HORNADY 375 RUGER

[Vince2]

Since I’m not reloading for the time being I’m starting to stockpile factory ammo for the 375 Ruger and wanted to get some opinions.

As I’m moving to Alaska this summer I want to take some factory ammunition with me. Here’s what I’m thinking and I’d like to see if y’all concur.

9 Boxes 270 Grain Spire Point (non dangerous game hunting) for deer up to and including moose. Will also use for sheep and goats.

4 Boxes of 300 Grain Solids as a bear stopper.

4 Boxes of 300 Grain Expanding dangerous game ammo.

My thoughts on bear stopping is to use the solids. For bear hunting I’d use the 300 Grain expanding ammo followed by solids in the magazine.

This would all be Hornady factory ammunition since they seem to be the only major manufacturer of 375 Ruger ammunition. If the ammo doesn’t shoot in my gun I’ll look at taking up reloading again.

Basically I’m looking at one rifle for all big game in Alaska. Any thoughts?

Vince

 

[RL338]

Food for thought. By loading your own , you can create loads to make one rifle for all your needs.

 

[Vince2]

Food for thought. By loading your own , you can create loads to make one rifle for all your needs.

Not in a position where reloading is feasible for me right now.

Vince

 

[JD338]

Vince,
Not sure if you would really need solids for a bear stopper. I've never shot a big bear (yet) but I would think the 300 gr Dangerous Game expanding load would be more than enough for a big brown or grizzly bear. Having said that, maybe 1-2 boxes of solids and 2-3 more boxes of the expanding soft points.
Hopefully someone with first hand experience will set the record, and me straight.

JD338

 

[Firebird]

I agree that you don’t need a solid and would hedge your bets with a good expanding bonded bullet. Hornady is the main producer for .375 ruger and I suspect the dgs or dgx would be great should you choose to go that route.

Swift has .375 ruger loaded ammunition in 300 gr with the A Frame bullet in stock right now-would be my first choice for big bears.

Double Tapp Ammunition makes several options for that caliber using Barnes bullets-I would heavily endorse the 235 tsx option for caribou and moose, small bears etc.

There are others such as superior ammo and hendershotd that will build custom stuff for you as well-Too bad you can’t reload right now!

 

[Guy Miner]

I'd forego the solids. A good 300 grain expanding bullet like Hornady's DG-X seems a good choice.

Guy

 

[salmonchaser]

Not even sure the solid would be a legal option but it’s not yet 5 am and I’m still on my first cup of coffee. A number of the bear guides I know on the Peninsula
swear by bonded bullets, I think your in good shape there. Don’t over think it.
When are you headed up?

 

[Vince2]

Not even sure the solid would be a legal option but it’s not yet 5 am and I’m still on my first cup of coffee. A number of the bear guides I know on the Peninsula
swear by bonded bullets, I think your in good shape there. Don’t over think it.
When are you headed up?

Going in July.
Really excited about it.

 

[Guy Miner]

Going in July.
Really excited about it.

Well, enjoy! I've loved Alaska for decades and have only made trips there, never more than two weeks...

Am a bit envious, but... I like being married, so we'll stay planted here in Washington.

Guy

 

[Vince2]

Well, enjoy! I've loved Alaska for decades and have only made trips there, never more than two weeks...

Am a bit envious, but... I like being married, so we'll stay planted here in Washington.

Guy

I’m single, don’t really have an inclination to mingle, and my dog goes where I go so we’re Alaska bound!

 

[HodgemanAK]

I'm a huge fan of the .375 Ruger and played around with the 3 different factory loads when it came out.

Fast forward a few years and I pretty much settled on the 270gr expanding load for everything I'd hunt with it and a few 300gr DGX in my pocket for the pack out. My rifle shot each load to a different point of aim so it was simpler to zero with one and be point blank with the other. Solids are more of an African thing, no real point in them here. Any of the expanding loads will penetrate like crazy.

The new 250gr CX Outfitter would be worth looking at as well.

 

[Vince2]

The new 250gr CX Outfitter would be worth looking at as well.

If I could find some I’d snatch them up.

Vince

 

[Vince2]

The plethora of information here is vast.

Thank you!

 

[salmonchaser]

Just to stir things up a little I know an outfitter who’s been quiding bears on the Peninsula for over 20 years. He has a very good area and does very well. He thinks partitions are good but the Aframe is better. He uses a 338. His senior employee, been with him almost 20 years uses a 35 Whelen as a stopping rifle. IT’s worked every time.

 

[Vince2]

I love the Maggie but being as mine is blued with a 26” barrel I wanted a shorter barrel option. Also wanted stainless steel.

I’ve no doubt Maggie would acquit herself well.

Vince

 

[Charlie-NY]

I bought a LH Ruger Guide Gun in 375Ruger when they first came out. I may actually have the first one off the production line, which was sent to me by Ruger.

Many bullets shot good but I used the 260 Partition bullet on my buffalo. The expanded bullets looked exactly like they show in the advertisements. The other (forgotten) bullet that gave extraordinary results is the Barnes 270 TSX bullet. Not the new(er) TTSX with the fancy tip but the older TSX hollow point bullet. They would be my number #1 choice where maximum penetration is needed in an expanding bullet.

