Should I cut my 375 H&H barrel?

[JeeperCreeper]

Yeah, I was just noticing that the rear of the 1-pc base covers a good chunk of the loading port. Looks like it was made for a short action instead of the express action. I mean if it works and doesn't impede loading or ejection, no big deal. Since you're doing all this cool work though, new base and rings might be the cherry on top!

Yeah my builder uses Talley quick disconnect when we were playing with it.

I never pulled the scope off, so I never noticed. I've had it out a few times and it caused no problems so I'll probably just leave it for now.

But I'll need to look into it more

 

[Miletic]

Hi Jeeper,
I would not shorten the pipe. It's not about speed, it has 375 power, much more than what is needed for a bear. Accuracy is important. When the barrel is “hand”shortened, I think that the accuracy is difficult to maintain. Maybe you will guess the amplitude, but it is difficult. After shortening, there is a problem with recoil. It would be desirable to put a compensator after shortening, but then what is the purpose of shortening. My advice, if you allow it, is to invest the money you planned to spend on shortening the barrel in better optics and enjoy hunting bears with a rifle whose barrel was designed by the manufacturer himself.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Hi Jeeper,
I would not shorten the pipe. It's not about speed, it has 375 power, much more than what is needed for a bear. Accuracy is important. When the barrel is “hand”shortened, I think that the accuracy is difficult to maintain. Maybe you will guess the amplitude, but it is difficult. After shortening, there is a problem with recoil. It would be desirable to put a compensator after shortening, but then what is the purpose of shortening. My advice, if you allow it, is to invest the money you planned to spend on shortening the barrel in better optics and enjoy hunting bears with a rifle whose barrel was designed by the manufacturer himself.

Too late!!!!

 

[hoytcanon]

Hi Jeeper,
I would not shorten the pipe. It's not about speed, it has 375 power, much more than what is needed for a bear. Accuracy is important. When the barrel is “hand”shortened, I think that the accuracy is difficult to maintain. Maybe you will guess the amplitude, but it is difficult. After shortening, there is a problem with recoil. It would be desirable to put a compensator after shortening, but then what is the purpose of shortening. My advice, if you allow it, is to invest the money you planned to spend on shortening the barrel in better optics and enjoy hunting bears with a rifle whose barrel was designed by the manufacturer himself.

I.disagree with this 100%... I have cut down dozens.of rifles to carbine length and never once experienced any of the issues that "Miletic" expressed in this post.

 

[Miletic]

Too late!!!!

With luck !!!!
We want see a your picture with first bear

 

[Miletic]

I.disagree with this 100%... I have cut down dozens.of rifles to carbine length and never once experienced any of the issues that "Miletic" expressed in this post.

You have much more experience than I do. I don't have anywhere near that many cuts. But, whenever I shortened something, it was no longer as precise as before. I consider it justified to shorten the barrel only if the mouth of the barrel is injured or the top is inflated. I don't want to say that it is impossible to cut the barrel without better precise,only I was afraid that Jeeper did not have the same result as me

 

[hoytcanon]

You have much more experience than I do. I don't have anywhere near that many cuts. But, whenever I shortened something, it was no longer as precise as before. I consider it justified to shorten the barrel only if the mouth of the barrel is injured or the top is inflated. I don't want to say that it is impossible to cut the barrel without better precise,only I was afraid that Jeeper did not have the same result as me

I have carefully noted both the speed and and accuracy of my carbines rifles, and not once was the accuracy reduced, in several cases it actually improved slightly. Perhaps your crowning was imprecise? A properly shortened and crowned barrel (within reason, say 24" down to 20" or even 18") will in all likelihood be equally accurate after the chop as before it.

 

[Miletic]

I wonder if the precision after shortening depended on the thickness of the barrel wall? For example: we are shortening two barrels, one is in 7mm cal and the other 8mm. In both cases, the outer diameter of the barrel is 19mm. Can the thickness of the barrel wall affect the accuracy after shortening? Thank you

I have carefully noted both the speed and and accuracy of my carbines rifles, and not once was the accuracy reduced, in several cases it actually improved slightly. Perhaps your crowning was imprecise? A properly shortened and crowned barrel (within reason, say 24" down to 20" or even 18") will in all likelihood be equally accurate after the chop as before it.

 

[DAVE LANGERMAN Safaris]

I'd cut it too. I had a stainless classic Winchester that had some minor custom changes done that was commissioned by Great Northern Guns in Anchorage. They did several of them and each had the bottom metal with heavy engraved outline of Kodiak and different famous bear bays as the edition name. Not sure how many they had made. I think cut to 20", their "Terror Bay" edition, cerecoated matte black and shot great. Cant remember why, but I traded out of it for a Wild West levergun. I had several of the stainless classics over the last 20 years, down to just one, that is still factory 24" length and it too will get cut back to 20-21" as I plan to have it threaded for a suppressor and have the front express sight set back. It is bedded in McSwirley stock, which I will also shorten a little...plan is to make it my daughter's rifle for cape buffalo in a couple years.

