I'll add mine to the list.
30-30 Just because you gotta have a lever action!
6.5x55 And why not in a swedish Mauser?

8x57 Because it's fabulous, and needless to say in a german Mauser

375 H&H. For anything you want to hunt with a bolt action in afrika. Even the name just has a ring to it! Kind of like 416 Rigby the name evokes thoughts of Roosevelt and "Hemingwayesque" safaris. I chose 375 just because it is slightly more gentle on the shooter (currently suffering severe anxiety about whether to upgrade or replace mine).

470 NE. I don't actually own one, and truth be told have never fired one. Nevertheless, I must have a double in this venerable cartridge. Oh yes, I must!

There are of course others in the safe that are just fine, and some that are on other peoples must-have lists but they just don't blow my skirt up like the ones above.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick O'Shay:

375 H&H. For anything you want to hunt with a bolt action in afrika.

470 NE. I must have a double in this venerable cartridge. Oh yes, I must!

Probably the best practical duo for Africa, covering plains game right up to all DG

Biebs, only 5 - who are you kidding, maybe yourself but not the rest of us.

Now my 5:

25-06
338WM
416 Taylor
470 - Ok a double
16X16 - 9.374R Drilling

OK bolt only
470 Capstick
9.3X64

quote:

Originally posted by Hunter54:
I am seriously considering having a top gunsmith create 5 custom Win. Model 70 rifles for hunting the world over...from Varmints to Elephants for my next 20 years...

What cartridges would you have chambered.

If I was having five M70s built as a set, I would go with these calibers:

243 Win
270 Win
300 Win
338 Win
458 Win

What could be more appropriate for a set of Winchesters?

I think Grenadier nailed it! What a perfect range of
calibers for a set of Winchesters!

I'm having a set made now in:

7x57
300 H&H
404 Jeffery
458 Win Mag
505 Gibbs

All i the style of the pre-war Westley Richards magazine rifles

I'm presently thinking along the lines of:

404 Jeffery (done)
9.3 X 62mm (done)
7 X 64mm (still to do)

I would stop there if this were just a discussion, but since I already also own a 416 Rigby, a 375 H&H, a 300 WinMag in bolt action rifles (wait, that's another good threesome!) I guess I just don't know when enough is enough.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I'm presently thinking along the lines of:

404 Jeffery (done)
9.3 X 62mm (done)
7 X 64mm (still to do)

I.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I'm presently thinking along the lines of:

404 Jeffery (done)
9.3 X 62mm (done)
7 X 64mm (still to do)

I would stop there if this were just a discussion, but since I already also own a 416 Rigby, a 375 H&H, a 300 WinMag in bolt action rifles (wait, that's another good threesome!) I guess I just don't know when enough is enough.

Not a bad list, but you should add a .458 of same variant or a .500 Jeffery or .505 Gibbs to have a real stopper.

If I wanted a good classic battery based on the Model 70 Winchester action, I wouldn't buy ANY either modified or custom rifles.

I'd choose Model 70s in

- .220 Swift (M70 Target)
- .257 Roberts (M70 standard weight)
- .270 Winchester (M70 FW)
- .338 Winchester (M70 Alaskan)
. .458 Winchester (M70 African)

And I would put a good American 2-7X variable on each except the Swift. probably all old classic Leupold LWs. On the Swift, I'd probably put an old classic steel-tubed Weaver 6-24 MicroTrac or a Weaver T-12.

If I was hurting for money or worried about the weight of the rifle, I'd use classic (standard) Weaver tip-off bases and rings. If not, I'd use either Stith mounts or Redfields. I'd prefer the Stiths as they are all steel and REQUIRE a hex (Allen) wrench to adjust and/or tighten them...so nobody is going to turn any of my scope adjustments in camp except me.


Now, I would not restrict myself to the Model 70 action, so my own practical world battery would likely be

- Riedl gear-driven falling block .220 Swift
- Ruger No.1 6.5x53-R
- Ruger No.1 7x65-R
- Sako Safari .338 Winchester
- Simson (Suhl) .470 Nitro DR


If I was going to hunt DG in Africa with any frequency, I'd leave the 6.5x53-R off my list and add on a Musgrave .404 Jeffery.

The only one of these last 6 which isn't currently in my vault is the .470...I'd have to go back up to Drayton Valley, Alberta and buy it back.


Either way I'd be happy anywhere, hunting anything except squirrels or grouse for the camp table. For that I'd like a nice gun to spoil me rotten...a Browning Superposed 28 gauge Lightning. (But a stock-as-a-stove Ruger 10-22 would work just fine.)

.22LR
.223
.308
9,3x62
.470
8 bore
12 gauge

.....and I want two of each of the above in case one breaks.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I'm presently thinking along the lines of:

404 Jeffery (done)
9.3 X 62mm (done)
7 X 64mm (still to do)

I would stop there if this were just a discussion, but since I already also own a 416 Rigby, a 375 H&H, a 300 WinMag in bolt action rifles (wait, that's another good threesome!) I guess I just don't know when enough is enough.

Not a bad list, but you should add a .458 of same variant or a .500 Jeffery or .505 Gibbs to have a real stopper.

The problem is that they also stop me. I've shot a 505 Gibbs off the bench and didn't find it fun at all. I'm probably OK with a .458 WinMag, but I don't think I can enjoy carrying all day a 12 lb. rifle.

Great ideas! Very interesting choices.

Of your choices I'd go:
.220 Swift (have Pre War)
.270 Win (have 2 Pre Wars, 1 Pre 64)
.300 Win (have a Sisk classic and rebarreling a Pre War)
.338 Win (have a Pre 64, but hunt with a Transition 340 Wby)
.458 Win (have a Holehan 416 Rigby on a Dakota action)

Id go with the following


.270 Win
.30-06 Spring
.338 Win
9.3x62 Mauser
.404 Jeffery

I have these calibers and shoot them all.Although the last ground suqirrel I shot was with the 9.3x62


Cal30