are we enough mature to talk about the 375 ruger?

jjohnwm said:
Those RSM Rugers are absolutely gorgeous rifles...but IMHO they are just way too heavy for a .375H&H. I have had one in .416Rigby and it was a beauty...up until the stock split at the tang just a few weeks before my scheduled once-in-a-lifetime hunt in Africa. I was shooting it...a lot...leading up to that trip. I was bearing in mind what several of the old-time gunwriters used to say, regarding the idea that big boomers were not intended for extensive shooting, but that the .416 would be fine. When I saw that crack appear, the air was blue...for days...

But I had the chance to shoot an RSM in .375 and, as beautiful as it was with that integral rib and nice Circassian walnut, it was a pig to handle. Apparently they reduced the weight of these guns at some point during the production run? I don't know if the one I shot was before or after the reduction, but it was like swinging a lead pipe around. Just too much weight; a disproportionate amount at the muzzle, but honestly just too plain heavy all around. The .375...despite the usual wails from those who have never had one...is not a vicious kicker that requires such a heavy rifle.

I wasn't able to compare the two rifles directly. Did Ruger use the same exterior barrel profile on all the chamberings, making the .375 the heaviest of them? Sure felt heavier...

I've seen a standard model 77 that had a minimal amount of metalwork done to it to allow the chambering of .375H&H. No idea how it shot, but it felt nice, much preferable to (but not, of course, nearly as ###y as...) the RSM.

And, of course, we periodically see standard 77's on the EE chambered to .458WinMag. The sellers always seem to think that the chambering somehow magically morphs them into the much more expensive RSM model, so they price them accordingly.
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The barrel profiles are the same for all of the RSM rifles, hence the .375 is the heaviest and obviously that is primarily toward the muzzle... while I dislike the muzzle heavy feeling, it is very stable to shoot off-hand. My RSM in .458 Lott on the other hand is wonderfully balanced. IMO all RSM's should be bedded. As for the M77 Tang .458 WM, they have a reputation for being accurate and reliable rifles, and all of the online talk regarding these factors have caused the prices to creep upward over the past couple decades. However, as you say, it is insane for any seller to believe that the standard "R" model M77 is worth MORE than the RSM. My current RSM .375 H&H is my fourth, so I am very familiar with it's characteristics... the only change to the weight from the original run to the final run was the position and design of the front sling attachment from a classic barrel band to the "through stock" forend attachment... I doubt that anyone can tell any difference in weight, even on a scale as the wood density would be a greater factor from rifle to rifle.
 
My 375 rifle on a standard length Model 77 uses 338 and 458 Winchester brass. :)

Better known as the 375 Chatfield Taylor, it is very nicely balanced, and from the bench puts a mag full, three rounds, into five inches at 300 meters on our silhouette range.

Ted
 
Why not? said:
My 375 rifle on a standard length Model 77 uses 338 and 458 Winchester brass. :)

Better known as the 375 Chatfield Taylor, it is very nicely balanced, and from the bench puts a mag full, three rounds, into five inches at 300 meters on our silhouette range.

Ted
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A calibre I found an interest in and some time back I ;) 'felt a need' and picked up up a custom 700 Remington in 375 Chatfield Taylor from Super Cub. :redface: I have yet to get it some 'field experience'. One day soon hopefully :).
 
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hoytcanon said:
Ruger also has Magnum actions... I have two RSM's in .375 H&H and .458 Lott, and have owned eight or nine of them in total. They are terrific rifles and worth considerably more than their upfront cost, even on today's used market. The .375 H&H is annoyingly muzzle-heavy, but the .458 balances very nicely.
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A buddy of mine had one of those RSM's in .416Rigby, and I've never held any rifle that was so 'barrel heavy', the balance was wrong.

But I will say with all that weight in the front end it stabilized the damn rifle for shooting, and sure did seem to reduce the recoil.

I've got a 9.3x62, a .375H&H, a .416RemMag and a .458Lott.

I do like one of the Ruger cartridges; best one in my books is the .480 Ruger in a Super Redhawk. It's a hand cannon, and already pretty much obsolete as soon as it was released. Too much gun for most people.
 
I have an early model 375 ruger African,no brake and must say for a large calibre it shoots amazing 1" groups with the 290g. factory and yes it does a number on black bear.Was hoping to get a chance on griz but NDP screwed that up.
 
Demonical said:
A buddy of mine had one of those RSM's in .416Rigby, and I've never held any rifle that was so 'barrel heavy', the balance was wrong.

But I will say with all that weight in the front end it stabilized the damn rifle for shooting, and sure did seem to reduce the recoil.

I've got a 9.3x62, a .375H&H, a .416RemMag and a .458Lott.

I do like one of the Ruger cartridges; best one in my books is the .480 Ruger in a Super Redhawk. It's a hand cannon, and already pretty much obsolete as soon as it was released. Too much gun for most people.
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How would that compare to a 460 or 500 s&w?
 
philthygeezer said:
Because a stainless/laminate Model 70 Alaskan, in Alaskan climate and environs, will rust and warp less than a blued/walnut one.

The Ruger RSMs were gorgeous rifles. Used to own one.
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...that would be a perfect all-weather rig if you replaced that laminate stock with synthetic.
 
I can’t help getting older, but I can stay immature for ever! That being said, the .375 Ruger is a darn good chambering!
I’ve had an Alaskan and it was a handy, non-no sense, bomb proof rifle. I now own an African in a McMillan stock, it’s a good looking rifle that is damn accurate with everything I feed it. It really likes 260 grain Accubonds and they shoot awesome at 500 meters (likely farther, but I’ll just walk up a bit if I see game that far!).

In my humble opinion, every Canadian should have one in the gun safe!
 
Ok, 15 years later I guess I can see the the Ruger round. Actually like the compact stainless sighted guns. For a young guy looking for a short handi serious gun. Hard to go wrong. Still the H&H for me though. Actually I’ve gotten rid of the .375 and .458 and just going with the .416 Remington.
 
I like the .375 Ruger. What's not to like?
I already have a Sako 85 in .375 H&H so I'm working on .416 Ruger in a M77 Hawkeye.
 
Holy crap! Have we been arguing about this for 15 years???

I gotta admit, I had no interest in the .375Ruger back when it came out, but now in hindsight...I still don't! :) I have way fewer guns now, down to a single .375H&H from the 3 or 4 I had back then. I've got too much history and sentimentality to ever drop the H&H altogether, but one is plenty for me...and even that one is in the form of a barrel for my Blaser.

But I had and still have a sneaking admiration and interest in the .416Ruger and might scratch that itch someday if confronted with the perfect storm of availability, cash on hand and lack of willpower. :)
 
I got my .416 Ruger used (stainless/Hogue stock in great condition) on the EE here for around what you would pay for a regular M77 used.

I just got a Lee crimp die for it from budget.
Like to hunt with 400g solids at around 2,200 fps.
 
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