She’s a shooter!

I promised I’d let you know how that new custom Howa 1500 barreled action in 375 Ruger shot, and in a word, it’s awesome.   I like a straight low power scope on these kinds of big bore rifles, and I had a very cool old Weatherby 4X I bought used a few years ago (the guy wanted just $25 for the scope, and I couldn’t get my wallet out fast enough).   I put the old Weatherby scope on the new rifle and I sent a few rounds down range late last week.  It sure was fun!

Big bore rifles are impressive. The 375 Ruger was a collaborative effort between Hornady (a components and ammo manufacturer) and Ruger.  The intent was a round that would work through a standard-length rifle action and offer a little bit more speed than the old 375 H&H belted magnum, although it wasn’t more velocity I was seeking.  I wanted this big bore for shooting cast bullets only.

I handloaded my first rounds the night before, with 275-grain bullets and the right powder charge to get about 1800 feet per second.  That’s not as fast as you can go with this cartridge (it will shoot copper-jacketed bullets well north of 2500 feet per second), but it’s more than enough for what I have in mind (which is chasing hogs in Arizona and beyond).

This rig is a shooter, folks, and it’s a big bore powerhouse…the recoil was just shy of being unbearable (stout, but manageable).  And it groups!  It’s my new favorite toy.