Category Archives: Gun Reviews

The .375 Ruger: Enough Cartridge and Accurate!

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The .375 Ruger was introduced in 2007 as a rimless standard length cartridge that is slightly larger in powder capacity and energy than the .375 H & H Magnum (a belted and tapered cartridge) , widely used in Africa all the way up to Elephant. Great on big Russian Boar with their protective shield!

The .375 Ruger cartridge is used on the same dangerous game with a shorter Ruger rifle bolt throw like the 30-06 and a Mauser action which reliably grabs the rim of the cartridge and chambers the round. And in North America the .375 Ruger is ideal for Brown Bear, Moose and Bison. It will throw a 300 grain bullet at around 2500 fps and 2650 fps with 260 grain Noslers, both achieving around 2 tons of energy at the muzzle or so.

The .375 Ruger is offered in the Ruger Hawkeye African with American Walnut and the Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan with a synthetic stock. I hunted plains game in Africa with the Ruger M77 in .338 Winchester Magnum and 250 grain Nosler Partitions, accordingly, I got acclimated to heavy recoil.

As an Outdoor Writer I wanted more experience with powerful cartridges so I purchased the Ruger Hawkeye African in .375 Ruger some years back.

What is to tame in the .375 Ruger? Felt recoil with the stock recoil pad originally provided was insufficient to tame full power recoil at a bench rest where I was locked into the rifle position for accurate shooting.

There are several pads that are available on the market today to reduce felt recoil by 50% or more. I use the Pachmayr Decelerator. It did not take me long to purchase and test a few. They tame the full power loads so much that I can shoot them in my T-Shirt.

The accuracy of my .375 Ruger in the M77 Ruger African Rifle is nothing short of exceptional, often regularly shooting sub-MOA groups. Nosler is my go-to bullet company. The AccuBond and E-Tip and Partition give me superior bullet construction delivering over 4000 ft-lbs (2 tons) of energy at the muzzle and like 2800 ft-lbs at over 200 yards.

Years back, at 50 yard a friend observed my very first shot with the rifle right out of the box with dangerous game loads. After placing a shot with a Leupold Scope on paper, he said, go ahead and shoot another. I shot the second round. He said, I missed the whole target. Shoot another… and I did. Missed that one too he said. So we went down range to find the three bullets in the same hole. My friend said, “Your keeping that rifle, Right?” I grinned a big smile.

So what else is there to tame? Well, this rifle cartridge, when hand loaded can be easily reduced in power to hunt deer and black bear if you like.

You can search articles here in NH Rifleman for more on the .375 Ruger reduced loads.

https://www.nhrifleman.com/375-ruger-reduced-loads-and-powder-are-here/

It is like owning a 38-55, a .375 Winchester, and a cartridge more power than the .375 H & H Magnum. Finally the Ruger is not fussy about bullets, it shoots them all very well and I can shoot all the way down to 220 grain bullets.

I have some 235 grain heads for deer. See the article below.

https://www.nhrifleman.com/the-375-ruger-just-plain-fun-with-speer-235-grain-hot-cor-and-reduced-loads/

 

One rifle for the world, you might say. Read more in my ebook African Safari – Rifle and Bow and Arrow.

Good Hunting!

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Weatherby Vanguard 6.5 Creedmoor/Leupold VX-6 – 600 yards with 129 grain Nosler ABLR Hunting Bullet

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Thanks to Weatherby, Leupold and Nosler, this shooting test is comprehensive as it marries the Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard to a Leupold VX-6 3-18 44mm Gold Ring Scope and Nosler AccuBond bullets for deer hunting. Lets see how the marriage unfolds…

My friends at Nosler were out of stock for testing 129 grain AccuBond Long Range hunting bullets (very popular), but I found some on-line to test the Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard with. This bullet has a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.561 and exits the barrel around 2680 fps from a cold barrel. I hand-loaded the cartridge with 39 grains of RL 15 powder, a max load I had already proved-in at 1 MOA at 100 yards.  According to the Nosler reloading guide, RL 15 at 39 grains was the most accurate. My chronograph measured the first 3 shot spread was 10 fps  with an average velocity of 2680 fps. Later shots from a warmed barrel showed an increase in velocity and spread. Hunters don’t shoot with a warmed barrel. It is a cold shot that counts in the field, accordingly I was not overly concerned with the warmed barrel velocity variation.

Now to test that premise and data, I shot those first 4 rounds at 600 yards in prone position at Nashua NH Fish and Game 600 yard range. The shots had about a 6 inch spread left to right and had a vertical spread of around an inch. Very nice indeed! The wind was not a significant factor as it was a calm day. The bullet dropped 14 minutes from my 100 yard zero. Accordingly, I turned the Leupold VX-6 Turret up 14 minutes and I was on paper.

