What were the first affordable .375 H&H's built on action wise?

[Ardent]

Seeing as the .375 H&H generally requires a rare and expensive magnum Mauser action, what were the first .375 H&H's a (well heeled, but not absurdly) layman could own built on action wise? Aside from Holland & Hollands, etc, were there any field grade commercial .375's in the post WWI to just prior to the depression era?

 

[david doyle]

P14s maybe ?

 

[toebako]

Standard 98 Mauser. It can take it length wise.

 

[green]

IIRC the M70 Winch c1936.

 

[tiriaq]

Standard 98 Mauser. It can take it length wise.

With significant alterations to the receiver and magazine.

 

[billdick]

P-14

 

[snoopycda]

winchester model 70 factory chambered.

 

[Ardent]

I was thinking the M70, but there were first year M70 .375's? (1936, still after the time frame I'm curious about) That's a surprise to me, didn't know they were made pre-1940. Still wondering if there was anything early interwar, that wasn't an English or German high end sporting rifle.

As for the standard Mauser, it doesn't fit a .375 H&H well, and the action gets weakened substantially due to all the metal milled out, so I won't count this action.

 

[Mike Webb]

Like they say, the model 70. It made the .375 available to hunters at 1/4 to 1/3 the price of an imported or custom rifle.

 

[Ardent]

But not in the period I'm after, as they started 1936 and the earliest .375 I'm aware of is 1940 (doesn't mean earlier didn't exist).

 

[david doyle]

Ardent just build it on a pattern 14 someone had one on the EE a few or 6 months ago.

 

[sunray]

"...earliest .375 I'm aware of is 1940..." Means it's neither BP nor an antique.
Go here. http://webpages.charter.net/375magnum/index.htm

 

[Ardent]

sunray, that's means nothing to me and I find myself confused why you commented. I read some comments about 1920's working man's .375 H&H's and as an avid .375 hunter it got me curious as to what these could be. I wasn't aware any existed as non-customs.

Not looking to build, set up well in .375. Interest is purely historical.

 

[Mike Webb]

I think Holland and Holland introduced the .375 in 1912. In a Mauser action.

 

[Ardent]

I think Holland and Holland introduced the .375 in 1912. In a Mauser action.

Yes, but not what we're looking for.

 

[green]

Winch M70 in 375 introduced 1937 $86.17US

 

[sunray]

"...Interest is purely historical..." So is that site. Still neither BP nor antiques.

 

[Ardent]

"...Interest is purely historical..." So is that site. Still neither BP nor antiques.

...and why does it matter? Anything over 25 years old is an antique in the legal definition. And it's not a milsurp, and we're going back just under a century. Soo...

 

[david doyle]

Anything over 25 years old is an antique in the legal definition

I am assuming your leg pulling but I'll bite. In the car world 25 years might be considered antique (on account of the crap produced )but in the firearms world you need a bit more chance to aqquire patina then 25 years.

LOL now I understand why when ever I see 'antique' furniture for sale at ridiculous prices in alberta it is 1970s Sears stuff.

Now a 303-.375 on a martini action might be interesting................

 

[Mike Webb]

I think the question has been answered already, Win. 70 in the 1930's. Jack O'Connor did a bit about the introduction of the .375 in the model 70 in his old book, The Hunting Rifle.
He said it changed owning a .375 from an expensive custom proposition to one within reach of the middle class.