Category Archives: Cartridge Reloading for Long Range Hunting

Reloading for long range hunting from 300-to 600 yards with MOA accurate rifles.

Long Range Shooting with Handloads – Powder can vary Lot to Lot- Take Extra Care with Max Loads

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In loading for moose with my Browning X-Bolt 7mm Rem Mag, I continue experimenting with powders and bullets . My two favorite bullets are Nosler ABLR 168 and 175 grain bullets. In the process, I am aware that I am looking for max loads and accuracy too.

As a result, I discovered measurable lot to lot variation in some powders. Alliant Reloader 22 is one of those I see vary,  and on the lower side so far…a good thing.

Thus, I approach new powder lots with more caution. Instead of loading hot loads with the same grain weight as my last lot, I back off a few grains or more and work up several rounds with my chronograph and inspect the brass and primer for overpressure signs.

At max loads you should also be aware that some magnum primers can be hotter and will effect velocity and may create overpressure as well if your are on the cusp.

Those who really push their rifle and cartridge in winter time can find those rounds perhaps too hot in summer when temps are in the 90’s. Why is my bolt sticking, you ask?

I think to keep my winter max loads a bit lighter and be aware of loads you loaded winter to summer. Dating them can help.  

Load Safely!

Browning X-Bolt “Speed” 7mm Rem Mag – Fast Follow-up Shots with 168g Nosler ABLR at 150 yards

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After sighting in my rifle, one of my moose hunting shot techniques is to shoot multiple “fast” long range shots like I am in the field, off my Bog Death Grip below as an example off my Bog with my heavy recoiling .375 Ruger.

I can hear my guide excitedly shouting; “Put another one in him!”

My Browning X-Bolt has a 60 degree bolt lift thus shortening the bolt throw time significantly and is a smooth push-feed.

 

Below, I shot a string of 2 fast shots, after my first and best shot (three total shots off my Bog Death Grip) at a paper target with no bullseye but shooting for the center of the 15 inch paper target at 150 yards.

If you look hard, you can see the target below. I used 8x to see the target face.

Veteran moose hunters suggest using just enough magnification that also allows a field of view for reacquiring the target after the first shot.

Your hunt guide can also help to see the con-trail of your bullet hit with his binoculars. 

Below is the 3 shot string target. Shot #1 is at the paper crease.  Rapid Shot #2 is below shot #1.The third rapid shot went left 4 inches. The outer cardboard is close to the overall chest height of a moose at around 30 inches or so.

 

 

Many big game animals such as moose often don’t fall at the shot.  And likely, are not really sure what just happened to them and can move quickly making a follow-up shot more difficult. 

I believe the hunter should be practiced for follow-up shots to drop the animal as fast as possible. Bench rest shooting does not qualify here. 

In Africa, close big wounded dangerous game require, for your life’s sake, to drop the animal before it drops you.

On that note, you should also chamber and cycle your ammo in the rifle you hunt with, especially if it is hand-loaded. We don’t like surprises!

It can be just as dangerous to have a 1000 lb. bull moose shot at less than 30 yards and he decides to charge and give you some smack-down with his massive antlers. Yea, a follow-up here, for sure as an 8 foot giant frontal moose image appears at 20 feet or less.  

More Soon!

© Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved. 

 

 

 

 

 

Browning X-Bolt Speed – Nosler 168g ABLR w/ IMR 4831 Groups – Updated 2/2/23

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As you may know, I have been working up hand-loads for my moose hunt and finding the Nosler 168g ABLR reaching over 3000 fps with IMR 4831. But the question is, with what accuracy or groups?

Well, I shot this group below and it looks like a tight 3/4″ except for the flyer. I shot the third shot in the upper right target and extrapolated its position on the string below. Why I shot that upper right target? Because I wanted a smaller target as a focal aim point.

But it needed to be repeated in the second target below for me to validate it. The trigger is a heavy 4 lbs. but I was able to get used to where it breaks. The thin mountain barrel does heat fast and after 3 shots to warm it, it begins to string. 

I repeated the same shots a week later with all the same components at 100 yards. The first 3 shots group 3/4 ” from a cold barrel and the 4th shot drops an inch. I know that a lighter trigger may also help. But overall, I was very pleased with the cold shots for hunting purposes.

Tests continue Using my Labradar

I loaded some 168g ABLR’s with hot H1000 Powder to compete with the IMR 4831. See below low left and right 100 yd 3 shot cold barrel groups with extreme spread of 78 fps an 2 inch groups. The IMR 4831 wins!

