Finding the right safari rifle can be a challenge, especially when the cost can eat up a significant portion of your total budget. But do you really need to spend more than $1,500 on a dangerous game rifle?
Many hunters will advise you to bring at least two rifles on safaris. While this might be unnecessary for short-term, limited bag safaris, there is always the risk of a rifle failing in the field. The author prefers to take two for another reason: confidence. He doesn't shoot borrowed rifles well.
When considering a safari battery, common calibers like .416 and .375 are often recommended. The .375 is considered the premier all-purpose African load, suitable for all African game, including the great bears. The issue is dependability. It is important to see how they hold up to field use.
Handling qualities are equally, if not more, critical. Some cost dangerous game rifles can be purchased for less than $1,000. For a couple of hundred bucks, a good gunsmith can tune the action and refine the trigger.
Many .375 rifles are on the used gun market, likely having been fired very few times. There are several class rifles on the market right now that are in a far higher proportion than are being seriously used.
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The main disadvantage is that the .375 Ruger round is new and not common and will prove to be difficult to obtain if lost in transit. However, such a mishap is no more likely than shipment damage, scope malfunction, or stock failure. To Ruger’s credit, I have a very responsive, accurate and sturdy rifle at a competitive price that needs no gunsmith refinement.
Let's delve into a detailed review of the Ruger .375 African, exploring its features, performance, and potential modifications.
The .375 Ruger Cartridge
The .375 Ruger cartridge and Ruger Hawkeye African bolt rifle are not flashes in the pan, but the author thought they could stand a little improvement. Hornady's new Superformance loads produce a bit more velocity, and the rifle refinements made by Hill Country Rifle make it more accurate and user-friendly.
The .375 Ruger has a shorter, fatter case that fits easily in a .30-06-length action yet equals or exceeds .375 H&H velocities from a shorter barrel. In fact, it exceeds .375 H&H velocities from my Hawkeye's 23-inch tube with Hornady's factory ammunition and my own Barnes TSX handloads.
If I had to find one thing to complain about with the cartridge, it would be the scarcity of factory loads. The early Hornady loads worked just fine and shot pretty well, but I was looking for a deeper-penetrating softpoint than the old roundnose, and I wanted to try and eke out a little more accuracy than the 1.25-inch average I was getting with Hornady's 300-grain load.
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Optimizing The Ammo
Hornady's new Dangerous Game Expanding (DGX) and Dangerous Game Solid (DGS) bullets are outstanding dangerous-game bullets. The new Superformance loads also help the upstart Ruger cartridge best the old H&H loads by a considerable margin.
Superformance ammunition relies on new, super-efficient, fast-burning powders to give the .375 Ruger an extra 145 fps of velocity over 300-grain .375 H&H loads and 170 fps over 270-grain H&H loads without compromising accuracy or noticeably increasing recoil.
Hornady's velocity claims proved true on the shooting range, where the new DGS and DGX loads averaged right at 2,600 fps from my Hawkeye and grouped just under 0.75 MOA. Recoil was enough to get my attention, but it wasn't punishing.
The increased energy, deeper penetration, and tackdriving accuracy of Hornady's new Superformance .375 Ruger loads will help secure the future of this fantastic, efficient cartridge.
Ruger Hawkeye African: A Detailed Look
The Ruger .375 Ruger African weighs in at 7 ¾ lbs. The metal finish is matte blue and my rifle has a decent American walnut stock. The barrel is 23" long with an overall length of 43 3/4". The capacity is three and it has an excellent three-position manual safety.
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The Hawkeye African won me over from the start. Its trim, easy-handling stock has clean, classic lines and comes easy to the shoulder. The 23-inch barrel balances and swings beautifully.
Ruger builds it as “Mauser-style.” Kind of. You can definitely see the similarities. The Ruger is “controlled feed” in all the ways that really matter.
This particular rifle is chambered in .375 Ruger and is the heaviest chambering for the Ruger FTW rifles. The massive advantage of the .375 Ruger is the 3.340″ cartridge overall length, the same as the .30-06 Springfield (hallowed be its name). That means it will chamber with a standard length action, decreasing the cost and increasing the availability of the rifle. The case capacity of the .375 Ruger is actually a bit more than the .375 H&H Magnum, (100 grains compared to 95 grains).
The Ruger action features-built in scope mounts. I consider this one of its best features for several reasons, First, there is one less set of screws to come loose under heavy recoil throwing off your zero. Second, there are no scope mounts to interfere when using the express sights.
The Hawkeye African models now all come with the Ruger Muzzle Brake System that consists of a low profile brake, a matched muzzle weight and a thread cap. The fit and finish appears to my eye to be of good quality.
Potential Disadvantages
There are two potential disadvantages of the .375 Ruger. The first is that short, thick cartridges sometimes have feeding issues. Although the potential is there, it’s not an issue with these rifles. Feeding issues with the .375 Ruger cartridge in the Ruger Hawkeye may be theoretical.
The only real disadvantage compared to the .375 H&H Magnum, other than the cool factor of the old belted magnum, is availability. In all the places around the world where you may have need of a 300 grain bullet moving at 2,600fps, the .375 H&H Magnum is present.
