Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Winchester Model 70 "Classic Express" .375 H&H

I got that scope used on a trade. It is expensive, retail, new. I’ve had experienced African hunters comment on what a good cat rig that is. That scope is really good at dim light as in hunting leopards over bait. Have never done that, but reportedly I have the right rig. The short barrel would be handy in a blind. Not that pretty, but “pretty is as pretty does”, seems like Forest Gump said that. It’s a working gun, not a show piece.

The .375 H&H with soft bullets is said to be good cat medicine. IIRC, a South African company makes a highly frangible .375 bullet that cat hunters like. Blow’s them up , DRT.

Give New England Custom a call. Good folks, lots of help. Irons can be more complicated than one may think. I remember the process, not the details, slept since then.

Best of luck with your new Classic Express. If it’s too heavy, give Karl a call. He can do the sights, everything you may need or want. When other gunsmiths brag on his work, it’s good

DF

Check out Cutting Edge Bullets on line. They’re sorta the mono version of a Partition, petals fly off, core bores on thru.

They’re very effective on game. Only down side, besides cost; reportedly they can start breaking up if they strike a twig or brush before hitting the critter.

They’re generally pretty accurate. I don’t use them in thickets, just open ground.

DF

DF nice rig and an ideal Alaskan Rifle too. Shorter is better in the Alders. Irons only are good for nasty weather too.

Thanks, Tejano.

I'm not much into irons, but feel they're needed on this kinda gun. The front is fiberoptic which helps some. It has a windowed hood to let in light while protecting the fiberoptic bead.

It's too bad those Express M-70's had one contour for .458, .416 and .375. May have made sense to the bean counters. Of course, the .375 had the least metal removed with its smaller bore, leaving way too much steel in the 24" barrel. The difference in handling from heavy 24" factory to the configuration you see with mine, is remarkable.

If you could handle the before and after, you'd become an instant believer.

DF

Out of the box and eleven African animals later...

Not bad...

Nut behind the trigger do make a difference...

DF

Jorge, I've heard that H414 burns dirty and is very temperature sensitive but I see that the proof is in the group, outstanding shooting. I may have to try it in my 30-06, if I can't get ahold any more H4350.

The top shot is a couple of millimeters off center, though.

Yep...

Maybe Jorge can tighten that group a bit, pull that top round down into the group...

DF

I'm seeing 4451 and it'll work where 4350 works.

RL-15 is still a .375 H&H favorite, even with 300's. Some like Big Game and I see Nosler listing RL-19 as accuracy powder for 300 gr.

So, the H&H is pretty versatile regarding powders that will work. RL-16 and 17 may be worth trying. CFE-223 (Pw Pro 2000-LR) are in that general burn rate. Haven't tried these, but I won't run out of H&H powder...!

And, that's a good thing...

DF

RL-15 works very well too. Yeah, I know. Need to work on getting that group a bit tighter!

Would love to see the improved version...

DF

x2 on chopping and fluting. I owned a stainless classic right before New Haven shut its doors. The extractor needed tensioned to make it extract properly, the barrel was full of tooling marks and it was very particular on what it would group. After getting the extractor fixed, trigger worked, I finally found a few bullets that would group well, so ordered a Micky supergrade. It was a nice rifle but too muzzleheavy and I like a little weight out front. My current M70 375 also sits in a supergrade but has a 22" fluted barrel, balance is PERFECT!