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Agreed, was going to post much the same, these rifles make outstanding .300 mags, ,338s, ,375s and so forth, but, are a tad weighty in, say, .270Win. They are IT for the superb, outstanding and perfect .338WM, the best cartridge for serious hunting.....  SNAP beat me to it, as did others. Pretty rifle, but heavy, and not any better than a good 98 Mauser for function. I'm eyeballin' an M10 in 7x57 right now. Could buy 3 Ruger #1s for the same money, but Ruger #1s are not quite Dakota 10s. I love the over-center toggle locking, and the slim lines. Makes me drool like a fool.
Our God reigns.
Harrumph!!!
I often use quick reply. My posts are not directed toward any specific person unless I mention them by name.
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Check out hendershots.net as they usually have several new and used ones so you can see what the rifle you buy looks like.
They are basically a Model 70 and from memory they differ to the M70 in the breeching sytem which is M98 style.
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I have a M76 in 257AI that I bought in the early 90s. I have hunted with it a lot and really like it. But , IMO, it's overpriced and I would not buy another. It has occasional feeding issues, and the accuracy is ok, but not noteworthy.
I would buy a "shooter" pre64 M70, and then fix it up the way you like. You'd likely be money ahead.
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I would also take a look at Cooper's new CRF rifle. Haven't seen any pictures yet but I am sure it will be made well and look great.
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I have two, a .30-06 Classic and a .257 Roberts Alpine. Fit and finish is excellent and I don't think they are that heavy for a wood stocked rifle. I have fired several hundred round in each with no function issues. The accuracy of the .30-06 is "so-so" but the Roberts is excellent.
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RevMike: Re: your question about the action of the 76: Don Allen and his partner really tried to take what they thought were the best design aspects of the pre-64 model 70 and 98 mauser into one action. However, if you look at a piece by piece aspect, there appears to be more M70 in it than 98. I think these are the basic components:
1) receiver shape: M70
2) recoil lug: M70
3) safety: M70
4) trigger: original M70
5) rear tang: pre-war M70
6) extractor: M70
7) ejector location & design: M70
8) bolt stop & release: kind of its own
9) breeching: Mauser with the receiver ring internal collar
10)gas handling: I'm not sure about where the gas ports are, but the bolt sleeve has a mauser type flange to divert gas that comes back towards the shooter I believe
11) bolts: they are NOT a one piece bolt. At least the current ones. The early ones MIGHT have been but I'm not sure with that either. Current bolts are 2 piece: the handle and the rest.
12) receivers: I believe they are CNC machined from bar stock but I'm not 100% certain on this.
Perhaps others on this site can correct me if I'm wrong on these, or add to any more action details I may have forgot.
I think those are the primary action components. When the 76 came out, there were very few if any of the newer type controlled round actions out there like today: the old Ruger tang safeties were not crf, the 70 classic hadn't come yet and I don't know if the CZ's were available as they are today. It was pretty much either a pre-64 or a highly refined 98 for the true customs.
I've always thought it hard to understand that the custom builders didn't seem to flock to the Dakota like I thought they would. It has been used a fair amount, but not hugely. It's interesting that the two custom builders who are considered pretty much on top, David Miller and D'Arcy Echols have pretty much stayed with M70s. That says quite a lot.
You hear from time to time that Dakotas have had accuracy issues, but I have no experience with that. At one time they used Shilen barrels and still may.
As far as aesthetics, they are indeed quite the lookers to those who have classic tastes. I'm not convinced that for the money difference that they're worth that much more. But of course, love is blind. And if you are indeed a pastor, you surely know that "things" never satisfy. Hope this helps a little.
Good Luck.
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I went to the shop in Sturgis last fall. I had bought a replacement shroud and flag safety. It would not screw on to my 1909 Mauser bolt. They make them,so I called to see why it would not work. The guy I talked to was Travis and he said sometimes they have to go through their stock of parts to find one that fits. I was going to go to Deadwood anyway so I stooped by. He took me out to his house to find a tap that might work on the one I had bought. We went back to the shop and it would not work. So he brought out sacks of them and we tried several before we found a couple to fit. He then took mo on a tour of the shops and I saw some absolutely beautiful rifles and got to talk to the different shop help. One gal was using a rasp to shape the stocks. Pretty hands on I thought. Rough out with machine the finish by hand. The gal doing the checkering sure did a great job and showed me several patterns she would do. Travis did the final assembly. Then another guy took them to the bench to test fire. They were really friendly and all were very good craftsmen and women that really took pride in their job. They were so nice and took quite a bit of time with me. Their rifles are top notch, as are the people putting them together. I am very impressed with the work on their rifles.
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I think that Miller and Echols use Classic 70s for several reasons, including some "political" ones......
Don and Norma Allen, were not always popular among many of Don's contemporary gunmakers and their outstanding 76 action is fairly costly as a starting point to build a $30K rifle on.
That said and with custom Classics, P-64s by the dozen and genuine Oberndorf sporters, etc, in my collection, the D-76 impresses me and were I younger, I would buy 2-3 more of them.
