116 .375 Ruger small shank or large shank?

[AidensDAD11]

Can anyone confirm for sure whether the new 116 models chambered in .375 ruger are small or large shank?

[stangfish]

IT apears to have the short barrel nut which has in the past been indicative of a large shank.

[AidensDAD11]

That's what I was hoping to hear. Can anyone confirm this as fact? I'm thinking about picking up a 116 Alaskan Brush Hunter to use the action for a project.

[J.Baker]

I wouldn't rely on Savage's website photo's in determining this as they generally use one photo for all the different chamberings. I.e. the photo shown for the 375 Ruger could actually be a rifle chambered in .223 Rem.

[AidensDAD11]

So, does anyone here actually own an alaskan brush hunter that they could confirm the shank size?

[AKsavage907]

I would to know what it is too I called savage about it but I talked to the wrong person apparently they didn't seem to know much

[J.Baker]

Just shot an email off to one of my contacts at Savage so hopefully we'll have an answer by tomorrow afternoon.

[AidensDAD11]

I appreciate that MrFurious. I found an Alaskan Brush Hunter in .375 for sale on gunbroker and contacted the seller about the shank size, but I've yet to get a response.

[efm77]

They're large shank actions. I recently bought a 116FCSS and it is indeed a large shank. I called Bud's Gunshop first and asked but they didn't know for sure. They called Savage and called me back the next day and confirmed. So then I ordered one and it is a large shank. At least the FCSS is and it appears that all the other 375 Ruger models are as well. The actual photos I've seen of an Alaskan Brush Hunter appears to be a large shank as well.

[J.Baker]

Yep, finally heard back from the engineers at Savage and they're large shank.

[AidensDAD11]

Thanks to all of you that responded. I think I'm going to pick one of these up for a 30-375 ruger project!

[J.Baker]

Why not just go with the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum which is pretty much (if not) the exact same thing? IIRC the .300 and .338 RCM were both developed off the .375 Ruger case.

[J.Baker]

Yep, I was right...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.300_Ruger_Compact_Magnum

[AidensDAD11]

Why not just go with the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum which is pretty much (if not) the exact same thing? IIRC the .300 and .338 RCM were both developed off the .375 Ruger case.

There is a pretty significant difference between the two. The 300 RCM may be based off the 375 ruger case, but it's shortened significantly (.48") while the 30-375 retains the full length case. It's closer to a 300 RUM in velocity while being able to function as a repeater in a standard long action.

Another option I'm considering is the 300 Norma Magnum.

[AidensDAD11]

Considering I'm in the process of building a 7 SAUM now, I may also look into doing some sort of 338 (norma mag, lapua or Edge) since I'm not entirely convinced the gains of a 30 caliber rifle vs the 7mm really justify the cost involved.

[efm77]

Yeah I really wish that Hornady would have made a full length 300 and 338 Ruger based on the full length 375 Ruger case. When I get a chance I'll take a photo of my 375's barrel and nut to show the large shank size to you.

[AidensDAD11]

Suppose this would also be a nice alternative for someone looking for one of the elusive large shank RUM actions. Just mill out a bit of material from the bottom of the reciever and you should be good to go.

[AKsavage907]

Yeah I think They realy missed the boat on this one. Maybe They will come out later with the .338 and .300 It would baicaly make a regular sized ultramag in a plain jane long action. For Savage guys that gets us realy excited. Savage seems to even have messed up the 375 because they gave the BH and brush hunter a 1-14 twist rate which is odd because it wouldn't handle the big bullets too well I wouldn't think. It appears you can put a 375 ruger in a small shank because they make the 111fcns . I am going to call and confirm that.

[J.Baker]

It appears you can put a 375 ruger in a small shank because they make the 111fcns .

What makes you think that the 111FCNS in .375 Ruger would be a small shank? As I posted the other day, ALL Savage rifles chambered in .375 Ruger are large shank - that's straight from the engineer's at Savage.

[AKsavage907]

That is what some one thats savage said but I suspected they didn't know. I didn't see that you said ALL of them were. So i guess that answers my question on that. thanks

[efm77]

I got the same message from Savage too that all 375 Ruger models are large shanks.

[stangfish]

I wouldn't rely on Savage's website photo's in determining this as they generally use one photo for all the different chamberings. I.e. the photo shown for the 375 Ruger could actually be a rifle chambered in .223 Rem.

I actually went off of a picture of a real life Savage Ruger 375.

[efm77]

Here you go. This is my 116FCSS. Obviously I haven't had time to do anything with it yet. That's a 300 Weatherby round in the magazine. As you can see, it almost fits. Problem is, there's a small lip on the front of the mag box that catches the release for the DBM so you can cut a notch out in the front to make longer cartridges fit. But I think you could do it on a hinged floorplate or blind mag model. You wouldn't need to cut/grind/machine out more from the mag port on the bottom of the action as it's plenty long enough. The mag box is your only handicap on the new centerfeed models.










You can clearly see in the photos the barrel shank under the nut where it steps down.

[AidensDAD11]

Efm77,
Assuming you ran aftermarket bottom metal to accomodate the AICS CIP mags (3.77" internal length), you think the action could cycle the RUM cartridges with little to no material milled out of the bottom port?

[efm77]

Probably but I'm not 100% sure since I've never had any experience with the AICS mags. There's a gap between the front of the mag box and the feed ramp that looks like it would have enough room. I'll see if I can get a picture of that and post it too.