375 Ruger / 375 H&H Pet Loads?

[Legionnaire]

Though I have no need for a dangerous game rifle, I am now waiting on delivery of a lightly used Ruger 77 Hawkeye African in 375 Ruger. I know there are at least a few fans of the cartridge (and the 375 H&H) on board who use the medium bores for a wide range of applications. I plan to hand load exclusively for this rifle, and I’d like to hear about your favorite loads and what you use them for.

 

[Gordon]

I use the 260 Accubond in my .375 s with 77 Grains of IMR 4350 in the .375 H&H for 2700 FPS from a 24" barrel, I use 80 grains of RL 17 in the .375 Weatherby chambers ,which is about the same capacity as a .375 Ruger and that gets 2900 FPS . The .260 accubond is tough but it always expands up to the 600 yards I saw it it used , it has good BC and is very accurate in both my .375s and my friends too. Close in I had a friend use it in Africa and it worked just as well as the Nosler Partitions I used on the safari.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

I load 300 grain nosler partitions over 75 grains of accurate 4350. Shoots good out of my winchester mdl 70 alaskan. Took a 10 foot kodiak bear with it a few years back, taking the same combo back to kodiak this coming spring. The partition performed well. Its not a hot rod load by any means, but it doesn’t need to be when you have a .375 mag.

 

[Seamaster31]

I like medium loads of RL 15 with the Nosler 260 grain pill for general hunting loads in my 375 Ruger. For more stubborn game the 300 A Frame or TSX with a stiff load of RL 15 is usually my choice. For my 375 H&H I would give the same answer.

 

[MCMXI]

I've found the following .375 H&H Mag load to be excellent. I use it for hunting deer and elk.

Rifle: Kimber Talkeetna
Bullet: Barnes 250gr TTSX
Brass: Remington
Powder: 75.1gr VV N540
Primer: Fed GM215M
Crimp: Lee FCD
COAL: 3.585"
Velocity: 2,800 fps

5-shot group at 100 yards



I did some load workup last year using the load below with similar accuracy/precision results but haven't used the LRX on an animal. The LRX has a larger cavity in the nose and supposedly opens up better at lower velocities. The two loads have similar external ballistics so my thought is to eventually switch to the LRX once I've used up the TTSX bullets.

Rifle: Kimber Talkeetna
Bullet: Barnes 270gr LRX
Brass: Remington
Powder: 73.0gr VV N540
Primer: Fed GM215M
Crimp: Lee FCD
COAL: 3.580"
Velocity: 2,715 fps

 

[Legionnaire]

Thanks. I want to start by developing a medium power general purpose hunting load and a light(er) practice load. I'll hold off on building a heavy or dangerous game load for a while, as I have no immediate need for one.

I saw a YouTube video on using 235 grain Speer Hot Core bullets over Trail Boss for practice, and I'll probably load some of those up first just to get a feel for the rifle. Gun is coming with Hornady dies and brass, and about 50 each 300 grain Nosler Partitions and 300 Barnes TSXs. I'll try loading those up at medium velocities to begin with.

I will admit that I am NOT a recoil junkie, so plan to start on the lower end of the spectrum and work up as I get used to the rifle.

 

[hillman23]

I think you’re getting an extraordinary elk rifle that is not too big for deer and not too light for Cape buffalo. Here’s a couple pics from my brother’s H&H and a load I cooked up for my cousin’s Ruger.

 

[Gordon]

The difference between 300 grain Bullets at around 2550 -2600 and 250-260 grain bullets at 2700 fps are a noticeable increase in recoil and drop at over 300 yards. 300 grain bullets you mentioned are wonderful on 1000 pound up game but not so much on 600 pound and lighter stuff as hey don't usually open up and they lose quite a bit of the energy going out the off side IMHO. I would stick to the lower cost 250-270 grain weight bullets to get used to the gun and trajectory and save the 300 grain ones after you get used to it for those special occasions

 

[LoonWulf]

Im still shooting up my supply of 250GMXs factory ammo, so havent worked TOO hard on realoading the 375 Ruger yet.
Right now my pet load is 83gr of RL-17 under a Speer 270BTSP. This gets those speers to 2850ish from my guns 23" tube.
This is a couple grains below where MAX is in my gun, but the speers become explosive at about 2800.

