Howdy All, Hoping for some advice. I've got an Interarms Whitworth 375 H&H Express (or Safari, not sure), beautiful wood and blueing, 26" barrel, absolute tack driver with everything I put though it. Basically the perfect rifle except for one thing--it is really quite nose heavy. It does look like they could have used this barrel profile for a 458 or something. The gun is a pleasure to shoot at the range, but definitely gets old carrying. I've got other rifles that weigh about the same as this one, but carry a lot better and swing on target faster because they are not so nose heavy. One obvious solution is to cut the barrel down, but I like a longer barrel on most rifles, unless I'm running a suppressor.
So...I am wondering. What's out there in factory 375's that's in the 25 or 26" barrel range, that will be roughly as nice as this Whitworth, but with a skinnier/lighter barrel contour? Unfortunately, other than the Cabelas near me which occasionally has a 375 in stock in the used section, there isn't really much for me to handle locally.
I also thought about having it rebarreled and getting exactly what I want but I am not sure where I can even find a rifle builder who will sweat that second recoil lug onto the barrel, or at least not a rifle builder who doesn't cater to a much higher income strata then I belong to. Also, fewer and fewer of the rifle builders around here seem willing to install iron sights...the money seems to be all in precision rifles.
I have a CZ 550 .375 project rifle I'm not likely to finish. The stock was cracked in shipping, so I'd sell it basically as a barreled action. I also have a B&C stock for it. If you want to discuss it, shoot me a PM. Price would be right.
Howdy---I've been dealing with the too heavy issue for as long as I can remember. The only way I can think of reducing the wt. of your rifle ( only because you really like it the way it looks ) is to get a competent smith to heavily flute your barrel. Fluting a 26" tube, done right, will take over a pound off and move the center of gravity, i.e.: balance pt. several inches to the rear probably to right at the mag where it should be. Fluting also doesn't change the barrel diameter so your stock barrel channel will still fit the barrel perfectly. I didn't know the whitworth had a 26" tube ,mine only had a 24" but that was many years ago. you'll have to have the barrel re-blued but thats no big deal. Good suggestions from the other members, but if you really like your rifle, there's only so many ways to do the job! Good luck and good hunting. Lj
Many 375 H&H have barrels that are both too long and too large in diameter. The .375 H&H really doesn't need more than a 24" barrel with modern powders, and 22" is not even too short. And if you apply the rule of thumb for .15" minimum barrel wall thickness at the muzzle, you could go as thin as .675". You could get the barrel turned down, but I think you would be money ahead by going with a new barrel. Lothar Walther sells some "prefit" barrels that are a really good value--you might look at them. If you install a new barrel, you will have a gap in the barrel channel. You will need to either put up with it, or fill it with a dyed bedding compound (which if done well, does not look all that awful.)
You do not need a secondary recoil lug, assuming the action is bedded correctly. You could even install a hidden crossbolt (and it may be that your action already has a crossbolt.)
You will need to get the barrelled action reblued, of course.
You might contact jkob who posts on here. I think he could install a new barrel and whatever sights you were interested in.
Hey guys, great suggestions! My love of the longer barrel is only just that my ears seem to ring a tad bit less and I like the way longer barrels hang on target, as long as they are not too heavy. I will look into the fluting and the Lothars...
One of mine is a stainless Win M70 with the barrel cut back to 21 1/2" and deeply fluted. Bedded in a Brown Pound'r stock with a 1.5-5X Leupold in Talley LW's goes 7 3/4#.
In 375 H&H I've had 2 Sako's, 2 Kimber's and a Ruger Magnum. Of those the lightest weight was the Kimber Talkeetna followed by the Kimber Caprivi. The Ruger was, by far, the heaviest. Very nice, but too heavy. And they all shot like they thought they were squirrel rifles. Great caliber! Terry
Ive got a Sako M-995 in .375 H&H with 21" bbl' including muzzle brake and with a slim contour. With a Swaro Z3 it weighs in at 7lbs 11 oz (unloaded). Shoots any load like, as another said, a squirrel gun. Also has a Limbsaver pad on it. Shot elk, deer and black bear with it, all bang flops. I just can't let that one go. The recoil is just like a big push not a sharp, high velocity recoil like, say, a .338 win mag has and light years away from a .378 Weatherby!
