Lightweight 375 Ruger project (I might be crazy)

[Major Khan]

Even though I personally prefer 8 pounds to be an ideal weight for a .375 calibre rifle .... Your idea is certainly feasible , Luke . Proper stock can work wonders in high calibre rifles to help successfully counter act recoil ... even if the weight is a little less than ideal .

 

[rnovi]

Luke, I love this thread. My .375 H&H is a Montana 1999 with a 20” bbl and tips 8#, 6oz with a Leupold 1-6VX6. Basically, it’s a hair over 7# naked. In either configuration it’s an absolute dream to carry about and shoot.

Lightweight .375’s you can carry all day are a good thing!

(*as an aside, my 9.3x62 is 8# scoped with a 22” bbl. totally controllable recoil with virtually no recoil pad, even it it does leave a mark after 8 rounds.)

 

[Alaska Luke]

Well I got the rifle sighted in. Recoil with the first pad was brutal especially off a lead sled, it just pivoted up and smacked me in the face. Even handloads downloaded to 376 Steyr levels were tough. The problem was the pad was firm and had little "give" to it.
I put a new recoil pad on and now its much much better. No more face smacks and it rocks me back only slightly more then it did at the original weight.
The look and balance are just what I wanted. I backpacked up a mountain the other day and the rifle was noticably easiler to carry and maneuver through brush. I'm very happy with the project. The next step will probably be a new scope to give a tad more range then the current 1-4 Leopold. But for now its perfect for bears.

 

[BeeMaa]

I didn't see a sling.
Did you carry the rifle or have it strapped to the pack?
If you were carrying the rifle it's very understandable why you want it so light.

IMO - It's still not a reason not to have a sling.
A sling is an excellent tool for assistance in quick shooting.
Also there are times when hiking that you need both hands free.
I know every ounce counts when back country hunting/hiking but still.
Maybe take one with you on your pack, even if it's just some para cord.

 

[Alaska Luke]

BeeMaa a I did have a sling in the pack. I use a "Gun Bearer" rig by Kifaru. If you look in the picture you'll see a sort of holster hanging off the pack belt on the right. The rifle butt goes in there and the fore end is attached to the right pack shoulder strap with a quick release.
So basically the rifle hangs in front of me with the muzzle up and the scope tucked under my arm put. I'm free to use both hands. If I see something I can get the rifle into action fast. It sounds complicated but it's my favorite way to carry a rifle when I also have a heavy pack.

 

[ChrisG]

I know this is an old thread but I am curious if you ever chronographed your 16" .375R? I am contemplating just taking the threads off my Ruger Guide Gun in .375R. Its only about 3/4" of an inch but I don't want to loose more velocity than I already have being down to 20".

I HATE that modern manufacturers assume that everyone wants a threaded barrel on an otherwise traditional looking rifle. Maybe Ruger should start putting a wrap around picatinny rail on the Ruger M77 African with a vertical foregrip and a removable 20 round magazine...

 

[USMA84DAB]

Chris G - I recently chronographed my .375 Ruger - W760 powder with 270gr Hornady SP-RPs - 2717 FPS avg. Old style stainless barrel without the threads - 20".

 

[stk]

Chris G - I recently chronographed my .375 Ruger - W760 powder with 270gr Hornady SP-RPs - 2717 FPS avg. Old style stainless barrel without the threads - 20".

I chronographed factory 270gr Hornady out of my 20” .375 Ruger at 2680 two days ago.

 

[Alaska Luke]

I think I lost 25 fps per inch with handloads over what Hornady predicted for a 24 inch barrel. I never chronographed factory ammo or the original 20 inch barrel. I think your trim will be fine.

 

[ldmay375]

I know this is an old thread but I am curious if you ever chronographed your 16" .375R? I am contemplating just taking the threads off my Ruger Guide Gun in .375R. Its only about 3/4" of an inch but I don't want to loose more velocity than I already have being down to 20".

I HATE that modern manufacturers assume that everyone wants a threaded barrel on an otherwise traditional looking rifle. Maybe Ruger should start putting a wrap around picatinny rail on the Ruger M77 African with a vertical foregrip and a removable 20 round magazine...

I think Alaska Luke's -25 Fps is going to be very close.

I am not a fan of the threads either on most rifles. But, after picking up a couple of used Ruger Guide Guns in 30-06, I can tolerate the thread protector without too much visual discomfort. One of these does have the threads cut off. I have swapped stocks on both. Though have shot neither.

My old non-threaded Alaskan averages 2720 something with the 270 grain Barnes LRX. I know it is a personal thing. But, I would not given 25-30 fps less a second thought.

 

[Dewald]

Alaska Luke, I am also resurrecting this old thread. I am currently getting all the components to build a .458 Ruger, on the identical dimensions of the original Ruger Alaskans, like my .375 and .416.

