Savage 375 H&H Controlled Round Feed

[Cavtrooper94]

Hi All,

I have a 116 in 338 Win Mag with the muzzle break you can turn on and off. I am curious if there is a place I can get a barrel in 375 H&H with the same muzzle break to replace it? Also I saw an old Safari Express model that Savage once made was controlled round feed. Is there a way to get a bolt for my 116 to make mine control round fed? Thanks much, since I finally have a 111 Long range Hunter in 7 Mag in route I want to turn my 338 into 375 Dangerous Game rifle. Appreciate any help..

[wbm]

Is there a way to get a bolt for my 116 to make mine control round fed?

Not really. The CRF receivers are machined differently. I think the 338 Winchester Magnum just might qualify as a dangerous game rifle.

[efm77]

You're probably also going to have trouble making it a repeater as the magazine is probably not long enough for the 375H&H to fit in it. A gunsmith could cut out a little more of the magazine cutout and you could get a longer magazine.

[Hammer]

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The 375 H&H will require a longer magazine than the 338 Win Mag.

SharpShooter has converted actions as small as the ones for the 223 to 375 H&H and longer for me.

I have one Savage Custom Shop 375 H&H which was originally made with two complete bolt assemblies -- one in push-feed and one in controlled-feed. I have never experienced a failure with either one.



Unless there is something special that has been done, the 338 Win Mag will not qualify as a dangerous game cartridge in Africa. The 9.3 mm (0.366") and the 375 H&H are usually listed as the minimum allowed for dangerous game by regulation and law. This has nothing to do with the 338 Win Mag's abilities but has to do with ancient British rules.

If one is willing to take legal risks in a third-world dictatorship, anything can be negotiated.

.

[yorketransport]

You could just get a 375 Ruger barrel. The Ruger case is shorter than the H&H and feeds perfectly out of a standard Win Mag magazine. But you can only fit two rounds in the mag plus one in the chamber if that's an issue.

As for the muzzle brake, if you can shoot your 338 with the brake off, then you shouldn't have any problems with the 375. The 375 H&H and 375 Ruger both have more of a push than the sharp jab of the 338 Win Mag IMO.

Andrew

[Cavtrooper94]

Hammer,

How would I go about contacting the Savage Custom Shop? I looked at the web site and didn't see anything. Sounds like a pretty slick rig you got. How much does something like that run?

[Hammer]

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While I have a direct number to the Custom Shop, don't know whether that is public or not.

The easy way to get them is to call the standard Savage number and ask for the Custom Shop or Elfie. Assume she still runs the show.

My 375 H&H was made quite a few years ago. Would not begin to guess whether prices have gone up or down since then. At the time, this one was about $900, but there are a few other differences in addition to the two complete bolt assemblies that added to the cost. Knowing that both work equally well, if I was going to make a 375 H&H on a Savage action today, I would not have both bolt assemblies but just go with one.

Some of the guns they made for me years ago they have since told others they won't make again.

.

[Coldfoot]

For what it's worth, Savage made a run of 375 Alaskan Guide guns a few years back for a local distributor (VFG). I have no idea if they are CRF or not.

I still see them in gun shops around town. I believe Wal-Mart in Anchorage has one in the display carousel. Price is around $650, all SS with plastic stock.

[Cavtrooper94]

I saw that rifle here in Fairbanks. I looked at getting one but it doesn't have any bottom metal, and I'm pretty sure it's not CRF. It was cool but kind of cheaply put together. It was also very light. I can only imagine it would be hard on the shoulder.

[tammons]

I have a CRF action and its totally different as it has a slot machined vertically into the back of the action. Its not that smooth either, but it does work. A mauser action would be better.

As mentioned above the mag well is not long enough for a 375 H+H either.

I had a 375 ruger on a savage action and that is the way to go IMO.
If no CRF just set it up on a center feed.

Actually if you want a heavy hitter that will take down most anything in the world set up a 416 ruger.

Lately I have been thinking about possibly switching over to a different action, mostly due to the savage safety. While fine for normal hunting, for a DG rifle especially with gloves on I would rather have a better accessible safety similar the the Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan which is CRF and also has iron sights.

