Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only What barrel contour for a 375 H&H?

It seems like anytime the current crop of 375 H&H's are discussed some mention of the generous barrel contours comes up.

What would you all consider a good contour? Please let me know the barrel length also since some people like to chop them down.

Thanks,
Scott

.650'ish at the muzzle

asking diameter at the muzzle was probably a better way to ask the question! Thanks.

Layne Simpson, IIRC, did a write up on P.H. Harry Selby's infamous 416 Rigby made on a military Mauser M-98 Action. It's under nine lbs., with a 23 inch barrel.

I have put up a customized Colombian 30 Mauser, with a wildcat 416 barrel from Woody Woodall, at Lothar Walther Precision Tools, in Cummings, GA. It mimics the Selby Rigby very closely. We made this up on an agreed upon 1500 Bavarian Special custom profile, albeit, Woody demanded a larger section just ahead of the receiver, in case I went and re chambered it to the 416 Ruger. With a steel tube Weaver scope, mine weighs 8 lb. 10 Oz. So it is possible.

But you will have to listen, to the barrel maker and sweat out every inch of a 24 inch long barrel, as in my case. My scheme was and is to leave enough steel in my receiver, so I can juice up the pressures in my smaller case, to equal the old Factory Rigby ballistics. I only have a couple of grains of H2O more than the 416 Taylor. But since I used the 375 Ruger as my parent, and have the full half inch long neck of the 416 Rigby. I can reload, but not form, my wildcat in a set of Lyman 416 Rigby reloading dies. The sizing die needed to be trimmed back, 0.300", to do this. The Lyman 416 Rigby seating die was O.K. right out of its orange box.

I have a complete Hornady New Dimension reloading die set, for my wildcat, but reloading my empty cases with the classic Rigby dies, does add a pinch of panache! But this is only a neck sizing proposition. The Hornady custom dies F.L. resize perfectly.

the Remington Magnum contour makes a nice 22"-24" .375

Take a look at Lothar Walther website. They have the original H&H 375 bbl. contour as well as a Mauser contour that should work (I think it's the 5130 model).

Interesting!

Contour #5125: Holland's 375 H&H Original Contour

�D1 = 0.650" Muzzle Diameter
�D2 = 0.900"
�D3 = 1.190"
�D4 = 1.245"
L1 = 1.90"
L2 = 7.15"
L3 = 26" Length

I believe the 5130 profile comes to .625 muzzle diameter at 26" which is perfect in my book based on handling a numbef of London guns.

I don't know what H&H that Walther barrel is for, but it sure wasn't for my 1913 375H&H Mag on a Magnum Mauser action. I had the Walther barrel on my Mod70 Classic 270Win which was remade as a 375H&H contoured the same as my old H&H. Was a bit of work.

However, i like the old H&H, 8 and a quarter pounds with iron sights, genuine takedown with forend coming off with the barrel and wanted somehing similar for the Mod 70.

The Mod70 maybe one day i will have open sights on the same classic style quarter rib of the H&H.

Good luck, Chris

I think Ray Atkinson has posted here that he had the barrel LW used as the template for said contour.

This .404J has a Walther #1450 contour @ 24". It's not that heavy and would probably work for a .375 H&H, although on that one I'd probably go 22".

DF

While that rifle is plain looking, it has that clean industrial look, all set up for social interactions. I like it. I like it alot.

What brand stock is that?

Thanks for all of the info!

Based on what I read here a Douglas #4 at 26 or #3 at 22 to 24 would be about right. So would be a factory Remington.

Does anyone have the measurements on the Winchesters or CZs? What about the whitworths?

Curious about Whitworths. Will finish a glass of wine and measure mine. My new 9.3 will be cut at 23 and is on a Pacnor #3. Thinking that would be a fine 375 too.

I had the barrel of my Whitworth cut to 22" and a banded front sight installed. The band makes it a little tricky to measure the barrel at the muzzle, but it looks very close to .680.

MIne at 24 is .66. Seems perfect to me.

You're right, it's a no frills working gun.

Stock is an Echols Legend.

Fsst handling, not too heavy.

DF

I imagine your measurement is more accurate than mine. In any event, I think the Whitworth has a fine profile for a 375.

Thank you sir. I like the clean looking rifles. There is something about an all-business firearm that just stokes my fire. Love that color too.

That was an accident. I got a can of brown Brownell's Alumna Hyde II epoxy paint. It turned out more OD than brown, but the color has grown on me. It's not too different from the color of Phil Shoemaker's 9.3x62 M-70, also in an Echold Legend.

DF