I recently had a Savage Lightweight Hunter (s.s.,composite) in 7-08 rebored by JES in Cottage Grove , Oregon out to a .338 Federal and love that rifle combo. Will use it with the backpack scenario/treestands, etc. and the Sako .375 H&H for lesser walking forays on the big stuff.
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The talkeetna are great guns I used one on my lion hunt great to carry all day. And was a 1/2" shooter. Best factory option out there imho. I now have a NULA in 375 weights less than 7 ready to go & a rifle works as well both fit me better. Actually the rifle works will be for sale soon have a NULA 404 Jeffery on the way.
I would shorten the barrel. But first I would see how much weight needs to be removed to get the balance you want. Lilja and some others have barrel weight calculators. I also would tape weights to the stock and get an idea that way. Or I may just cut it down to 22-24" have a recessed crown done as this seems to reduce muzzle blast and then add weight under the recoil pad until it felt right. I have added weight without shortening the barrel before and it is surprising that not only the rifle balances better but felt lighter and more lively even though in reality it was a couple of ounces heavier.
A new barrel or turning the existing one down could be close to the cost of fluting. The taper could start in front of the fore end and if done well would not be that noticeable.
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I would shorten the barrel. But first I would see how much weight needs to be removed to get the balance you want. Lilja and some others have barrel weight calculators. I also would tape weights to the stock and get an idea that way. Or I may just cut it down to 22-24" have a recessed crown done as this seems to reduce muzzle blast and then add weight under the recoil pad until it felt right. I have added weight without shortening the barrel before and it is surprising that not only the rifle balances better but felt lighter and more lively even though in reality it was a couple of ounces heavier.
A new barrel or turning the existing one down could be close to the cost of fluting. The taper could start in front of the fore end and if done well would not be that noticeable.
Could not agree more, balance is the most important aspect. Balanced correctly a rifle indeed feels lighter to me than it’s actual weight would indicate.
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
The talkeetna are great guns I used one on my lion hunt great to carry all day. And was a 1/2" shooter. Best factory option out there imho. I now have a NULA in 375 weights less than 7 ready to go & a rifle works as well both fit me better. Actually the rifle works will be for sale soon have a NULA 404 Jeffery on the way.
NTO, how'd you rate the recoil in that NULA, bet that's a sweet rifle.
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As already mentioned for a greater than 24", the M70 Alaskan. The new model if you have no issues with the box trigger, or a Pre-64. Also as mentioned for a 24", the Kimber Talkeetna for stainless / synthetic, blind magazine, and a box trigger. Both of these have a good feel to me. There was limited numbers of the New M70 Alaskan with Laminated / stainless. Supposedly they are coming out with a stainless M70 this year, but have no idea of barrel length or barrel profile. They definitely got the profile right on the Alaskan. I usually prefer less than 24" barrel on 375's, but the M70 Alaskan and the Kimber Talkeetna both had a good "feel" to me.
Originally Posted by TX35W
Howdy All, Hoping for some advice. I've got an Interarms Whitworth 375 H&H Express (or Safari, not sure), beautiful wood and blueing, 26" barrel, absolute tack driver with everything I put though it. Basically the perfect rifle except for one thing--it is really quite nose heavy. It does look like they could have used this barrel profile for a 458 or something. The gun is a pleasure to shoot at the range, but definitely gets old carrying. I've got other rifles that weigh about the same as this one, but carry a lot better and swing on target faster because they are not so nose heavy. One obvious solution is to cut the barrel down, but I like a longer barrel on most rifles, unless I'm running a suppressor.
So...I am wondering. What's out there in factory 375's that's in the 25 or 26" barrel range, that will be roughly as nice as this Whitworth, but with a skinnier/lighter barrel contour? Unfortunately, other than the Cabelas near me which occasionally has a 375 in stock in the used section, there isn't really much for me to handle locally.
