.375 H&H, Custom vs. Production??

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igordon81

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Here's my issue. I'm in the market for a 375 bolt gun. I can't seem to find the gun that's "in my head" on the market. I prefer the CRF Mauser style action, and want one with classic styling (useful express sights, barrel band sling swivel, etc.). The CZ550 American Safari Magnum seems to come close, but I can't decide. The Kimber Caprivi's blow my skirt up in the looks department, but I've read a lot of bad press in regard to their quality control as of late. My head is spinning. Please help.
 
The CZ has about everyone else beat in the value department also. I have one in 458 Lott and it has been wonderful. The Ruger I looked at also was about twice the price and I am guessing the Kimber is up there also. They may be a little nicer guns in wood selection and finish, but for an extra grand I would hope so. The CZ will not disappoint you. The bedding behing the recoil lug did break apart, so I rebedded it after opening up the stock a little. I only noticed it because I had the stock off, not because of any shooting issues. Also, the sights are set for 100, 200, and 300 yards. This isn't an optimum setup for a dangerous game rifle, but they can be filed down for more reasonable ranges.
 
May I suggest you take a look at the Ruger MKII Magnum Rifle in 375 H&H? This is one beautiful rifle in oil finished walnut and has all the bells and whistles of a true safari rifle. I have owned one for the past three years and I'm 100% pleased with it. It is extremly accurate with whatever load I put thru it and it's a real pussy cat when loaded down with lead gas checked bullets. Most Ruger dealers will discount this rifle nicely.
 
for an off the shelf 375 i would look at the ruger, cz & the discontinued remington 798.
they all offer room for improvement but will get you started without to much trouble.

for a custom rifle it can get expensive real quick if you don't do the work yourself or use the wrong smith.

my 375 project is just about done.
i still have to regulate the sights, install the recoil lug, install the ebony tip then rust blue the metal and finish the stock with redoil.
i have right at $1100 in it and close to half of that is in the bottom metal and sights.
action is a rail marked oberndorf mauser, bottom metal and bolt handle are from sound metal products, sights are necg, barrel band is a talley, stock is from great american & the pad is a galazan period pad.
375HHproject8.jpg

375HHproject9.jpg
 
Take a look at the new 375 Ruger, it is just about the equal of the 375H&H and might be less cost. I haven't seen the price of one yet but is probably somewhere on the internet....
 
My goals with dangerous game rifles sound quite close to yours. I have generally gone with Ruger Magnums, which are close to my ideal. The main problems are the too-small butt stock (with rock hard pad) and a safety that is very hard to access in the fully locked position.

The CZ is a fine rifle but wants about $500 in aftermarket work in my opinion. American Hunting Rifles offers a "CZ upgrade #1" which fixes all the things I don't like - straighten the bolt handle and fill the hole in it, replaces the silly (for a dangerous game rifle) set trigger, and replaces the weird two-position safety and goofy shroud with a classic three position wing and shroud. They also check function and bedding. This all results in what is to my eye an essentially perfect dangerous game rifle.
 
To beat a long-dead horse, the "problems" with Kimber rifles are:

* Contained to the 'Montana' model
* Mysteriously seem to effect only the 308 and 7mm-08 chamberings of the 'Montana'
* Partially caused by people not knowing how to shoot a 4 lb 308.
* Blown WAY out of proportion by 3 guys posting the same story on 20 different boards... who seem to be followed by a guy who cross-posts a story about how his "gunsmith friend" wont work on them in each of those threads on all 20 forums.

If you want a Caprivi, just get one. Are you going to be shooting bench-rest with it? Are you shooting prairie dogs at 400 yards? No? Then don't worry about it.

If you want a CZ, then get one - Its a great gun as well.

If you want a Ruger M77 then get one; it's a good gun also.

Don't let the internet dissuade you from buying what you like because some nameless strangers cousins friends uncle had a problem with one... That's GOOFY: My mother in law, 10 years later, still wont buy meat from a certain local market because her EX husband didn't like it ONCE. That's kinda dumb.
 
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I have a Ruger Magnum in .375 H&H. It is a really beautiful rifle. It has an excellent piece of wood and a nice trigger. Ther overall workmanship is very good. I bought it new on a clearance for about $1,300.

That said it is heavy, really heavy. It also has about as useless a "recoil pad" that has ever been put on a rifle. I have only shot it with Horady Heavy Magnum ammo and at least with the HM ammo, it kicks like nothing I have shot before. I did not consider shooting it pleasurable.

I have rifles in 416 and 375 Ruger which are much lighter and also quite fun to shoot. I shot the Ruger Magnum the first time, set it down, stepped back and thought to myself "Could that rifle have possibly recoiled as bad as I think it just did?" After more shooting I was really stunned how much recoil impulse I was getting from what is essentially a 10 pound rifle.

I have shot standard 375 H&H ammo in a friend's Remington 700 - I forget the model name but it has a pretty silver/goldish finish on the metal and comes with a synthetic stock. It is substantially lighter than my Ruger and it didn't recoil anywhere near like my Ruger. That would of course be partially be attributable to the ammo, but I think the recoil pad and perhaps stock design are issues too.

In any case if you consider any Ruger I would recommend you only buy one if you can give the gun a good going over before buying. Ruger firearms have the spottyest QC of any manfacturer I am familiar with. Many of their new guns on the shelf have significant problems. The good examples can be a great value, and I have owned plenty myself, but I would NEVER order a Ruger or otherwise buy one without being able to closely scrutinize it first.