Out of the 7-8 Winchester classics I've had in 375, shot them a lot, but rarely hunted with them just because they were so darn heavy for the cartridge. I just always ended up grabbing one of my 338WM. Its a shame too, they are great guns. Think putting one through some weight-loss steps would make a handy killing stick for our neck of the woods for sure.

I have a model 700 in .375 and am thinking of shortening it to 22 inch. Was worried about velocity bleed off but it seems many here have made the cut and been happy. I just need to keep that 300 grain pill at 2450 - 2500ft/sec. Is this feasible in a 22 inch or even 20 inch barrel? Advice welcomed!

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Yeah, I was just noticing that the rear of the 1-pc base covers a good chunk of the loading port. Looks like it was made for a short action instead of the express action. I mean if it works and doesn't impede loading or ejection, no big deal. Since you're doing all this cool work though, new base and rings might be the cherry on top!

Well thanks for the catch, because I just peeked at my local General Store...

$6 on clearance at the outdoor section. They have clearance rings too, but I'll wait till I get my rifle back to measure

Quick cheap fix, thanks for pointing it out

 

[TOBY458]

I have a model 700 in .375 and am thinking of shortening it to 22 inch. Was worried about velocity bleed off but it seems many here have made the cut and been happy. I just need to keep that 300 grain pill at 2450 - 2500ft/sec. Is this feasible in a 22 inch or even 20 inch barrel? Advice welcomed!

My Sako 375 has a 21” barrel. I can easily get 2450-2550 fps. That’s with hand loads. I would think that a good factory load like the Barnes 300gr TSX Vortex load would probably do the same.

 

[TOBY458]

Well thanks for the catch, because I just peeked at my local General Store...

$6 on clearance at the outdoor section. They have clearance rings too, but I'll wait till I get my rifle back to measure

Quick cheap fix, thanks for pointing it outView attachment 738602

These aren’t QD bases. Also your rifle most likely has the .330 rear hole spacing. These don’t appear to be .330.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

These aren’t QD bases. Also your rifle most likely has the .330 rear hole spacing. These don’t appear to be .330.

I wasn't necessarily worried about QD. Nice to have, but I'm not reliant on it even though I still have the irons

And for $6, I didn't bother verifying anything. So I'll check into it

If it didn't work... Oops, I'll need another M70 to put them on

 

[Knoxp9090]

Who did the work - I’d like to do the same with mine. Sorry if I missed it.

 

[samson7x]

I have a model 700 in .375 and am thinking of shortening it to 22 inch. Was worried about velocity bleed off but it seems many here have made the cut and been happy. I just need to keep that 300 grain pill at 2450 - 2500ft/sec. Is this feasible in a 22 inch or even 20 inch barrel? Advice welcomed!

See my thread: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/375-h-h-project-barrel-chop-w-velocity-data.99528/

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Who did the work - I’d like to do the same with mine. Sorry if I missed it.

Local guy, i think he might be a member on here too

Alaska Gun Company out of Wasilla, AK

 

[BJH65]

I have a model 700 in .375 and am thinking of shortening it to 22 inch. Was worried about velocity bleed off but it seems many here have made the cut and been happy. I just need to keep that 300 grain pill at 2450 - 2500ft/sec. Is this feasible in a 22 inch or even 20 inch barrel? Advice welcomed!

Hello Dave,

Figure on approximately 20 FPS - 25 FPS for each inch of barrel loss. You’d need a chronograph to know for sure in each individual rifle so this is just an average. Most ammunition companies use a 24 inch test barrel for their published velocities. So if you use a common 375 H&H 300 grain bullet muzzle velocity out of a 24 inch barrel is 2530 FPS and reduce barrel length to 20 inches, you may get 2430 FPS - 2450 FPS. I don’t think the buffalo will be able to tell the difference.

My 375 H&H has a 22 inch barrel which I think is about perfect but 20 inches is really handy too, especially when crawling through the brush.

Cheers,

Brendon

 

[hoytcanon]

I wonder if the precision after shortening depended on the thickness of the barrel wall? For example: we are shortening two barrels, one is in 7mm cal and the other 8mm. In both cases, the outer diameter of the barrel is 19mm. Can the thickness of the barrel wall affect the accuracy after shortening? Thank you

I doubt the outside barrel diameter is the contributing factor, but most of my carbine work has been with medium and large bore rifles, 3 or 4 at .308", but the rest @ .338", .358", 9.3mm, .375", .411", .429"... and quite a few at .458" and above.

 

[Wiley64]

Yes

 

[steve white]

You mentioned fluting the barrel--that is getting into the realm of just starting over with a new barrel, IMO. Good luck with your project.