I did shoot 168 ABLR today for a third bench rest group for the IMR 4831 and Statistics. Below this group was 1 1/4 inches. Shown below with associated Labradar Stats with Extreme Spread of 14.34 fps and a Std Deviation of 8.17. Very nice indeed!

Labradar Report for IMR 4831

Device ID LBR-0028541                                      
                                                             
Series No 4                                             
Total number of shots 3                                 
                                                             
Units velocity fps                                         
Units distances yd                                         
Units kinetic energy ft-lbf                                
Units weight grain (gr)                                    
                                                             
Stats – Average 2937.25 fps                                 
Stats – Highest 2946.69 fps                                 
Stats – Lowest 2932.35 fps                                  
Stats – Ext. Spread 14.34 fps                               
Stats – Std. Dev 8.17 fps                                   
Shot ID V0 V25 V25 V50 V75 V101 Ke0 Ke25 Ke25 Ke50 Ke75 Ke101 Proj. Weight Date Time
1 2933 2893 2893 2852 2814 0 3207 3120 3120 3034 2953 168 2/2/2023 13:01:22
2 2932 2882 2882 2841 2801 0 3207 3098 3098 3011 2925 168 2/2/2023 13:02:44
3 2947 2907 2907 2868 2829 2788 3238 3151 3151 3067 2984 168 2/2/2023 13:04:08

 

Interestingly, I did note that a drop in outside temperature affects ignition and velocity. Last week I shot at 37degrees F and MV avg was 3003. Today at 26 degrees F,  MV avg was 2937 a drop of 70 fps. At 600 yards that equates to a drop of 4 inches on a moose. I’ll keep that in mind!

More Soon…

© Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

 

Browning X-Bolt Speed 7mm Rem Mag with Hand Loaded IMR 4831 Powder and 168g Nosler ABLR for Moose

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X-Bolt Speed

My Browning 26 inch 9.5 twist rifle barrel likes hand loaded 7mm 168 grain Nosler ABLR with a hot load of IMR 4831 per Nosler web load data. I chrono’d an average of 3005 fps. Wow! These are cookin’ !! COAL was 3.255 inches. No pressure signs except the primer was a bit flatter… as expected. Three rounds measured 3/4 inch but more testing will firm that up. I will change the trigger to a Timney at some point as it is impractical to easily adjust with a 2mm Allen wrench on a sealant filled screw. If you like 4 pounds for a factory trigger it works, for some hunters, not me. All my rifles are set near 3 pounds. 

Research with Bryan Litz Applied Ballistics Book finds that  the Nosler 175g ABLR Form Factor of 0.94 is considered low drag but the 168g ABLR is considered VLD Very Low Drag with Form Factor of 0.896 thus holding its energy better at long range than the 175g ABLR.

Assuming I use the 168 Nosler ABLR for long range Newfoundland moose hunting, I can reach out in a large open terrain tundra-like bog with my BOG tripod Death Grip to steady the shot out to 600 yards.

Distances I will practice this summer, in prep for the hunt, is out to 600 yards. With a 300 yd zero, at 100 yards the bullet is 3 inches high and 150 yards is 4 inches high, dead-on at 300 yards and Max Point Blank Range is 376 yards. At 600 yards terminal energy is 1822 ft-lbs and still traveling over 2200 fps. At 400 yds it holds a truck-load of energy at 2200 ft-lbs. Just have your laser rangefinder at hand and be ready for a follow-up shot. The 60 degree bolt throw is a big plus for very fast second shots.

Below is the JBM ballistic report for the Nosler 168g ABLR at 3005fps and zeroed for 300 yards.

 