Also, as a previous poster mentioned, I believe the .375 Ruger is an excellent round available in an excellent production platform, the Ruger Alaskan. This with the previous caveot about potential QC problems.
 
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I bought a CZ 375 a few years back, mostly on a spur of the moment decision because of the fantastic wood on this standard grade. That said it is a big, heavy gun and fits me like a glove. I have 30-06's that kick harder, and a Ruger #1 in 375H&H also that really kicks.

I just saw another CZ 375 at Gander Mountain, with the European stock that I really like.
 
I have an older M70 Push feed in 375 H&H. It is a smooth and fast action. At the time controlled round was 10 years in the future, I would have preferred the CRF.
 
I am building my 375 on a Savage 110 action. Savage does make a 375 length magazine for the standard action. Requires a minor amount opening up the action. Also so I am doing away with the barrel nut.
 
All you 375 H&H shooters: As posted above, I own a Ruger Magnum rifle in this caliber and I do enjoy shooting it seated at the bench. Before being called all kinds of vile names, I must tell you that I load that big case down with lead gas check bullets and use the loads published in the Lyman Cast bullet Manual. I've been using a load similar to the old 38-55 load and with my heavy Ruger rifle, the kick is like a 243 Win. It's not hard to go thru 2 boxes of these loads in a session and save the jacketed stuff for more important things. BTW, factory jacketed and my lead GC loads shoot to the same point of impact. :)
 
Grey Morel said:
To beat a long-dead horse, the "problems" with Kimber rifles are:

* Contained to the 'Montana' model
* Mysteriously seem to effect only the 308 and 7mm-08 chamberings of the 'Montana'
* Partially caused by people not knowing how to shoot a 4 lb 308.
* Blown WAY out of proportion by 3 guys posting the same story on 20 different boards... who seem to be followed by a guy who cross-posts a story about how his "gunsmith friend" wont work on them in each of those threads on all 20 forums.

If you want a Caprivi, just get one. Are you going to be shooting bench-rest with it? Are you shooting prairie dogs at 400 yards? No? Then don't worry about it.

If you want a CZ, then get one - Its a great gun as well.

If you want a Ruger M77 then get one; it's a good gun also.

Don't let the internet dissuade you from buying what you like because some nameless strangers cousins friends uncle had a problem with one... That's GOOFY: My mother in law, 10 years later, still wont buy meat from a certain local market because her EX husband didn't like it ONCE. That's kinda dumb.
Click to expand...
I agree with Grey Morel's reply. The best thing to do is handle each rifle type and decide from there. All the available .375's are good, but you will probably find that one feels better in your hands than the rest.
 
I recently bought a CZ about 6 months ago and have been really happy with my choice. I was between the Rem 798 and CZ 550. Decided to go with the CZ based on the sights (not planning on scoping this rifle) and handling/looks. I'd recommend playing with a few and seeing what you like best. I did mine at the Dulles gunshow.
 
Much of it depends on your intended purpose. If you're planning a trip to Africa or big bear country, you need a rifle that fits you well. I just thought I knew something about comfortable, well-fitting rifles and then I picked up a custom shop model 70 .375H&H. Not only was it a beautiful rifle with premium wood but it came to the shoulder like it was built just for me. It had express sights that came right up to my eye effortlessly. The pistol grip was long and lean, with fine checkering like I like them. Most are too short and shallow. Were I in the market for a rifle to use on stuff that bites back, I'd want a rifle like that. I just wasn't in the position to spend $3000 on a rifle at that point.
 
I have a Whitworth Mauser that I like quite a lot. They arent available new, but turn up used fairly regularly if you look. Mine was in a hideous thumbhole stock, and rechambered to 375 Weatherby. I found an original factory stock for $25, and had a new Krieger barrel installed, set up to 23", chambered in 375 H&H, and the action and barrel cryo'ed. It's bedded, a Lyman No 57 sight, sourdough front, and has a decelerator pad installed. I believe I have about $750 in mine.

Am I understanding correctly, that there have been a couple of comments about factory recoil pads as a complaint against the gun? It's one of the simplest, and potentially best modifications to do, as you can change the length of pull and butt angle to fit you better. I just assume I'm going to put a good pad on a rifle when I buy one and never give it a second thought.


IMG_2146.gif
 
Seems like biggest 'jump' in price is when the 3/4 rib is standard, or the word 'safari' appears on the rifle.

I ended up with a Savage but I came very close to buying a CZ many times. You can find a stainless Browning A-bolt push feed in .375 on the cheap but it will have no sights, a plastic stock and a 13 pound trigger. Adding a good stock, 1/4 rib, iron sights and barrel band will get you into the 1000-1200 range. Buying a rifle with those features standard (even from Winchester or Ruger) you're looking at 1500+ to start.
 
No mention of Dakota?

BTW, Malamute, nice Whitworth. I have the 458 version that I am restocking. Love it.

Still have a lot of sanding to do, then a nice rust blue. Wood is cocobolo and quite heavy. make shooting 458 much nicer.

whitworth-1.jpg
 
Guntech,
Wow that's denser than hickory (and more than 2x as dense as walnut), but it sure is pretty wood.
 
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