjoy the ruger & 375 ruger

 

[Hunt anything]

I have a Alaskan , how ever when I bought it it has a 23 inch barrel with no brake
The stock imo is terrible and @ 8lbs we named it the “ Puta Madre Burro” from the recoil
I did some custom work on the stock ( adding some weight) and a cheek pad/ riser & illuminated 3-9 on low profile rings
If I was doing it again I would buy a M70 375 h&h for ammo issue, ( imo hornday is playing games with brass and the CX & DGX ammunition)
Otherwise I enjoy the ruger & 375 ruger

My Alaskan has a 20” barrel and Houge stock. It comes in at a little over 10pounds.

 

[ldmay375]

My Alaskan has a 20” barrel and Houge stock. It comes in at a little over 10pounds.

My most used Alaskan, with a McMillan stock, and fairly heavy 1-8x24 scope & Alaska Arms rings; is about 9 lbs 8 ounces empty. If I recall correctly, bare rifles with Bell & Carlson, H-S Precision, and the original Hogue were all around 8 lbs 1 or 2 ounces, bare rifle weight.

My early non sling stud barrel band wood stock 23", rifle is 7 lbs 13 ounces with a Bell & Carlson. I believe when it was in the original walnut it was actually an ounce or two lighter. I have only fired 2 or 3 rounds through it. Because, as things go, I was able to find / buy a 20" stainless very shortly after the purchase of this blued one. I do like the feel / handling characteristics of this rifle. But, the 20" stainless suits my hunting use a bit better.

My 20" 416 Ruger Alaskan with a a McMillan, same rings, and a 1-6.3x24 weighs ~9 lbs 10 ounces. One without the barrel band sling stud in an H-S Precision is ~ 8 lbs 1 ounce. The most recent production one, with thread protector in place and Hogue stock weighs ~ 8 lbs 1 ounce.

I have ordered stocks directly from Bell & Carlson and H-S Precision. Mainly for my preferred LOP. The B&C come standard with a Decelerator pad. The H-S Precision you need to specify it. It costs a bit extra. I am not sure what their factory pad is like.

 

[ldmay375]

Has anyone had a chance to handle one of the FTW Hunter model ruger? I’m not crazy about the looks of the rail on top but really like the way the rest of the rifle looks. Haven’t put my hands on one yet though.

I handled a used one a few weeks ago. I think it was is 416 Ruger. I honestly did not pay much attention to it, because I prefer the shorter barrels with sights. Isn't the rail removable ?

 

[Hunt anything]

Never realized that the Alaskan ever came with anything but a 20” barrel. I really like the short barrel for my thick swamp land.
I should say when I weighed mine it was in 2013 when I bought it. I weighed it fully loaded, scope and sling.

 

[ldmay375]

Never realized that the Alaskan ever came with anything but a 20” barrel. I really like the short barrel for my thick swamp land.
I should say when I weighed mine it was in 2013 when I bought it. I weighed it fully loaded, scope and sling.

All of my Alaskans are 20". But they did produce some limited runs of stainless 23" left hand, and right hand (if I recall correctly) with laminated stock and the express sights. Occasionally on the internet you see these come up for sale.
By the time those hit the market, my re-barrel to 23.5" was either in progress or just completed. If timing had been different, and hind sight in effect, I would have went with the factory version and added a fiberglass stock. So far, I have yet to shoot one of the factory rifles that did not group well with the 270 grain Barnes hand loads.

My early factory walnut 23" is matte blued. I don't recall if they referred to it as the African at that time.

Copy that your weight was fully loaded with scope and sling. Yep, the 20" stainless are my near ideal for my hunting, and the easy button for an off the shelf rifle. No barrel cutting and sight replacement required. The 20" Alaskan bumped my 338 Winchesters and 375 H&H's for my moose hunting use.

 

[prdhuntrs]

I handled a used one a few weeks ago. I think it was is 416 Ruger. I honestly did not pay much attention to it, because I prefer the shorter barrels with sights. Isn't the rail removable ?

Yes it is. I have went back and forth between it and the Alaskan.