I had to adjust left and down to hit the bullseye. I am now sighted in for 600 yards, though I will limit my hunting shots to 400 yards or less. With the Leupold sight picture I was comfortable at 12x though my prone position felt very low to the ground. The value driven Weatherby Vanguard, with it high cheek rest and Monte-Carlo design aided greatly with my scope alignment height. I just can’t believe you can get this rifle new for under $600 bucks. The Leupold VX-6 however retails for nearly double what the rifle costs but it delivers the best clarity in low light at long range that I have ever experienced at this price point and with one twist go from 3x to 18x. Crazy good!

In a hunting situation I will be hopefully using shooting sticks, perhaps standing or kneeling. The delivered Kinetic Energy from the 24 inch Weatherby barrel at 400 yards is 1250 ft-lbs thereby providing excellent energy for penetration on a mature whitetail deer. The Nosler AccuBond was designed to mushroom with the lead bonded to the copper jacket, thus the bullet remains largely intact as it penetrates.  See the table from www.jbmballistics.com below. I could have shown more data at longer ranges but this works for a hunting situation I might expect.

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 *** 2680.0 2.342 2057.0 0.000 0.0 ***
25 -0.6 -2.5 0.0 0.1 2640.7 2.308 1997.1 0.028 5.0 19.0
50 -0.1 -0.2 0.1 0.3 2601.7 2.274 1938.6 0.057 10.0 19.1
75 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.4 2563.1 2.240 1881.4 0.086 15.1 19.2
100 -0.0 -0.0 0.6 0.6 2524.8 2.207 1825.6 0.115 20.3 19.4
125 -0.5 -0.3 0.9 0.7 2486.8 2.173 1771.1 0.145 25.6 19.5
150 -1.3 -0.8 1.4 0.9 2449.1 2.141 1717.8 0.176 30.9 19.7
175 -2.4 -1.3 1.9 1.0 2411.8 2.108 1665.8 0.207 36.3 19.8
200 -4.0 -1.9 2.5 1.2 2374.8 2.076 1615.1 0.238 41.9 20.0
225 -5.9 -2.5 3.1 1.3 2338.0 2.043 1565.5 0.270 47.5 20.1
250 -8.2 -3.1 3.9 1.5 2301.6 2.012 1517.2 0.302 53.2 20.3
275 -10.9 -3.8 4.8 1.7 2265.5 1.980 1470.0 0.335 58.9 20.5
300 -14.1 -4.5 5.7 1.8 2229.8 1.949 1423.9 0.368 64.8 20.6
325 -17.7 -5.2 6.7 2.0 2194.3 1.918 1379.0 0.402 70.8 20.8
350 -21.7 -5.9 7.9 2.2 2159.2 1.887 1335.1 0.437 76.8 21.0
375 -26.2 -6.7 9.1 2.3 2124.3 1.857 1292.4 0.472 83.0 21.1
400 -31.2 -7.5 10.5 2.5 2089.8 1.827 1250.8 0.507 89.3 21.3

This marriage is bliss! It is one excellent deer hunting rig, a Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard topped with a Leupold Gold Ring VX-6 in the recoil friendly 6.5 Creedmoor with Nosler AccuBond Bullets. This combination is perhaps much better from an accuracy standpoint than I will achieve in field  hunting conditions.

I retested the rounds at 100 yards after the 600 yard shoot and set the Leupold back to zero. The rifle shot a 3/4 inch 3 shot group with a cold barrel. Very pleased with that!!

It is up to you the hunter to set your limits within your capabilities. We owe that to the game we hunt!

Good Hunting!!

© 2018 All Rights Reserved.

 

New Competition Season, New Rifle, New Loads: Sneak Peak

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Sneak Peak:

It’s my favorite time of the year again!!  I’ll be doing some powder/ bullet load development for the new rifle to get a good starting load for competition starting this Sunday, report to follow….

Projectiles to be tested are:

Sierra 175 TMK, Berger 185 Juggernaut, Nosler 175 RDF, Hornady 178 A-Max (discontinued)

Powders to be tested are:

IMR4064, Hodgdon  Varget, IMR4895, VVn550

Looking forward to burning some powder and seeing what she likes!!

Sako TRG-22 in .308 Winchester 1:11” twist, 26” bbl Mounted is a Leupold Gold Ring 7-42x56mm competition scope w/ 34mm tube in vortex precision matched rings.

See you at the range!!

2018 © All Rights Reserved.

