CraigC
Sixgun Nut
That cocobolo stock is beautiful! But I bet it is really heavy.
.375 H&H, Custom vs. Production??
- Thread starter igordon81
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lonegunman
Member
I have a Winchester Safari Express (lefty) in 375 H&H. The stock is straight grained walnut, nice but not fancy. I happen to really like the fit and design of the stock and recoil pad, it is perfect for me. The workmanship is very nice and it is well fitted. Best of all it easily shoots 3/4", three shot groups all day with nearly any 270 or 300 gr bullet. Recoil is mild for a gun this caliber and I put a nice low powered Leupold scope on it a couple of years ago.
You could spend a couple of additional thousand dollars on a gun with nicer wood or engraving, maybe a rich high polished blue or having one custom made but it won't shoot better. But you get a personalized gun built the way you always wanted it. Every guy should own something made just for him, especially if it is a gun.
You could spend a couple of additional thousand dollars on a gun with nicer wood or engraving, maybe a rich high polished blue or having one custom made but it won't shoot better. But you get a personalized gun built the way you always wanted it. Every guy should own something made just for him, especially if it is a gun.
"A 375 needs a scope to reach its full potential."
I agree, but until a week ago, I havent been able to find scope bases that fit mine. None would plane out properly, no matter what the charts said as to application. Need to do a little cleaning up on the base I found before installing it. Have a 1-4x Leupold for it.
I agree, but until a week ago, I havent been able to find scope bases that fit mine. None would plane out properly, no matter what the charts said as to application. Need to do a little cleaning up on the base I found before installing it. Have a 1-4x Leupold for it.
dirtyjim
Member
thats why its best to just spend the money for a set of custom square bridges cut for talleys. the topside of the bases are machined on the receiver so they are perfectly inline. averages around $400.
the new williams machine works rings & mountds look real good too and come with square bridge style bases but he hasn't started doing them for mausers yet
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bpl,
Not in the slightest. Here are a few of many African Critters that I've dropped with my 20" stainless M-70 in .375H&H.
IMHO the best ready to go package in .375 available is the new M-70. The Ruger MK II is to heavy for a .375H&H and the CZ needs some work to make it right. I don't use PF rifles in Africa for DG.
dirtyjim
Member
not the kind i'm talking about.
having a set of generic gunsmith bases fit to your receiver is nothing compaired to having a set of square bridges made.
if you know someone who will do square bridges for a lot less than $400 i'll send them 5 rifles tomorrow
Maverick223
Member
I agree with Malamute, I adore my Whitworth Express Mauser chambered in the venerable old .375H&H. I did quite a bit of shopping before buying, but I absolutely love this rifle. It is constructed from a solid magnum length commercial mauser action, has a good barrel complete with barrel band swivel (I consider this a must for high recoil rifles, though this rifle is actually pretty mild), an excellent fitting stock, great sights (mine is equipped with 1 standing and 2 folding express sights & a hooded front sight), and that big 'ole claw to yank out the spent cartridge and sail it into the next county (unless you are gentle with it, in which case it will drop it at your feet).
Others that I looked at included various non-CRFs (but I felt that they just couldn't be relied on in the harshest of conditions), Ruger M77 Mk. II (stock feels horrible and therefore accentuates recoil), older CRF model 70s (tended to be too costly or didn't have the features that I desired), Kimber's (simply too costly), and the CZ-550 (few features that I wanted unless you went custom with this platform). I inquired about the new chamberings proposed by Winchester, but was told that .375H&H was simply not popular enough and was not a consideration...about 2wks after buying my Whitworth they announced the new Safari M-70s...which included .375H&H. I was disappointed...until I shot the new rifle. At which time I was overjoyed that the gentleman at Winchester was misinformed as I can't imagine a better fitting, nicer shooting rifle than the Whitworth. If you can find one of these out of production rifles, I would snatch it up, if you are dead-set on a new rifle, the M-70 would probably be a decent alternative.
