.375 ruger or .375 H&H.....

Which .375, the OG or the Ruger?

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LoonWulf

LoonWulf

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Groups From my browning A-bolt2 in 7mm have started to open up enough im ready to rebarrel, well start the planning anyway....

Ive always wanted a .375 H&H, but the ruger seems to have caught on well enough now that Im considering it as well.

The action is long enough for the H&H, but i would need to replace the magazine as well as the barrel, so that adds another 100 bucks. The Ruger should feed fine thru my 7mm magazine..if not i can likely get an ultramag magazine to work, and those are 70bucks.

Performance of the two is pretty similar from what ive read, but again with the longer action i can seat bullets out a bit more to get some capacity back on the Ruger. Theory being it would have a balistic advantage....theory anyway....

There are more case options for the H&H, but price is right around what hornady charges for the Ruger.

The H&H is cooler looking, and has better history, and the major design feature of the Ruger (being short enough to fit in an 06 length action) is negated in my case by the full length action of the Abolt. At the same time, the Ruger is beltless, a more modern design, with a sharper shoulder angle which i like.

This is the rifle itself.
IMG_20170828_083840261-1732x2309.jpg

The barrel is currently 26" which looks a little too long for the stock, so ill be having the new barrel made at 20-23". The shorter length should theoretically favor the shorter fatter ruger. Tho again having never worked with either cartridge i dunno.
Currently the rifle weights around 11lbs, with the shorter tube and a scope/mount change im expecting it to end up around 9.5-10lbs if i keep the same barrel profile, which i may it looks good imo.


So the question at hand, with this specific build which .375 would you chose?
 
If the action will take a cartridge the length of 375 H&H you might consider 375 RUM. It might be more cartridge than you want but it would fit as it has the same 3.6-inch OAL, but with slighlty more case volume and slightly higher operating pressure than 375 H&H. Just something to throw in the mix.
 
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Depending on where you're going to use it in the future, .375H&H is a boring but very safe choice. Ruger has some advantages like you mentioned and the only real consideration is availability of ammo, especially on long hunting trips when anything can (and often will) happen. I considered a number of big game calibers when I was choosing a new rifle a few years ago and having just had an airline lose my rifle as well as my friend's ammo a few months earlier, the H&H was an obvious choice.

Other than that, it's a coin toss between the two. Both have their advantages.
 
In this case I'd give a slight nod to the 375 Ruger. In a classic old school CRF rifle the traditional H&H round would be the perfect fit. But in a more modern PF action the nostalgia of the H&H round is lost. Might as well go with the more modern cartridge.
 
That is an amazingly tough choice! Both will do what most anyone would need, I would probably have to go with the H&H myself. The history and overall cool factor of that long belted magnum would probably win out for me since I don't have one yet. But in a shorter, lighter rifle the 375 ruger is probably a better choice. Will the brass be as available as H&H brass in a few years? That's the question isn't it... Also, dies may be cheaper for the H&H...
 
LoonWulf said:
Groups From my browning A-bolt2 in 7mm have started to open up enough im ready to rebarrel, well start the planning anyway....

Ive always wanted a .375 H&H, but the ruger seems to have caught on well enough now that Im considering it as well.

The action is long enough for the H&H, but i would need to replace the magazine as well as the barrel, so that adds another 100 bucks. The Ruger should feed fine thru my 7mm magazine..if not i can likely get an ultramag magazine to work, and those are 70bucks.

Performance of the two is pretty similar from what ive read, but again with the longer action i can seat bullets out a bit more to get some capacity back on the Ruger. Theory being it would have a balistic advantage....theory anyway....

There are more case options for the H&H, but price is right around what hornady charges for the Ruger.

The H&H is cooler looking, and has better history, and the major design feature of the Ruger (being short enough to fit in an 06 length action) is negated in my case by the full length action of the Abolt. At the same time, the Ruger is beltless, a more modern design, with a sharper shoulder angle which i like.

This is the rifle itself.
View attachment 771891

The barrel is currently 26" which looks a little too long for the stock, so ill be having the new barrel made at 20-23". The shorter length should theoretically favor the shorter fatter ruger. Tho again having never worked with either cartridge i dunno.
Currently the rifle weights around 11lbs, with the shorter tube and a scope/mount change im expecting it to end up around 9.5-10lbs if i keep the same barrel profile, which i may it looks good imo.


