Seems I remember someone on here looking for a Winchester M70 Stainless Classic .375 to cut down. There's one at Cabelas that's been shortened for a decent price. Not mine, bolt handle's on the wrong side.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Wi...inless-375-H-H-Mag-.cfm?gun_id=100370535

Not a bad price. It's been cut to 22", but they stuck a brake on it. I'd lose the brake, cut another inch off the barrel and go from there. One may be able to recover something, selling the brake.

To me, a .375 H&H doesn't need a brake.

DF

I agree and have one of these in my fav. magnum, probably the one "best"cartridge for all-around BC-Territories uses. This is, of course, the superb .338WM and mine had some functional "mods" done at Martini Gunmakers.

The tube was cut to 23", the bolt handle welded, the cocking notch re-worked to prevent that bolt lift some have, the extractor cut in the barrel was radiused and the metal was then bedded into a std. fill Micky Fwt.

I have Talley-Brockman "peep" bases in 8/40, JBed, Talley screwlock QD rings, a very sound 20 year old B&L 4x40 and a Sourdough in a front ramp. It shoots warmish 250 NPs very well, holds "sight-in" and I don't care about dings and whatever.

This is the "spare" to my Dakota 76-.338-also by Martini's and these are about as good as it gets for no bullsh!t serious rifles to be USED hard and often.

I would do as "DF"would, had I not a sts-tubed custom .375 on a P-64 action, another of my "homemade" working rifles and a rather deadly looking and VERY accurate little piece.

On the SS M-70 Classic in .375 H&H, the barrel contour is way too heavy. Here's mine, cut to 21" with NECG irons. When the barrel was cut, I had the smith tweak the action for smooth feeding. This gun will cycle a full mag of EMPTY cases, smoothly without a hiccup, as fast as I can cycle the bolt. So, you know the cases are lining up exactly with the chamber.

DF

Dang right, take that ear splitting brake and throw it in the trash, put eleven degrees on a new crown and start load development with 270 gr. TSX's and RL-15.

Nice rifle there DF, if I wasn't 375 poor I'd buy that one from Cabelas today.

Gunner

Yeah, Gunner. Same here.

I think it's priced right. What could you get for that brake?

DF

That brake would be fishin' lined onto a homemade set of wind chimes....................no value whatsoever.

Gunner

We don't have to like'em to get some salvage against the purchase. Gotta be worth something. People do buy those things...

DF

In that case save the threads ya lop off so's they can turn the proper pitch on their new barrel, hell, kick 'em a handful of complimentary ear plugs with a cash purchase. LOL

Gunner

Yea, that's not a bad price considering they're no longer made. The brake's easy enough to get rid of, the rest of the rifle looks to be in great condition.

I think the new SC/FN M-70's are OK, although I like the New Haven trigger, especially for a DG type gun. Other than a excessively heavy barrel contour, not much wrong with a N.H. M-70. And, those barrels shoot too good to replace. So lobbing them off to 20-21" seems to be an economical way to end up with a nice handling big gun.

That same barrel contour was used in their .458 and .416 versions. But, those two have a lot less steel in the tube because of larger bores. One size does NOT fit all, IMHO.

Oh well, they didn't ask me...

But, don't ya know, I'd a told'em...

DF

Dang, DF, that's pretty close to my ideal for a .375.

Maybe just a touch less scope... But then again, maybe not.

K, I agree with you. That's a beautiful rifle. Not that I'd trade my pre 64 375 H&H for it, but for a working rig that's about spot on!! DF has some very nice rifles!! K, I also hope you are doing well buddy!!!!

The world would be a much better place if you and Kutenay and BobinNH were their advisers!!!!!!!

Thanks KDK,

It would be easy to mount another scope. I have Leupolds 1-4, 1.5-5 and an old 3X that I sent back for #4 German and a good cleaning. Any one of those could be mounted with QD's, using this one for load development.

DF

In a perfect world, for sure.

Every time I see a M70 Classic 375 H&H, I want to take a lathe to that barrel...even the pre 64 is a bit portly. I can live with either one without real consequence but building from scratch I go lighter.

Makes all the difference.

Here's a stainless/synthetic M70 Classic in 416 Rem with the bolt on the correct side lol. I bought it for my son who's left handed. Barrel cut down to 22", mercury recoil reducer in the stock and CeraKoted. It was really muzzle heavy and the reducer really helped with the balance. As far as recoil goes, it's a pussycat ...

I considered doing just that. Talked to a smith who said the screw holes in the barrel would cause chatter and make a good lathe cut difficult. He didn't want to fool with it. So, that's why I cut it to 21".

Those barrels shoot really well, too well to replace, IMHO.

DF

I'm hoping Winchester comes out with a new stainless 375 H&H for next year. I don't care one bit for their laminate Alaskan model.

I'd be all over a SS FW in .375 H&H.

Amen brother!!!!

Doing okay, L. Did you draw an elk tag this year? Gonna start getting ramped up for duck hunting soon...

Indeed. I'd use Bob's blueprints for my medium game rifles in a heart beat. Well, except the .270 thing, there's just some things I won't do...

I bought a general tag for rocky mountain bull elk 2nd season. Didn't have much luck though . How about you buddy??

KDK: I guarantee any 270 blueprint will work for a 280 as well. I know that .007 in bullet diameter bugs a lot of folks

Seriously,DF is right about those NH M70's in 375 and the barrel contour.....I am so torn about it that I bought one in an Echols stock,was bugged about it,and sold it. But the barrels shoot good and clean up nice.

Fast forward a couple of years and a pal and I were slumming one of the LGS's and lo and behold, there was the rifle for sale....my bud asked me about it;I said buy it....it's a tad heavy but it shoots, so he did.It's Alaska ready so a bit of extra barrel would only matter to nuts like me.

A lefty friend wanted a light 375H&H....I gave him the best advise I could, but he marched in another direction,spent a pile of cash,and the rifle was a complete disaster....too heavy and functioned like shidt.

It was no trick really to get where he wanted to be and a left hand M70 Classic action was mated to Lilja SS barrel of about a #4 contour finished at 23",and Brown Precision stock.Scoped, the rifle came in at a hair under 8#'s and has been to Africa,Wyoming for elk,and Newfoundland a couple of times....must be lots of lefties out there because he says everywhere he goes someone tries to buy it from him.It turned out OK.

Lots of folks like a bit of muzzle tilt,and like #3's and stuff like that,which is fine. I don't,and rifles that tilt forward drive me nuts...I prefer something that feels neutral between the hands...maybe balances about at the front action screw if I can get it there. As a result, I end up using a barrel contour somewhat lighter than others reach for in the same caliber class.

My 7 Mashburn,and other 7 mags I have built,have mostly worn #2 Kriegers....on the light side by most standards but the rifles have all shot well.

I would not use anything much heavier than a #1 Krieger or "0" Brux in any standard cartridge for a hunting rifle,except a 30/06,which can work nicely with a FW contour,or a slightly heavier barrel at 23".

For a long range rig,long strings and for volume shooting more barrel is a good thing but most of mine are built to carry and hunt (although I do shoot them a lot).Works for me.

Well, Bob, I was actually thinking about reducing bore size .013.... Or up .061....

But same-same...