Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only the perfect .375 for ak, or one mans vision.

My idea of a perfect Ak 375. Winchester 70 classic, 20” barrel, featherweight wood stock, 2.5-8 leupold in Talley Q/D rings

Pretty nice rifle! The "Classic Stainless" rifles are my favorites of the Mod. 70's. I tricked one like you have out a bit and gave to my son-in-law.

I have the bolt sleeve welded to the bolt on our Classic's as it is pressed onto the bolt body and I have heard of a couple that came loose from the bolt body. The one I had used stamped steel for the follower spring and extractor so they were replaced with spring steel ones. The local gun smith ground off part of the follower and the rifle then held 4 rounds in the magazine. Iron sights from New England Custom guns and barrel cut to 22 inches.

I am a fan of the Leupold 2.5-8x36 and when I was on 2.5 power shooting the brown bear at 30 feet late one evening was really a very simple matter, fast sight picture and press trigger. Is it Mag-Na-Ported or my eyes tricking me?

One thing is for sure, you are well armed for any Alaskan critter.

HaHa, I fixed it, not 30 inches, about 30 feet. Darn old brain and key boards.

30"?????

Hi Josh! Some decades ago I picked up the below-photos Sako 375 H&H, carbine new in box. Such with a companion same-model in .270 Win. Giant, Great Western Gun Show of early nineties in SoCal. (Excellent price & x 2 happily deeper discount approaching 25% OTD.) In Mannlicher stock configuration, these Sakos a bit stubby-clunky aesthetics, but guess I'm weird... Really like the barrel band effect! Now if they just incorporated "handguards"...

I'd fired a converted mauser 98 in same barrel length & 375 H&H. Recoil of course 'substantial', but 20" barrel, noise bothered me more even with protection! A "SAY WHAT?" sort of evening following. Such configured heavy caliber rifles may be great carry & brush guns, but not for casual afternoon 'fun' at the range. Not for me anyway! It appears your nice Win 70 is with integral barrel brake. Can't imaging what that must sound like... "SAY WHAT..."

AK: I'm lost concerning your remark about "pressed on" bolt sleeve. Maybe my misunderstanding your nomenclature definition. In every one of my bolt rifles, the bolt sleeve is screwed into the bolt body and rotates about 90 degrees or less to remain vertical as bolt is rotated into/from battery. My image of a welded bolt sleeve is a non-functional gun! Such certainly not the design of any of the Models 70 I've seen up into the early Millennium! Can you clarify/educate me?

Best & Keep Safe!
John

Yes it is magna ported.

Hi Iskra,

I am not sure when it came about and I am sure it was done to save money. The Mod. 70 bolts used to be one solid chunk of machined steel, at some point they put a collar on the bolt handle and pressed it on to the bolt. If you look close you will see it and that is the place I had ours welded. My pre-64 rifles are one solid piece. Any way, after reading a couple times of those pressed on collars spinning loose on the bolt body and hearing of a well known gun shop that uses "Classic" actions for their expensive rifles welding theirs up, I followed suit.

Hey Josh,
I have been using Mag-Na-Ported rifles and hand guns for over 30 years to help control muzzle jump.

Thanks much for the clarification! "Bolt handle collar" versus "bolt sleeve", better description for dummies like me! That simplification makes perfect sense compared to whittling down one solid right angled mass! Such, of course if it doesn't beak loose!
Best!
John!

[quote=Josh Sorensen]

My idea of a perfect Ak 375. Winchester 70 classic, 20” barrel, featherweight wood stock, 2.5-8 leupold in Talley Q/D rings[/quoteThe

There sure is a pile of these on the Alaska Penisula, most are stoked with 300gr Partitions or A-Frames too.

Mines a stainless Model 70 Classic that I had the barrel turned down and chopped to 22". NECG sights and an old McMillan winlite stock I picked up here added to it. It's quite handy set up this way compared to how she left the factory. It was my main guide gun for years and its still my go to for most hunts up here.

waterrat has been lucky enough to see it in person! How's the lake life these days Jim?

I like the 260s and 300s. but that is shot out of a Steyr SBS in 376 Steyr. Have thought about a 375 Bee but had the same thoughts. You may not get enough return on investment. Be Well, RZ.

Mine is a Leupold 2-7 topped Model 70 in .458 with tuned action and fine tuned trigger with all metal except the open sights electroless nickel plated and sitting in a custom painted synthetic stock with decelerator pad and loaded with 350gn TSX's.

It is ready for a knockout punch on anything, even deer lol.

Lol. I heard once, the 458 Winchester with a premium 400 grain might be the better 416. No doubt the 458’s can fill many roles. I am trying to find motivational interest in mine.

I am still a user of the 270 TSX in the 375’s. Easy to shoot and very effective on moose in my experiences. From others’ experiences, it seems to work very well on bear also. My preference for the cartridge propelling it is the 375 Ruger.

Wonder if a Classic Stainless in .338 Win Mag can be bored out and chambered to 375 Ruger?

Is there enuff meat left (0.125" walls) at the muzzle? 0.625" muzzle dia. minus 0.375" bore = 0.250" divided by 2 = 0.125"

As much as I would like to build a 9.3 for Alaska, the Ruger 375 Alaskan Hawkeye is such a strong rifle that the 9.3 build seems foolish.

Note -- if a left handed, stainless, long action Hawkeye becomes available, please disable my internet.

I am liking my Ruger Alaskan (pre barrel band sling stud). The action is slick! Alaska Arms QR rings and a Leupold 4x at the moment. Dropped it into a Zytel stock added a Limbsaver and I could not be happier. 7.5# bare and 8.5# scoped. This particular rifle is the 416 Ruger but the same could be done to a 375 Ruger. The investment cost was well worth the return! I have also established that 400 grains at 2400 fps out of a 7.5 pound rifle is about my limit for comfort and control

400 grains + 2400 fps + 7.5 lb rifle = NOPE.

I don’t disagree... I plan on finding an accurate load with the 350 TSX around the same speed. That should tame it down. That said I have zero doubt that the 375 Ruger in a similar platform would be close to perfection for usefulness and comfort, at least when compared to the 416.

Yeah, but you’re a young, hoss of a dude.

My .375 H&H M-70 goes around nine with Victory scope, in the eights with lighter scope. It’s about as light as I’d want.

And that’s with the 270 TSX.

DF

If anyone's interested, my LGS has a nice .375 Stainless Classic with a Leupold 2.8-8.

LINK

I have a NH .375 H&H, SS with Tupperware.

The bottom metal on that one looks different. Is it a New Haven? Is that aftermarket bottom metal, stock?

DF