 

[LoonWulf]

I've also got some of those 260Ab Gordon mentioned, they are next on my list of must tries..... maybe tonight even.
I'd like to see if I can't scratch 2900-2950 with the ABs, the Speers blow up before maxing out.
I'll also say this about the 270 Speer load I use. it's devastating on light thin skin game, but stay out of bones as it turns the lot into a grenade. It's also a noticeable step up in recoil from a 250gmx factory round at about the same velocity...in fact I use the same zero for both as they land within the same group out as far as I've shot my rifle. might wanna add a squishy pad to your rifle as well, they help a lot with these big moderate velocity lead launchers.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

I forgot to mention the squishy pad as well, get one.

 

[Robert]

270 gr Barnes TSX over 72.5 grs of IMR 4895 for my 375 H&H.

 

[Missionary]

Good Morning
We have several 375HH's and they all shoot our cast bullets from 220 up to 345 grains. Our favorite all purpose is an NOE 270 grain flat nose gas check sitting over enough 4350 to make 2300 fps. Have to write it that way as due to barrel length differences. The Browning single shot is 28", the Ruger is 22 with a CZ bolt at 24".
Mike in LLama Land

 

[Legionnaire]

Thanks for all the input. I just built my first reduced load practice rounds for the Ruger Hawkeye: 235 grain Speer Hot Cores over Trail Boss. I'll use these to get on paper and function test the rifle.

I'll also load up some of the same bullets over Varget; Speer data show 2,865 to 3,091 with charges from 72.5 to 80.5 grains.

I also have some 250 grain Barnes TTSX bullets on the way, and several powders to try with them.



And the launcher ...

 

[Nature Boy]

Love it.

Are you having to fill the empty cartridge space with some type of wading?

 

[troy fairweather]

Love it.

Are you having to fill the empty cartridge space with some type of wading?

No need with TB

 

[Legionnaire]

Are you having to fill the empty cartridge space with some type of wading?

Not necessary. 27.5 grains of Trail Boss fills the case to just above the base of the shoulder. The Speer bullets seated to COAL of 3.310 still don't touch the powder. I backed off to 23.5 grains for a starting load, which still gives 83% case fill. According to QuickLoad, the 27.5 grain charge should get be to about 1,675 fps.

 

[Nature Boy]

Ahhh, must be a very fluffy powder

 

[Legionnaire]

It is. Designed for cowboy loads, but lots of applications for reduced recoil. Here is an IMR write up.

 

[hillman23]

I loaded some 30-06 loads with trail boss. I giggled every trigger pull. Let us know what those loads are like.

 

[LoonWulf]

I bought a pile of 260ABs a while back you want some to try?
just now got around to make some with rl-17, gonna see what I can get running them at 3.610. Might actually be enough capacity back to go to a slightly slower powder.

 

[Seamaster31]

The 250 grain Sierra Gameking is a good (and relatively inexpensive) bullet for North American game. I have poked a few vicious whitetail deer with it at moderate velocity and it seemed to be enough gun for the job. Expansion is anybody's guess as I was not able to recover any bullets.

The 260 AB is quite a good bullet. I have recovered both 260 grain Partition and 260 grain AB bullets from eland and they seem to perform in a similar manner.

 

[Legionnaire]

I bought a pile of 260ABs a while back you want some to try?

Very generous of you, Loon. I'll send you a PM.

 

[LoonWulf]

The 250 grain Sierra Gameking is a good (and relatively inexpensive) bullet for North American game. I have poked a few vicious whitetail deer with it at moderate velocity and it seemed to be enough gun for the job. Expansion is anybody's guess as I was not able to recover any bullets.

The 260 AB is quite a good bullet. I have recovered both 260 grain Partition and 260 grain AB bullets from eland and they seem to perform in a similar manner.

This is what im hoping for.

I like the extra velocity the Ruger can generate, but the speers ive been running get explody when launched at 28+. At the 2650 i was shooting them at they were quite well behaved tho.

 

[troy fairweather]

I believe someone was selling some 260ab cheap on the long range hunting forum. With the 375 for what I would shoot with it the bullet would not matter to much.