Turning a Win M70 300 winnie into a 375 H&H

02 June 2006, 11:04

I have decided to try and modify a Win M70 XTR in 300 WM and was able to find a 375 Safari Express barrell that I want to put on it. Just wondering what kind of modifications I am looking at for my gunsmith who I will call tomorrow. The XTR's were push feeds and someone told me that will pose a problem with the extractor on the 375 barrel. Looking for any info. Thanks in advance.

02 June 2006, 16:32

jeffeosso

this should be posted in gunsmithing

in a nuthsell, if the 375 barrel is from a classic action, your smith will have to face off the end of the barrel, recut threads, time the sights to the action, and headspace. then he'll need to replace the mag box, bolt stop, and perhaps mill the action for the longer rounds, followed by bluing.

i don't believe I would "bother" with the pushfeed to build a 375 on, though that's not out of the question.

where's what *I* would probably do.

sell the XTR, if it's in decent condition, you should get 400-600 (winnie prices are crazy)

sell the barrel - 50

call it 500 returned...

avoid the cost of the gunsmithing -400 (150 for the barrel work, 100 for feeding, 150 for bluing)

have $900 bucks to work with...
buy a CZ 550 in 375, send to CZ for bedding, cross bolts and feeding, and have very nice CZ for about 50 bucks more than you would have spent for making a pushfeed 375

jeffe

02 June 2006, 17:05

ManCannon

How could Jeffe have said it any better???

02 June 2006, 17:47

adrook

What does time the sights to the action mean?

Andy

02 June 2006, 18:09

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by adrook:
What does time the sights to the action mean?

Andy

Andy,
timing the sights, to MIX metaphors, this is has nothing in the world to do with a clock, just a visual..
if the sights are aligned at "12 o'clock" compared to the midline of the action, when you cut the barrel back, the threads, shoulder, and headspace must line back up to the same.

to put that in degrees... if the sights on the first setup are considered 0deg, then when the barrel is reinstalled, it must headspace properly with the threads recut to index back to 0

jeffe

02 June 2006, 18:19

Jim Kobe

You have to "time" the barrel to the action so the sights come up to the top when the barrel is installed.

02 June 2006, 18:41

adrook

Thanks guys, I understand now. I thought that was probably what it meant but wasn't sure.

02 June 2006, 21:04

vapodog

quote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
this should be posted in gunsmithing

in a nuthsell, if the 375 barrel is from a classic action, your smith will have to face off the end of the barrel, recut threads, time the sights to the action, and headspace. then he'll need to replace the mag box, bolt stop, and perhaps mill the action for the longer rounds, followed by bluing.

i don't believe I would "bother" with the pushfeed to build a 375 on, though that's not out of the question.

where's what *I* would probably do.

sell the XTR, if it's in decent condition, you should get 400-600 (winnie prices are crazy)

sell the barrel - 50

call it 500 returned...

avoid the cost of the gunsmithing -400 (150 for the barrel work, 100 for feeding, 150 for bluing)

have $900 bucks to work with...
buy a CZ 550 in 375, send to CZ for bedding, cross bolts and feeding, and have very nice CZ for about 50 bucks more than you would have spent for making a pushfeed 375

jeffe

Well said.....total agreement on this advice.

02 June 2006, 21:29

22WRF

quote:
Originally posted by ManCannon:
How could Jeffe have said it any better???

Well, he could have said to buy a Model 70 Classic controlled feed in .375 rather than the CZ. that would have said it a little better.

02 June 2006, 21:41

GAHUNTER

Why not a good Whitworth/Interarms Mark X Safari in .375? A lot lighter (I think) than the CZ and comes in "Safari" configuration, complete with barrel swivel. There's one on Guns America right now for 725 bucks.

I love mine, and it shoots better than most of my medium bores and all my big bores.

02 June 2006, 23:03

AlaskaCub

Thanks for the info, I was just hoping to bring new life to this 300 WM , it has sentimental value so I dont want to sell it. But I have other 300's that shoot better, weigh less and are stainless, so this one is a safe queen. Thought it would be cool to make it into something I might use for brown bear. Guess I'll pass on the idea.

03 June 2006, 00:02

Erik Fryman

Turn it into a .425 Express. I have been wanting to do this for a while, and the .300 Winmag would be a good candidate.

03 June 2006, 01:08

nordrseta

quote:
I was just hoping to bring new life to this 300 WM, it has sentimental value so I dont want to sell it. Thought it would be cool to make it into something I might use for brown bear

You might have it rebored to 338 Win Mag or 416 Taylor...

03 June 2006, 02:23

Canuck

quote:
Originally posted by nordrseta:
quote:
I was just hoping to bring new life to this 300 WM, it has sentimental value so I dont want to sell it. Thought it would be cool to make it into something I might use for brown bear
You might have it rebored to 338 Win Mag or 416 Taylor...

Or use that barrel and make a 375 Chat-Taylor (375/338). That'd be a bitchin bear rig, if you don't mind owning and reloading for a wildcat.

I turned a Browning BBR into a 416 Taylor. Probably makes some here green (with nausea) to see a pushfeed DGR with a 60deg bolt throw and 9 locking lugs on the bolt, but I love it. I think I'll have to post another picture of it with the iron sights on it and see what kinda reaction it draws now.

I understand sentimental value. I have only ever sold one rifle and I still regret it. If the jerk hadn't let it rust so bad, I would have bought it back already!

Cheers,
Canuck

03 June 2006, 04:48

DPhillips

quote:
Originally posted by Canuck:
quote:
Originally posted by nordrseta:
quote:
I was just hoping to bring new life to this 300 WM, it has sentimental value so I dont want to sell it. Thought it would be cool to make it into something I might use for brown bear
You might have it rebored to 338 Win Mag or 416 Taylor...

Or use that barrel and make a 375 Chat-Taylor (375/338). That'd be a bitchin bear rig, if you don't mind owning and reloading for a wildcat.

I turned a Browning BBR into a 416 Taylor. Probably makes some here green (with nausea) to see a pushfeed DGR with a 60deg bolt throw and 9 locking lugs on the bolt, but I love it. I think I'll have to post another picture of it with the iron sights on it and see what kinda reaction it draws now.

I understand sentimental value. I have only ever sold one rifle and I still regret it. If the jerk hadn't let it rust so bad, I would have bought it back already!

Cheers,
Canuck

Make sure you know if you have enough barrel before sending the rifle off for reboring for anything over .35 caliber. If you have sights on the barrel, the screw holes for the sights might not leave enough barrel metal there for safety, or may be completely through if rebored to .375 caliber or larger.

03 June 2006, 08:21

Canuck

quote:
Originally posted by DPhillips:
quote:
Originally posted by Canuck:
Or use that barrel.... <snip>
Cheers,
Canuck

Make sure you know if you have enough barrel before sending the rifle off for reboring for anything over .35 caliber. If you have sights on the barrel, the screw holes for the sights might not leave enough barrel metal there for safety, or may be completely through if rebored to .375 caliber or larger.

In case there was any confusion, I was refering to the .375 Safari Express barrel he already has (see top post).

Cheers,
Canuck