I am interested in buying the new Winchester Mod 70 Safari Express in 375 H&H. Does anyone have any experience with this model rifle? Is it superior to the 80's Push Feed Mod 70? I have heard that the stock can be probe to cracking and must be glass bedded. I have also read that the firing pin does not strike the primer hard enough resulting in miss fires. I would appreciate your comments.

jac
Welcome to the forum.
I have 2 Winchester M70's in .375 H&H and about a dozen in other calibers. I have a couple of push feeds from the 80's and newer controlled feed models. I have never had a single issue with any of them they function all flawlessly.
One of my .375's is a Supergrade with a slimmer trimmer stock than the Express you are considering and the stock on mine is in fine shape no cracks.
I've never heard of the firing pin myth before, that's a good one undoubtedly put out there by a disgruntled pre-64 fan.
Buy the rifle that interests you and use it.
Winchesters have never been better.

Yep They are fine rifles.

I bought one and love it. All I can say is big bore tack driver! Truly impressive. Now if only I could find some RL 15,

Bought 5 M70s since the production was resumed. Best M70s ever made as far as I'm concerned.

The Express is a little heavy for a .375 but perfect for a 458. A Walnut Alaskan is about right.

I'd like to know who dreamed up that light strike thing. A bad spring on anything is possible, but not a design trait.

Very fine rifles, I have a stainless classic with HS Precision stock and re-chambered in 375 Weatherby, it was coined the 'Alaskan' at the time of purchase, but no mention was made on any of the literature supplied with the rifle.
Never heard of this short pin throw thing.

Cheers.

I've bought two, one a 375H&H re-barreled to 400H&H another in 458 win re-chambered to 458 Lott.
After about 300+ rounds in the 400H&H I started to experience misfires or soft firing pin strikes. Win's standard firing pin spring is 24#s I replaced it with a 30# WOLFF - BLITZSCHNELL STRIKER SPRINGS from Brownells. Worked great .... when I put together the Lott I replaced that spring as well.

Thank you for all your comments, they sound very positive on the whole. I guess most teething troubles can be easily rectified by a decent gunsmith.

F-I-L's functioned well. Conformation and my own shape was uncomfortable -- trigger guard banged my finger around. Brno's and CZ's fit me better. Buy what fits you...

Other than the new Fn Winchesters, how many other bolt action sporting rifles are made in manufacturing plants that are ISO certified? Not many, if any at all, I would think. Just wish, like many, that the DG caliber had the old trigger.

I have one of the newer .375 H&H Safari Express rifles and it is extremely accurate. It was shooting between a .5" and a .75" group at 100 yards with the Barnes 250 grain TTSX bullets as well as the 260 grain Nosler Accubond over a max (+ a few extra grains in MY GUN ONLY...) charge of RL15. The stock is a little short for my 6'4" frame and the rifle is a tad on the heavy side, but it is a stout and graceful package nonetheless. Mine wears matching Leupold VX-6 scopes in Talley QD rings, one in the 1-6x24 power range and the other in 2-12x42. Talk about one rifle, one planet!

-John

I had to replace my firing pin and spring with a Tubbs speedlock pin and spring. I had several misfires and one hangfire that caught me off guard. I thought I was the only one who had this issue until your post. The gun shoots very well and I am very happy with it...416 Rem Mag not 375 though.

I did swap out the stock for a B&C stock with aluminum bedding. For the money I think it is a good rifle and if you go custom it can be great.

I have a Model 70 in .375 H&H that I have put over 300 rounds through; no problems. It is very accurate with all the commercial loads tried. It is a controlled feed with what was advertised as a David Miller designed negative drop stock. Very comfortable to shoot.