My next caliber is going to be a 416 Remington Magnum. However, I can't make up my mind whether or not between the Winchester Safari or Remington custom. I also have a Sako .300 Win Mag that I was thinking about rebarreling to the .416. The Sako is a older model L61R, I was wondering if any one had any suggestions.

Thanks Scratch

1. Remington. It's like buying a Yugo. The extractor will break, the bolt handle will fall off, the crap trigger design will cause an accidental discharge, and the people in your safari camp will poke fun at you. Please avoid Remington, even if from the so-called custom shop.

2. Winchester. The new ones are a sound starting point, but they need some help. Here is a list of things I recently had done to a M70 to try to make it acceptable for hunting use:

polish raceways
polish rails
polish ramp
polish bolt body
reduce trigger to 3 pounds
radius sharp edges at bottom and top of feed ramp
radius sharp edge at chamber mouth
open extractor cut, radius sharp edges
check bolt clearance through action and possibly widen action cuts to that both bolt and a bit of sand can fit through (a lot of them bind)
replace extractor with a spring metal one from Williams
replace sights with NECG
shorten barrel to 21 inches to make it more handy
glass bed/free float barrel
install good recoil pad

3. Sako. It's not controlled feed, so it is not my preference.

I have a each Sako in 375 H&H, 375 Wby, and 416 Rem Mag. They are all totally reliable, accurate, well balanced and fit me well with both iron sights and scopes.

lawndart

model 70...
take it right out of the box and put 100 rounds through it.. if ANYTHING breaks, send it to winchester with a laundry list of things to fix...

ONLY after 100 round do you bed it, as you have the factory behind you on it.

seriously.. if they ship it that way, it should be assumed to work.. and if it fails it's THEIR dime...

if you bed it first, then shoot it, and the extractor falls off, they probably wont warranty it

jeffe

Jeff,

The problem with sending a rifle back to Winchester is they don't know how to fix it. Theoretically it is their warranty obligation, but since their service people lack the technical knowledge to get the job done, sending the rifle back is generally a waste of time.

Steve,

How are you going to use the rifle?

Plunking? (400gr. bullets don't go 'plink')
Bears (grizzly, brown, polar)?
African plains game?
African dangerous game?

George

Of the three rifles you mention the only choice is the Mod 70! Buy it do the things needed to make any rifle a PROPER DGR, and go hunting! A prerequisite for any bolt action DGR is a CRF action, and of the ones posted, only the Mod 70 has CRF!

One should never depend on an OUT OF THE BOX rifle to hunt dangerous game! They all need to be fired at least 100 rounds before anything is decided as to what else needs doing, before getting into the weeds with a pissed off Cape Buffalo! It is far easier, and cheaper, with less pain, to tune the rifle, than it is to heal from a horn in the gut!

Dan,
even if nothing else, they will restock it... and bed it, if you complain that their horrible bedding is the culprit

at least, they have before, at no charge

jeffe

I haven't had any of those problems that 500 grains had with the 416 Rem Mag The only problem I've had with my 416 Rem Mag was that I loaded it with two to many grains of powder and that caused my shells to stick after fireing. Scence then I took it out and sighted it in at 150 yds with 400gr bullets at about 2400 FPS.So now its ready to hunt.

The Rem 700 African Big Game Rifle comes with an in line feed magazine. If you use flat nose bullets it will leave the M70 for dead in reliable feeding.

There is a gunsmith on 24HourCampFire who does a very nice job of of adding 3 screws for the attachment of the bolt handle.

The Canadian gunsmith Bill Leeper that posts on this site said the later M70 bolt handles are no longer splined on but are pressed onto a knurled surface and he has seen two break free. Although unlike the Rem 700 you would not need to go looking around the grass for the bolt handle as it would still be on the bolt

For acccuracy the Rem 700s are very good with their heavy barrel and freedom from a second recoil lug mounted up under the open sights. Accuracy with a barrel mounted lug can be fine but the way Winchester does it the barrels can finish with a lot of stresses. The Rem 700 has the biggest action recoil lug in the business and far more stock material behind the lug.

The old Sakos have a tiny recoil lug like a Mauser but have more stock material behind the recoil lug than a Mauser.

But as 500 Grains says, everyone on the forums will poke fun at a Rem 700.

Mike

I had the same decision four years ago. I bought the Model 70, had my gunsmith look it over, adjust the trigger, install a muzzle brake and I started shooting. I have shot it several hundred rounds with excellent accuracy, my best groups on a good day are one holers, when I use North Fork bullets. I took it to Africa last year and it did me well for the Buffalo. I still enjoy shooting it and will take it back someday. Instead of a mountain, as some have stated here, it turned out to be a mole hill. Good luck and good shooting.

I chose a Remington ABG- inline feed with drop box mag (HS Precision is where I got a spare), standard with bedded laminated stock, crisp trigger. No glitches in feeding, ejection etc. Have 140 rounds through mine (in 375 H&H) and prelim load developement is promising.

Before you buy look at the Blaser Safari R 93 in 416 Rem Mag.

Tony,

I know a PH who thinks very highly of the R93 and would like to own one himself.

[NOTE TO SELF: Try not to present a public appearance of being a CRF Bolshevik. Even though I am one.]

However, I would suggest that someone looking into 416's look at the Sig Magnum Mauser:

500grains'
Might as well admit to all of us, you are a closet double rifle man.
After seeing you shoot your 500 Searcy, why would you use anything else?

A good friend in Appleton WI has a beautiful Sako in 416 Rem with custom work done on it by Duane Wiebe. He is an FFL dealer and advanced collector - I could introduce you to him if you are interested in looking at his gun.

Best wishes,