Rockslide Appoved 375 Ruger Load (lower recoil).

[Luke S]

So I have a very nice customized 375 Ruger. It's a M77II with a fiberglass stock and a 16 inch barrel. I was going to sell it to pay some bills but my wife really didn't want me to. It has some family sentimental value (wife is obviously a keeper too).
So I want a lighter load for my 375 so keep recoil down but still powerful enough to actually hunt with occasionally (moose bear).
You can load with Trail Boss but that gets you down to blackpowder levels and I'd like a bit more.
Ideally I'd like to launch a 200 to 235 gr bullet at 2400 fps.
I am curious if anyone has thoughts on lighter 375 bullets and loads. One idea was a 235 gr Cutting Edge bullet. I used a 165 gr Cutting Edge out of my 358 Winchester and it seemed to work well enough on moose. Maker bullets look interesting.
Any ideas?

 

[RockAndSage]

Tagging for interest. Hopefully someone will have some insightful ideas.

 

[flathead#2]

Following ; would like to use mine for whitetail.

 

[Luke S]

To clarify. I don't think it's super challenging to load a 235 gr Speer a bit light for deer or whatever upclose. But I'd prefer a bullet that expands well at medium range. Supposedly CE bullets expand below 1800fps so that buys a bit of range. More traditional bullets need 1800fps I think. Really a 200-225 grain SST or TMK would be cool.

 

[Axlrod]

Hawk makes copper/lead core .375 bullets in 180 grain.

Bullet Selection | Hawk Bullets

The World's Largest Selection of Bullets. .351 SL 33 WCF 348 Winchester 50 Beowulf 38-55 9.3mm 8mm 32 Remmington 270 Caliber Cal 280 Ross 50-110 38-40

hawkbullets.com

 

[A382DWDZQ]

I don’t think you really need much expansion with the 375. It’s already going to punch a big hole. I would start by putting some of the starting loads of either of the 4895s, around 67-68grs and see how that is and then drop down from there. You want to stay above about 45gr for the 230gr weight. That’s roughly 60% of max. Those two powder are well know for doing low recoil loads and there is load data for 235gr in the 2020 Hodgdon manual, so could be on the website too.

 

[Luke S]

By "either of the 4895s" do you mean H4895 and IMR4895?
I think I have some IME3031 but need to check

 

[A382DWDZQ]

By "either of the 4895s" do you mean H4895 and IMR4895?
I think I have some IME3031 but need to check

Yes

 

[Luke S]

Dang I knew H4895 was good but passed up some IMR4895 the other day assuming it was totally different...

 

[A382DWDZQ]

Yes

IMR3031 should work too, and then I just looked at the good old MELs loads and there is one for 61gr of H4198 with the 235TTSX.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

Dang I knew H4895 was good but passed up some IMR4895 the other day assuming it was totally different...

They are close, not interchangeable but H4895 is just the one everyone knows about. This is a really good reference to see some other data:

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd Edition 1980 Ocr : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

422pg

archive.org

 

[omicron1792]

I have a 175gr CEB Maximus load for my 375 Ruger. Getting 3k gps from 20” barrel.

With my AB raptor and reflex it kicks less than a standard 30/06 load. Really about like my 6.5prc with brake

 

[Luke S]

Have you tried those 175 gr Maximus bullets on game? I think some of those loaded light would be perfect.

 

[omicron1792]

Have you tried those 175 gr Maximus bullets on game? I think some of those loaded light would be perfect.

I haven’t yet. I’ve had lots of CEB bullies though with great success.

 

[Edge]

I use reduced loads with H4895 in my 375 H&H Mod 70 with the 235gr Speer for easy shooting and inexpensive practice rounds around 2350fps. The rounds were low pressure and sooty, needed to take apart the bolt and flush it out every 100 rounds or so as I was getting light primer strikes.

Can’t help with bullets below 235grains and good luck with finding H4895, I’m conserving the couple pounds of H4895 for full power 250 TTSX loads until I can find another 8lb jug.

 

[Sinistram]

I'll jump on the H4895 train with the rest. I've been able to successfully manipulate velocity with reduced loads to make the boomers very fun to shoot. I have a load for my 416 Remington Magnum that roughly equals a 45-70, making it entirely suitable for deer or just goofing around.