Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Africa Ready DGRs

Usually custom rifles are selected for their exhibition walnut stocks, highly polished rust blued steel and adornments like engraving and carvings. Here are a couple of customs with a slightly different take.

Purpose built DGRs, especially for African Big Game - DG to us American hunters - are built for flawless function. Feeding the selected ammo and reliable follow ups are what counts. Here are a couple that fit that bill

The first one is a 458 Win Mag I built by rebarreling a Ruger African Hawkeye which had left the factory as a 375 Ruger, evolved into a rebored 404-375 Ruger wildcat used for Cape buffalo and PG in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Along the way it left the wood stock and acquired a Borden Rimrock stock and finally was rebarreled with a Ruger No. 1 458 WM barrel. New 375 H&H follower, some magazine box tweaks and reconfiguring of the feed ramp and rails yielded a reliable CRF DGR. Loaded with CEB BBW #13 450 grain 0.458” monolithic brass FP solids at 2375 fps MV, it’s now Africa ready. It’s well traveled and well worn, but reliable and definitive.



The second is a little different. Purpose built as a working DGR by Gene Simillion, this one started out as a Win M-70 Classic 300 Win Mag. Rebarreled with a Douglas 5A 0.458” barrel, action tuned for reliable feeding and extraction, fitted with Gene’s own 4 round magazine box, follower and spring, it’s now a 460 G&A. A wildcat DG cartridge designed by Tom Siatos in the 1990s, it’s based on a 404 Jeffery case with shoulder advanced a bit, minor decrease in case taper, case length 2.800” and necked to shoot 0.458” bullets from any LA which can accommodate a COAL of 3.6”, it’ll easily duplicate the ballistic performance of a 458 Lott or 450 Rigby Rimless in a trim package. The stock is a factory Win M-70 SG walnut stock with good but not spectacular grain. Bedded in place it easily handles 500 grain bullets at 2350 fps MV. The epitome of a working DGR, without fanfare.


These 2 will seek tuskless in Zim this summer.

Sounds like nice rifles for elephant and everything else. Good luck on your hunt!

Update on the Win M-70 460 G&A:

Settled on the Holosun 530 titanium dot as the primary sight mounted on the front Warne steel base for the hunt. Backup is an old Leupold 1-4x25 on QD lever mount rings. I’ll sight this in with the CEB BBW#13 500 grain solids next week. Yesterday session ended close to sighting in, a bit low at 25 yds, with the Holosun

Marked difference in recoil velocity with an added 12 ounces of lead in the buttstock. A Limbsaver pad will have replaced the factory Winchester pad before next week’s session. With these big bore DGRs, every little bit helps.



The last shot is at the bottom of the center red diamond. Although close enough, I’ll get it centered next week. After that all shooting will be off hand with a few shots off the sticks, although using sticks is unusual in the setting we’ll be hunting in Zim, as we need to move around the herds as we hunt for tuskless elephants.

What is the rear sight in the above 460 G&A rifle pic? Do you have pics of the new Holosun 530 mounted on the front receiver ring? Is the front banded sight an encumbrance with the red dot sight?

FSJeeper,

The RS on the 460 is an NECG Weaver Ghost Ring Sight N-106G . There’s a similar variant, the N-106.

The FS is not a problem at all with the Holosun because I’m used to low power scopes on the heavier DGRs. With that type of optic the FS is blurred but visible in the FOV and easily ignored as a result of practice. I also shoot through optics with both eyes open, so there isn’t the hyper focus on the FS - when not in use - that sighting with a single eye can produce.

I’ll post some pics with the Holosun mounted in the next couple of days. I’m working on fitting a Limbsaver pad to replace the factory Winchester part so will get some pics when that’s done.

Wildcatter, I am liking this setup a lot. Please post pics when you get the Holosun mounted.

Red dot on dangerous game rifles are outstanding.

Here are some pics of the setup for the Holosun 530G on the 460 G&A:

The front Warne base was milled to accommodate the recoil lugs and QD lever screw




Using the OEM base provided with the 530 this is what the setup looks like







With the bases in place a Leupold 1-4x25 scope is set up as a backup





The new Limbsaver recoil pad replaced the Winchester factory pad today



The Win M-70 460 G&A is now ready for final sight in and practice til departure. It’s been an interesting journey but we’re now near Valhalla. 😊

Finished final firing prep today for both rifles and shooter. The Ruger Hawkeye 458 WM is firing the CEB BBW #13 450 grain SS FP bullet with a load of AA-2230 at 2400 fps and has the Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20 MOA Ring reticle scope as the primary sight. Backup is the Hawkeye open iron sight.

The Win M-70 Classic 460 G&A shoots the CEB BBW #13 500 gn SS FP bullet at 2400 fps and is fitted with the Holosun 530G mounted on a modified Warne steel front base secured by 8-40 screws as the primary sighting system. Backup is the Safari Express RS from Numrich and an NECG FS. A Leupold VX-II 1-4x20 is the final backup on Warne steel rings on bases secured with 8-40 screws.