I also thought about having it rebarreled and getting exactly what I want but I am not sure where I can even find a rifle builder who will sweat that second recoil lug onto the barrel, or at least not a rifle builder who doesn't cater to a much higher income strata then I belong to. Also, fewer and fewer of the rifle builders around here seem willing to install iron sights...the money seems to be all in precision rifles.
For a packing-around rifle, the 700 XCR or XCR II in .375 H&H was hard to beat. Mine weighed 6 lb 12 oz bare, 7 lb 12 oz with a Leupold 3-9X40 in dual dovetail B&R. The R3 recoil pad and the flexibility of the stock soaked up a disproportionate amount of recoil. It was way more pleasant to shoot than the 2 Ruger #1 .375s I owned which were a couple pounds heavier. If mine hadn't had a fubar egg-shaped chamber, you couldn't have pried it out of my cold dead fingers.
Tom
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Since you speak of weight more in terms of balance, I’d consider lopping off two or three inches of barrel. Better to go to the gunsmith’s shop and cut and try an inch at a whack. He can finish it off after it feels right to you.
I have an older Sako in .375 H&H that has a factory sporter weight tapered barrel, front sight only. I was worried that it would be tough to shoot but it really isn't. Basically like shooting heavy loads out of a 12ga shotgun. My guess is that it weighs 8 lbs scoped.
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I'm down to 3 375s again. My favorite is the last one to show up, a Model 70 Alaskan. It weighs in at 8.5 pounds with a 3.5-10 Leupold. Someone should tell Winchester's advertising folks to fix that on the spec sheet. A .375 doesn't have to weigh 10 plus pounds, one of my 270 featherweights (Cabelas supergrade featherweight) weighs tiny bit more and the other a tiny bit less. That changes things.
The .375 is one of the most useful cartridges around, esp if its packaged as a sporter instead of a express rifle. I load 235s in mine and trajectory is basically a match for run of the mill 300 Win loads out to 500.
Life begins at 40. Recoil begins at "Over 40" Coincidence? I don't think so.
I have two rifles in 375 H&H - one with a 24 inch barrel and one with a 26 inch barrel. I've killed a lot of game in Africa with my model 70 safari magnum.
But, I also have two Steyr Prohunters in 376 Steyr. They have 20 inch barrels and push factory 270 grain loads at 2600 fps. That may be all you need.
My 376 Steyrs are very handy rifles in the bush and drop black bears with aplomb.
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I have had a Mauser .375 that went about 6.5 pounds plus scope. I couldn't keep a scope zeroed on that rifle. I lost count of how many Leupolds that rifle ate, including an older M8 4x that I bought in like new condition. After a few years and 600-800 rounds, I decided that rifle was a little light.
Have had a Kimber Talkeetna, which was just about right regarding weight for a .375. Also, currently have a Model 70 Classic Stainless and Blaser R8, which are both plus or minus 8 pounds before scope and seem about right.
I have had a Mauser .375 that went about 6.5 pounds plus scope. I couldn't keep a scope zeroed on that rifle. I lost count of how many Leupolds that rifle ate, including an older M8 4x that I bought in like new condition. After a few years and 600-800 rounds, I decided that rifle was a little light.
Have had a Kimber Talkeetna, which was just about right regarding weight for a .375. Also, currently have a Model 70 Classic Stainless and Blaser R8, which are both plus or minus 8 pounds before scope and seem about right.
IMO, around 8#'s all up is about ideal for a .375 H&H.
I have a Remington 700 SPS Big Game. 375 H&H Magnum. My opinion is that this type of rifle should be fired from the standing position. Our gun club built a bench for this purpose for the muzzleloaders and 12 gauge slugs.
I would rather sight in a rifle than a 12 gauge with slugs anytime.
I think a 375 rifle is perfect for bear and moose. Anyone who has ever followed a wounded bear near water (swamp) knows this.
I like to do my hunting BEFORE I pull the trigger! There is only one kind of dead, but there are many different kinds of wounded.
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