.

Double set, or any kind of set triggers are very handy. I first used a rifle with double set triggers over 25 years ago. If you learn how to use them they can prove very useful for off hand and long range shooting.

Alf,

I ageed with you about the Winchester stock. I recently bought one in 416 Rem Mag and I don`t know how anyone could shoot it with that stock. I am now having a custom stock made for the rifle and also some new open sights to replace the piss poor ones that came with the rifle, the rear sight was loose and I could move it around with my hands.

Here in Australia the likes of Winchester and Remington are about to get real boot up the butt from Tikka. Last week the range of Tikkas was put down in price to just over half the price of a Winchester, Remington and less than a CZ, Ruger or Wetherby Vanguard, Howa etc. They are better made than any of them IMO and at least you don`t see non concentric machine marks on the bolt face and crown like I saw on a Model 70 Stainless in 300WSM.

I think the American manufactures need to lift their game if they want to compete with the likes of CZ, Tikka,Sako, Steyr etc. If not, even American buyers will desert them eventually if they are not already. But of course there are the Dakotas, Ed Brown specials, Lazzeronis etc that I would love to have.

I guess its down to you get what you pay for but the European Manufacturers do a better job than the Americans with the more base line rifles.

Anyway I am relieved to hear that there appears to be many shooters who are happy with the 416 Rem Mag as I too had seen Ganyana`s report on the 416 and that concerned me. No doubt I will find out soon!

I suspect if one has pressure problems with a 416 Rem,then he will have pressure problems with a 30-06 or whatever.

BTW, a magazine box and bottom metal are the same thing, bottom metal meaning all the metal below the action, and all are one piece in a drop box or conventional mode except for the M-70 which can be had both ways...meaning Mausers and M-70s and their clones, as they are only recognizable actions for DGRs IMO...

Because one is a PH and a great hunter, does not make him an expert on rifles albeit many consider themselves so, but in truth very very few know come here from sic um about guns...John Kingsley Heath, Richard Lemmer, and the ones that write for the magazines are the exception and some of them are suspect....Most have merely a working knowledge and that is all thats required....Many hunters are far more advanced in gun knowledge than their PH....Some of the very best PHs I know, consider a gun a tool that they use to shoot charging animals at 10 feet in the brain, nothing more...Another fact is Africans seldom shoot at long ranges and as a result are not very good long range shots....this is a generalization and does not apply to all of them of course.

Ditto. In another thread Ganyana made the comment about the 404 being much better than the 416 Rem. With all due respect, I would say that is impossible.



Both 416's are fine, but I'll take the higher magazine capacity of the Rem., since this topic heading is about hunting.

JOHAN,

Isn't there a German gunsmith called Harry Baelder (hope I spelled his name right) who makes .500 Jefferys on standard Mauser actions as a specialty? I read about his work somewhere and even have some pictures of his work but cannot remember where just now.

Good hunting!

.

Personally, I wouldn't have any faith in Winchester's Custom Shop to do anything right, other than maybe pick out a fancy piece of wood for the stock.

To me, the only way to come up with a first-class Model 70 is to buy an original pre-64, or else carefully pick out a Classic with a good action (and only those older ones with the firing pin stop-screw), then send just the bolt and trigger assemblies, plus the receiver of course, to a top riflemaker for a complete overhaul, and I mean from the ground up.

USRAC doesn't even supply the basic Model 70 with a real spring-steel extractor, for Pete's sake..........

AD

Allen,

One of the AR members, Longbob, has a 458 Lott form the Winchester Custom shop. Apart from other problems his bolt handle could not be fully pulled back without hitting the top of stock!!!! Also, he could not get his face far enough down to use the open sights. Seems like the Winchester stock making department took the "straight stock" to new extremes but forgot that a barreled action had to go in the stock

Mike

Many thanks to all who shared their thoughts. The mission here was cartridge selection, and it has been accomplished. In a later thread I will ask opinions on the platform (rifle). Thanks again.