So far all systems have held together through the final couple of range firing sessions.

Report on field performance will follow next month.

Congratulations on you up coming hunt, nice choice of rifles/cartridges…… and I’m wishing you the very best in all aspects of your hunt! I applaud you for using your firearms knowledge in putting together a very practical firearms duo for your hunt!

As far as the “pretty rifles” and African hunts……..many years ago an African hunt was pretty much a rich man’s sport “only”. Much like many monied people showing off their Ferrari’s, Lambo’s, Corvettes, ect. the “pretty rifles” and Safari Clothing were pretty much a “status symbol”!

However, with the prices of today, most hunters that really want to do Africa can make that dream a reality. Many of these hunters are much more firearms knowledgeable. They chose rifles for their practicality, their function and reliability in the field. Many of these same hunters can’t afford the “Ferrari Rifle” and make the hunt. Also, many of today’s hunters actually want to participate in the hunt ……not have the PH drive up to the animal, set up the shot for the hunter (?), and not want the PH to kill the animal after the client has “muffed” the shot!

Obviously, there are exceptions to my comments and I’m very happy for those that are firearm knowledgeable, have beautiful firearms that are also very functional tools, and are true hunters! memtb

Wildcat: If you are getting a good cheek weld with the low mounted scope I am suspicious of how quickly you are acquiring the dot with the micro sight being mounted so much higher over the bore. I urge you to practice target acquisition and gun mounting from a low ready position at the range. I suspect you will need to lift your head from the stock to get a view of the red dot. Not only is this slow but a slap to your face from the recoil of a 500 grain bullet at 2100 fps without your face firmly on the comb will be an experience you will not soon forget.
Before your hunt practice your bolt flick every night. Take 4 cartridges and fill the primer pocket with silicon. Seat a bullets to the OAL of your chosen load and paint the bullets blue. This blue is how the military identifies inert ammunition. You need the cartridges in the magazine to insure that your bolt flicks are not short stroking the action. Store your practice cartridges separately in a coffee can so as to not only insure you are not practicing with a live cartridge but also so you do not mix your inert rounds with your hunting rounds. Have a very formal process to commence and secure from practice to prevent a negligent discharge. The only thing louder than a click when you are expecting a boom is a boom when you're expecting a click.
From now until your hunt ALWAYS bolt flick after squeezing your trigger unless it is the last round from your magazine. You have to count your rounds to know this. The sound of your bolt operating should always beat the words from your PH such as RELOAD or SHOOT AGAIN. After your engagement with Nyati I always announce that my rifle is safe to the hunting party so that the PH and tracker know they are less likely to be shot.
You may want to read "The Art of the Rifle" by Jeff Cooper before your departure for the Dark Continent.

Precisely what I was wondering.

Very good advice. I always load and use a magazine full load of dummies loaded with spent primers and drilled through empty cases. My dry fire routine includes a magazine load of dummies for each caliber and I work through the trigger, immediate working of the bolt stroke to reload through the entire mag. Sight picture acquisition on a small target and animal mounts at 10-20 yds is part of the dry fire drill.

At the range I use 2/3 practice loads (350 gr bullets with either reduced H-4895 or Trail Boss powder depending on cartridge) and 1/3 full power loads.

The line of sight with the Holosun as currently mounted is a bit higher than the scopes I use, but I’m now used to it. Acquisition of the circle dot reticle, both coming up to the shoulder and follow ups hasn’t even a problem. I’ve practiced with it quite a bit.

The open sight picture is better on the Hawkeye than on the Winchester but both work and will serve as backups. I’m confident I can use the irons offhand and hit the target if I need to use them without getting punished by the recoil.

Agree that getting smacked on the cheek on the bench by a 450 or 500 grain bullet at 2400 fps is an unforgettable experience I’ll avoid. Offhand the recoil is much easier mitigated for the follow ups.

This tweaked 416 Rem M70 worked just fine. Factory M70, McM magnum fill stock that shaved 8 oz off the factory walnut, a 1.5x5 Leupold VX2 in Talley rings/bases. No back up and no worries after ~400 down the pipe.

Ed, one of these days someone is going to make you an offer on that rifle you can't refuse. It's perfect!

P64 M70 375H&H in a Brown Prec stock. Talley QR mounts with 1.5-6 Kahles, 2.5-8 VX3 or 1.5-5VX3 and Talley peep.

Blacktailer,

Not only does your rifle look good, it obviously works. Kudos!!

Glad to report that both DGRs work very definitively on elephants. Used each rifle on a tuskless with the loads described to excellent effect. Photos and
full report will follow.

Wildcatter,

Use a standing bench like Elmer advocated. It mitigates much of the punishment big boomers dish out. Agree, a sitting bench with those big guns isn’t for me. That decision gets made pretty quick.

DF

Show us some pics or better yet, video of it in action.

