I've never been to Africa, but i have hunted DG with the H&H...
I'd buy the H&H, as the Ruger is just trying to do what the H&H has already been doing, well been doing for a long long time...
The effectiveness of .375” bullets at H&H velocities is well understood. If the .375 Ruger required a Magnum action and weighed a couple pounds more, I’d agree with you. Like you, I’ve never hunted Africa and likely never will. What I do hunt is the mountains of Colorado and the extra two pounds of an H&H is something I can do without.
Let’s face it – the H&H was originally designed to use long extruded sticks of cordite for a propellant. The Ruger has about 6% more case capacity than a .375 Ruger and gets H&H performance from rifles that can be made shorter and lighter than can an H&H. Further, for handloaders, it does it in a case without an anachronistic belt and with dimensions that reduce case stretching. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary but they are, to many people, welcome changes that are long overdue.
As for comparing prices of the two guns, Ruger isn't the only show in town, so there's many more choises in the H&H. And as for ammo out in the bush villages, your chances of finding H&H ammo is pretty good, as for the Ruger, don't waste your time looking too hard... (In Alaska, you will find .338 Win. Mag. even easier)
You are correct, Ruger is not the only game in town but it is, as far as I know, the only current apples-to-apples comparison with regard to the action. In any case the market will sort itself out and economies of scale should result in .375 Rugers, based on a .30-06 length action, should sell for less than magnum-length .375 H&H rifles. For example there is no reason a Stevens rifle in .375 Ruger should cost more than the same rifle in .30-06.
As far as ammo availability you are also correct. This is the same situation as with every new cartridge, regardless of their merits. It is also a problem that tends to resolve itself over time. Further, there are time-proven ways to mitigate the problem such as sending ammo to the final destination ahead of time, traveling with ammo split between pieces of luggage, etc. This is a situation handloaders find themselves dealing with all the time.
The H&H is a proven system that works, so i have no need to start over with something that "performance wise on game", at best, will only be as good.
DM
The H&H ballistics do indeed work which is exactly why many people have already chosen the .375 Ruger over the H&H and many others will do the same – H&H ballistics but in a modern package. Others will choose the H&H for sentimental reasons, some for availability of ammo in the far reaches, and a relatively few for a perceived edge (probably more theoretical than practical) the H&H provides in terms of smooth, reliable feeding.
For 99% of what they are actually used for in North America, the .375 Ruger offers practical advantages in size and weight no .375 H&H I’ve seen can match.
For myself, if going for a long ‘magnum length’ action, I’d grab a Remington .375 Ultra Mag before I’d get a .375 H&H. A lot of other people have been making that choice, too.
