IS the 375 ruger a good long range caliber?

[Southernfryedyankee]

I am building a new long range rifle and came across this cartridge. Is it a long action caliber? What is its effective killing range? Is it suitable for elk and larger game animals. Is the 375 ruger in danger of becoming extinct? and does it use a .540 bolt face?

 

[Tyler Kemp]

Well it can push the 300 grain pills fast enough to kill stuff but 338's are probably superior due to less recoil and less $$$ per shot. There is a 350 grain SMK but it could probably only do <2500 fps with it. It is long action...and lots of people like it over the H&H because it's "new". Ammoguide will give you the case head diameter, it's standard magnum I'm pretty sure.

 

[JPRITT]

The 375 ruger good for long range.... no probably not.
The 375 ruger necked down to 338.... now we are talking!

Yes the 375 ruger is a magnum bolt face and has got pretty popular. Especially here in the northwest.

The "dakota" cartridges are basically the same idea and would be a better bet for a long range gun if you like the 375 ruger case.

happy shootin!

 

[jwp475]

The 375 Ruger is a modest gain over the 375 H&H and to neck it down to 338 would result in modest gain over a 338 Win. A 338 Edge, Lapua, Rum, 338/378 all would be a much better choice IMHO due to the availability to easily obtain higher BC bullets than can are currently readily available for the 375

 

[liltank]

Boy you guys are really hung up on the .338's. I agree that it is a good caliber, but there are others out there that can do the job. 8mm's, 7mm's, and 30's are all good choices. I would even venture into the 264's, but that would be pushing its capabilities beyond 1000yrds.

As far as the 375, I would say it is going to knock down anything in the world. It is a heavy caliber, and you should be able to knock things down out to 1000 easy. The problem is the bullet quality. If they could produce a plausible bullet in .270, 8mm, and 35's... now were talking about more punch for the buck.

Personally I would go with a 7mm caliber (STW, Rem. Mag., 280 AI, 7mmWSM), or 30's (300 Win Mag, 300WSM) I really don't care for the reloading cost of the RUM and many others. The ones I have chosen will ask all you want of it to about 1200yrds accept the 280AI, 7mmWSM and the 300WSM for elk size game. Under 1000yrds these calibers would work well.

I have .338 brass, so that would be a considered build for the very reason of the brass. That was when I was all about bigger is better. I am strongly considering the 260AI or 7WSM next go round.

Good Luck,
Tank

 

[jwp475]

The opening poster asked specificaly about a 375 Caliber for long range, meaning IMHO he wanted a hammer and the 338 is the most practical long range hammer at this point in time. 300 RUMs and the like do not compared favorably to the long range thump of the 300 grain SMK out of a 338 Edge, Lapua, 0r 338/378

 

[buffalorancher]

I had a buffalo hunter use one in late December and it worked like a charm. He had a problem because he wanted Barnes bullets and was going to have a company custom load them for him. (Superior, I think.) He said he looked everywhere for brass and ended up buying loaded ammo at some rediculous price and tearing them apart to make the new loads. It ended up costing $10 per round or something like that. The rifle he used was a blued/synthetic Ruger that looked nice but it thumped pretty good when you pulled the trigger.

 

[venom725]

First the 375 ruger are good for long range , shot can be easy done at 800 yards with this gun , and i know man can easy shoot at 1500 yards with 350 gr .

many are brainwash by store and other people , but in real life the 375 ruger or 375 rum can make what the 338 does and better , 338 win mag are about same ballistic than the 35 whelen , i see long range competition here many time and the 35 whelen are about same power than the 338 win mag , and 338 lapua magnum are less power than a 375 rum , because at 1500 yards 375 rum have much more energy left on bullet . With the 375 ruger you can kill a hog at 800 yards , i have done it .
with good bullet the 375 ruger are a beast , and for all they gonna told i am a 375 caliber lover I not , i'm a 45 caliber guy , but i have other caliber and i have 338 rum and 375 ruger , 375 rum . people told me before about the same thing on the 416 rigby , because i wanted to buy a big bore sniper rifle with 416 rigby caliber , but many guys told me like they told you , is a caliber more for close encounter and not for long range ....... but they all have wrong on the 416 rigby , because loaded it with 350 gr at 2900 fps , and 400 gr at 2700 fps . Are pretty much accurate at long range . I shoot a Moose with at 550 yards 2 years ago .

