.300 H&H Finally got it done!

taylorce1

Handloader
Jun 3, 2007
1,080
0
I've posted this on a couple of other forums, thougth I'd share it here as well. This build has taken me almost two years to build and I've got a little over $1K invested now with the scope.

It has been a long time to get my .300 H&H into shooting shape but it is finally done. I orginaly found the rifle setting in a used rack at a local gunshop for $99, already had the guard straightened, speed lock kit, rails modified, and chambered in .300 H&H. First thing I did was install the scope you see pictured below.

Went from this modified military stock with military trigger and B&L 2-7X35 Elite 3000 scope:
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Never did shoot it in that configuration however as I had plenty of other stuff ready to hunt last year. So I took it to this next, a roughed out Richard's Microfit stock, and replaced trigger with a Timney. Stock had more problems than I was comfortable fixing so took it to Kevin Weaver and he shaped and bedded the stock for me, but left the rest for me to finish up later:
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Finally to this Minwax antique oil finish, Minwax polyeurthane sealer, Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36. I has been cold and miserable lately and gave me plenty of time to finish the stock:
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I have finally shot this rifle. Picked up some factory Winchester or so I thought off the forum here, but the rifle wouldn't group better than 4". Pulled all the bullets and powder from the ammunition. Boxes were labled 180 grain but the bullets actually weighed in at 148.8-151.5 grains and the powder charge ranged from 0 grains in once case but the rest were 69-72 grains. Probably why my groups were all over the place and probably not factory.

I reused the bullets and powder but now every thing has a 70 grain charge. And since most of the bullets were within .5 grains of 150 I just took out the extreme ones. I'm going back to the range today to see if I can get it to group better. I got a good deal on the ammo so I'm not too upset it not being factory, brass looked brand new and unfired inside. Couldn't touch new factory brass for what I bought the loaded ammunition for.

I'm going to load this rifle up for hunting elk. I will be more than likely using 200 grain Nosler Partitions come hunting season. Since this rifle has a long 26" barrel I'll be looking at those slow burning powders to get the most I can out of the barrel.

This is from the other forums as well from my afternoon at the range.

Well she shot pretty good today had 19 rounds to play with after pulling bullets and reusing the componets. I shot one fouler to the right then I put three shots at the bullseye. Wound up 3" high and a pretty awesome three shot groups for no thought into my reloading other than to get onto paper so I could start loading up some 200 grain loads. Shot the next 10 rounds popping 20 oz coke bottles filled with water I'd set up for shooting with my varmint rifles. Went back to 275 yards and rang the 8" gong 5 out of 5 tries from the bench with no holdover.

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BTW still a heavy SOB weighs in at 9lb 13oz! :lol:
 
You have certainly crafted a sweet looking rifle. It is made all the sweeter if it continues to shoot well with known powders and known bullets. Good job.
 
YoteSmoker":35w68p6u said:
Very, very cool! Excuse my ignorance, but is that a M1917? Enfeild?

Yes it is a M1917 action. I have another ready to build something on. It is opened up for a Magnum cartridge as well, Timney trigger, Talley bolt handle, and straightened trigger guard. The duck pond has been welded up and the rear bridge re-contoured as well. Just need to D&T the action and find a barrel and have it chambered in a suitable cartridge for the action. Then I'll bed it in an old Fajen semi inlet stock I have as well.

Just can't decide on the chambering is my biggest problem. I've been thinking .375 H&H to match my .300, .416 Rigby, or .458 Lott. The .375 is the most practical choice but I already own a .375 Ruger.
 
Thanks for all the compliments guys! Really had no plan at all for this rifle as far as the finished product. Kind of let price dictate what it looked like. I didn't do this as cheaply as I'd have liked as I had to hire some work done.

Rifle $99+tax
Stock $75 (Richard's second)
Stock finishing supplies $30
Burris (Redfield style) base and rings $120 (had to have it milled to fit)
Leupold scope $325
Timney trigger $75

So I'd planned on being in this rifle for cheap but unfortunately things didn't go together as planned.

When I tried to fit the stock to the action everything was just enough off that I had to go find help because I didn't feel I had the skills to correct it. So I decided to go to Kevin Weaver to get my help. I let him shape the forearm and bed the action to the stock as well as install the trigger and mill the follower. Kevin did a great job getting the action back on the centerline of the stock and probably the biggest factor to why my rifle shot as well as it did.
 
Very nice! My 1917 is still a .30-06, and will likely remain so, but I sure do like it. Mine is set up with a walnut stock Dad put on it back in the early 1950's, a Timney trigger and a fixed 6x Leupold.

I also have a 'glass Bell & Carlson stock for it that I've used on bad-weather hunts. Great old rifles!
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Look at all that classic stuff on your rifle: controlled round feed, a .300 H&H cartridge, plenty of long, tapered barrel... A good looking stock. Terrific!

Nice job on a great rifle. Congrats!
 
Guy Miner":2ekys3pl said:
Look at all that classic stuff on your rifle: controlled round feed, a .300 H&H cartridge, plenty of long, tapered barrel... A good looking stock. Terrific!

Nice job on a great rifle. Congrats!

That barrel is the original military barrel, in fact it still has a grove where the front sight used to be. Still can see the ordance stamps under the blue on it as well.
 
That is a sweet hunting rifle. Looks like it is really accurate too. Hard to beat those 1917's. I have always heard they were some of the most accurate barrels put on a service rifle back in the day.

Guy, your 30-06 is pretty neat also. It would be nice if they could tell stories! Scotty
 
Wow- that is quite a rifle! Youve got some invested thats for sure but when can cover three holes with a dime it sure seems worth somthin' dont it!?! Nice! CL
 
taylorce1

Is that the same rifle???

Very nice! She is a shooter too! Congratulations on a job well done.

JD338
 
cloverleaf":bycu8rby said:
Wow- that is quite a rifle! Youve got some invested thats for sure but when can cover three holes with a dime it sure seems worth somthin' dont it!?! Nice! CL

Actually I feel that I got this whole rifle finished very reasonable. Not very many .300 H&H's out there anymore for sale. I couldn't touch a M70 in this caliber for as cheap as I built this one. I sure feel it was money well spend.

With all the great things being said about my rifle you sure know how to make a guy blush! :oops:
 
That is very nice!!!!!!!!!! I know how you feel I have a old $65 remington /$1000 gun. But you really can't count the scopes you buy them anyway. Great looking gun, I love the lines. don't change a thing on your loads either. :grin: :grin:

On your next project be wareful of the Lott it is veryyyyyyyyyyyyy long, be sure that it will fit in that action.
 
Elkman":2cw6qhbr said:
On your next project be wareful of the Lott it is veryyyyyyyyyyyyy long, be sure that it will fit in that action.

Every Gunsmith I've talked to thinks it will work, they say the 1917 action is long enough. I'm only doing the Lott as it seems to be the more desirable cartridge when compared to the .458 Win and it will shoot them both. The .416 Rigby and .375 H&H will be the other choices, all depends on the right deal on a barrel.
 
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