Recently I am thinking of building a classic .375 H&H hunting rifle.

The Dakota 76 African, the Kimber Caprivi or the Sako Safari are exactly the styles I want.

I prefer to build the rifle with a good gunsmith (like Karl Feldkamp) than buy one ready as I have the garantee of accuracy and realibility. Specially because I dont live in US, so send the rifle back to the factory is impossible once it enter my country.

But the problem I found is: where to get a good wood stock, like the Dakota and Kimber mentioned? And not so expensive...

Have a wood specialist to build a stock from scratch seems like very expensive (around U$2.000,00 and up).
And the Dakota 76 is very expensive (around U$7.500,00 and up).
The Kimber is a good price and a friend brought one in a recent Africa safari that performed very well.
And the Sako Safari is hard to get price quote in US and to find it.

I found Accurate Inovations but I get mixed informations on foruns around the web about their delivery times (varying from 6 months to never...)

Anybody knows if Dakota sells only the stock? This could work as I can buy the Dakota action too.

If I can not get any good (and not very expensive) solution for the wood stock I may buy the Kimber Caprivi, but I really prefer a Dakota action.

Anyway I would apreciate any comments, sugestions, opinions etc that may help me to decide.

Thanks,

LRCampos

Kind of in the same boat. I'm looking for stock options for a Montana LA Mag.

Take a look at this site, maybe Joel can do something for you. He is very much into wood and can do almost any stock. Great guy to work with too. Might be worth your time to call him. But key to remember is wit any custom work, one must be paitent.

http://russoriflestocks.com/Home_Page.html

Rod

If you're going the M70 route I know for sure Winchester sells just the Supergrade stocks for around $450. You could call them and see if you can purchase a Safari Express stock as well. Obviously they are inletted for current production SC barreled actions though.....

Like this Pre 64 M70 in 257 Roberts?




[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/Pre%2064%20M70%20257%20Roberts/696c0d88.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/GSSP/Elk%20hunt%202010/IMG_20101009_175643.jpg[/img]

Work was done by Glen Morovitz of Newell, South Dakota. He has stocked for Dakota for quite some time.

Alan

My ohhh MY that is pretty! Bet it shoots and hunts good, too!

GSSP,

This stock is absolutely fantastic, gorgeous!!!

The wood, the metal fit and the wood work are pure art.

Of course I would like a stock like this, but I suspect it is way out of my reach.

I would think of spending about U$1.500,00 on stock, so a true piece of art, like yours, will probably more than double that price.

.

I think I should give an update of my finds...

- Dakota:
I found out that they sell only the stock. It starts at U$250,00 and is semi-inletted. As I understool, it needs the metal parts (grip cap etc) but the checkering is done. Finish is up to the customer. I think it is good news, but a Dakota action is not viable to me (because import taxes will take a Dakota rifle price as reference and put about 60% over it).
But, are the Dakota action similar enough to the Win 70 that it can fit in a Dakota semi inletted stock?

- Sako: It seems that is near impossible to find a Sako Safari... so I can not get its price. And I read somewhere that it is NOT a controlled round feed action. Is it?

- Winchester: The Winchester 70 Safari Express is the most affordable of all, despite it holds only 3 rounds in magazine and its wood stock is factory grade. But, if I can get a good wood on it (and maybe, even open the magazine for 4 rounds...), it can be a decent .375 H&H rifle. If it does not shoots good with factory barrel, just rebarrel it.
About the wood stock, I was thinking on Accurate Innovations stocks. Are they good to deal? Are the finished stock good as it looks on their website?

Accurate Innovations: http://www.accurateinnovations.com/
Rifle gallery: http://www.accurateinnovations.com/RIFLE_GALLERY.HTML

Or anyone have a good recomendation for a wood stock maker/gunsmith? I plan to have about U$1.500,00 on a finished nice stock. Am I being realistic?

I apreciate any help! Thanks.

What about Kilamanjaro (used to be Serengeti)?

If I was building a 375 on a Model 70, I wouldn't use any heavier barrel than a #4. You can open up a factory Super Grade stock to take a #4 fairly easy.

swfa.com/New-Haven-Winchester-Model-70-Supergrade-Stock-P44444.aspx

They have a decent grain and come completely inletted and ready to bed.

If you're interested in the Kimber you can buy a 8400 Classic Select and turn it into a 375 H&H. I just did that. Bought a brand new 8400 of Gunbroker for under $900 and an going to turn it into a 375 H&H. The classic select stocks can be very nice. Full retail is about $1,300...even with a re-barrel to 375 and sights, coating, etc., your about 2/3 the price of the Caprivi.

Well, that's good info.. Ever been to Newell? About a dozen houses, a gas station, the base for Butte Power and a small school.. And only 20 minutes or so from Belle Fourche..

If he's still around I'll have to go over and meet this gentleman.. Thanks Alan

.

McCray, thank you for the link!!! This is a very good way to get an afordable upgrade on the stock!

Kimber7man, the Kilimanjaro rifles are wonderfulls... but at U$10,000.00 plus for the rifle, it is out of my budget for this project.

Lots of good ideas and sugestion... please, keep going!