[Hammer]

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For a true dangerous game rifle, nothing beats a good side-by-side with double-triggers in 500 Nitro Express 3-1/4 inch with 570-grain Woodleighs.

For the first encounter with a cape buffalo, a soft in the first barrel and a solid in the second. If things so sour, then solids in both barrels for the follow up.

For elephants and rhino, solids in both barrels.

For lions, might go soft in both barrels.


If you must have a bolt gun for your dangerous game rifle, Granite Mountain Arms make a good action for the 585 Nyati.

.

[Eric in NC]

I saw that rifle here in Fairbanks. I looked at getting one but it doesn't have any bottom metal, and I'm pretty sure it's not CRF. It was cool but kind of cheaply put together. It was also very light. I can only imagine it would be hard on the shoulder.


Don't know that any Savage 375's have "bottom metal" other than a trigger guard. That rifle would be your cheapest and easiest way to a 375 H&H on a Savage - buy it, have a brake put on (if you must - 375 H&H isn't that bad out of a properly stocked rifle), and get a replacement (wooden) stock with a crossbolt installed.

As others have said, the 375 Ruger is the easiest way to get that level of medium bore power out of a Savage.

[Hammer]

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Have both 375 Ruger and 416 Ruger in left-hand Ruger 77 rifles.

Like 'em both.

Have thought often of a 458 caliber version of the Ruger. Seems to be a debate about whether the larger caliber will headspace OK.



Neither the 375 or 416 Ruger are common in African locals. If ammunition is lost or gets scarce, you will want a 375 H&H for easy ammo replacement.



Was on a safari where we got heavily into culling operations and burned up a lot of 375 H&H ammo. Was using the 375 as my light rifle.

Even 375 H&H took some looking and could not find the same factory ammo I was sighted-in for.

In fact, though 375 H&H factory ammo was available, there was no more than two boxes of the same manufacturer or bullet weight in several stores checked.

From work done prior to the trip, knew that a wide variety of factory ammo would go within 1½ inches of each other at 100 yards.

At that point in our hunting, all shots were less than 100 yards so I was OK.

.

[tammons]

Never having shot a large bore until I recently shot some 458 WM full house 600 gr barnes solid test loads and I think that is about as much recoil as I want to deal with. Figure it was around 60# of recoil.

Made my 375 ruger seem pretty tame.
Then again if I was facing down an elephant I am sure a 4 bore would be welcome.

I have used a duromax on both the 375 ruger and the 458 WM with no issues so far.

Bell and Carlson said it will handle a 458 WM recoil. Added an extra pound and with the combination of the pacymer decelerator it did a good job of taming the recoil. With the 375 ruger hunting with 270 gr TSX bullets, it did not feel any worse than a stout heavy 30-06 load to me.

[Eric in NC]

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Have thought often of a 458 caliber version of the Ruger. Seems to be a debate about whether the larger caliber will headspace OK.

.



Hammer - please do a full investigation of that and get back to us when you have a conclusion!

[Hammer]

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One cartridge we should consider is the 460 Weatherby necked up to 0.550" but the case body shortened to go through a standard length action.

This cartridge has already been made, but can't recall who gets credit for it.

At 0.550" it could probably handle 650+ grain bullets with little problem.

The Taylor Factor should be OK.

Charging bull prairie dogs should be set back a little.

Would be a little cheaper on brass than the 585 Nyati.

Think there's one of these downstairs somewhere but think it was left with a full length 460 Wby case instead of the shortened case so as not to compromise velocity.

.

[Cavtrooper94]

Thanks Everybody

I think I'm going to look at the 375 Ruger. Will I need to change the bolt head of my 338 Win Mag?

[efm77]

Your current bolt head should work and I would think the magazine would work as well.

[tammons]

Same bolt head. I ran mine with a 300 winmag magazine and it fed fine.
Mine is an older magazine and they are a bit different.

[yorketransport]

The Ruger case, a standard mag bolt face, and a centerfeed mag are a great combination. I love the 375 Ruger, and the Ruger case in general. I actually sold my 375 H&H after buying the Ruger. Why deal with the extra long action if you don't need it?

Andrew