375 Ruger

[flashfishing]

Hi everyone,
This is my 1st post I am a hunter and getting into long-range shooting. My favorite hunting is elk hunting. I've hunted elk for 28 years and have come to the point where I like hunting elk with my custom 416 Taylor using North Fork 325 grain bullets and a Swarovski Z6 scope. I have reloaded most of my like and the 325 gn leaves my.416 Taylor out at 2652 fps. I have killed 5 bulls so far with this rifle with great results. From my experience I have minimal meat lost with this combination and they don't go far if anywhere at all. Proper shot placement of course is important. I'm having at 375 Ruger built on a CZ 550 action similar design to the 416 Taylor. My goal is to be able to reach a little bit farther with the same results. And to have a backup rifle. I am comfortable shooting the 416 out to 380 yards. I have practiced a lot at ranges up to 380 in the mountains. I believe the terminal ballistics fall off quick after 380 yards. My question is does anyone have any experience and if so what barrel length would you recommend for my new 375 Ruger. I'm looking at North Forks 270 or 300 grain SS bullets, possibly Nosler's Accubond 260 or 300 grain Spitzer bullets in a 1 in 12 twist barrel. These are the bullets I'm going to start with.

Thanks for your help,
Steve / Flashfishing

[woods]

I put a 24" PacNor 3 groove #5 contour on mine. I wanted the extra weight of the heavier contour for recoil reduction. It was a rebarrel of a Winchester push feed 264 win mag Model 70, which is not a light action either so the gun is a 11 pounder all loaded up but is easy to shoot.

Since the 375's are reputed to do well with powders in the RL15 to IMR4350 range, I decided from the start to use RL17. With no reloading data I started low and worked up which is what anyone should also do if using this data

BULLET WT PWD CHARGE OAL FPS

TSX 270 RL17 74.0 3.285 2552
TSX 270 RL17 74.5 3.285 2564
TSX 270 RL17 75.0 3.285 2578
TSX 270 RL17 75.5 3.285 2564
TSX 270 RL17 76.0 3.285 2572

TSX 270 RL17 77.0 3.285 2573
TSX 270 RL17 78.0 3.285 2621
TSX 270 RL17 79.0 3.285 2643

AB 260 RL17 80.0 3.350 2760
AB 260 RL17 81.0 3.350 2798
AB 260 RL17 82.0 3.350 2849
TSX 270 RL17 80.0 3.285 2692
TSX 270 RL17 81.0 3.285 2714
TSX 270 RL17 82.0 3.285 2753

AB 260 RL17 82.5 3.350 2859
AB 260 RL17 83.0 3.350 2872
AB 260 RL17 83.5 3.350 2896
AB 260 RL17 84.0 3.350 2916

AB 260 RL17 84.5 3.350 2938
AB 260 RL17 85.0 3.350 2941
AB 260 RL17 85.5 3.350 2956
AB 260 RL17 86.0 3.350 2978

AB 260 RL17 86.5 3.350 2996


As you can tell I was looking for max load with RL17 and never did get any pressure signs. Here is a pic of the primers on the last load listed



But I got better accuracy with the 270 TSX and felt more comfortable running it at 2850 to 2900 fps



But it is possible to run the 260 Accubond at close to 3000 fps which would mean it would have the trajectory of a 270 winchester!

[Iron Worker]

Why a 375 Ruger in a CZ rifle ? Why not just buy a Ruger ? Or a 375 RUM ? It has more power.

[cornstalker]

Then again, why not?

[flashfishing]

Thanks guys.
Ironworker, one of the issues was recoil and I'm just using the CZ action everything else are other components. Thanks Woods that is a very nice group at 200 yards.
Steve
Flashfishing

[Iron Worker]

Muzzle brakes and modern recoil pads help . Yes i know they make our rifles sound like atom bombs. They have they're plus and minuses .