Trajectory
Input Data
Manufacturer: Nosler Description: Accubond Long Range Spitzer (G7)
Caliber: 0.284 in Weight: 168.0 gr
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.353 G7 (ASM)
Muzzle Velocity: 3005.0 ft/s Distance to Chronograph: 10.0 ft
Sight Height: 1.50 in Sight Offset: 0.00 in
Zero Height: 0.00 in Zero Offset: 0.00 in
Windage: 0.000 MOA Elevation: 0.000 MOA
Line Of Sight Angle: 0.0 deg Cant Angle: 0.0 deg
Wind Speed: 10.0 mph Wind Angle: 90.0 deg
Target Speed: 10.0 mph Target Angle: 90.0 deg
Target Height: 48.0 in
Temperature: 45.0 °F Pressure: 29.92 in Hg
Humidity: 0 % Altitude: 0.0 ft
Vital Zone Radius: 5.0 in
Std. Atmosphere at Altitude: No Pressure is Corrected: Yes
Zero at Max. Point Blank Range: No Target Relative Drops: Yes
Mark Sound Barrier Crossing: No Include Extra Rows: No
Column 1 Units: 1.00 in Column 2 Units: 1.00 MOA
Round Output to Whole Numbers: No
Output Data
Elevation: 6.548 MOA Windage: 0.000 MOA
Atmospheric Density: 0.07859 lb/ft³ Speed of Sound: 1101.3 ft/s
Maximum PBR: 376 yd Maximum PBR Zero: 318 yd
Range of Maximum Height: 174 yd Energy at Maximum PBR: 2318.7 ft•lbs
Sectional Density: 0.298 lb/in²
Calculated Table
Range Drop Drop Windage Windage Velocity Mach Energy Time Lead Lead
(yd) (in) (MOA) (in) (MOA) (ft/s) (none) (ft•lbs) (s) (in) (MOA)
0 -1.5 *** 0.0 *** 3009.8 2.733 3378.7 0.000 0.0 ***
50 1.4 2.8 0.1 0.2 2938.4 2.668 3220.4 0.050 8.9 17.0
100 3.4 3.2 0.4 0.4 2867.8 2.604 3067.5 0.102 18.0 17.2
150 4.3 2.7 1.0 0.6 2798.0 2.541 2920.0 0.155 27.3 17.4
200 4.0 1.9 1.8 0.8 2729.1 2.478 2777.8 0.209 36.8 17.6
250 2.6 1.0 2.8 1.1 2661.0 2.416 2640.9 0.265 46.6 17.8
300 -0.0 -0.0 4.1 1.3 2593.7 2.355 2509.2 0.322 56.7 18.0
350 -3.9 -1.1 5.6 1.5 2527.4 2.295 2382.5 0.381 67.0 18.3
400 -9.2 -2.2 7.4 1.8 2462.1 2.236 2260.9 0.441 77.6 18.5
450 -15.9 -3.4 9.5 2.0 2397.7 2.177 2144.1 0.503 88.5 18.8
500 -24.1 -4.6 11.9 2.3 2334.2 2.120 2032.2 0.566 99.6 19.0
550 -33.9 -5.9 14.6 2.5 2271.7 2.063 1924.8 0.631 111.1 19.3
600 -45.4 -7.2 17.6 2.8 2210.3 2.007 1822.1 0.698 122.9 19.6
650 -58.7 -8.6 20.9 3.1 2149.8 1.952 1723.7 0.767 135.0 19.8
700 -73.9 -10.1 24.6 3.4 2090.3 1.898 1629.7 0.838 147.4 20.1

 
25-Jan-23 07:58, JBM/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reloading the 7mm Remington Magnum for my Browning X-Bolt w/ New Norma Brass

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I purchased Norma Brass this January for reloading my new Browning Rifle for moose hunting. There were no other Brass manufacturers available on the Internet, that I could find at the time… but glad I bought them.

I purchased a lot of 50, packed in plastic bags and boxed. How did they weigh-out? 

Accordingly, I weighed 10 case random sample and did a Standard Deviation, Average and Extreme Spread. 

Std Dev.  0.74 grains

AVG Wt. 214.83 grains

Extreme Spread of 2 grains in the ten cases. That is excellent!

 

 

 

I took a photo of the flash hole from inside this unsized case. Notice that there is no apparent burr. Some manufacturers like Norma drill the flash hole instead of punching. Drilling is better!

I found this informative review below of Norma Brass on line. 

Norma 7mm Rem Mag Brass Review

 

Adding the primers with my press was much more difficult as they were new and difficult to seat. The good news is that these primer pockets will firmly hold the primer and make reloading the case less susceptible to loose primers. Norma says the brass can be reloaded  up to 10 times according to the above article. 

I used my RCBS Rock Chucker Press, RL-22 powder and loaded Nosler 7mm 175 grain AccuBond Long Range. The bullets are boat tail thus I thought it would make it a bit easier to press the bullet.  They still pressed hard but did not hurt the case.

I shall chamfer the inside of case necks on the next batch to make the bullets press easier. 

I shot enough to zero at 100 yards (groups 1 1/4″) then chronographed them at 2615 fps. I expected a much faster bullet. I was hoping for 2900 fps says Nosler data with 1:9 twist and 24 inch barrel. My barrel is 1:9.5 twist with a 26 inch barrel. Accordingly, I will experiment with powders to see what I can safely wring out of these bullets. Inspecting the fired case and primers look normal. 

