Hello- I've been a daily visitor on this site for almost 4 years now, I guess I should start posting.

I've found a Win 70 pre'64 in 300 H&H and have heard I can use the action to build a rifle in 375 H&H or RUM. Is this true? and if so what modifications would I need to make to the action/bolt to fit the larger cases of the H&H and RUM?

I've been searching for about two months trying to find the right CRF action and this is about as close as I've gotten without spending $3k or $4k on a custom rifle. I know there are CZ's out there but I can't seem to like them so I'm thinking of building my own.

Thanks for you time.

Everybody seems to be searching for a pre64 model 70 in 300 H&H, and you want to rebarrel it? If it is in original and good condition sell it to a collector and have a custom rifle made for the same amount of money.

Yeah, I'm with Wink. Seems lots of folks are looking for just that rifle. I'd personally keep it as is or sell it to finance the project you desire -- of course you should do what you want......

I wouldn't hesitate to put the .375 H&H barrel on it.....300 magnums are common and all over the place.

Personally, I wouldn't look to the RUM for this action.

I looked over several of these so called 'Rifleman's Rifles' in cals. .375, .30-06, .308, and .264Mag. Most recently, I had chance to compare pre-64 .264Mag to Heym SR20 'Classic' in .300WinMag. With respect to fit, finish, and HANDLING the Heym was vastly superior rifle.
I'm sure you can use that Winchester and .300H&H is one of the more common calibers, so collectors should not go .

Rebarrel to a 375 H&H and keep the original barrel. Shouldn't hurt anything as I believe no mods are required.

quote:

Originally posted by Paolo9,5x73:
I looked over several of these so called 'Rifleman's Rifles' in cals. .375, .30-06, .308, and .264Mag. Most recently, I had chance to compare pre-64 .264Mag to Heym SR20 'Classic' in .300WinMag. With respect to fit, finish, and HANDLING the Heym was vastly superior rifle.
I'm sure you can use that Winchester and .300H&H is one of the more common calibers, so collectors should not go .

Paolo, A 300 H&H will bring more money than your hyme anytime at least here in the USA. Many of the 300 H&H rifles were rechambered to 300 Weatherby and a 300 H&H in good condition will bring a premium now. Many rifles had the stock cut and fitted with a recoil pad. That kills the deal for collectors. An action will bring a lot of money now.

you need no action mods but the 375 bbl had no sight boss&was heavier taper so dont ruin the 300H&H stock.

Keep the 300 H&H as is. If you don't I can guarantee that one day you will be sorry. It is a true american classic. All pre-54 Mod 70 actions ae the same length and can be converted to 375 H&H. Any good gunsmith can open the bolt face and add a 375 length magazine box. I would look for a well worn and beat up Pre-64 in 30-06 at local gun shows. You should be able to pick one up for 3-400 dollars. I have a 458 Lott custom built on a 30-06 pre-64 action.

465H&H

quote:

Originally posted by KimR:
you need no action mods but the 375 bbl had no sight boss&was heavier taper so dont ruin the 300H&H stock.

That is what I did for my conversion.

You could get a new one-pound synthetic stock and a slim sporter barrel of 0.625" muzzle diameter. Get a heavier barrel and heavier stock for a well balanced heavier rifle.Then you have the original stock and barrel to reassemble, in the unlikely chance you ever want to.

I used a "Brown Precision Pounder" synthetic stock and a "Douglas Premium" stainless barrel, an NECG front sight and detachable peep.

It is a simple re-barrel. No dramas, feeds fine and holds 4 down plus 1 chambered. The Pre-64 Box is perfect for the .375 H&H, four down.

The Pre-64 .300 H&H was converted to a .375 H&H that weighs 6.75 pounds bare/empty/unscoped. Add ammo, scope and sling and it is about 8.5 pounds and a pleasure to carry and shoot.
It is on my shoulder in the signature photo from the Botswana kopje top.