Whatever you do, and whatever you decide on, don't settle for the newfangled .375Ruger, it may be touted to be just as good or slightly better, but I believe there is a reason that the H&H is still as popular today as it was 98yrs ago...it gets the job done with regularity! Also you can pick up .375H&H in just about any Inuit village or African outpost, the .375Ruger not so much. While nitrocellulose powder has become better and better, I am still inclined to trust the cartridge with that marvelous taper for proper chambering and extraction; and i'll leave the straight walled stuff for domestic game that doesn't like to trample or bite.
If you decide to scope it, do so appropriately (at least if you intend to use the rifle for the purpose it was designed) and select a robust scope that not only can handle the recoil of the cartridge, but also a few bumps along the way (and still hold zero). Mounts are also a vital concern, and I believe that QW style mounts/rings are best for an insurance policy in case of damage (to allow for use of BUIS or back-up optics). The following is a photo of the Whitworth complete with Leupy VX-3 1.5-5x20mm and QW rings:
Others that I looked at included various non-CRFs (but I felt that they just couldn't be relied on in the harshest of conditions), Ruger M77 Mk. II (stock feels horrible and therefore accentuates recoil), older CRF model 70s (tended to be too costly or didn't have the features that I desired), Kimber's (simply too costly), and the CZ-550 (few features that I wanted unless you went custom with this platform). I inquired about the new chamberings proposed by Winchester, but was told that .375H&H was simply not popular enough and was not a consideration...about 2wks after buying my Whitworth they announced the new Safari M-70s...which included .375H&H. I was disappointed...until I shot the new rifle. At which time I was overjoyed that the gentleman at Winchester was misinformed as I can't imagine a better fitting, nicer shooting rifle than the Whitworth. If you can find one of these out of production rifles, I would snatch it up, if you are dead-set on a new rifle, the M-70 would probably be a decent alternative.
Whatever you do, and whatever you decide on, don't settle for the newfangled .375Ruger, it may be touted to be just as good or slightly better, but I believe there is a reason that the H&H is still as popular today as it was 98yrs ago...it gets the job done with regularity! Also you can pick up .375H&H in just about any Inuit village or African outpost, the .375Ruger not so much. While nitrocellulose powder has become better and better, I am still inclined to trust the cartridge with that marvelous taper for proper chambering and extraction; and i'll leave the straight walled stuff for domestic game that doesn't like to trample or bite.
If you decide to scope it, do so appropriately (at least if you intend to use the rifle for the purpose it was designed) and select a robust scope that not only can handle the recoil of the cartridge, but also a few bumps along the way (and still hold zero). Mounts are also a vital concern, and I believe that QW style mounts/rings are best for an insurance policy in case of damage (to allow for use of BUIS or back-up optics). The following is a photo of the Whitworth complete with Leupy VX-3 1.5-5x20mm and QW rings:
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BTW,
In that picture of the Gemsbok which was a cull animal due to it's full maturity yet stubby horns the wound you see is an exit wound. The bull was facing me quartering hard forward at 209 yards. I hit him at the point of the on shoulder shattering it the bullet then went through the heart and lungs, the diaphragm through the liver through about two feet of paunch and exited. The bull ran about 25 yards and flopped over dead.
I was using a 300 gr rhino loaded to about 2450 FPS. That is why i love the ole .375H&H so much. There is damn near nothing it won't do well, it penetrates like a homesick badger and it does almost no meat damage in the process. Plain and simple it is one serioulsy excellent performing round.
In that picture of the Gemsbok which was a cull animal due to it's full maturity yet stubby horns the wound you see is an exit wound. The bull was facing me quartering hard forward at 209 yards. I hit him at the point of the on shoulder shattering it the bullet then went through the heart and lungs, the diaphragm through the liver through about two feet of paunch and exited. The bull ran about 25 yards and flopped over dead.
I was using a 300 gr rhino loaded to about 2450 FPS. That is why i love the ole .375H&H so much. There is damn near nothing it won't do well, it penetrates like a homesick badger and it does almost no meat damage in the process. Plain and simple it is one serioulsy excellent performing round.
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