I have an action i want to turn into a .375 and now a new problem came up, the magazine length. Someone has informened me there was a difference in this action for the .375 and 300 H&H mags, and they had a longer box magazine. The length of the inside of my magazine is approximately 3.6, the books lists the max length for the 375 as 3.6, Remingtons mag box is approximately 3.7 long.

Can a Winchester mod 70, pre 64 owner of a .375 or 300 H&H please provide me with the length of the inside of the box magazine. I dont know if this will be a problem or not, maybe someone here can help me with this.

thanks

Roger Rule, on page 103 of his book, The Rifleman's Rifle, lists the H&H Magnum box as being 3 5/8" in length....

Woodhick:

Does it list the mag length in the book for a 30-06, 270, 280 etc. standard long action or any of the other magnum cartridges. 3 5/8 is approximately 3.63 not much difference. I am trying to find out if my bottom metal will work, this rifle is a custom so there is no telling what has been used on it.

thanks

Mine are the same at about 3.6". A round might have to be a little under that to have reliable feeding.

Savage99:

The length you provided is that for a H&H length cartridge? Now i am wondering if there is a difference in length in the boxes and if so what the next size down would be.

thanks

Rino,

It's not my business, and not to interfere with your project, but wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a pre-64 .375 instead of building one? Even the SuperGrades are only going for $3500, and I have not figured out how to get a custom rifle built for much less than that.

500grains:

I purchased this rifle very very cheap, it has a very nice carved stock with leaves and a moose on it, magnum bolt face with jewled bolt, i want to make this a shooter, so i hope all that is needed is to be re-barreled and some stock work. I realy want to make it into a 375 if not it will be a 338.

thanks

Rino,

The man who can both answer your question and sell you any parts that you may be lacking is Ted Blackburn, maker of bottom metal for all sorts of Mauser and Winchester conversions. I believe this to be his current contact info:

Blackburn Machine
1255 S Industrial Pkwy
Provo UT
(801) 373-3526

Alternatively Jim Wisner could field the question and may have parts for sale that you might need.

Good luck with the rifle!

quote:

Originally posted by RINO:
Savage99:

The length you provided is that for a H&H length cartridge? Now i am wondering if there is a difference in length in the boxes and if so what the next size down would be.

thanks

Again according to Roger Rule's book on the Pre-64 Model 70, the H&H Magnum box was 3.625" (3 5/8") and all other chamberings came with a box that was 3.375" (3 3/8") in length.

All other pre 64 70s, except the Hornet, share a 3 3/8" magazine box......

Rino,
The Pre-64 M70 in .300 H&H has a 3.600" box in my rifle. I rebarreled this rifle to .375 H&H and put it in a Brown Precision stock. It is my all time favorite rifle at under 7 pounds bare/empty. It feeds perfectly and has never failed to accept a .375 H&H cartridge into its box, when the bullets are crimped on the usual cannelures, or any factory ammo.

It holds 4 down in the box plus one chambered.

The box is Mauser-Cosine-Law-Perfect in width front and rear for the .375 H&H cartridge. They knew how to make them back then.

I shot all my plains game with it in Botswana, with 300 grain X-Bullets at 2528 fps. It was my backup for cape buffalo if the .416 Rigby had boogered. No worries.

It has also been all over Alaska and dumped a +300 pound 6'4" square black bear at 200 yards with one shot: the bear dropped when hit and rolled down the steep mountainside in Prince William Sound. I was shooting uphill in haste and spined him above the heart, not having held low enough. It worked!

I still have the .300 H&H barrel and stock, and could always reassemble it if I ever lost my mind.

You got a fine idea that worked great for me.

No way does a Pre-64 .300 H&H have less than a 3.6" box, eh, Roger?

quote:

Originally posted by RINO:
Savage99:

The length you provided is that for a H&H length cartridge? Now i am wondering if there is a difference in length in the boxes and if so what the next size down would be.

thanks

That's what you asked about, a 300 and 375 H&H's in the pre-64 M70's was it not?

Both boxs are the same in length. A 300 H&H with a COL of 3.620" drags it's nose in both boxs.

I have not followed if you have a 3.6" box or not but if you could get one just a little bit longer the action might handle a little longer seated round. In other words I wish I could seat my bullets out more in the 300.

Savage99:

I believe my questions have been answered. I have a custom rifle (pre 64 model 70) that wears an original 270 barrel, but it has been converted to a belted mag with a .270 bore, unknown exactly what the cal. is weatherby or wildcat, what ever it is it has a belt and the bolt face is a magnum bolt face. the mag box is approximately 3.6 I want to turn this thing into a 375 H&H but wanted to know if i had the correct box magazine for it.

It just seemed to me there would be a bit more room in the mag well for a loaded 375. i guess the nose of the bullet about touches the end of the magazine.

seems like my project might just work

thanks for the posts

All you have to do is rebarrel it and some rail work, if you wanted to replace the box that is cheap at best since the M-70 magazines are in 3 parts..but you can just knock the block out of the one you have..Also need to open up the rear receiver ring but thats a snap.

Dennis Olson, Plains Mt. can do that for you, he has done several for me..406-826-3790....