Hey guys, Jeffe twisted my arm and told me I had to build a 376 Steyr.........even though he didnt have to twist hard.......he's still bigger than me Anyway give me your thoughts of few things I'm haven't decided on.

Anyway, been scrounding up parts, have a 98 bruno I got from Bill Soversn to start with.

I have new steel bottom metal.

Have on order

Shilen CM barrel #5 taper
Gentry 3 pos safety
Dakota bolt handle
Tim trigger

Thinking about NECG band site, qtr rib is still up in the air. Kinda thinking I should have bought #4 taper, #5 may be a little thick for a little steyr. Not sure if I am going to do a skeleton grip cap or not, have to sleep on that one.

As far as the wood, I have a crappy piece of English, a nice piece of checker board Bastone, a real nice piece of Black, and a real nice piece of Claro which I probably won't use.

Can't decide if I want to use the wood I have or buy a piece of English. Might sell a blank or two and buy English.

Comments and what did I forget.

Also can't decide if I want a straight bolt or swept back some.

Thanks, Billy

well, my opinion might be a little skewed... i SAID skewed, not screwed..

i would say the purtiest piece of black or claro you gots...

my current steyr, that you shot billy, is a #5... my next is a cz take-off!!!

the #5 MIGHT be a little heavy... then again, 3.5 step, you aint the biggest recoil junky!!!

tiny sweep, with a J hook at the end..

hell.. i'll just call you

jeffe

Billy,

If I had the time and money, I'd use a quarter rib rear site and definitely go with the skeletonized gripcap. I'd further do a nice ebony tip and put the gripcap over a nice piece of ebony and checker the bottom of the ebony wood cap.

Also, go with the wood you want the most - if you want English, run with!

Furthermore, since I detect some class and tradition going into this project, I'd use a straight bolt handle. That's just me though.

I like where you're headin' with this!

Just my thoughts,

Jason

If you don't have the .375 H&H ego the .376 Steyr makes more sence on a '98 than anything and you get the H&H performance without all that action work. Personally I like the idea a lot!!!

here's the rundown
english walnut, classic shadowline
NECG banded sight front
Shilen #3 barrel...24"
Dakota 1/4 rib and London leaf insert folds
Talley barrel band
Talley rear swivel stud....supergrade style.
Ebony fore and aft
Decelerator pad
Tongue oil finish
wraparound 22 line checkering with ribbons
slight mat finish on the bluing
Stock bolts fore and aft
glass bedded full length and barrel floated with .02 max clearance.
That's all.

Give some thought to barrel length. I get 2380 avg fps from a 20" Prohunter and 300 grn Partitions. I'm guessing 2450 with a 22" barrel would be about ideal for a .376 to keep the weight down and handle well in the thick brush.

I also think that a 300 grn Barnes TSX would be the ideal bullet and I would cut the throat long enough to handle that bullet when it's seated out a bit. My max load of Varget is a bit more compressed than I like with a Partition and would be worse with a TSX.

Jeffe
Benchmark for a 300 TSX???????

Elmo

Oh I have the 375 H&H ego..........I have two H&H's.............like I said, the only reason I'm buidling a 376 one is cause Jeffe twisted my arm..........that and I really like 375's.

I've got the ebony for the tip. I was thinking 24" on the barrel.

The reason I went with the #5 was the Dakota qtr rib is cut for a #5 If I remember correctly. But might save the rib for a lott down the road. Once the brl comes in I'll be able to tell if thats what I want or not.

The guy that turns my stocks has a classic pattern with drop, he also has the same pattern one with panels and one with panels and schab forend. I havent seen it but he says it a nice pattern. The jury is still out on the side panels. On the checkering, will go 26 lines.

Seems to have become "gun of the year", and deservedly, I think. Three of my friends have done exactly the same thing in the last 5 months, after shooting my Steyr Pro-Hunter .376.

BTW, PTG (Dave Kif) made the reamer used in those 3 guns, and the brass from them mics EXACTLY the same as brass fired in my factory Steyr chamber.

quote:

The reason I went with the #5 was the Dakota qtr rib is cut for a #5 If I remember correctly

The Dakota quarter rib is made for Shilen #3, and #5 contour and Douglas #3, #4, and #5 contour.

I used the Shilen #5 on my MRC barrel and it worked fine.

The Shilen barrel I ordered day before yesterday, it arrived UPS ground from Midway today............and #5 is way to big, I knew that when I ordered it......and still did it.

I do need some coaching on the bolt handle, I have a dakota, and not sure its going to work for what I want, and i think I'm leaning towards a straight bolt. Anybody got any thoughts on which bolt handle I should buy.

I like the Talley handles.

This is probably one of the worst/first I did but the only pic I have handy of a straight handle. I'm partial to the straight handle.

Billy,

I am glad you kicked this thread off, because I am going through the same "design & specification phase". I still have my Steyr ProHunter .376, but I have been listening to the ghosts of old hunters whispering about the M98 pattern too.

I bought Weagle's commercial Mauser (made by Heym in the 60s, and imported into the US as a Western Field rifle). It is an intermediate length action (they were sold as 7X57s in Germany). The action has the full C-ring, and no thumb cut or clip loading slot.

