Experiences with Ruger .375 Alaskan?

[t165]

I own both a 416 Ruger Alaskan and a 375 Ruger Alaskan. The 416 Alaskan seems easier to shoot than the 375 Ruger. The 416 is a 20' barrel Hogue stocked rifle with a decent recoil pad. The 375 Alaskan is a 23' barrel laminate stocked barrel with a thin recoil pad. I really need to add a better recoil pad to the 375. I have a CZ 458 Lott with a Pachmayr recoil pad that is more tolerable to shoot than the 375.

I believe my Ruger 375 Alaskan was distributed by Davidson's.

 

[t165]

Here is a size comparison image

between the 20' barrel 416 Ruger Alaskan....the 375 23' barrel Ruger Alaskan Laminate. The top rifle is a CZ 485 Lott with a 25' barrel.

 

[Alaska Luke]

I used to have a Hogue stock on my 375 Ruger. It definitely helps with recoil. I just didn't like it so I went another direction. I found the LOP to be way to long on mine. I trimmed it off about a inch and that improved handling somewhat.

 

[ldmay375]

Definitely an older thread brought to life.
The Alaskan 375 & 416 Rugers a couple of my favorites.
I replaced the Hogue stocks on mine. Though they are certainly serviceable, I prefer a slimmer fore end. I have become very fond of the 20" barrels.

 

[EfRed]

I have a Ruger African, 23" bbl, fully ceracoted, with a Pendleton stock. The composite stock softens the recoil a bit compared to the original wood, also, could easily get a 13 3/8" LOP. With a Leupold VX5HD 2-10x42, it weighs 9 lbs. Handles like an '06. And that's the reason to go with the Ruger rather than the H&H - the light, handy, and inexpensive rifle. This is a much handier rifle than my 375 Weatherby, and it doesn't seem to kick noticeably harder than the Wby shooting .375 H&H. It's nice to have an additional 150fps out of it, doesn't hurt a thing, especially if you're in the alpine country.

Nothing wrong with .375 H&H, and it's useful for this comparison: if a .375 H&H will do it, then a .375 Ruger will certainly do it, likely just a hair better. And the smaller, lighter rifle is of benefit to me, even if not to anyone else.