Every one here is asuming the 300 is in more or less origional condition. If it has been alterd it is not a collectable. But a 375 H&H barrel will screw right in, and I am prety sure most of the Big barrel makers can build one with the same contour as the factory 300 barrel has.
A 375 H&H is a cool round. I saw a heading somewhere that barnes has a 235 gr tripple shock
comming out for the 375. A H&H chamberd rifle that shoots that bullet well would be terrific for the biggest North amereican game, moose griz and what not !!! tj3006

I always get a kick when somebody on this forum says that "I can get" this particular action for a cheap amount of money. When I write to them and ask them where they are getting all of these cheap actions I never hear back.

Anyway, I had an ad on here awhile back for a true pre-64 Magnum action. the one that has the cutouts in the front ring and rear bridge. And it has SuperGrade bottom metal. Its in parts and has been bead blasted for a reblue, but its in great condition. I had it for sale for $750 shipped. Quitea few wrote to me and said I was crazy for asking that much. They said it was only worth $600 or so. I guess I say if you are building a $3-6 thousand dollar custom big bore rifle and you are worried about $150 then you need to find another hobby.

Look on auction arms. you can find my action there today. make a bid and see if you can win it. And then hold on to your .300. They aren't making any more of them!!!!!!

Thanks for everyones input, I really appreciate it.

I found the rifle yesterday but haven't seen it yet. I'll hopefully get to see it today or Monday. When I talked to the owner he said the rifle is in 80-90% condition and didn't have an idea of the age. He's asking $1000 for it so I'm alittle hesitant on paying that much for a used action.

I have it in my head to put a new barrel and a new stock on it, so we'll see what happends. I've changed my mind about 10 times on what rifle/caliber I want to build, this is just the newest idea. Every time I log onto this forum I seem to find something else to do.

Thanks again for comments and I'll let you know what I decide.

Terry

I used a pre-64 M70 action, that had originally been fitted with a .300 H&H barrel, to build a .375 H&H.

The advantage of this was that no action modifications were needed.

Since all you want is the action, keep your eyes open and you may find one for $750-850.

I was looking for a classic rifle to compliment my pre-64 action .375 so I bought a pre-64 M70 300 H&H in January for $600. The gun had seen a lot of use but was a solid honest 300 H&H. The stock has been refinished and topped with a Leupold 6X. I just picked up the rifle and it is a tack-driver. I had a tough time finding brass but when I did I had a friend cook up some great loads with 180 gr. Hornady bullets.

I now have a classic American magnum perfect for Elk size game or plains game in Africa. Between the .300 and the .375 there is nothing in North America or most of the world I can't take. Both rifles are simply elegant and the actions sublime. If someone will tell me how to post photos I'll share.

Doublegun

Create an account at Photobucket.

http://s25.photobucket.com

Once you have created your account, read the tutorials on how to upload photos to your account.

After you upload photos to your Photobucket account, each photo will be assigned a URL.

Then, When you post here on AR, you will see a BLUE Row just above where you are typing your message. The next to the last item on that Blue Row is "Display Image". After you type what you want, click on that Display Image Box.
It will ask you for the URL of the image you want to display. Either type it in, or copy it from Photobucket. Hit okay. YOur image should appear.

Here goes:

This is the 300 H&H when I got it:



This is the 300 H&H after it was refinished:



And this is my 375 H&H



Doublegun

I sold a friend of a friend a solid P64-70 that had had a bull barrel 6mm Rem barrel fitted to the original stock (hogged out forend) for $750 three weeks ago. He had been told of over a dozen in the Boise area for half that. Sadly, none of them ever existed outside of someone's wet dream. Any mechanically solid, other wise RAT P64-70 you find for less than $750...you best buy it. Even if it is just an action. This one was originally a 270 (I think) and it took the gunsmith less than two hours to rebarrel it in 458 Lott and do the necessary modifications bolt, etc, and to make the stock magazine hold 3 loaded Lott rounds and a fourth up the pipe. Bedded the barrel full length and then gave it a hairsbreadth clearance from 3" forward of the receiver ring and spray painted it with wrinkle black finish. When it comes back from Africa, it will be fitted with a synthetic stock.

