Ruger Compact Magnums

[old #7]

Have any of you seen Rugers version of the wsm? 300 RCM and 338 RCM.
Apparantly Hornady had a hand in it's creation, but the round looks nice on paper and you can fit four in the magazine instead of three.

 

[Big Squeeze]

Read about them and have seen them!..........Since I already have a 300 WSM compact, I`m not rushing out to acquire a 300 RCM! Regardless, the RCM concept as with the WSM`s, is wonderful!............ Shorter actions, lighter and more compact rifles, that are just as powerful as their longer action, longer barreled magnum brethren, do prove that they are and can be just as deadly at the same ranges in the field!.............Once you hunt with a more compact rifle, it is hard to go back to a full sized rig! When you examine the chronograph differences between a 16.5" barrel (like I own), or a 20" barreled short magnum compact vs. a full sized 24", longer barreled, longer magnum cartridge, you discover as I have, that the only difference in MV is about 4.5% and less!.............I don`t think any animal will know the difference!!!

 

[HunterJim]

I have a .300 RCM on order, but haven't seen it or any ammo yet. I managed to resist the various short-fat .300s, but this rifle and cartridge combingation has virtues that I can use hunting.

jim

 

[Savage99]

The WSM's look good to me in the Kimbers as they are light but handle recoil so well.

I like the short magnums but favor 7mm. Too bad the 7mm WSM is not doing well.

The Rugers are heavier than what I like but some may prefer them.

Good luck with your new rifle and of course tell us all about it when you shoot it.

 

[Guest]

I'll be curious to see what the actual velocities are from the RCM's, as the 375Ruger didn't pan out to be nearly as fast in a 20" barrel (from all the actual shooting reports I've seen) as advertised. In a 24" barrel, the 375Ruger is just a tad faster than the 375H&H (which is right in line with the difference in case capacity), so I expect the RCM's to be roughly in line with that paradigm. I don't have anything against them, but as far as the advertising for the 375Ruger, as long as I'm dreaming, I've always wanted a pony...

 

[JungleJim]

Looks like the new Ruger is only going to hold 3 rounds of these two new ones from their web site.

Its hard to believe the Ruger 300 RCM is going to stand out since its already in such a crowded .308 field and..... The Ruger new rifles in these two new calibers have a MSRP of $995. Seems kind of high to me even if the street price is $200 lower. Nothing against Ruger bolt guns I own 3 of them. Just does not seem like a good value compared to say a CZ or Howa.

The 338 RCM could be interesting if decent lower priced rifles becomes available. And good Nosler Partition bullet loads are made available for them. I for one was kind of disappointed with Winchester when they put out the 325 WSM / 8mm WSM instead of a 338 WSM.

 

[Big Squeeze]

Dubyam.................My chrono results from my 20" 375 Ruger Alaskan were 2706 fps. average, using the 270 gr. Hornady factory ammo!.............Remember though, that the concept behind any shorter barrel is to reduce weight and to make a handier and better handling rifle!.........I`ll take that slight % loss or compromise in velocity to do just that! ANY TIME! My soon to be sold 20" Alaskan and my new Howa .375 Ruger coming in June with its 20"er as well, are lighter and better handling in the field than the heavier and longer 375 H&H`s

 

[Guest]

Dubyam.................My chrono results from my 20" 375 Ruger Alaskan were 2706 fps. average, using the 270 gr. Hornady factory ammo!.............Remember though, that the concept behind any shorter barrel is to reduce weight and to make a handier and better handling rifle!.........I`ll take that slight % loss or compromise in velocity to do just that! ANY TIME! My soon to be sold 20" Alaskan and my new Howa .375 Ruger coming in June with its 20"er as well, are lighter and better handling in the field than the heavier and longer 375 H&H`s

Well, Hornady advertises that round to be doing 2840 from a 20" barrel. In an article written by a fellow I met a while back at a gunshop here in Huntsville, Lane Pearce, the velocities are much closer. In fact, he only got 2762 from the Hornady factory load from a 23" Ruger African when he tested it. I've spoken with him about this, and his take is the same as mine - the round does what it should, a tad faster for a tad more powder. I understand the idea of a shorter rifle, and handier, and I'm glad you like yours. I suspect your velocities are not the norm from a 20" barrel, as there are numerous other writeups showing velocity more in line with Lane's findings. If you want to see his writeup, here it is:

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition ... 75_080807/

or you can read Joe at RealGuns tirade on the issue:

http://www.realguns.com/archives/134.htm

 

[Big Squeeze]