F Class Competition with Savage Precision Rifle photos with Leupold Gold Ring Scopes

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Shooting regularly, aka burning powder is the only way to close the gap to the winners circle many say. And it needs to be done with focus to maintain the best parts of your shooting skills while working on your weak spots and reloading concerns.

This July we competed with the Savage M12 Palma in .308 Winchester seen at left with a 30 inch barrel with the Leupold VX-6 7- 42 x55mm scope both the rifle and scope are tested. This Leupold VX-6 is just unbelievable! To the right is the Savage Ashbury Precision Rifle in 6.5 which we tested as well. Search for these rifle articles in the Search Box by Palma and Ashbury. Pictured is Jason Hale – Competitive Editor 

http://www.nhrifleman.com/?s=palma&submit=Search

http://www.nhrifleman.com/2017/05/26/savage-ashbury-precision-rifle-6-5-creedmoor-just-arrived/

 

Good Shooting This Spring! Can’t Wait!

2018 © All Rights Reserved.

Smith & Wesson Announces New M&P Shield® M2.0™ Pistol Series

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:
Matt Spafford, Smith & Wesson Corp.

1-844-772-5159

media@smith-wesson.com

 

Smith & Wesson Announces New M&P Shield® M2.0™ Pistol Series

The M&P M2.0 Family Just Got Slim…and Bright

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., (October 16, 2017) – Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced the launch of its new M&P Shield M2.0 pistol series, including the M&P Shield M2.0 pistol with Integrated Crimson Trace® Laser. Available in 9mm and .40 S&W, the M&P Shield M2.0 pistol family builds upon the popular M&P M2.0 platform, delivering professional-grade features and proven performance in a slim, lightweight, and easy-to-carry profile that incorporates the enhanced M2.0 feature set.

James Debney, President, and CEO of American Outdoor Brands Corporation said, “When we launched the M&P Shield pistol, it quickly became the pistol of choice in the concealed carry market.  Having recently shipped our 2-millionth M&P Shield pistol we are now excited to build upon its success by introducing our newest Shield in the popular M&P M2.0 series of products.  As personal protection continues to be a leading driver for consumers purchasing a handgun, the M&P Shield M2.0 pistol and M&P Shield M2.0 pistol with Integrated Crimson Trace Laser both provide an all-in-one package for those looking for an everyday carry firearm.”

The M&P Shield M2.0 pistol builds upon the success of the best-selling M&P Shield pistol line through notable enhancements, including the M&P M2.0 crisp trigger with lighter trigger pull, a tactile and audible trigger reset, and aggressive grip texture for enhanced control.  Those familiar with the M&P Shield product line will recognize the familiar, slim profile and 18-degree grip angle for a natural point of aim.  Available with or without a manual thumb safety, the M&P Shield M2.0 pistol series features a 3.1” barrel in both 9mm and .40 S&W, is available with both white dot sights or tritium night sights, and ships with one standard and one extended grip magazine.

The M&P Shield M2.0 pistol is also available with Integrated Crimson Trace Laser, providing consumers with an out-of-the-box concealed carry solution that features two laser modes and ambidextrous laser activation for user confidence and reliable performance day or night.

The new M&P Shield M2.0 pistol carries an MSRP of $479, or an MSRP of $579 including tritium night sights.

The new M&P Shield M2.0 pistol with Integrated Crimson Trace Laser carries an MSRP of $499.

For more information about the M&P Shield M2.0 family of pistols, including spec sheets and images, please click here.

For more information on Smith & Wesson products, please visit www.smith-wesson.com

About Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson Corp. is a provider of quality firearms for personal protection, target shooting and hunting in the global consumer and professional markets. Smith & Wesson is world famous for its handguns and long guns sold under the Smith & Wesson®, Performance Center®, M&P®, Thompson/Center Arms™, and Gemtech® brands.  Through its Manufacturing Services Division, Smith & Wesson Corp. also provides forging, machining, and precision plastic injection molding services to a wide variety of consumer goods companies. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.

Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard Coming Soon

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Vanguard® Weatherguard™

Above the Weatherby® Vanguard® Weatherguard™ is coming to New Hampshire Rifleman Magazine On-Line in 6.5 Creedmoor, one of my favorite cartridges. I chose this rifle to test for several reasons but it all boils down to value!  High quality and accuracy (guaranteed MOA accurate with Weatherby cartridges or top names) at a very acceptable cost. At an MSRP of $750 (much less at retail) this rifle appears to have it all. We shall see! Accordingly, we will put this rifle through its paces for accuracy and dependability for the all weather hunter.

Good Hunting! Check back soon!