 

[Vince]

I'm a huge fan of the .375 Ruger and played around with the 3 different factory loads when it came out.

Fast forward a few years and I pretty much settled on the 270gr expanding load for everything I'd hunt with it and a few 300gr DGX in my pocket for the pack out. My rifle shot each load to a different point of aim so it was simpler to zero with one and be point blank with the other. Solids are more of an African thing, no real point in them here. Any of the expanding loads will penetrate like crazy.

The new 250gr CX Outfitter would be worth looking at as well.

Just ordered me some 300 grain DGX ammo for my point blank stopper.

Now I need to go figure out if I can drive through Canada with some of my guns. Work has gotten so bad I’m ready to leave now instead of waiting for summer. We got a new manager and nobody is happy. Myself included.

Vince

 

[Blkram]

As mentioned above, I would also recommend using one bullet for everything so that you do not have to think about changes in point of impact from load to load (unless the 270 and 300 gr loads do shoot to the same poi). Find the one that you want to use for the majority of the game you intend on hunting with this rifle. For example, I settled on the 260 gr AB for my 376 Steyr, but I am going to develop a load with the 260 gr Solid, that hits to the same poi should I ever get the chance to hunt cape buffalo.
Also, verify if solids are legal for use in Alaska before using.

Honestly, if you are going to have troubles with a bear, it usually going to be at close range, and any of the lighter bullet weights are going to supply plenty of punch at close range on a problem bear.
The other consideration here, is that you don't want over penetration either, as when you are in a pickle and are focussed on the bear, you probably will not be looking past the bear to see what else may be impacted by a bullet that completely penetrates the bear and can impact something else behind the bear. So good expansion is going to be a friend here, so that as much energy as possible is being exhausted on/in the bear.

And the other important point when dealing with problems bears; hit big bone first - you want to stop the bear first - follow up shots can finish the bear. You want the first shot to knock the bear down and immobilize it as quickly as possible with the first shot with that first hit on big bone such as the head, neck, and/or shoulders (and all subsequent shots after that), until it stops moving. Then you can worry about a final kill shot to ensure the bear is dead. And even then, add an insurance shot. It is the dead ones that kill you!

You can travel through Canada with firearms, but must have the proper forms and documents. You should be able to find information on Canada's firearms website to guide you through the process, and/or contact info; https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms

Hope this helps!

I am sure that you will have many grand adventures in Alaska with your new rifle!

 

[Charlie-NY]

I'd check with the Canadian Border/Customs office before I tried to cross over with any firearms. I accompanied my buddy to Canada for a once-in-a-lifetime non-res moose hunt. The outfitter advised me to NOT bring any firearms to the border because I was not (personally) hunting and had no legitimate reason to cross with a rifle. He said that they would refuse me access with a firearm.

It's worth calling to determine exactly what you might need to cross with a firearm when you are relocating to Alaska. You may need proof of relocation or some kind of special documentation. Nothing is easy anymore.

 

[Guy Miner]

2017 was the last time I traveled into Canada with a rifle. I'd done so before several times for rifle matches in British Columbia.

In 2017 it was quite easy. I was driving to Fairbanks Alaska for the grizzly hunt. I declared the firearm on the U.S. side and got the appropriate paperwork. The U.S. border officers inspected the rifle to make sure it was as described including serial number.

In Canada, I was directed to park and leave the firearm in the vehicle then to proceed inside the Canadian building where I purchased a $25 firearms permit which was good for three months. The Canadians didn't want to see the rifle, but were pleased to see my U.S. form declaring it. Paid with either a debit or credit card, can't remember which. There were several different blocks to check about why I wanted to bring a rifle into Canada. One was transporting the rifle to Alaska. That's what I chose. The rifle had to stay unloaded in the gun case. Okay. Later I reflected that since I was camping my way to Alaska, I could have checked the block for "protection from wild animals while camping." Something like that. I can't remember the exact words. I did bump into two grizzlies while traveling north towards Alaska and several black bears. I might have seen more if the rivers had been fishable, but they were in flood stage and the fly rod stayed cased.

I think it helped to have a very normal appearing hunting rifle, a wood-stocked, scoped, bolt action Remington 700 in 30-06, not some "tacticool" AR-15 derivative.

The info about taking a firearm into Canada is readily available online. There are restrictions on firearms types, barrel lengths etc.

Getting into Alaska with it was no problem, I had both my USA and Canadian paperwork, besides the USA border guard there was really far more concerned with a vehicle full of tweakers about three cars behind me. I even asked him if he wanted me to stick around as his backup as he seemed quite alone. He said he was fine. Okay...

Getting back into Canada for the return trip was just easy-peasy, I told them that I had the rifle, and showed them the Canadian firearms permit. "Very well."

Getting back into Washington... I ran into one hard-nosed, irritable woman border agent. Goodness. Attitude from the moment I said hello. She said that she couldn't read the signature of the US officer who had signed my Declaration... I managed to remember his name, three weeks later, because I liked the guy. Mentioned his name, and everything got easier. He was her supervisor and a training officer. He and his trainee who had cleared me earlier were working that day and recognized me. They came out to congratulate me on the bear hunt! Patience and having my ducks in a row got me back into the USA with my rifle.

I learned a lot on that trip, and I'd love to do it again.

Regards, Guy