I put some loaded rounds in the magazine, and they fit fine.

I figured on the Gentry M70 style three-position safety, and the Blackburn trigger. I intend this to be a slick barrel rifle(scope only -- I will be Saeed Jr. on this one), so I have not worried about iron sights. I want to fit two scopes to this rifle, but it won't need QD rings.

I have not decided on the bolt handle or the bottom metal yet. I looked at jerry Fisher's round bottom metal at the Gunsmith's Guild show, and it is wonderful. I don't know if it fits this action though.

Same on the metal finish and the stock, although I want this one to be walnut.

Decisions, decisions...jim

z1r,

You just solved my bolt problem, that's what I want, thanks for the pic.

One of the other guys made a comment about the Gentry safety.........I think the Gentry looks the best, the Dakota looks to FN, and I don't like FN bolt shrouds for some reason.

You will love it!! Way easy you will like the extra weight of the #5 comtour with 300g loads!!

Another round one could do which aproximates .375 H&H figures is the 9.3x64 Brenneke......this is truly a great round and there are plenty of bullets for it, from woodleigh's to speers to Nosler Ballistic Tips. Pity it didn't catch on as it makes more sense to me than many other rounds. I don't own one either I have the shorter 9.3x62 version which wil lalso fit in the action with little effort.

Paul,

The .376 Steyr was developed from the 9.3X64 Brenekke by shortening the case to 60 mm and opening it up to 9.5 mm.

So I think we can check half that box anyway.

jim

quote:

The .376 Steyr was developed from the 9.3X64 Brenekke by shortening the case to 60 mm and opening it up to 9.5 mm.

It sounds better as the 9.5x60!

Anybody built one on a M 70 Classic ? I'm wondering how many down and with what mag box.

Skinner,

This is my take on building one on a 70, and I've shot a couple of 376's and combine that with the parts and pieces I've bought so far you could put what I know about one in a thimble.

Looking at the brass which I have next to me, its a little case, dang near a short action, so I would say a full lenght mdl 70 would be a waste, but I'm on my 6th beer on a thursday night, thank god I work out of my house. As far as how many down in a 70, I would guess 4, but that just my guess. The 376 is a really good round for a std mauser box. Looking at it, looks a tad bit long for a short action, but somebody ought to be able to jump with the straight scoop.

This is my take on a 376, it has about the same relationship to an 375 H&H as a 308 does to a 30/06.

quote:

Originally posted by Gringo Cazador:
This is my take on a 376, it has about the same relationship to an 375 H&H as a 308 does to a 30/06.

I think of it more as a modern loaded 30-06 and a classic 300 hh.... sure the HH CAN go faster, but the 30-06, with modern powders, can be close to the classic 300 hh load... (hornady lists 180 light mag 30-06 at 2900 and the std 300 win (close) at 2960).

man, if you want your eyes to pop out, light off a factory hornady 270gr 376 and look at the primer!!

then again, hornady load of the 270 is 2600fps for the steyr.. and 2800PLUS for the heavy mag 375hh

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Another round one could do which aproximates .375 H&H 9,5X72 figures is the 9.3x64 Brenneke......this is truly a great round and there are plenty of bullets for it, from woodleigh's to speers to Nosler Ballistic Tips.

PC
So De Vriees will make a Brenneke to match you 404

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Billy - I have a Talley handle you can have for $5.00 shipped. It has some very light surface rust from sitting in a drawer for a few years, but has not been modified. If you want it, send me an address.
Glen

Glen71.........PM sent, thanks much.

I resurected this from the past with respect to my 376 project.

Well so far I have a 3 pos Dakota Safety, tim trigger, brass, dies, steel bottom metal. My #3 shilen barrel came in today, its skinny for a 375, but thats fine, want to keep this on the light side.

I have to get the NECG sights, not sure on if I'm going to put a BBand front sight based on the skinny barrel, but it should look fine. Also need to get the rear sight and bband swiv. Hope to send it to Dennis Olson next week sometime, its been fun so far. Still trying to figure out if I'm going to buy a piece of English or use a black or Claro blank I have. Also have a couple of Bastone blanks, but not use thats what I want to use.

Still trying to decide in side panels or not, snab forend or not, but it will give me something to think about his weekend.

quote:

As far as the wood, I have a crappy piece of English, a nice piece of checker board Bastone, a real nice piece of Black, and a real nice piece of Claro which I probably won't use.

Use the real nice piece of Black, nothing wrong with that at all and American has good density for handling recoil. With such a new cartridge I wouldnt be to concerned about getting a little off the "classic design track" if you feel something a little less classic suits you. I think am Black and schnabels go great together.

Ive thought about doing a 376 on a M-98 myself, I was thinking of something in a light handy guide gun with express sights and possibly even a butterknife bolt handle for slick use with a scabbard. I agree that it is a natural for the M-98.

Be carefull not to do too good of a job on this one or you may find your 375's getting more "wait in the safe" time.

Have fun with it and dont forget the pics when its done.

I'm exicited about the 376, I think it will come out nice, just have to decide on a few things and how I want it. Will figure my sight hight tomrrow and order the sites here pretty quick.

I think a 376 with full length mannlic. stock with butter knife handle would be nice too. But I've never make a manlic stock, maybe someday.