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New .375 H&H Mod 70 Winchester Safari Express

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05 September 2014, 18:20
jac
New .375 H&H Mod 70 Winchester Safari Express
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.
05 September 2014, 19:00
Snellstrom
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.
05 September 2014, 20:06
Mikelravy
Yep They are fine rifles.
05 September 2014, 20:17
oddsix
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,
05 September 2014, 23:04
Dogleg
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.
06 September 2014, 05:31
416RigbyHunter
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.
tu2
06 September 2014, 06:09
Zephyr
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.
06 September 2014, 16:09
jac
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.
06 September 2014, 16:34
BNagel
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...


_______________________


06 September 2014, 16:37
ColoradoMatt
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.


Matt
FISH!!

Heed the words of Winston Smith in Orwell's 1984:

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right."
06 September 2014, 18:49
John Galt
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
06 September 2014, 19:17
Sid-
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.
07 September 2014, 15:32
drongo
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.


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