So if you wanted 375 ruger , don't listen all those guy and buy one because if you listen all you will finish to buy a 338 like all of this guy , and not try other caliber , i try in 5 years 377 firearms and many different calibers . And many time when i start i listen too much guy like this and regret many time .

375 ruger long range hunting with , he can do it on all north american games .

 

[el matador]

The opening poster asked specificaly about a 375 Caliber for long range, meaning IMHO he wanted a hammer and the 338 is the most practical long range hammer at this point in time. 300 RUMs and the like do not compared favorably to the long range thump of the 300 grain SMK out of a 338 Edge, Lapua, 0r 338/378

^^^ I agree. "Most practical" is the best way to put it. .375s can be great long range guns if you can push a 350 grain bullet fast enough (CheyTac) but the Ruger kinda falls flat with that size of bullet. It'll shoot 300s moderately fast but the 338s will shoot them faster, plus they have better BCs coming out of a .338.

Get a .338 Lapua or Ultra Mag for the most practical long range hammer, or step up to a Lapua AI or 338-378 for a bit less practicality/slightly bigger hammer.

 

[venom725]

Is fun but , not always true because if we take same bullet weight the 375 ruger will have most straight trajectory them a 338 lapua , we have try 338 lapua with 285 gr boat tail bullet vs 375 ruger with 300 gr flat nose bullet and at 500 yards the 338 lapua drop of 43" and the 375 ruger only 32" ... so a little more than 10" higher .
and 375 rum are better than that , 338 lapua magnum are good but not best .
In many case we try the 375 ruger beat with flater trajectory than the 338 lapua , I wanted to prove at one of my friend i can shoot same thing and same trajectory if not best of is 2800$ lapua magnum . And i make it , and many other wanted to try it and make it too , with a boat tail bullet in 375 ruger we can have only 28" or 25" of drop at 500 yards . Velocity are about same thing .
And just to compare the two bullet use , 338 lapua mag 285 gr bt bullet was BC.352 , and SD .356 , and 375 ruger 300 gr flat nose have bc.275 , SD .305

the bullet of 375 ruger are supposed to not go very far , but is fly more straight than the 338 lapua bullet . and is not the better bullet for long range , is a close range bullet . so if a close range bullet do it vs a long range 338 lapua bullet , what gonna do a long range bullet for 375 .

and if compare it both 250 gr bullet , 375 ruger will drop at 23" at 500 yards , and 338 lapua mag 35" at 500 yards . again bullet in lapua was boat tail , in ruger flat tail with semi spitzer nose ..

I talk about my 416 rigby , my rigby with 400 gr DGX make 28" drop at 500 yards
with enough power to kill a big moose or grizzly bear .

just for compare , my favorite Caliber the .45-70 govt , with my 300 gr hard cast buller will drop 54" at 500 yards . little more trouble to get on the paper . I make it , i be able to get a 18" steel gong at 670 yards with , the most far i shoot with this old baby . but not have trouble to shoot 375 ruger at this distance .

and the 375 ruger are cheaper than 338 lapua , 375 ruger cost me same thing than my .45-70 brass . so is cheap enough to reload a couple hundred ammo for recreation shooting

 

[SA1000]

All the original poster needs to do is check out the Horandy web page and see there is no comparison in the 338 lapua and the 375 ruger.Even with superformance ammo in the ruger it still has 28 more inches of drop at 500 yard than the lapua with both guns having a 200 yard zero.

 

[venom725]

You can go to hornady see what they write on they web site but , the truth on this is better way to find out is to try like i do , and many here do it .
Yes if you go on every web site like hornady , Remington and other they all will tell you the 338 lapua are better than every other caliber , is a marketing trick for sale some ammunition , like they make for 300 win mag the day that come ...... is a miracle ammo , but hornady give information but not the best because i do the test my self on a 1000 yards shooting range and here i have about 20 guys can told you what they see and find . Hornady and Remington , winchester will tell you the .45-70 gov can go many far than 100 and 150 yards , i know they told me that , but i can make 660 yards shot with ........ so they are technician and all they Info are on technical calcule and not on live . the 375 ruger can push a 300 gr at 2800 and 2900 fps , 338 lapua can push same bullet at 2500 to 2600 fps , so 375 ruger are 200 fps more in velocity , and with the 250 gr the 338 lapua have 2800 to 2900 fps , and 375 ruger 3000 to 3100 fps . again the speed are better on the 375 ruger .