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OP
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Thanks for all the posts. I've been out all day, but Ken here are the specifics I gave to DA:
Caliber: 7x57
Barrel Length: 23 inches from the front of the action
Twist: 1.866" (i.e., 1:220mm)
Hooded ramp sight (banded) with fiber optic bead
Quarter rib with three leaves, regulated 50, 100, 200 (with 175 gr. Federal factory loads)
XX stock "without" drop belly - 14.5" LOP, bedded
XXX stock "without" drop belly - 14.5" LOP, bedded
Front barrel band swivel
Cross bolts (or plugs)
I'll have to fine tune from there. I'll respond to the PMs in te morning.
"An archer sees how far he can be from a target and still hit it, a bowhunter sees how close he can get before he shoots." It is certainly easy to use that same line of thinking with firearms. -- Unknown
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Looks good Rev.
Life Member SCI
Life Member DSC
Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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My IPad is going jiggy here so didn't read all the posts but I know of a former Dakota 'smith now working for himself who can take a Zastava action and turn it from a sow's ear into a silk purse. Relatively speaking of course.
Unless he's moved, I have his contact information.
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I don't know about the present 76's, but the original rifles made when Don Allen was at the helm of Dakota sometimes had functional problems. I know this because of several friends who owned them, and a well-known gunsmith who had several in for "fixing" various OTB problems the first time I visited his shop. The only one I ever shot much functioned fine, but wasn't outstandingly accurate.
The new ones may have eliminated the glitches. Many models of rifles have started out with functional problems, but fixed them quickly enough to become quite popular. I have had one in 416 Remington for almost 15 years. When I first got it, it wouldn't eject a loaded round. The loaded 416 Rem was too long to make it out of the action. I sent it back to Dakota and when I got it back, it worked slick as butter. It is a mite heavy, but that helps preserve scopes. I had a 416 Taylor, that was a little lighter than the Dakota, and it was death on a scope. There is not one thing I would change on it and I would love to have a matching rifle in 280 Remington.
Harry
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Had one in 280...........badly regret that I sold it, great rifle.
If you can afford it, buy it...........now.
MM
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Had two...a 30/06 and a 7mm Dakota. Both shot well, functioned well.
I can't quite bring myself to pay the $6-$7 grand for one today, since I can build or shop the used market for a better custom at that price, but that's just me.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I can't exactly recall exactly, but a friend of mine who owned a couple of them, mentioned something about the differences between the Dakota and a M70 action, something about lacking the anti-bind "bulge" of the 70. Bob?
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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This is correct At least for my M76.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I can't exactly recall exactly, but a friend of mine who owned a couple of them, mentioned something about the differences between the Dakota and a M70 action, something about lacking the anti-bind "bulge" of the 70. Bob? jorg I can't remember to be honest but think southtexas is right.I don't have one here to look at. Here and there you hear someone complain about function. I never experienced it. There does not seem to be anything inherently flawed in the design far as I know, that causes this. I think it's just that sometimes a rifle sneaks out that does not get the final touches (by hand) that about any CRF needs to be "perfect".
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Thanks S Texas & Bob. I like the rifles, I was just checking to see if my memory was accurate.
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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My Dakota does not have the anti-bind "bulge" on it.
Life Member SCI
Life Member DSC
Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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Joined: Dec 2012
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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RevMike: Re: your question about the action of the 76: Don Allen and his partner really tried to take what they thought were the best design aspects of the pre-64 model 70 and 98 mauser into one action. However, if you look at a piece by piece aspect, there appears to be more M70 in it than 98. I think these are the basic components:
1) receiver shape: M70
2) recoil lug: M70
3) safety: M70
4) trigger: original M70
5) rear tang: pre-war M70
6) extractor: M70
7) ejector location & design: M70
8) bolt stop & release: kind of its own
9) breeching: Mauser with the receiver ring internal collar
10)gas handling: I'm not sure about where the gas ports are, but the bolt sleeve has a mauser type flange to divert gas that comes back towards the shooter I believe
11) bolts: they are NOT a one piece bolt. At least the current ones. The early ones MIGHT have been but I'm not sure with that either. Current bolts are 2 piece: the handle and the rest.
12) receivers: I believe they are CNC machined from bar stock but I'm not 100% certain on this.
Perhaps others on this site can correct me if I'm wrong on these, or add to any more action details I may have forgot.
I think those are the primary action components. When the 76 came out, there were very few if any of the newer type controlled round actions out there like today: the old Ruger tang safeties were not crf, the 70 classic hadn't come yet and I don't know if the CZ's were available as they are today. It was pretty much either a pre-64 or a highly refined 98 for the true customs.
I've always thought it hard to understand that the custom builders didn't seem to flock to the Dakota like I thought they would. It has been used a fair amount, but not hugely. It's interesting that the two custom builders who are considered pretty much on top, David Miller and D'Arcy Echols have pretty much stayed with M70s. That says quite a lot.
You hear from time to time that Dakotas have had accuracy issues, but I have no experience with that. At one time they used Shilen barrels and still may.
As far as aesthetics, they are indeed quite the lookers to those who have classic tastes. I'm not convinced that for the money difference that they're worth that much more. But of course, love is blind. And if you are indeed a pastor, you surely know that "things" never satisfy. Hope this helps a little.
Good Luck.
That helps a lot, thanks! One of the things I want to make sure of is that the irons are actually usable and not merely cosmetic. A lot of that is going to be a function of stock design. In my particular hunting environment there are times when open sights come in handy. Thanks again.
"An archer sees how far he can be from a target and still hit it, a bowhunter sees how close he can get before he shoots." It is certainly easy to use that same line of thinking with firearms. -- Unknown
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