I need a new rifle! Thinking about a .416 Rem and have narrowed it down to either a South Carolina M70 or a Kimber Caprivi.

I have read that the M70s need to be full length bedded. Is that true, and does the Caprivi also require it?

my suggestion would be to go to a sporting goods store that has both in stock.

When I looked at the Kimber Caprivi at the SHOT Show some years ago, it had the standard magnum size action length. The one I shot in 375 H&H required you to push the rounds down into the box a bit, and then push backwards to fit them into the magazine. Not really cool for a fast reload under pressure.

IMHO, making push feed actions saves manufacturers a lot of money over the CRF design. If you hunt DG you may empty the magazine before the animal dies. In theory, the PF should let you just throw a round on top of the follower and chamber it.

Montana Rifle Company Has a great selection and pricing

The vantage and extreme vantage would be comparable to the action size and come in 416 rem

For me, more information is needed on how the new M70s differ from the older New Haven (pre-64 and Classic) models.

I have a custom 458 Lott and 505 Gibbs if you wanted to up the power a bit.

I have a capervi in 416 Remington. Mine has a almost white with smoke lines through it stock, very striking. The cross bolt covers were lose on mine, but no big deal. I shoot it with iron sights, and the hood has stayed on after 100 rounds. It holds 4 down. True to marketing the action is just long enough for the 416 Remington with dented case mouths from brass hitting the rear bridge the norm.
All in I like it better than the model 70 and that is how I voted with my money. You cannot go wrong with spending your money. I hope this helped.

Oh, although tight (see above) you do not need to do anything special to charge the magazine. No st place cartridge on follower at the back of follower and press down. I bought mine in late 2012 or 2013.

I have both, the Model 70 is less 'clunky' than the Kimber, however, the Kimber is considerably lighter, if that's your goal.
I find the Kimber to 'torque' considerably, no matter how tight I hold the fore-end.

Hope this helps your decision.

Cheers.

I had the exact same problem back in 2011. As badly as I wanted the Caprivi, the M70 fit me just as good; and as the wife pointed out, would save me $1,000.

So I bought the M70, took the savings and bought more A-Frames for practicing, and added a bushbuck to the license when I went on my buff hunt. Best part, I love everything about the M70.

The rifle is as issued from the factory, and I haven't had a single mechanical issue with it. Wouldn't want to mess with it anyway as it works great. If you want a gripe, my barrel will foul heavily when shooting the A-Frames, though it doesn't affect accuracy. Just takes forever and day to get it clean.

I did end up buying a Kimber, though it was a Montana rifle and not the Caprivi. Not happy with it at all, and am still chasing acceptable groups from a rifle that I paid extra for in order to get that MOA guarantee. Which turns out, means they just shoot 3-shot groups until they get one group to hit MOA and declare it good to go.

Consider the M70 Alaskan; then the difference in weight will be minimized. BTW, the advertised weight of the Alaskan is out to lunch, mine weighs less than that with the scope mounted. Mine weighs less than one of my .270 Feather-weights and a bit more than the other.

That's not to say that I don't like Kimbers, I have 5 of them. I consider them a bargain for what you are getting. So is the M70 for that matter, bargain is a relative thing. You'll get an extra shot in the mag with the Kimber.

The rear site on the Alsaken needs upgraded. The island base is milled from the barrel, but the sight V is a screw down, flip down site. The folks at Winchester told me it was sitting in a 3/8 dove tail, so any easy fix. Other than that it is a beautiful package. It is maxed out at
375 HH in factory chamberings. The OP wanted a 416 rem, but no reason it could not become a 416 rem.

I consider the 25 inch barrel a benefit. If only esthetically. It looks and feels very sleek.

The rear sight is a joke, no doubt about that. Somehow my mind stalled out between reading .416 and thinking .375. Ooops.

Let me try and steer you into something that is a "good" finished product.
On Guns international there is a older "Kimber of Oregon" 416 Rigby African with a Swar 1X4 scope with an asking price of $5,900.00. I suspect you could get it for $5K.
No way you can build than gun for that cost.
Drop box magazine
English Walnut
Quarter Rib
Barrel band front sight
True Magnum Action: control feed.
14.25 LOP; Most guns are 13.75"

I have three of these Kimber of Oregon rifle sand all have been superlative. None are in 416 Rigby but I just may buy this one as well.
Very nice rifle that is scaled extremely well. Far better than the Caprivi or the model 70.

EZ

I have one of the new(er, 1999) CRF M70's. It was originally a 458 WM, but was rechambered in 458 Lott, and Blackburn (iirc) bottom metal added.
Shoots more accurately than I can bench it after 5 rounds or so.

eezrider,

if you start with a Remmy M30 you can easily build one for less than the $5K figure. Reverse the end caps, and the box is plenty long enough.

I have one in my wildcat 550 Gibbs, and two down and one in the chamber would likely be all you would require...

If I was to ever purchase another Kimber, it would only be Kimber Of Oregon. I know they produced QUALITY rifles. I have just one KOO rifle, a 300 WM Super-Grade and it handles/shoots superbly. The newer Kimber rifles, from all I read, is a crap shoot. I ain't paying 3 grand for a crap shoot. I have model 70's in 375 H&H and 458 WM in the New Haven Safari Classic and both look, handle and shoot very nice for the money.

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
Let me try and steer you into something that is a "good" finished product.
On Guns international there is a older "Kimber of Oregon" 416 Rigby African with a Swar 1X4 scope with an asking price of $5,900.00. I suspect you could get it for $5K.
No way you can build than gun for that cost.
Drop box magazine
English Walnut
Quarter Rib
Barrel band front sight
True Magnum Action: control feed.
14.25 LOP; Most guns are 13.75"

I have three of these Kimber of Oregon rifle sand all have been superlative. None are in 416 Rigby but I just may buy this one as well.
Very nice rifle that is scaled extremely well. Far better than the Caprivi or the model 70.

EZ

What he said. Great rifles by all accounts in the 416 rigby to boat. Let us know how the jury comes back.

quote:

Originally posted by drongo:
I need a new rifle! Thinking about a .416 Rem and have narrowed it down to either a South Carolina M70 or a Kimber Caprivi.

I have read that the M70s need to be full length bedded. Is that true, and does the Caprivi also require it?

I'd just go buy Biebs' 458 Lott down in the classifieds.