First shots Winchester Safari Express 375

First shots today with the new 375. First 3 were from 50 yards to see where she hits. The last 2 were from 100 yards. All of my other Winchester rifles are New Haven built. This is my only new production model 70. I was a little skeptical about buying a new production Winchester. I examined 3 previous and I couldn’t get a good cheek to stock weld due to my cheek bones. While I was working in South Texas, I found this new Safari Express for 1695.00. A few hundred cheaper that the others I’ve examined. I shouldered it and the sight alignment was perfect. I picked her up and a box of 250 grain Hornadys. Finally got around to sighting it in today. No sight adjustments were required! I’m an open sights hunter some of the time and I couldn’t be more pleased with the fit, finish, accuracy and quality. This rifle will be accompanying me on a Cape buffalo hunt in a couple of years. Bought some reloading components and looking forward to developing up some serious loads.

I just love the matte finish of your rifle, beautiful!! You did great selecting this one!

Any idea what bullet you'd like to use on a future buffalo hunt?

Appears the rifle might be a shooter, straight out of the box. Check the guard screws?

Andrew62 said:

I just love the matte finish of your rifle, beautiful!! You did great selecting this one!

Any idea what bullet you'd like to use on a future buffalo hunt?

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I’d been contemplating using Hornady DGX 300’s. I’m also looking into some solid coppers as well.

BillyJack1975 said:

I’d been contemplating using Hornady DGX 300’s. I’m also looking into some solid coppers as well.

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I'm not a hand loader, but for those that are, it must be exciting to tweak out the best load for your particular rifle. I have taken buffalo with Barnes TSX, Hornady DGX and Swift Aframes. There are other great choices such as Northfork and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw.

Thanks again for sharing photos of your beautiful rifle, I hope to read a hunt report from you in the not so distant future!

I recently bought a new, current manufacture M70.

It too is a shooter. The quality was solid.

Excellent rifles.

BillyJack1975 said:

I’d been contemplating using Hornady DGX 300’s. I’m also looking into some solid coppers as well.

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BillyJack1975 said:

View attachment 739996View attachment 739997
First shots today with the new 375. First 3 were from 50 yards to see where she hits. The last 2 were from 100 yards. All of my other Winchester rifles are New Haven built. This is my only new production model 70. I was a little skeptical about buying a new production Winchester. I examined 3 previous and I couldn’t get a good cheek to stock weld due to my cheek bones. While I was working in South Texas, I found this new Safari Express for 1695.00. A few hundred cheaper that the others I’ve examined. I shouldered it and the sight alignment was perfect. I picked her up and a box of 250 grain Hornadys. Finally got around to sighting it in today. No sight adjustments were required! I’m an open sights hunter some of the time and I couldn’t be more pleased with the fit, finish, accuracy and quality. This rifle will be accompanying me on a Cape buffalo hunt in a couple of years. Bought some reloading components and looking forward to developing up some serious loads.

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Welcome to the clan of the King of Rifles. Great choice. If you get into handloading try some 235g Barnes TSX with 63g of 4064. Barnes 350g TSX and 58.5g 4064. Mine loved them.

BillyJack1975 said:

View attachment 739996View attachment 739997
First shots today with the new 375. First 3 were from 50 yards to see where she hits. The last 2 were from 100 yards. All of my other Winchester rifles are New Haven built. This is my only new production model 70. I was a little skeptical about buying a new production Winchester. I examined 3 previous and I couldn’t get a good cheek to stock weld due to my cheek bones. While I was working in South Texas, I found this new Safari Express for 1695.00. A few hundred cheaper that the others I’ve examined. I shouldered it and the sight alignment was perfect. I picked her up and a box of 250 grain Hornadys. Finally got around to sighting it in today. No sight adjustments were required! I’m an open sights hunter some of the time and I couldn’t be more pleased with the fit, finish, accuracy and quality. This rifle will be accompanying me on a Cape buffalo hunt in a couple of years. Bought some reloading components and looking forward to developing up some serious loads.

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Looking very good so far. IMR4350 has been my friend with 300gr projectiles in my M70 .375HH Safari Express. With 250gr bullets that I have used in the past, H4895 was the powder of choice. These days I just stick with 300gr bullets for Africa.

I also turned down several new M70’s due to being unable to get a good sight picture with a cheek weld (it appeared the comb was either far too low or the height of the rear sight was far too high, either way)

Gives me hope I might find one someday that fits me as I definitely want to stick with iron sights for a big bore (I’ve been looking at 416 rem mags)

Perhaps you find you cannot have your thumb touching your nose as we see military doing with the M1 Garand. Your standing shooting will improve if you keep your eyes as close to parallel with the ground as possible. The more canted your head, the more your equilibrium is disturbed. My findings, but of course yours may be different.
I do a LOT of standing shooting, can't assume the position of Olympic shooters any more, so I bring the rifle up to my face. Stocks made for iron sight shooting are all usually pretty good, as long as the stock (LOP) isn't too long.
This is an example of a proper fitting stock, for me.
Same rifle.

4064 used to be the go-too powder for the .375H&H. Back in the 70's with my first one, I used 73gr. with the 270gr. Winchester Power Point (excellent moose and elk bullet) and 68gr. with the 300 Hornady just in testing. The velocities were 2,710fps with the WW bullet and 2,490fps with the 300's.
These roughly were close to the factory ammo of the day. They were both VERY accurate, but today, I'd be using one of the newer heat insensitive powders, like the ADI/Hodgdon Extremes or the IMR series of new powders if you have data for those. H4985 comes to mind, which is ADI 2206H. It will deliver well over 2,500fps with 300's and over 2,700fps with 270's. With the 235gr. TSX bullet, you can see almost 3,000fps and it is not temperature sensitive, as are all the "older" powders. Going to Africa might be a reason to use these sort of powders.

Tex .416 said:

I recently bought a new, current manufacture M70.

It too is a shooter. The quality was solid.

Excellent rifles.

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I bought a winchester safari in 416 rem mag. Took it to Africa for Cape buffalo. Great rifle. Smooth as glass. Good shooter.

Tex .416 said:

I recently bought a new, current manufacture M70.

It too is a shooter. The quality was solid.

Excellent rifles.

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+1 on a new M70 .375 being a shooter out of the box. Mine digests everything in 300gr well except Barnes solids. I will do another test on that as it was the last 3 shots from trying a half dozen different softs and solids. Could have been copper fouling or maybe she doesn't digest those well. My rifle was a 1-2 moa at 100 yards with everything but those solids.

Iy would be interesting to hear when everyone's M70's get too dirty to shoot accurately. That day I probably shot 24ish rounds. I'll have to go back and look.

I just bought 2 new model 70 Alaskans 375 and 338 , love them both, very nice rifles, smooth as glass and good shooters too.

BillyJack1975 said:

I’d been contemplating using Hornady DGX 300’s. I’m also looking into some solid coppers as well.

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That’s what I used for my red stag in the UK in my classic super express

and so it starts. congrats.