 

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/

To Shoot a Charging Bear with a S&W Model 69 in 44 Magnum?

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Have you practiced hitting  a 3 inch ball (the size of a bears brain) coming at you, undulating up and down at 20 miles an hour? I took some shots yesterday with the Smith & Wesson Model 69 Combat 44 magnum at just a  stationary target and I could only get one bullet, the first shot, in the kill zone out of 5 shots. See Video below.

But that was just initial practice. Serious practice with a moving target over time would be best. And you or I might reach the conclusion that we are not up for that task.

I saw a video where someone used a 1911 pistol in 45 ACP place more than one bullet in the brain kill zone however the 45 ACP is not Brown Bear medicine and would not likely penetrate the skull before the bear reached your body.

Brown bear experts suggest that a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs and 00 buckshot are best in brown bear country.

But on black bear here in New England the S&W Model 69 for general use on deer in regular gun season or bear is just fine say for an archery bear hunt where the bear is climbing the tree you are in and you want more protection than spray repellent.

So where does that leave us in our testing with the SW Model 69 Combat Magnum? I like the confidence I feel with a pistol in 44 Magnum on my hip and will share more on my carry of it in the deer woods this fall.

Note: during deer Muzzleloader or Bow season, you must have “license to carry permit with you” in addition to your muzzleloader/archery license or leave your pistol home.

Open Carry it during “regular”gun season if you like but if concealed under a jacket you need a “conceal carry permit”. When in doubt call NH F&G to get any questions answered before hitting the woods. Unless you have a conceal carry permit, you must unload your pistol while in a vehicle just like your rifle or shotgun. Bone up on pistol laws.

Be Safe! Good Shooting!

 

A Quick Walk with Ruger American 6.5 Creedmoor and Ruger M77 African in 375 Ruger

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OK, it’s August and it is time to get the cobwebs out of my Gun Safe.  My two most accurate rifles for the price are the Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor ( around $400 retail) and my Ruger African M77 in .375 Ruger ($900 retail). Today I am about to shoot them when I met fellow rifleman Joe Chicarello shooting his bull barrel .22 Long Rifle. I am sure he was having a great time and nearly done shooting when I arrived at our club range. Joe was easy to talk to and we resonated on shooting and safe handling practices. He has a Browning .223 that he has yet to shoot due to a scope ring issue. I hope you get the rings soon Joe! I invited him to check out my Ruger Rifles. He has never shot any of them so after putting a round down range in the larger bullseye at 50 yards off the Caldwell bench rest with the 6.5, I invited him to try it. I said, it does kick a bit more than the .223 so my bullet hit the center target just off the dead center by a half inch. I put three rounds in the clip with an open bolt and got Joe ready to try it, again at 50 yards, but to shoot a smaller target in the upper right corner. The scope was my Leupold VX-3, a superior hunting scope ready to hunt anywhere in the world

So he shot and I put  my binoculars on it and grinned. Joe it is dead center in the bull, I said excitedly. Kicks more than I expected, he exclaimed. So I put a neoprene pad on his shoulder and he fired again. Just that one hole there, I observed. How did the pad work? I asked. Much better, he added. You’ve got another shot left Joe. So he took aim again and fired. He said, “maybe I wiggled on that one!” Accordingly, I observed that same one hole there. Lets take a look Joe  and see what’s up. The range was made cold and we walked to the target.

Arriving at the target, here we are looking for strays but when we looked close enough there was one tri-cloverleaf hole in the upper right target. All the time Joe said, I’m a bit shakey.  I assured him that was not the way the bullets saw it,and congratulated him on such fine shooting.

In my testing this rifle a year ago, I shot 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with other hand loads in the Ruger American and was thinking these were hand loads too but not so. They were right out of the Hornady Precision hunter box which features ELD-X™ bullets (Extremely Low Drag) that I used this past summer in a different rifle where I popped 8 inch balloons at 1000 yards at the NH Sig Sauer Academy with my son Jason.

Then I shot a .375 Ruger light hand load (2200 fps) of speer 235 grain heads out of the stone cold gun and it hit 1 7/8 high from the dead center. I invited Joe to try but he said he was done. Perhaps a bit fearful, I dunno. Doesn’t kick any more than my T/C Encore muzzleloader with 100 grains of Pyrodex I said. Nope, Joe wasn’t ready.

So I proceeded to put 2 more shots in the center bullseye using the same aiming point. If you look close you can see my first shot from the 6.5 in the center bull as well.

All said and done that was a nice short walk in the park (range) and made a new friend I too. I asked his permission to use his name in this article. Of course, he said.

Good Shooting!

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