Paolo, no offense man, but those boutique action builders over on your side of the world haven't been able to make anything any better than the 70 year old Winchester, and most of the stuff I see does not measure up to the standard the P64-70 set back in the 1930's. Take a good look if you ever get to hold one, it's the ferrari of bolt actions.

Rich

Doublegun

That is a pretty nice looking .375 Holland you have there. Who did the Custom work on that thing and where did you buy that nice stick of firewood.

Thank you for the compliments on the 375. It is a beautiful rifle, indeed. The rifle was made in 1974 by Keith Stegall of Gunnison Colorado for a Patent Lawyer in Findlay, Ohio. When the attorney died it was purchased by another gentleman in Findlay who consigned the rifle to Jaqua's and I bought it from them. I am a sucker for a beautiful piece of wood and this rifle is quite a piece of eye candy. (It is french walnut). While it is a beautiful rifle the previous owner was not afraid to use it and shot coastal browns and Griz with it in AK and a few Elk out west.

It is topped with a Leupold 1.5 - 5x; fitted with a custom detachable mounts; the blades on the quarter rib are for 50, 100, 200 and 300 yards and the gun is sighted in with 270 gr loads from Winchester and is right on out to 300 yards with both the scope and the iron sights. The trigger was also custom made and breaks at just about 3 lbs. The gun, fully loaded (4-down, one in the chamber) comes in at just under 9 lbs.

In spite of the metal butt plate and relatively light weight, the rifle is a pleasure to shoot. Recoil is about what you would expect from a 12 ga shooting heavy 3" loads.

As for what the rifle cost me, well I'll never kiss and tell but I will say that it was much less than what the stock would cost IF you could even find a piece of wood like that.

As beautiful as the 375 is, I find the 300 H&H very appealing to the eye and shoulder. As I said, it is an honest rifle in a truly classic caliber. I can't wait to get it out west next year.

quote:

Look on auction arms. you can find my action there today. make a bid and see if you can win it. And then hold on to your .300. They aren't making any more of them!!!!!!

Do you have a link or auction #. I didn't find it by looking or using the "search"?

Doublegun,
Indeed beautiful. Under 9 pounds with 5 rounds of ammo means with no scope or sling, iron sights only, eh.

It is right around 9 lbs with 5-rounds and the scope.

quote:

Originally posted by AfricanHunter:

quote:

Look on auction arms. you can find my action there today. make a bid and see if you can win it. And then hold on to your .300. They aren't making any more of them!!!!!!

Do you have a link or auction #. I didn't find it by looking or using the "search"?

It didn't sell and the auction is now over. Were you interested in it.

OK guys if its worth that much i'll sell it.
I have a pre 64 featherweight model 70 in .308 that is a real good shooter and as far as I am concerned a darn nice hunting rifle. If any body out there will give 750.00 for It I will be real happy to sell,
and if that aint enough I have another in 30,06 all origional in 90% condition that is a great hunting rifle, I love that one, but for enough cash i will sell it too !
I also have a rare model 70 classic in 7mmSTW that if somebody wants to make a 375 custom on they can do so with out sacraficing a very cool 300 H&H. Make me an offer on that one. Its wood and blue steel with leupold bases and the origional box. By the way it shoots 160 grain nosler accubonds into a Quarter inch (3 shots) with H-1000 or RL-25,. I never shoot it any more but I might make a 375 out of it myself one day , but the CZs work for me and if someone wants it bad enough id be happy to sell it and buy the CZ lets see I have a classic .338 and a pre64 30/30 too feel free to make offers but they will have to be more than I would pay for any of them. ...tj3006

Did not plan on selling any of them but what the hell, I paid 550.00 for the 30,06 less that a year ago. If I can double my money Its tempting. Trades considerd too ! (I like FNs and sakos...tj3006

I sold my 300 modified pre 64, a couple three months ago. The jamohk is having money problems now and I'm hoping to get it back. They are excellent rifle/actions. If you want to modify, why not just keep looking for a 375, instead?