why you not find a web site who just tell 375 ruger are better then .338 lapua is just because the most of owner of 375 ruger have it for safari hunt to shoot in 300 yards range and low with large meplat bullet , but that not meen the caliber can shoot at long distance . Is not because a cartridge are commercial made for close range hunting is the only way that can go . I can told you 375 cheytac are better the .338 lapua , but the 375 ruger are enough strong and enough accurate to match or beat the 338 lapua performance .

but again they have shooter fact too , and bullet and powder and rifle , maybe some 338 lapua can do better job than 375 ruger . and on other rifle that is the other side . but again don't listen what people same because many are pro 338 , many are 300 win mag . Him a .45 guy i not try to try to defend this caliber is just tell the facts i try with friends and people on shooting range .

i know many are possible with big game caliber , and i try to find the true potential of this calibers.

 

[WildRose]

You can go to hornady see what they write on they web site but , the truth on this is better way to find out is to try like i do , and many here do it .
Yes if you go on every web site like hornady , Remington and other they all will tell you the 338 lapua are better than every other caliber , is a marketing trick for sale some ammunition , like they make for 300 win mag the day that come ...... is a miracle ammo , but hornady give information but not the best because i do the test my self on a 1000 yards shooting range and here i have about 20 guys can told you what they see and find . Hornady and Remington , winchester will tell you the .45-70 gov can go many far than 100 and 150 yards , i know they told me that , but i can make 660 yards shot with ........ so they are technician and all they Info are on technical calcule and not on live . the 375 ruger can push a 300 gr at 2800 and 2900 fps , 338 lapua can push same bullet at 2500 to 2600 fps , so 375 ruger are 200 fps more in velocity , and with the 250 gr the 338 lapua have 2800 to 2900 fps , and 375 ruger 3000 to 3100 fps . again the speed are better on the 375 ruger .

why you not find a web site who just tell 375 ruger are better then .338 lapua is just because the most of owner of 375 ruger have it for safari hunt to shoot in 300 yards range and low with large meplat bullet , but that not meen the caliber can shoot at long distance . Is not because a cartridge are commercial made for close range hunting is the only way that can go . I can told you 375 cheytac are better the .338 lapua , but the 375 ruger are enough strong and enough accurate to match or beat the 338 lapua performance .

but again they have shooter fact too , and bullet and powder and rifle , maybe some 338 lapua can do better job than 375 ruger . and on other rifle that is the other side . but again don't listen what people same because many are pro 338 , many are 300 win mag . Him a .45 guy i not try to try to defend this caliber is just tell the facts i try with friends and people on shooting range .

i know many are possible with big game caliber , and i try to find the true potential of this calibers.

The 375 Ruger is not designed for or marketed as an LR caliber. There's also a dearth of high BC heavy for caliber bullets available in 375 which does not help.

Add to that the fact it's still a relatively new caliber with few people shooting it that have any desire to stretch it beyond 300yds and thus a lack of load data for the heavier higher bc bullets and you see why so few people consider it a good choice for LR hunting or shooting.

As time goes on more quality heavy for caliber bullets will go on the market and more people will start stretching it and we'll see where it goes.

I like mine but have not yet shot it beyond 300yds and even with factory ammo it's shooting well so in time as the opportunities present themselves I'll see how much more I can do with it.

I bought it especially for my upcoming hunt in Africa but I'm going to give it some opportunities here at home on Deer, Big Hogs, and possibly an Elk in the future.

With the amount of powder needed to push the heavy for caliber bullets to high velocities there will always be more suitable LR choices out there in 375 but who knows.

The .338 Lapua or Rum are superior to the 375 Ruger for LR hunting because they can push heavier better BC bullets faster and that's not going to change but that doesn't mean the 375Ruger can't get the job done.

People were killing bison by the thousands at long ranges in this country with the old 45-70, 45-90, and 45-110 shooting low BC lead cast bullets a century ago so obviously it can be done.

Your biggest problem is going to be long fight times with the heavier offerings and lower velocities than can be reached with the bigger cases resulting in dramatically more drop but it can be done.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I think it would work fine at long range within reason. I think some get too caught up in needing high B.C bullets and muzzle velocity and X amount of energy to get the job done. I was told a 458 socom (equal to a 45-70 in performance) was only good for 150 yards and I was crazy to stretch it any farther than that but I did it anyway and made a kill at 290 yards with it. Sure it dropped like crazy and didn't get there in a hurry but when it arrive there it sure did its job.