Just arrived: 375 H&H Mod 70 Alaskan

[Edge]

Great find! Can't wait to hear how she shoots!
Congratulations on an early Christmas!

Ordered it from GrabaGun, had no clue what the wood was going to look like, pleasantly surprised.

What load did you settle on? You were using CFE223 correct?

I'm going to start with H4895 to get some practice rounds down range.

Edge

 

[Shootist43]

Winchesters are by far my favorite American made rifle. Although not as fancy as a custom gun they look and feel right. Not only that, they work and are generally very accurate.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Ordered it from GrabaGun, had no clue what the wood was going to look like, pleasantly surprised.

What load did you settle on? You were using CFE223 correct?

I'm going to start with H4895 to get some practice rounds down range.

Edge

Edge, I sent you a pm with my loads.

 

[CTDolan]

Thankfully, Winchester had the presence of mind to abandon the post-64 design and return to their roots. It was an occasion for celebration for many of us riflemen.

 

[Guy M]

Congrats on the nice rifle. I too am impressed with the relatively light weight of your rifle. Nice!

I hope it brings you considerable success!

Regards, Guy

 

[CTDolan]

Ever since I first saw the new Alaskan I've considered one (in .375 H&H, of course). It's a wonderful tip of the hat to the glory days of Alaska and the Model
70 and big game hunting. And that it's not stainless and synthetic? No worries. Blued steel and walnut worked fine then, and there's no reason it won't work just as well now.

 

[Edge]

9 lbs 3 ounces with the following:

1. 2-7x33 Leupold scope
2. mounted using Leupold steel QRW medium rings
3. secured to Burris Extreme Tactical steel bases. Front base has 3 mounting slots and I have the front ring in the rear most slot.
4. 3 rounds 235gr Speer

Need another half-inch of rear movement for the scope at 7x, at 2-3x eye relief is ok. I'll hit my big nose with the bolt if I cycle at 7x. May need to go to a fully picatinny rail, will depend on the final scope configuration I end up using.

Cycles 3 dummy rounds without any issues, fast or slow. A fourth round won't pick up and jams up the works.

Great discussion on the history of the Mod 70 Alaskan!

Edge

 

[cpr0312]

That is some nice lookin wood in that last pic!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Edge, just an FYI how I have my scope set up. I read this in Kevin Robertson's book. I have Leupold QR bases and rings. I set up for my 250gr a Leupold 2-12 VX6 zeroed at 100 yards and a CDS turret. I set up for my 300gr a Leupold 1-6 VX6 zeroed at 50 and 100 yards. I can get a CDS turret for it, but haven't yet. I have a drop chart taped to my buttstock for it out to 300 yards.
This also gives me a backup scope for Africa trips if I damage a scope.

Just thought this might give you an optional idea.

 

[farrokhrt]

Great rifle and handsome! I have used 1.5x5 Leopold VarX III on two M70s in 375H&H and never felt I needed any more. Love the small size and can handle all the recoil in the world. Great field of view close up and plenty of magnification for the rifle/caliber. Hope you enjoy it. Love my 70s

 

[CTDolan]

If the fourth round won't cycle (doesn't get picked up by the bolt) it might need a stronger magazine spring. Brownells should be able to help with that one.

http://www.brownells.com/

 

[Edge]

If the fourth round won't cycle (doesn't get picked up by the bolt) it might need a stronger magazine spring. Brownells should be able to help with that one.

http://www.brownells.com/

I wasn't clear on the explanation, when I load a 4th round into the magazine, it fits but is snug, and cycle the bolt it starts to pick it up and goes forward maybe an inch then it's jammed tight. I have to drop the floor plate and release the other three rounds to get the 1st one out. There may not be enough room to strip the first of four from the magazine.

@Ridgewalker - I was thinking along those same lines in regards to scopes.

@farrokhrt - that 1.5-5 may be just the ticket for DG. I want something along the lines of 2-10 or 2-12 for PG.

Thank you all for the inputs!

Edge

 

[CTDolan]

Yeah, the magazine is only supposed to hold three. I thought maybe you put three down and then closed the bolt on a fourth in the chamber (a common practice which I do not recommend because three is plenty and, even though there's clearance and a bevel, it's hard on the extractor).

