375 Ruger for Alaska!

[35 Whelen]

I just had a friend from Alaska call me and said he has just ordered a new Howa SS in 375 Ruger so he can leave his Winchester Alaskan at home from now on. He liked my SS guns when he was here last year chasing big Whitetails and decided to buy an inexpensive one as he has an old Leupold 1.5/5 in a draw and has been eyeing a 375 for a while now. I just checked them out on the net and that Hogue stock looks very nice and am I not just seeing a Vanguard here????
What is the story on these guns................... as they sure look nice for the money???

 

[DrMike]

The 375 Ruger is a skookum cartridge. Those that I've shot were very accurate and easy to load for. Ballistics are essentially that of the 375 H&H, but in a shorter case. There is nothing special about the rifle; but the cartridge initially generated a bit of buzz. I fear that the interest may die down as Hornady can be rather stinting with producing cases for the proprietary cartridges they make.

 

[35 Whelen]

Morning Mike,
Yea I am firmilar with the cartridge but was really wondering about that rifle he ordered as it looked like a W Vanguard so wasnt too sure about that??? Sounds like it isnt anything that will shock the gun world??? :roll:

 

[DrMike]

Top 'o the morning to you, Earl. I misunderstood. I assume you're asking about the Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan? If so, that is the rifle I've shot. It was actually pleasant to shoot and seemed to be reasonable value (even in Canadian prices).

 

[woods]

I always heard that Howa makes the Vanguard for Weatherby, if not the entire gun then at least the action

Do have experience with Vanguards but have not handled a Howa

Nothing wrong with a Vanguard, plain run of the mill 2 door Dodge truck kind of action, will get the job done but nothing spectacular about it

 

[Guest]

Howa does make the Vanguard for Weatherby, and a good many of the parts are interchangeable. There are some Weatherby spec differences between the two, but nothing earth-shattering. Howa's been making the Vanguard since inception in 1970. They made the Japanese built Mark V's, as well. Very high quality stuff coming out of Howa. I would not hesitate to buy one if I found one in a configuration I wanted.

 

[DrMike]

Now I see that Howa is chambering the 375 Ruger. That will certainly help legitimatize the cartridge.

 

[Guest]

Howa picked it up several years ago, about a year after Ruger brought it to market, if I recall correctly. Sales have been moderate at best, I think, but they're not dropping it as of now. There was talk about Weatherby having some Vanguards built in 375Ruger, but their analysis didn't warrant the extra SKU, apparently. I love Weatherby, and I've had excellent interactions with the company, including everyone from the people who answer the phone for customer service all the way up to the VP level, and Ed & Dan Weatherby, personally. It's become a favorite company of mine, after having the exact opposite experience with Remington a few years ago. I don't even look at Remington rifles anymore (except older ones in specific models I'm interested in owning). I believe, unfortunately, that the economy is taking a toll on the Weatherby company, and they are looking for ways to cut costs and maintain competitive viability. The 375Ruger is a casualty of that, I believe. I think if this were 2002, they'd introduce it in a heartbeat, like they did the 338-06. But now, in this environment, they're not going to build and warehouse anything that isn't moving quickly and at good margin. At least they brought back the stainless Vanguard! (That was due directly to the feedback they got about dropping it, too.)

 

[BK]

Yep, I dig Howas and Weatherby Vanguards. I have a 7 WSM in a SS Howa, and a .223 in a blue cheapie Vanguard. Great barreled actions. I wish that Weatherby would introduce a few more chamberings in the SS model... not one WSM to be found. And since we are dreaming, how about a 26" tube on the .257 and offering a 7mm Weatherby?

Getting back to the Howa, the first thing I did when I got it home was order a McMillan stock for it. I have a pretty serious dislike of the Hogue Overmold riflestock. If I got a .375 Ruger in a Howa, I would probably find a laminate stock to put it in.

 

[gerry]

The Howa seems like a really good gun glad they are chambering it. FYI savage will be chambering the 375 Ruger as well starting this year. Maybe Nosler can step up to the plate and offer 375 Ruger ammo in their Trophy grade line, how about a 260 gr AccuBond and 300 gr Partition load?

 

[Anonymous]

I've been a fan of the .375Ruger since they introduced it. I don't have one in anything other than a Ruger but it is a hard shooting and hard hitting cartridge. Oddly enough- I've yet to shoot anything with one. I hope to rectify that this spring during bear season.

I don't worry about it becoming obsolete now as much as I did when it came out- several folks have picked it up as a chambering and reportedly sales numbers have exceeded expectations and interest remains high. The fact they're using the basic case for several other cartridges is a good sign too.

Another good thing is that any company that makes a standard length action can screw .375Rug barrel on it and release it without much fuss or engineering costs.

That cartridge and 260gr Accubonds are almost an ideal combination.

 

[35 Whelen]

Well he paid the long dollar, years ago for one of those limited edition Super Grade Model 70s with the Bear etched on the floorplate and I think it says .338 Alaskan on it or something like that . I had one identical but it WASNT the SE just a standard Super Grade with out of this world wood on it; massive amount of bursting feathercrotch coming from the pad right up into the wrist . I had a 1.5/5 on it and from memory it weighed in at a whopping 9lbs!!!!!!!!!!!! So I NEVER did hardly ever use it as you almost needed a tripod to pull it around behind you . He's is heavy too but he loves it and always rushes in to grab it to show it off when ever anyone stops by his cabin.
Sounds like he is probably ok with this Howa thingy then???? He wanted to talk shop with me about it this am, and I didnt even know what he was talking about ??? After I looked at it on a few sites I got to thinking boy that looks like a W. Vanguard to me so hence the question.................. thanks for that info.......
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I had cut a beautiful brake pattern on the end of the barrel so it didnt kick my brains out and when I sold it to one of the guides back here that thought he wanted it for [$750] I told him to let me know if he ever was going to sell it and I would buy it back......................... he recently sold it for the $750, and the guy that bought it, had some knitwit saw the barrel off at 21" can you imagine ???
Takes all kinds I guess.