Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Win 70 375 H&H - cut barrel to 18,19,20? Stock choice?

My Sako Brown Bear is 21 1/2" and I have no issue with its great balance. A guide I hunted with in AK cut his Kimber Talkeetna to 20" for "close work" in and around willows with clients.
Good luck, sounds like a good plan.

I still have powder burns on my back and shoulder from the guy who set his braked rifle up right next to me yesterday!

I had my stainless M-70 375 cut to 20" and turned down to the ftw contour and tired a number of stocks. the Echols/ McMillan is the easiest to shoot but I also like the McMillan M-70 ftw stock as it is half a pound lighter and slimmer.

I have a 20" Ruger 375R Alaskan, and a 23" 375R African, I find the 20" Hogue stocked rifle has less boot than the 23" wood stocked gun. Each has it's purpose, the African will likely go after Buff in the Bushveld and the Alaskan will go for another moose, with luck and serve for whitetail with cast bullets. Both are sub MOA with several loads.

I grew up w/a 20.5" HVA 243 and have all of my serious guns (other than my 340) cut to that length including my 375-06 imp. Handy and shoot well and not as noisy as shorter. My .375 Super Express was 25" and a nice rifle but too damn big (long), sold it for way more than I paid for it, an unusual occurance!-Muddy

I wouldn't cut it to less than 21 or have it longer than 23.

I no have idea what "short as practical" length is.

I picked up a SS Model 70 classic. It is going into an Echols Legend stock as soon as it returns from getting a new paint job and recoil pad.

I was going to have the smith cut the barrel to 22", but he talked me into waiting to see how the 24" barrel feels in the stock before making any modifications. It may stay 24" or go as short as 20".

I am not worried about weight as this is going to be my "big" gun and any extra weight will help mitigate recoil. But I do want the rifle to balance or be a touch muzzle heavy. That is what will decide the final length.

I am fortunate as my smith is only 10 miles away so it is easy for me to do some final checks before all the finishing touches are done.

I might copy this recipe.

That's a great, yet seldom mentioned stock. I have the fwt MCM stock on my 20.5" 9.3x62 built from a Classic Stainless M70. Makes for a very handy, trim, rifle. I can wrap my hand around the action and carry it all day.

Phil, who did you have do the barrel contouring work for you?

I had Dave Caboth, who used to work at Chimo's but has since moved on, do the work. Dave was, is (?) if he still works on guns , one of the most talented and most knowledgable builders in the industry.
I had been told by a number of other solid builders that sainless steel barrels were not safe to turn down for use in cold weather and Dave had data and figures from both barrel makers and industry reps refuting the common misconception about stainless steel.
Anyway, I love the way the rifle handles and shoots. And the fact that it holds 4 down, as opposed to 3 in the 375 Ruger.

I totally agree with you. I have an older Win 70 in 338WM cut to 19" and it is not a pleasant gun to shoot. It was originally owned by a bear guide in Alaska, that wanted a short light gun to carry. I also had quite a bit of trouble keeping the scope mount screws from shearing off. (Probably my fault over torqueing them) I had to silver solder the front sight to keep it on because the screw on the ramp could not handle the recoil.

I personally like about 23"-24" in my heavy magnums.

I do believe a factory barrel would have to be cut to 14" to balance right.

Back in the 1970-80s, the only way you could get a moderately priced LH .375 H&H was to go with a 700. That is what I did, designed a stock based on a Dale Goens design and used it in Africa. I put a 24" McGowan barrel on it. I was dissatisfied with the design and sent it to Butch Searcy who installed a Winchester Model 70 CRF extractor and ejector. I call it a Remchester. Now it works fine.

You can see it in my avatar.