The trigger still pulls heavy for me (4 lbs) and soon I will have a Timney to swap out the factory trigger. 

I also loaded some Nosler 168 grain ABLR’s with IMR 4831 and they chrono’d at around 3005 fps and grouped at 3/4 inches at 100 yards. I liked that load!

This round may turn out to be better for long range moose than the 175 ABLR.

More Soon!

 

 

 

6.5 Creedmoor: Hand-Loaded Nosler 129g ABLR and Hornady 160g Round Nose Deer Hunt Combo? Update at 150 yards

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On my northern Maine deer hunt this fall,  I want options.  I am sold that my Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 CM with my Hornady 160 grain round nose is great for a shorter range woods hunt. The round nose has more knockout punch inside of 100 yards and is not as deflectable in brush as a spitzer. However, it limits me to just short range of say 150 yards.

Ok, suppose I am in an elevated stand that overlooks a clear-cut that is 300 yards of open stumps and out walks a wall hanger buck at 280 yards.

With just the 160 grain set-up, I would not be able to attempt a  shot.  Accordingly, I loaded up some 129 grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range bullets that I had in my cupboard to see where they would impact my 160 grain round nose scope set up at 100 yards. Guess What? The 129 grain heads hit the exact same spot as the 160 grain heads. What? Yes they did! What does that mean? It means that I can use either bullet at closer range but, more importantly, it means that I can use the 129 grain Nosler ABLR for longer range open shots with minor elevation adjustments. Wow!

I hand loaded the 129 grain Nosler ABLR’s with a near-max load of Hodgdon H4350. COL was set at 2.75 inches.  The bullets exit the barrel at just over 2800 fps and group at 1 MOA at 100 yards. I put the data into JBM Ballistics Trajectory calculator. And if I adjust the elevation to 1.8 inches high at 100 yards it is basically zeroed for 200 yards. My maximum point blank range (MPBR) is 280 yards. At 280 yards, as seen below, that 129 grain bullet delivers 1500 ft-lbs of energy. Plenty for a big whitetail deer.

UPDATE: After writing this article, I bench-rested one cold shot of each load at 150 yards with a 100 yard zero waiting 10 minutes between shots and degreased the already clean barrel at each shot. The 129 grain Nosler ABLR was dead center low by 1 inch. The 160 grain RN Hornady fell just over 2 inches from dead center. Both bullets were just over an inch apart.

Honestly, I think it is astonishing that both a light and heavy bullet of different head designs and loaded with different powders, different speeds/ballistic coefficients and cartridge overall lengths can be so close to one another, essentially striking the same spot out to 150 yards. I think a clean barrel that has been solvent degreased contributed to the accuracy of these cold shots as well and eliminated a barrel cleanliness variable. Gravity and the aerodynamic drag (BC) of the round nose beyond 150 yards will make it fall faster (19 inches) and lose deer killing energy at 300 yards. The 129 grain Nosler ABLR will lose little energy, and drop 7.5 inches at 300 yards. And can reach beyond 400 yards with sufficient energy as seen in the 129 grain data below. Which bullet do you think, inside of 100 yards will deliver more energy inside the deer? I think the round nose wins that one. But from say beyond 150 yards the 129 grain Nosler takes over the most energy delivered inside the deer. 

See the JBM Ballistics Output Data below. https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

 