So the question at hand, with this specific build which .375 would you chose?
Click to expand...
Well you know how I have that speed addiction......this in itself leans ruger, beltless......ruger, efficiency, the ruger is running 200fps faster with the 260s, but using 11 more grains to do it.........so in this particular instance...... with a .375 caliber, I don't SEE the necessity of the extra velocity as it is not likely to become your leading plinking/long-range/medium game or smaller sniping rifle. I'm picturing lots of uses still, but nothing you'll need to push it to compete with your .250AI for. Extra speed with heavy bullets doesn't always equal lots of extra practice time either if you FEEL me ;). As much as I am in love with the IDEA of the ruger, I vote for the Holland.
 
I don't have anything that big and I'm probably not going to shoot anything (game animal or other target) that - uh - exciting.

I did look at the advertised ballistics of both cartridges. The Ruger seems to be a bit lighter all the way around, but the size of bullets and velocity seem qualified to take dangerous game as well as any. Would indicate somewhat less recoil.

Please note, I do not like belted cases. I'd opt for the Ruger .375 as a heavy rifle.
 
mcb said:
If the action will take a cartridge the length of 375 H&H you might consider 375 RUM. It might be more cartridge than you want but it would fit as it has the same 3.6-inch OAL, but with slighlty more case volume and slightly higher operating pressure than 375 H&H. Just something to throw in the mix.
Click to expand...
Your correct, while it WOULD fit, its more cartridge than Im willing to tolerate. Ive fired a .338ultra a couple times, and have no interest in firing a larger version, or any of the Weatherby .375s lol.
Thanks tho, were i more capable at dealing with the recoil, or building a heavier rifle the ultra would be on the table.

hq said:
Depending on where you're going to use it in the future, .375H&H is a boring but very safe choice. Ruger has some advantages like you mentioned and the only real consideration is availability of ammo, especially on long hunting trips when anything can (and often will) happen. I considered a number of big game calibers when I was choosing a new rifle a few years ago and having just had an airline lose my rifle as well as my friend's ammo a few months earlier, the H&H was an obvious choice.

Other than that, it's a coin toss between the two. Both have their advantages.
Click to expand...
I dont have any plans, or even a real likely hood of using it for "real". Its one of those things that I want, but could never justify. With my 7mm finally burning out, and a plethora of other deer/sheep/goat/pig rifles I can contemplate building it now.
If i DO use it for realzeez it will probably be on the mainland us. Ammo, while probably not easy to find, should be available if i need it.

jmr40 said:
In this case I'd give a slight nod to the 375 Ruger. In a classic old school CRF rifle the traditional H&H round would be the perfect fit. But in a more modern PF action the nostalgia of the H&H round is lost. Might as well go with the more modern cartridge.
Click to expand...
I agree, and honestly I was, and still am, leaning a little towards the Ruger, just because the rifle it is going in isnt exactly traditional. Its not built along the lines of a DG rifle either...more of a heavy stalking rifle.

adcoch1 said:
That is an amazingly tough choice! Both will do what most anyone would need, I would probably have to go with the H&H myself. The history and overall cool factor of that long belted magnum would probably win out for me since I don't have one yet. But in a shorter, lighter rifle the 375 ruger is probably a better choice. Will the brass be as available as H&H brass in a few years? That's the question isn't it... Also, dies may be cheaper for the H&H...
Click to expand...
Good point about the Dies. I tend to forget their cost when adding stuff up.

horsey300 said:
Well you know how I have that speed addiction......this in itself leans ruger, beltless......ruger, efficiency, the ruger is running 200fps faster with the 260s, but using 11 more grains to do it.........so in this particular instance...... with a .375 caliber, I don't SEE the necessity of the extra velocity as it is not likely to become your leading plinking/long-range/medium game or smaller sniping rifle. I'm picturing lots of uses still, but nothing you'll need to push it to compete with your .250AI for. Extra speed with heavy bullets doesn't always equal lots of extra practice time either if you FEEL me ;). As much as I am in love with the IDEA of the ruger, I vote for the Holland.
Click to expand...
Heh, very punny! and true.
Im not sure if the Ruger will hit much harder than the H&H, I figured a 10ish pound gun should be enough to make either rounds manageable. I say that then remember how much i dislike 300s under 10lbs.....
 
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LoonWulf said:
Your correct, while it WOULD fit, its more cartridge than Im willing to tolerate. Ive fired a .338ultra a couple times, and have no interest in firing a larger version, or any of the Weatherby .375s lol.
Thanks tho, were i more capable at dealing with the recoil, or building a heavier rifle the ultra would be on the table.
Click to expand...

No problem. I am just old enough to have mostly gotten over most of my, "more recoil is good" phase. I did my fair share of 458 Win Mag and 416 Rigby several years ago and it took me a year to get my right shoulder feeling normal again. Brother has a 7mm RUM and after he had a good muzzle break put on the gun it is shootable, if noisy, but without that brake its just mean to shoot.