Will probably do so next week.

2400 fps with a 450-gr FN from a .458 WinMag is an excellent .458 WM+ load.
Same velocity for 500-grainer from your 460 G&A ?

Yes same MV for both. The KE for the 450 gr bullet is 5756 lbs. ft and for the 500 gr bullet it’s 6396 lbs. ft. Both sufficient for my purpose.

Finally getting a chance to write a report on the recent safari in Zimbabwe involving the 2 DGRs subjects of this thread. I’ll limit this thread to the technical aspects of the DGRs and their ammo. I’ll write a thread on the description of the hunt later. Seems each year it takes a bit longer to beat the jet lag of 6 time zones and the walking involved, so a bit of a delay in reporting.

As I’ve implied in the prior reports, I regard this adventure as a tale of 2 rifles - a return to Africa of a nearly forgotten ‘Out of Africa’ wildcat (460 G&A) and a neoclassical African cartridge (458 WM). See Sir Ron’s (Riflecrank) thread on the updated modern 458 WM+ for details.

The whole endeavor leading to the creation of these 2 DGRs was spawned by a misadventure. My original plan called for the primary rifle to be a Ruger RSM 450 Rigby Rimless. However, in my misguided and overzealous attempt last year to improve earlier CRF pickup of the rounds, I overcorrected the right feed rail, rendering the rifle less than reliable. Up to then the rifle was both smooth and flawless. Needless to say that the 450 Rigby Rimless is as definitive a DGR cartridge as there is. Fortunately, thanks to Mark Cromwell at NECG, the RSM is now even smoother than in its former iteration. Mark performed his usual magic quickly, reliably and reasonably.

As a result of the projected unavailability of the RSM and of ready components on hand, the idea and construction of the 458 WM+ Ruger Hawkeye African evolved. The Win M-70 Classic was the result of a desire for a completely reliable DGR, built as a working African rifle by a proven practitioner of the craft and chambered to suit rife loony inclinations.

The latter rifle is the Win M-70 Classic CRF-based 460 G&A built by Gene Simillion. Details of the barrel and the acquisition of the reamer and reloading dies have already been noted. My communication with Gene specified an overall working dependable DGR - he delivered exactly that with a much better figure than that in the factory stock I originally provided with the donor action. The fortuitous improvement in the quality of the wood was due to USPS malfeasance in transit on the first delivery. All improvements contributed to function and reliability. Aesthetic improvements, achieved through Gene’s craft and the elegance of the execution, were an added bonus.



Although I planned to use a Holosun 530G optic as the primary sighting system, changing the 6-48 receiver scope base mounting screws to 8-40 and modifying the front base for the QD OEM base, I decided, after the first tuskless using the Ruger, to mount the Leupold 1-4x20 heavy duplex scope and make that the primary sight, as shown on the photo above. It turned out that, “Chance favors the prepared mind,” especially when adapting to conditions on the ground as the hunt develops. More on that story in the later hunt thread.



I added a couple of final touches I purposely reserved for me to add. One was a Limbsaver recoil pad and the other a last minute find to complete the backup iron sights



The 2nd DGR in its final field ready form was the Ruger Hawkeye (Mk II) African rebarrelled with a Ruger No. 1 458 WM from Numrich Arms.


The Ruger Hawkeye African, the evolution of which from 375 Ruger to 458 WM+, is described in prior posts. It’s primary sight is a Leupold 1.5-4x20 VX-Freedom with the MOA-Ring reticle. Suffice it to mention that this is my most ambitious DIY gunsmithing project to date. Creating a one-of-a-kind rifle, not available from the factory, completes the rifle loony dream of a unique experience. Its performance as a DGR far surpasses my anticipated results. It is accurate, reliable and well balanced. In its current state it will never win any beauty contest - uneven faded bluing, Pacific Research/Rimrock synthetic stock in need of a facelift - but functionally a DGR I’ll use again and know I can depend on. It will not qualify for those desirous of a light DGR - it weighs in closer to 11 lbs scoped that to 9 lbs - but allows absolute control of recoil for follow up shots, the acid test IME in a DGR. Indeed, I was able to provide my own follow up on the first tuskless quite rapidly and accurately. What more could you ask of a DGR?

From a technical perspective both DGRs performed superbly in their assigned roles. Both rifles shot CEB BBW#13 Safari Solids at MV = 2400 fps. The 460 G&A Win M-70 Classic was loaded with the 500 grain version and the 458 WM+ Ruger Hawkeye African was loaded with the 450 grain version. As I’ll recount in the upcoming hunt thread, penetration and performance of both projectiles was up to the unfailing standard I’ve come to expect from these bullets when used on elephants.

The thread has become longer than I initially anticipated, but I hope those interested will find it, if not entertaining, at least useful.

Appreciate the rifle report.
Very satisfying in a rifle loony way,
especially that .458 Winchester Magnum Ruger Hawkeye African African.
That is a real African.