Output Data
Elevation: 5.314 MOA Windage: 0.000 MOA
Atmospheric Density: 0.08269 lb/ft³ Speed of Sound: 1073.7 ft/s
Maximum PBR: 280 yd Maximum PBR Zero: 239 yd
Range of Maximum Height: 135 yd Energy at Maximum PBR: 1549.1 ft•lbs
Sectional Density: 0.264 lb/in²
Calculated Table
Range Drop Drop Windage Windage Velocity Mach Energy Time Lead Lead
(yd) (in) (MOA) (in) (MOA) (ft/s) (none) (ft•lbs) (s) (in) (MOA)
0 -1.5 *** 0.0 *** 2810.0 2.617 2261.4 0.000 0.0 ***
25 -0.2 -0.9 0.0 0.1 2764.4 2.575 2188.6 0.027 0.9 3.6
50 0.7 1.4 0.2 0.3 2719.3 2.533 2117.8 0.054 1.9 3.6
75 1.4 1.8 0.4 0.4 2674.7 2.491 2048.9 0.082 2.9 3.7
100 1.8 1.7 0.6 0.6 2630.6 2.450 1981.8 0.110 3.9 3.7
125 1.8 1.4 1.0 0.8 2586.9 2.409 1916.6 0.139 4.9 3.7
150 1.6 1.0 1.4 0.9 2543.7 2.369 1853.1 0.168 5.9 3.8
175 1.0 0.5 2.0 1.1 2500.9 2.329 1791.3 0.198 7.0 3.8
200 -0.0 -0.0 2.6 1.2 2458.6 2.290 1731.1 0.228 8.0 3.8
225 -1.3 -0.6 3.3 1.4 2416.6 2.251 1672.5 0.259 9.1 3.9
250 -3.0 -1.1 4.1 1.6 2375.1 2.212 1615.5 0.290 10.2 3.9
275 -5.1 -1.8 5.0 1.8 2333.9 2.174 1560.0 0.322 11.3 3.9
300 -7.5 -2.4 6.1 1.9 2293.2 2.136 1506.1 0.355 12.5 4.0
325 -10.4 -3.1 7.2 2.1 2252.9 2.098 1453.5 0.388 13.6 4.0
350 -13.7 -3.7 8.4 2.3 2212.9 2.061 1402.5 0.421 14.8 4.0
375 -17.5 -4.4 9.7 2.5 2173.4 2.024 1352.8 0.455 16.0 4.1
400 -21.7 -5.2 11.1 2.7 2134.2 1.988 1304.5 0.490 17.3 4.1

 

22-Jul-21 07:55, JBM/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

Even if I don’t make any adjustment to the scope for the 100 yard zero using 160 grain scope setup , I am only 3.5 inches low at 200 yards with the Nosler, still in the kill zone, but I need a steady field rest to make those distant shots. I have a walking stick with a pop up V  rest that I have used before from an elevated stand that works well. I used it similarly from an elevated stand to take a lone spike buck at near to 300 yards a few years back. It looks like I will take both bullets on this hunt. Brush hunt with the Hornady RN and Clear-Cut hunt with the Nosler.

Good Hunting!

©Copyright 2021

Nashua F & G 300/600 Highpower Match Schedule and Hunter Suggested use.

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20180203_NFGA_Leveridge_schedule (2)

Are you ready for competition or perhaps just shoot your rifle at 600 yards. On Thursday mornings at Nashua NH Fish and Game you can practice with your hunting rifle and hunting bullets for say an elk, mule deer or pronghorn hunt on the western prairie at long range or an African Plains game hunt. Below is a South African Springbok taken with my Ruger M77 and .338 Win Mag/ w Leupold VX II Scope with 250 grain Nosler Partitions. Yes, I did have enough gun if I needed it. The Springbok dropped as if hit by lightning, but I digress. Back to Nashua…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The target is only 600 yards away here but hitting the target is not the game here. It is hitting the target bullseye… every time. Above, son Jason is competing with a Savage Rifle and a Leupold VX-6 Scope with sun-shield.

Here, the target shooter has to contend with dozens of factors starting with the firearm/barrel and scope model, rests types, accuracy, trigger pull, cartridge loading’s, care of reloading, bullet weight, bullet manufacturer quality, standard deviation load calculations for repeatability, chronograph verification. Then practice breathing, squeezing the trigger consistently… as if machine like. After all that you need to read the wind (which can blow your well aimed bullet right off the target) and play your shot, understand that your barrel will heat and can affect your shot placement later in the match.

I have done this but you need to be dedicated to win.

I highly recommend long range hunters compete to see where your shooting bugs are. We all have things we can improve on, don’t we.

2018 © Copyright Photos.

 

 

 

 

Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard 6.5 Creedmoor with Nosler 142g Long Range AccuBond

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On December 8, 2017, it was a cold 40 degrees, cloudy, however, the air was amazingly still. It was “bugging me” that the last test (a few days ago and an earlier article) for 100 yard groups for this Weatherby® Vanguard® Weatherguard® rifle was windy and the 1.75 inch lateral spread may or may not have been caused by wind. The 50 yard group was very tight, around 3/8th of an inch. Accordingly, I had to know if it was the wind or rifle at 100 yards but I had no more Hornady bullets left. The next best thing was my Nosler’s.