Dubyam.................My chrono results from my 20" 375 Ruger Alaskan were 2706 fps. average, using the 270 gr. Hornady factory ammo!.............Remember though, that the concept behind any shorter barrel is to reduce weight and to make a handier and better handling rifle!.........I`ll take that slight % loss or compromise in velocity to do just that! ANY TIME! My soon to be sold 20" Alaskan and my new Howa .375 Ruger coming in June with its 20"er as well, are lighter and better handling in the field than the heavier and longer 375 H&H`s

Well, Hornady advertises that round to be doing 2840 from a 20" barrel. In an article written by a fellow I met a while back at a gunshop here in Huntsville, Lane Pearce, the velocities are much closer. In fact, he only got 2762 from the Hornady factory load from a 23" Ruger African when he tested it. I've spoken with him about this, and his take is the same as mine - the round does what it should, a tad faster for a tad more powder. I understand the idea of a shorter rifle, and handier, and I'm glad you like yours. I suspect your velocities are not the norm from a 20" barrel, as there are numerous other writeups showing velocity more in line with Lane's findings. If you want to see his writeup, here it is:

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition ... 75_080807/

or you can read Joe at RealGuns tirade on the issue:

http://www.realguns.com/archives/134.htm

...........As a matter of fact, there was a big write-up in the Dec `07 issue of "Guns Magazine" about the Ruger Alaskan by Holt Bodinson...... According to his chrono results, the 270 gr. Hornady factory ammo averaged 2679 fps. from the 20" barrel. Hey! I beat it by a whoppin 27 fps. from my Alaskan!!.......I think that Hornady has made a slight error in thinking that 2840 fps. can be achieved from a 20" barrel using a 270 gr. bullet with the factory ammo!........But! I believe that with some reloading experimentation, perhaps 2800+ fps. can be achieved from its 20" barrel using a 270 grainer!! Each rifle has its own velocity characteristics! Could go 100 fps. in either direction!............In any event, even if the velocity averaged only 2500 or 2600 fps. with a 270 gr. (assuming that was the best possible maximum velocity for all reloaded combos), the .375 Ruger will still do the job at hand and is an excellent round!

 

[Guest]

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. The 375Ruger is a good cartridge, and is right in line with where the laws of physics would place it. As the case capacity is just a smidge over that of the 375H&H, one would expect the velocity to be just over the comparable velocity, and low and behold, it is exactly that. Short of increasing the SAAMI Max Pressure to a level well above that of the 375H&H, you just aren't going to gain a ton of velocity, as a given pressure curve, with available powders, will only create so much 'area under the curve' which equates to only so much velocity. I think the 375Ruger is a good round, and certainly has a place in that it fits into a standard length action, and offers the ability to chamber something like a 700 action in it and have room to seat bullets more flexibly than with a longer round like the H&H. That said, the H&H offers it's own (time proven) positive aspects, as well. Either way, go, shoot, enjoy! (Just don't believe the hype put out by Hornady and Ruger about magical velocities attainable in shorter barrels...)

 

[SakoSteve270wsm]

The first one to come out with a 25 short mag either WSM, SAUM, or RCM will have sold me a new rifle. :wink:

 

[Big Squeeze]

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. The 375Ruger is a good cartridge, and is right in line with where the laws of physics would place it. As the case capacity is just a smidge over that of the 375H&H, one would expect the velocity to be just over the comparable velocity, and low and behold, it is exactly that. Short of increasing the SAAMI Max Pressure to a level well above that of the 375H&H, you just aren't going to gain a ton of velocity, as a given pressure curve, with available powders, will only create so much 'area under the curve' which equates to only so much velocity. I think the 375Ruger is a good round, and certainly has a place in that it fits into a standard length action, and offers the ability to chamber something like a 700 action in it and have room to seat bullets more flexibly than with a longer round like the H&H. That said, the H&H offers it's own (time proven) positive aspects, as well. Either way, go, shoot, enjoy! (Just don't believe the hype put out by Hornady and Ruger about magical velocities attainable in shorter barrels...)

...............I usually don`t believe hype or advertising of any kind from any manufacturer, until I chrono the round from my particular rifle!.............The rifle`s concept or my preference of being more compact or shorter was my first concern when I bought my (soon to be sold Ruger Alaskan when the .375 Ruger Howa comes in). Even though the 375 H&H is certainly time proven and tested, no one chambers that round in a more compact rifle with a 20"er barrel.........As you probably know, I have a fascination/need for the shorter, easier to handle, faster, powerhouse rifles! With me, that concept is top priority and comes first. In my particular case, the .375 Ruger cartridge came along for the ride!

 

[FOTIS]

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