 

[Erny]

Very nice looking rifle.

 

[ack]

Got a new model 70 month ago ,Featherweight 300 ..Break and bedding made it 3/8 at a 100 with Fed TBT..They are nice and I understand same as pre 64..You will like that very much..Nice wood on yours too !...Might take a look at Me Opta.

 

[Edge]

Yeah, the magazine is only supposed to hold three. I thought maybe you put three down and then closed the bolt on a fourth in the chamber (a common practice which I do not recommend because three is plenty and, even though there's clearance and a bevel, it's hard on the extractor).

You are correct sir! I read the manual last night, only holds three.

Edge

 

[Edge]

Got a new model 70 month ago ,Featherweight 300 ..Break and bedding made it 3/8 at a 100 with Fed TBT..They are nice and I understand same as pre 64..You will like that very much..Nice wood on yours too !...Might take a look at Me Opta.

Your rifle sounds nice! I haven't begun to really explore all the scope options yet, will keep Meopta in mind.

I need to pull mine out of the stock to see if i can lower the trigger pull weight, will take a look at the bedding that was done at the factory. I may bed it myself, new project as I haven't done a bedding job before.

Edge

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The barrel is really terrible, so it's going to get a new Lilja put on it.

IdaRam: please elaborate on the factory Winchester barrel. What made it so bad?

 

[Clayton]

... will take a look at the bedding that was done at the factory. I may bed it myself, new project as I haven't done a bedding job before.

Edge

In all probability the factory bedding won't need any work. The forward recoil lug pretty much insures that. Don't know if your rifle has it, but Winchester was even bedding the lug on the under side of the barrel on Alaskans. A really good idea.

You may however, want to consider something I've done to all my Walnut Stocked guns, is seal the hell out of all the inleted (sp?) areas to prevent not only moisture but oil saturation into the wood. I've used three coats of a quality Polyurethane (not water based) and have rarely needed any touch up for years after. Getting one wet in a downpour is just a way of life and I've never had one change point of aim/impact from a stock warping.

I'm a Model 70 addict. The older the better. Enjoy your M-70, enjoy the .375, they make a great combination.

 

[IdaRam]

IdaRam: please elaborate on the factory Winchester barrel. What made it so bad?

Hi @375 Ruger Fan ,
I really like Model 70's, so it pains me to say this, but the barrel on my .375 is truly awful. The reason I say that is how it shoots as well as how it looks.
A little speculation to begin with: I can't swear to it, but I'm pretty sure it is a "cut rifled" barrel. I don't know that to be the case, and that is a surprise to me if true, but there you have it. If so, I imagine Winchester purchased the blank from a supplier of cut rifled barrels.
Not that this matters in the least, it's just not that common. Most majot manufacturers are using button rifled or hammer forged barrels. Cut rifling takes a lot longer to produce and consequently is more expensive, generally speaking.
Enough of the speculation. The bore is just rougher than a cob. It looks more like a washboard than a barrel. Because it is so rough, it collects copper at a very rapid rate. I have had some rough barrels before, but nothing close to this one.
In addition to that, there is a big gouge in one of the lands about 10 inches forwad of the chamber. Because of the terrible fouling and issues getting loads to shoot (more on this in a minute) I looked at the bore with a bore scope. Holy moly, I wish I hadn't done that! You can see where the tool dug into a land, carving a chunk out of it.
I have actually worked up loads with a 300 gr A-Frame and a 300 gr Solid that shoot somewhat close to same POI and group about inch and a half, so I've made it work for the short term, but it took a lot of development to get to that point.
Usually it seems point of impact changes more vertically than horizontally between different bullets and loads. This gun shifts dramatically left and right with different bullets and loads. For example, 300 gr Accubonds don't even hit paper when the rifle is zeroed for A-Frames at 100 yards. The AB's hit about 8" left and 4" higher.
The rifle has a HS Precision stock and a nice bedding job, as well as a trigger job. I bought it used off gunbroker and I'm pretty sure they guy who owned it before me had the same issues so he sold it. Can't really blame him
Anyway, I believe a new high quality barrel will make this a fantastic gun. I love everything else about it. It fits great and the action is smooth as glass. And it feeds flawlessly.
So there you have it! My Sunday morning barrel rant