Traditional sporting bullets
Flat-nose, round-nose, and soft-point designs remain important in these cartridge families. For tubular magazines, use ammunition specifically approved by the manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · LARGE-BORE CENTERFIRE
.375 Ruger
A beltless .375-caliber sporting cartridge with a shorter case than the .375 H&H. Its body dimensions distinguish it from the older belted design.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 3.280–3.340 in
83.312–84.836 mm - Case length · max
- 2.580 in
65.532 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.376 in
9.550 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.532 in
13.513 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Large-bore centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.3760 in / 9.550 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 4 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 250–300 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.375 Ruger is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 375 Ruger. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.375 H&H, .375 Ruger, and .375 RUM are different cartridge specifications.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .375 Ruger was a modern effort to obtain large-game .375-caliber performance in a standard-length rifle action. Unlike many other new magnums of its period, its case was a new design rather than another adaptation of the .404 Jeffery family. It used a wide, beltless body while retaining a head diameter comparable to that of familiar belted magnums.
SAAMI approved the cartridge in 2007. Its design made rifle packaging a central part of the story: the goal was a capable .375 in a shorter overall system than the traditional .375 Holland & Holland required. That placed it within a wider movement toward purpose-designed beltless sporting cartridges, while addressing a well-established hunting role. The Ruger’s modern case does not erase the older H&H’s history or make the two names interchangeable; it represents a different approach to fitting large-game performance into a factory sporting rifle.
Historical sources: Sierra: .375 Ruger cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Purpose-built modern loads
Flexible tips, bonded bullets, monolithic expanding bullets, and solids have different functions. A similar exterior shape or shared diameter does not establish equivalent behavior.
Firearm-specific ammunition
Some older cartridge families span firearms with very different operating limits. Keep any product restrictions with the ammunition record and use only loads authorized for that firearm.
In the cited .375 Ruger examples, bullet weights are 250, 270, 300 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
250 grains
2,800 fps
CX®
270 grains
2,840 fps
InterLock® SP-RP
300 grains
2,660 fps
DGS®
Compare all 4 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady823374 | 250 gr 16.20 g | CX® | 2,800 fps 853 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady8231 | 270 gr 17.50 g | InterLock® SP-RP | 2,840 fps 866 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady8232 | 300 gr 19.44 g | DGS® | 2,660 fps 811 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
| Hornady82336 | 300 gr 19.44 g | DGX® Bonded | 2,660 fps 811 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.375 Ruger: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 250 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 2800; 100: 2576; 200: 2362; 300: 2159; 400: 1966; 500: 1784 |
| 270 gr Hornady InterLock® SP-RP | Hornady | 0: 2840; 100: 2600; 200: 2372; 300: 2156; 400: 1951; 500: 1759 |
| 300 gr Hornady DGS® | Hornady | 0: 2660; 100: 2344; 200: 2050; 300: 1780; 400: 1536; 500: 1328 |
| 300 gr Hornady DGX® Bonded | Hornady | 0: 2660; 100: 2344; 200: 2050; 300: 1780; 400: 1536; 500: 1328 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .375 Ruger?
A beltless .375-caliber sporting cartridge with a shorter case than the .375 H&H. Its body dimensions distinguish it from the older belted design.
What diameter does .375 Ruger use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3760 inches (9.550 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.375 H&H, .375 Ruger, and .375 RUM are different cartridge specifications.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 154 ↗
- Sierra: .375 Ruger cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 188 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.