Would you perhaps be willing to sell your original Ruger sights to me? I have a .458 Krieger barrel that will be cut to 20” and profiled to spec, and I can buy a hogue stock here for fairly cheap. I’m waiting for a ruger with a .532 bolt-face to cross my path to get the action, which will likely be a .338 RCM or a .375 Ruger. In the case of the latter I will have sights, but with the .338 RCM not.

Regards,
Dewald

 

[Alaska Luke]

Dewald I don't have the original sites or I'd be happy to sell them.

 

[Dewald]

Thank you Luke.

 

[Alaska Luke]

This rifle is currently at Extreme Rifle Works getting a fiberglass stock made and bedded. It should shed some weight but I think overall ergonomics will improve more importantly. I'll update.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have a number of rifles that are of similar ilk to your theory... you mentioned many in your OP...

I carried an 18.5" barreled Ruger M77 Mark II RLS Carbine in .358 Win (third rifle down with Walnut Ultralight Stock) and an M77 Mark II Stainless Rifle in .350 Rem Mag while guiding for grizzlies in North West, BC... see pics... the .350 Rem Mag is in the Grey Laminate stock, it's partner is a 6.5 Rem Mag, that is a quintessential mountain goat rifle. Also have a couple custom rifles that I built on Ruger M77 Mark II Stainless actions with Bob Jury barrels bedded in B&C stocks... see pics... the top rifle is a 20" .450 Marlin and bottom is a 24" .358-375 Ruger slinging 225 Accubonds @ 3140 fps. The middle rifle in that picture is a 7.62X57 Hoytcanon. The .450 Marlin I made last year before guiding for spring bears and load it with 350 RN's at 2100 fps... I shot two nice bears last spring and handed off to a client who jammed his rifle at a bad moment on a wounded bear... it went straight down to a shoulder shot. I do like short, handy rifles aswell... and have a brace of Ruger M77 Mark II Frontier rifles, one in .358 Win that has stood me in good stead on many head of game, loaded with 250 grain Partitions, and also in a couple hairy bear scenarios... the 16.5" barrel can swing in tight corners and has had to do exactly that... see pics.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I wouldn't worry about all these opinions you're only going to shoot once with that good caliber!!

 

[Milehighshooter]

you'll be happy with the MPI from Rick! I have 3 currently on rifles, and another waiting to be sent to ERW. Im also doing a lightweight 375, but I'm doing the h&h @21.5" and the MPI Dakota project stock.

I may well end up doing a 375R with another project. I have a magnum built face M98 with a way too heavy 308 barrel that needs a rebore

 

[Alaska Luke]

Very nice. How did you like the 358 250 gr on big bears? I always went with a 225 gr bullet especially since my 358 has a 16 inch barrel. I assumed I needed a bit more velocity. I was getting 2420 with an admittedly hot load.

Hopefully I get my 375 back soon. But to be honest I'm not likely to use it as much as I used too. I've seen enough performance from SSTs and ELDX bullets in smaller rifles to be impressed. My old theory was that a wider .358 or .375 bullet was always better then a .308, especially if both used premium bullets like a Nosler Partion. But lately I've seen some newer bullets that seem to expand more while still punching through plenty of animal. For example, I watched a 150 gr 308 SST penetrate through a moose and stop just under the hide. That is roughly equal to what my .358 does with several different bullets (A Frames and Cutting Edge) and close to my .375 with a Nosler Partition. I image a heavy .308 ELDX would be more of a good though, i.e. enough penetration for normal hunting. If the wound width is comparable to my .358 I'll be hunting with a .308 for pretty much everything. I might still keep the .358 for moose because it shoots copper bullets well (they won't trash the heart which I like to eat). Not sure where the .375 will fit in all this. It might be strictly a backup rilfe now.

 

[Never Been]

Luke, have you got your gun back from Rick yet?

 

[Alaska Luke]

I just got it back, there was an issue with the stock maker that slowed things down. Just a hair over 6 pounds. I really like the feel and balance. It looks great too.

The irony is I may sell it. This rifle is exactly what I want in a .375 it's just that I'm not sure I need a 375 for what I do.

While the 375 was gone I used my .358 on 2 moose. Very happy with it. Wounds on moose looked very similar to wounds on grizzly. Then I saw a 308 make a hole through a moose that was almost identical to my .358.

So for an experiment I shot a grizzly with a 308 with no drama. It blew a big hole in and out of the bear. It wasn't a huge grizzly but i think it would have worked on a bigger one too. The whole point of the 375 was a bear gun. But if my .308 and 358 are creating similar wounds I doubt a grizzly will tell the difference in most cases. But I can definitely cycle the smaller rifles faster if I need to do a follow up shot. So I may get rid of my 375 and hunt everything in Alaska with a .308.
Below is a grizzly skeleton that is from a decent sized grizzly shot at a bait several years ago. I don't think I need a 375 to punch through that.