Improving the Rifle
As much as I liked my Ruger Hawkeye African from the start, there were a few things I wanted to change. First, the recoil pad was definitely in need of improvement. And though the factory trigger was pretty good, I wanted a lighter one. I also wanted to improve on the rifle's accuracy.
Fuqua suggested I start with Hill Country's standard accurizing package, which includes pillar- and glass-bedding the action, re-crowning the barrel, lapping in the locking lugs and scope rings, and tuning the trigger.
The addition of a 1-inch-thick Pachmayr Decelerator pad, cutting the stock back to my preferred 13-inch length of pull, and giving the metal a corrosion-resistant CeraKote finish were the last items on my list of improvements.
Modifications and Enhancements
- Recoil Pad: Replace the factory pad with a Pachmayr Decelerator pad for better recoil absorption.
- Trigger: Tune the Ruger's LC6 trigger for a lighter, crisper pull.
- Accuracy: Pillar- and glass-bed the action, re-crown the barrel, and lap the locking lugs.
- Finish: Apply a corrosion-resistant CeraKote finish for added protection.
The rifle I got back from Hill Country was everything I hoped it would be. The new black recoil pad is noticeably softer and wider than the factory pad, which cushions the blow and helps distribute the recoil over a wider area. The shorter length of pull makes the gun fit me like a fine custom rig. The black CeraKote finish looks good, and it will help protect the rifle in humid climes.
The trigger on my optimized rifle is outstanding. Ruger's LC6 trigger is fine right out of the box, but Fuqua tuned mine to 3 crisp, clean pounds. According to him, the locking lugs didn't need any work, and the bore of the factory 23-inch, hammer-forged barrel looked great, but he did recut the crown. He also added aluminum pillars and glass bedded the action, recoil lug, and floorplate to ensure consistent contact of the action to the stock for the utmost accuracy. The bedding also strengthens the stock and helps keep it from splitting.
Sighting Options
I installed a Trijicon 1-4X scope with heavy German No. 4 reticle and illuminated green center cross on my "improved" Hawkeye. I used a set of Warne's bombproof QD scope rings to ensure that my rig would stand up to a lifetime of rough roads and even rougher baggage handlers.
My optimized Hawkeye shoots as good as it looks. The Decelerator pad does a great job of dampening felt recoil, and the light, crisp trigger makes it easier to shoot well. It's also noticeably more accurate. My Barnes TSX loads now group just under 0.75 inch, and my old stock of Hornady factory ammunition averages right around 1 inch.
Shooting Experience
For such a superbly capable firearm, the FTW Hunter in .375 Ruger carries well. Ruger really got the feel of the gun right. It’s easy to carry and especially easy to shoot standing. Correctly slung, the gun is really nice to shoot.
I wasn’t expecting this gun, but I ended up liking the surprise. Nothing on the rifle really stands out, and yet, it’s just one of those guns that’s more than the sum of its parts. It’s easy to carry, rests well in the hand or on a bag, and it’s easy to shoot, considering the chambering. The camouflage pattern really does work just about anywhere and the stock and muzzle brake give the shooter solid options.
Out of the box the Hawkeye African is a good looking rifle on an American walnut stock with an ebony fore-end cap. The stock is sleek and profiled for using the open express sights.
Once I got this rifle, I just had to shoot it right away and headed off to the range. I made it through nine factory rounds before I called it quits and decided that the recoil pad had to go.
I purchased this rifle for the purpose of hunting buffalo in Africa, so I have been shooting it with that goal in mind, shooting as much as I can off-hand and with rapid follow up shots. The rifle weighs in at 7.88 lbs.
The 13.5” length of pull was just right for me out of the box. I had to cut the stock down when I went to the magnum recoil pad and on that note, it loses a couple points from me on that count. Ruger puts a big recoil pad on their Guide Gun in this caliber.
If one was so inclined they could put a new stock on this rifle, give it a trigger job, have it glass bedded and polish the feed ramp. But if I was going to spend that kind of money, I could have just bought a more expensive rifle.
Final Thoughts
The Ruger Hawkeye African is an entry level dangerous game rifle. It is a well made gun with a powerful new cartridge that’s more than capable of taking any game that walks on land for a price that won’t keep you from making that trip to Africa.
As it is now, I know that Ruger has once again stayed true to their roots, making a solid, affordable firearm, this one for even the toughest game.
But man, Ruger made a heck of a capable gun at a price any big game hunter can afford. Stick with the M77 Hawkeye FTW Hunter and save the cash you’d spend on a prettier, but no more capable firearm.
Table: Ruger Hawkeye African Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Caliber Options | .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag, .375 Ruger, .416 Ruger |
| Action | Mauser-style with large extraction claw |
| Safety | Three-position |
| Barrel Length | 23 inches |
| Twist Rate | 1:14 right hand twist |
| Stock | American walnut with ebony fore-end cap |
| Weight | 7.88 lbs |
The Ruger .375 African is a testament to Ruger's commitment to producing reliable, accurate, and affordable firearms for serious hunters. Whether you're pursuing dangerous game in Africa or hunting large game closer to home, the .375 Ruger African is a capable and versatile choice.
