Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .375 H&H

I got my .375 back from Karl today. As one would expect, beautiful work. He said the biggest problem was the setup to miss the sights and save the factory lettering. He had to use 5 instead of 6 flutes. He cut away almost 6 oz, not quite the 7-8 oz. expected with six flutes, not dodging irons.

Anyway, it looks nice. Cutting the barrel back saved some weight; it's now 7 #'s, 12 oz, balances at the front action screw.

I like the big Victory 1.5-6, but it's 20 oz in Warne QD's. I just mounted a 10 oz 1.5-5 Leupold in Warne QD's and it's definitely handier. I may set it up for both scopes. I also have a vintage M8 3X I sent back for cleaning and #4 German. It's a candidate.

DF









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Looks great DF... Sounds like it's a lot lighter now too..

Yeah, MUCH...

Those NH .375's are way over weight. This one is now about right, IMO.

Will start working on loads, checking out different scopes.

DF

DF - That turned out great!

Dirtfarmer- I like it. What's the new length? I'm thinking 21" - 22" for my .375 in the Echols legend stock.

Length is the same. All Karl did was the flutes.

IIRC, 21".

Like Hillary, I have trouble remembering...👀

Will confirm tonite when I get home.

DF


Edited to say I think it's 21", not 20.5" as originally posted. Will confirm.

I like it DF, wouldn't mind putting one together like that my self.

It is about the least expensive way to get into a high quality DG rifle, IMO. I got this gun used from the Classifieds, did some of the work myself.

I have a question for those who have Win M-70 mag actions. This one has a rail cut out on the left side. I don't know if this is factory or by someone along the way, as it had some smith work done before I got it.

I ask, because this action will cycle EMPTY .375 H&H cases without a bleep as fast as I can work the action. That's perfect, center of the chamber feed, every time. Was wondering if this configuration was part of a tune up job or OEM.

DF

my .375 doesn't have that cut...

nor does my Laredo.

Neither of mine, a 375 H&H and a 416 Rem, have that cut and both will feed/extract empties as fast as I can move the bolt. I did install Williams extractors on both.

Nice light weight banger there DF, my NH 375 doesn't have the cutout either.

Wish I knew what that cut is all about. Someone went to some trouble to mill that.

BTW, measured the barrel. It's 21".

DF

DF: I doubt the cut out is OEM, never seen it.

probably just another M70 Trick Move.

It's a curiosity for sure.

Redneck said that should never be done.

But, someone must have thought it was the thing to do, seems well executed with a milling machine.

Ed's report of his M-70's feeding empty cases full speed without a glitch makes one wonder if this cut out adds anything.

Oh well, as long as it works...

Here on the Fire, we have "stunt shooters" and "trick moves"...

Something for everybody...

DF

DF if we could look at a bunch of Classics dating back to introduction and until NH stopped making them, we will see a variety of followers made from steel, alloy and even plastic, with a variety of shapes and dished out configurations. Some were really weird.

The only conclusion I could ever come to is that someone in New Haven was very confused about how to get the rifles to feed and function acceptably. I know I "fixed" more than one by playing with spring tension and changing the followers.

This stuff is childs play for a skilled gun smith but it appeared the factory could never get it straight. If a guy played with enough Classics he knows exactly what I am referring to.

Some Classics were great and some were absolute trash.....just one reason I stubbornly cling to the notion that pre 64 metal, as a unit, was always a better rifle. despite dozens of pre 64's I never ran into these feeding issues with them.

Among the reasons I always called the Classics a "project in a box".

Yep, the ole Pre-64 IS the standard by which others are judged...

Those factory engineers must think they know everything; they don't seem inclined to ask professional custom gunsmiths how something should work.

At least Bill Ruger sought the help of Lenard Brownell for his rifle stock designs.

But, Ruger was an exception and exceptional...

He wasn't too proud to ask.

DF

Yes he did!

Bob,

A Classic can be tweaked into a pretty nice rifle.

A Pre-64 it will never be.

The King is still King...

DF

Yes it can! Im looking at one right now.

D'Arcy tweaks them to perfection, for the price of a good used pickup...

I'm too cheap, besides I like to DIY as much as possible.

Sorta enjoyable, watching a project come together.

And pride using a piece tweaked to suit.

DF