Ruger Hawkeye African .375 Ruger as Dangerous Game rifle?

[ldmay375]

I have more than a handful of older 375 & 416 Ruger Alaskans. A few months ago, I purchased one of the newest production runs. I had not done anything with it until just a few minutes ago. I was expecting to do a little polishing of feed rails and feed ramp.

I loaded some of the Hornady non-bonded DGX in it, to cycle through. These cartridges in my experience can have a non-smooth flat nose on the bullet. It appears the jacketing can at times be a little jagged around the lead core. Not an enhancement for feeding.
The right side cartridges did not feed worth a crap. At times the bottom one would not feed at all. I visually compared feed ramp angle, rail retention of the cartridge to two other older Alaskan. All looked good.

What I did notice was the magazine box on the new one was jammed tight by the forward trigger guard screw. I loosened it slightly, until the magazine box had a little movement up and down movement. Feeding issue was "fixed". It will cycle the DGX and TTSX types, fast or slow. Floor plate still latches / unlatches as normal.

 

[ldmay375]

The above is a 416 Ruger with the Hogue stock.

 

[Nkawu]

I really wish I could get a LH 375 Hawkeye African in the UK. It would be a great contender for a single rifle to hunt the world. My CZ550 is quite bulky and not a rifle well suited to ‘carried often and shot infrequently’.

 

[ldmay375]

I really wish I could get a LH 375 Hawkeye African in the UK. It would be a great contender for a single rifle to hunt the world. My CZ550 is quite bulky and not a rifle well suited to ‘carried often and shot infrequently’.

I have one of the earlier production runs of the blued / walnut non-barrel band sling stud, right hand version. This is certainly a slim light feeling rifle. I have only fired it a few times for a function test. The stainless 20" version became available to me not too long after buying this blued / walnut. I don't recall the actual weight on this one. But, it did add a couple / few ounces when I put it in a Bell & Carlson stock.

 

[CBeck]

Shim the front trigger guard screw... I use a larger cartridge case, cut it out to the width if the recess, pound it flat and cut it to length so that it just reaches over the back of the Mag well and then drill a hole for the action screw... that will be the end of the sticky mag release. You can also use feeler guage or some other thin metal, but I have used cartridge cases to do dozens of shims.

That’s one way but I suggest filing a little off the nub at the end of the floor plate…..I’ve had to do this on all my Africans. Go slow and check after a few file strokes. Touch up with some cold blue and all set.

 

[hoytcanon]

That’s one way but I suggest filing a little off the nub at the end of the floor plate…..I’ve had to do this on all my Africans. Go slow and check after a few file strokes. Touch up with some cold blue and all set.

That isn't always enough... I have filed the catch down on a good number after stock changes, but have had to shim a few in addition to filing.