Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only M70 Stainless Classic .375 H&H

Seems I remember someone on here looking for a Winchester M70 Stainless Classic .375 to cut down. There's one at Cabelas that's been shortened for a decent price. Not mine, bolt handle's on the wrong side.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Wi...inless-375-H-H-Mag-.cfm?gun_id=100370535

Not a bad price. It's been cut to 22", but they stuck a brake on it. I'd lose the brake, cut another inch off the barrel and go from there. One may be able to recover something, selling the brake.

To me, a .375 H&H doesn't need a brake.

DF

I agree and have one of these in my fav. magnum, probably the one "best"cartridge for all-around BC-Territories uses. This is, of course, the superb .338WM and mine had some functional "mods" done at Martini Gunmakers.

The tube was cut to 23", the bolt handle welded, the cocking notch re-worked to prevent that bolt lift some have, the extractor cut in the barrel was radiused and the metal was then bedded into a std. fill Micky Fwt.

I have Talley-Brockman "peep" bases in 8/40, JBed, Talley screwlock QD rings, a very sound 20 year old B&L 4x40 and a Sourdough in a front ramp. It shoots warmish 250 NPs very well, holds "sight-in" and I don't care about dings and whatever.

This is the "spare" to my Dakota 76-.338-also by Martini's and these are about as good as it gets for no bullsh!t serious rifles to be USED hard and often.

I would do as "DF"would, had I not a sts-tubed custom .375 on a P-64 action, another of my "homemade" working rifles and a rather deadly looking and VERY accurate little piece.

On the SS M-70 Classic in .375 H&H, the barrel contour is way too heavy. Here's mine, cut to 21" with NECG irons. When the barrel was cut, I had the smith tweak the action for smooth feeding. This gun will cycle a full mag of EMPTY cases, smoothly without a hiccup, as fast as I can cycle the bolt. So, you know the cases are lining up exactly with the chamber.

DF

Dang right, take that ear splitting brake and throw it in the trash, put eleven degrees on a new crown and start load development with 270 gr. TSX's and RL-15.

Nice rifle there DF, if I wasn't 375 poor I'd buy that one from Cabelas today.

Gunner

Yeah, Gunner. Same here.

I think it's priced right. What could you get for that brake?

DF

That brake would be fishin' lined onto a homemade set of wind chimes....................no value whatsoever.

Gunner

We don't have to like'em to get some salvage against the purchase. Gotta be worth something. People do buy those things...

DF

In that case save the threads ya lop off so's they can turn the proper pitch on their new barrel, hell, kick 'em a handful of complimentary ear plugs with a cash purchase. LOL

Gunner

Yea, that's not a bad price considering they're no longer made. The brake's easy enough to get rid of, the rest of the rifle looks to be in great condition.

I think the new SC/FN M-70's are OK, although I like the New Haven trigger, especially for a DG type gun. Other than a excessively heavy barrel contour, not much wrong with a N.H. M-70. And, those barrels shoot too good to replace. So lobbing them off to 20-21" seems to be an economical way to end up with a nice handling big gun.

That same barrel contour was used in their .458 and .416 versions. But, those two have a lot less steel in the tube because of larger bores. One size does NOT fit all, IMHO.

Oh well, they didn't ask me...

But, don't ya know, I'd a told'em...

DF

Dang, DF, that's pretty close to my ideal for a .375.

Maybe just a touch less scope... But then again, maybe not.

K, I agree with you. That's a beautiful rifle. Not that I'd trade my pre 64 375 H&H for it, but for a working rig that's about spot on!! DF has some very nice rifles!! K, I also hope you are doing well buddy!!!!

The world would be a much better place if you and Kutenay and BobinNH were their advisers!!!!!!!

Thanks KDK,

It would be easy to mount another scope. I have Leupolds 1-4, 1.5-5 and an old 3X that I sent back for #4 German and a good cleaning. Any one of those could be mounted with QD's, using this one for load development.

DF

In a perfect world, for sure.

Every time I see a M70 Classic 375 H&H, I want to take a lathe to that barrel...even the pre 64 is a bit portly. I can live with either one without real consequence but building from scratch I go lighter.

Makes all the difference.

Here's a stainless/synthetic M70 Classic in 416 Rem with the bolt on the correct side lol. I bought it for my son who's left handed. Barrel cut down to 22", mercury recoil reducer in the stock and CeraKoted. It was really muzzle heavy and the reducer really helped with the balance. As far as recoil goes, it's a pussycat ...

I considered doing just that. Talked to a smith who said the screw holes in the barrel would cause chatter and make a good lathe cut difficult. He didn't want to fool with it. So, that's why I cut it to 21".

Those barrels shoot really well, too well to replace, IMHO.

DF

I'm hoping Winchester comes out with a new stainless 375 H&H for next year. I don't care one bit for their laminate Alaskan model.