Of 375 H&H vs 375 Ruger I would lean towards the Ruger only because belted cartridges never really sat well with me.
 
I'm a fan of belted cartridges and my go-to hunting rifle is a Kimber Talkeetna in .375 H&H so my choice is kind of obvious. I cut the barrel down on mine from 24" to 22" and am pushing a 250gr Barnes TTSX at 2,800 fps. Even cutting down the barrel to 19" doesn't lose much in the way of velocity. In the spring I plan on working up a load using the Nosler 260gr AccuBond so that I can get reliable expansion out to 600 yards for elk. I shot a mule deer (twice) at 460 yards last year with my .375 H&H so it's more than capable as an all around game rifle. I was surprised to discover that at 500 yards I only have half an inch more drop and 4" more drift in a 10mph wind compared to a 6.5 CM shooting a 143gr ELD-X but with 900 ft-lb more energy so the old 375 H&H can hold its own.

As for the .375 Ruger, Hornady offers 250gr GMX Superperformance in .375 H&H at 2,890 fps and the same load for the .375 Ruger at 2,900 fps. If you look at load manuals, the Ruger doesn't seem to have a massive real-world advantage in terms of velocity. They're both great cartridges and if I didn't have a .375 cal rifle already I might consider the Ruger but it would depend on the rifle selection more than anything. Your situation is a bit different since you already have the rifle so you have some thinking to do.

I shake my head every time I see someone complain about belted cartridges.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/375-h-h-250-gr-375-gmx-superformance#!/
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/375-ruger-250-gr-gmx-superformance#!/
 
Niether ! Rebarrel it to .375 Weatherby . You can shoot .375 H&H in it only loosing less than 50 fps. You can buy $30 270 grain Remington express loads , which are wonderful for the biggest deer ect, and out come ..375 Weatherby ! The Weatherby has a much better case life AND the load data for it is loaded to modern pressures like your Ruger is made for, and more than 5 % case capacity increase = BIG boost in velocities possible. Think 2800 fps from 300 grain bullets and 3000+ fps from 260 grainers :) All my .375 H&H have been reamed for the Weatherby chamber.
 
Another vote for the .375 weatherby. I have a .375H&H Ruger #1 and I'm going to have it reamed to .375 weatherby for all the reasons Gordon stated above this post. Best of both worlds, you have the availability of .375 H&H loads and the case life of the .375 ruger. If you reload, a rechambering from H&H to weatherby is a no brainer.
 
Thanks for the suggestion guys, and while its tempting Im pretty sure the weby is more than i want. From what i gather on the Nterwebs it either requires case forming H&H brass, or buying pricey wby or norma brass also?

Something else i just noticed. The port on my rifle is only about 3.3" long, while im sure that will eject spent brass, i may have an issue getting a loaded H&H length case out of the action.
Or i may not, as the bolt retracts plenty far enough if the round dosent get stuck between the ejector and the rear bridge before the nose releases it should be fine. Even if it does tho i think i can relieve the rear bridge to allow it to eject properly.
 
Just shoot . .375 H&H and out come ready to load .375 Weatherby , and the factory .375 H&H shoot well too,. But unless you have a Ruger Safari grade you are correct, the full legth mag is too long to work corretly, just go to .375 Ruger.
which will work with standard Mag action.
 
LoonWulf said:
Your correct, while it WOULD fit, its more cartridge than Im willing to tolerate. Ive fired a .338ultra a couple times, and have no interest in firing a larger version, or any of the Weatherby .375s lol.
Thanks tho, were i more capable at dealing with the recoil, or building a heavier rifle the ultra would be on the table.


I dont have any plans, or even a real likely hood of using it for "real". Its one of those things that I want, but could never justify. With my 7mm finally burning out, and a plethora of other deer/sheep/goat/pig rifles I can contemplate building it now.
If i DO use it for realzeez it will probably be on the mainland us. Ammo, while probably not easy to find, should be available if i need it.


I agree, and honestly I was, and still am, leaning a little towards the Ruger, just because the rifle it is going in isnt exactly traditional. Its not built along the lines of a DG rifle either...more of a heavy stalking rifle.


Good point about the Dies. I tend to forget their cost when adding stuff up.