I had powder and a some 142 grain Nosler Long Range AccuBonds, so I gave them a close look and loaded some in Nosler Custom Brass for the 6.5 Creedmoor with CCI Benchrest Primers (BR2). This is like the best of the best of the best, some might say.

Research began with a hot long range hunting load using Reloader 15 powder. I loaded 36.5 grains at a COL of 2.801 inches and 81% load density volume. The Nosler Manual tested a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2635 fps with a 24 inch barrel. Not super fast for sure, ,low recoil, but with a ballistic coefficient (BC) of over 0.7 (G1)  it didn’t have to be so fast because most spitzer bullets have much lower BC’s and lose velocity rapidly due to increased air friction.

Most technical folks like to talk about killing energy for deer at around 1000 ft-lbs energy. This round can kill a deer at 725 yards (1000 ft-lbs at 1785 fps per JBM Calculations) if you know the distance, wind, altitude etc. and the shooter can stay within a  3 to 4 inch kill radius and the bullet can shoot an MOA or better at 100 yards.

Target #1 below at 100 yards with 1.25 inch group. Yes, the first shot was from a cold shooter, me and a cold barrel.

Target #2 was shot 5 minutes later than Target #1 resulting in a 9/16 inch group.

Ok, so the average of the 2 groups are 0.9 inches. The bottom line is that this Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard rifle shoots sub-MOA with this load, bullet, COL and powder.

Accordingly,  this would be a great cartridge and load on an elk out to where energy crosses 1500 ft-lbs (2200 fps) more or less, which is about 350 yards. Most experienced hunters stay within their capability with is often around 300 yards or less unless you practice at those longer ranges in field conditions and use a rangefinder.

The Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard has a high Monte Carlo stock to align my eye with the scope and does not punish me as it has a very forgiving recoil pad with the 6.5 Creedmoor.

A match made in a hunters heaven. All I can say is, go buy this rifle for Christmas and give Nosler LRAB’s a try!!

Good Hunting! Practice, Practice Practice.

© 2017 All Rights Reserved

 

Most Read Article: The .270 Winchester vs. the 6.5 Creedmoor by Ed Hale

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My rifle article has the shooting world by the tail and read by tens of thousands around the world from New England to Alaska, and in South Africa. They just can’t get enough of it!!.

So here it is again below. Enjoy!!

http://www.nhrifleman.com/2017/03/10/the-270-winchester-vs-the-6-5-creedmoor-by-ed-hale/

Best Deer, Bear, Moose, Bison, Cartridge for Handloaders with .375 Ruger in a Ruger M77 Hawkeye

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Years back  I needed a versatile reloadable cartridge for all game, at all distances and all conditions for that someday hunt for brown bear, or a cape buffalo or bison yet can hunt deer too.  If you are not and have not dreamed of a brown bear hunt then this article is not for you.

If you have, then I would consider the .375 Ruger to be such a reloadable cartridge in a Ruger M77 Hawkeye rifle made here in New Hampshire. The new African model comes with a removable muzzle brake. Check it out.

 

http://ruger.com/products/HawkeyeAfrican/models.html

It is a hunters gun with a soft less reflective finish that will not spook game. I have killed moose and bison as well as red stag with this cartridge and the African model rifle.

It shoots 1/2 inch groups at full power and 1 inch groups with most all other bullets down to 220 grain and loading’s for deer. With a Pachmayr Recoil pad I can shoot it in my t-shirt while standing as it cuts felt recoil in half. A full power load with 260 grain Nosler AccuBond bullets out of the barrel at 2615 fps produces almost 4000 ft-lbs at the Muzzle and 2500 ft-lbs for Moose at 275 yards at a velocity of 2100 fps for perfect mushrooming. For an elk it can reach 450 yards with 1800 ft-lbs at the bullets mushroom design speed. It is a CXP4 cartridge with CXP2 and 3 capability if handloaded.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/cxp4_safari_cartridges.htm

If you are traveling far, check that the local shop’s where you hunt have 375 Ruger rounds in case you loose your baggage. It is the main reason for years that hunters used the 375 H&H because it was like dirt, it was everywhere. But the 375 Ruger has made some dents in that theory.

If I was hunting a  really large Wild Boar up close, I would use the .375 Ruger as they have been known to charge when wounded and it is very difficult to take away its credit card with those 5 inch tusks sticking out of its mouth.

Check out my other .375 Ruger Hawkeye article

http://www.nhrifleman.com/2013/09/20/hand-loading-the-375-ruger-for-deer-bear-moose-and-cape-buffalo/

© 2017

Good Hunting!