Heh, very punny! and true.
Im not sure if the Ruger will hit much harder than the H&H, I figured a 10ish pound gun should be enough to make either rounds manageable. I say that then remember how much i dislike 300s under 10lbs.....
Click to expand...
Lol recoil is only 5 ftlbs more and 1fps faster with the ruger than the Holland in equally weighted 9lb rifles, still about 15ftlbs more vicious than the 300 wm firing 180s from an 8.5 lb rifle........and still 10 lbs more than the .338 with 225s, my brother's .338wm was too much for me with its lack of weight and good pad, maybe my perspective is slightly skewed..... either way, on behalf of the Hawaiian wild cows, I must suggest a very inexpensive Walmart pellet rifle instead of such an overly unnecessary weapon. ;)
But in seriousness, I think you're good to go with either one, just remember which end faces the target and don't forget to grin just a touch as your quarry falls.
 
horsey300 said:
Lol recoil is only 5 ftlbs more and 1fps faster with the ruger than the Holland in equally weighted 9lb rifles, still about 15ftlbs more vicious than the 300 wm firing 180s from an 8.5 lb rifle........and still 10 lbs more than the .338 with 225s, my brother's .338wm was too much for me with its lack of weight and good pad, maybe my perspective is slightly skewed..... either way, on behalf of the Hawaiian wild cows, I must suggest a very inexpensive Walmart pellet rifle instead of such an overly unnecessary weapon. ;)
But in seriousness, I think you're good to go with either one, just remember which end faces the target and don't forget to grin just a touch as your quarry falls.
Click to expand...

Ill look like a grinning idiot untill my eyes uncross.....no i dont realy think recoil will he that bad....
And there was a video here (and a short fad), of shooting pigs with break barrel airguns.....i can remember one successful application i think.....


Gordon said:
Just shoot . .375 H&H and out come ready to load .375 Weatherby , and the factory .375 H&H shoot well too,. But unless you have a Ruger Safari grade you are correct, the full legth mag is too long to work corretly, just go to .375 Ruger.
which will work with standard Mag action.
Click to expand...
At almost 100bucks a box for .375 h&h here ill have to go from.scratch and load the cases twice before having functional ammo. I agree its not that bad, especially considering the performance boost. I used to form 7STW from 300wby, and thats basically the same process. But again for ME, its more work and components than i realy want.

Oddly enough the one .338 i kinda want is the .340 wby......

I think i still have a couple STW rounds somewhere, ill try ejecting one of those and see if it will pop out.
 
LoonWulf said:
I dont have any plans, or even a real likely hood of using it for "real". Its one of those things that I want, but could never justify. With my 7mm finally burning out, and a plethora of other deer/sheep/goat/pig rifles I can contemplate building it now.
If i DO use it for realzeez it will probably be on the mainland us. Ammo, while probably not easy to find, should be available if i need it.
Click to expand...
This makes the choice incredibly easy, then. Choose the one you really WANT, whichever makes you feel good for even the craziest of reasons. Personally I tend to think about functionality a lot, mainly because the vast majority of my casual shooting and plinking happens with .22, .223 and 9mm and everything else is there for a more or less specific purpose.

A .375 rifle for just the heck of it? I love the idea, the epitome of want instead of need. It's time to throw all rationality out the window and figure out which one will put the widest grin on your face. This is probably one of the coolest "which?"-threads of all time.
 
I'm not a great fan of the .375 H&H even though I have a couple Pre-64 M-70's in that caliber. But as a practical matter, the .375 H&H will still be killing bears and cape buffalo long after the Ruger is a forgotten has-been that never was.
 
For your action length I'd go with the Ruger. The H&H really does need a magnum length action, unless you can get loaded rounds in and out of the ejection port with ease. I love my H&H but it is a misunderstood round. If you get one you end up having to explain to pretty much everyone you meet that no, it is not an elephant round that will vaporize anything it hits smaller than a rhino. Yes, it can be very effective on everything from deer to elephant with the proper load and bullets. Most of the people that will tell you it is too much gun for deer or elk will turn around and tell you to get some god awful 30 cal uber mag... sigh... ok whatever you say. Most people have never shot one, let alone shot on at game to know what it will or will not do. At least with the Ruger people will not know what it is and not hound you over shooting elk with an elephant gun.

The H&H is one of those rare rounds that is accurate no matter the bullet or the load. It really doesn't seem to care if you are shooting light cast bullets for plinking or full house dangerous game loads. It shoots, and accurate. I can, and have, put 3 270gr bullets into an area the size of the palm of my hand at 500y from a seated, butt in the dirt elbows on knees, position. I am putting a 270gr bullet to the same poi as a 180 30-06 bullet at 300y. It may not be uber flat shooting but it just flat works. So I voted for the H&H because that is what I have and love to shoot. But if I had a long action just laying around asking for a medium bore build a 375 Ruger would not be a bad idea.
 
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