I have the Winchester Model 70 Safari Express in 416 rem mag. Great out of the box rifle. Nice grain in the stock, the crf bolt is as slick as butter from new. Only thing not impressed with is the MOA trigger they now fit. Love the no creep and backlash feel, but can't adjust it down light enough to my like. Sitting on top is a Leupold 2-7x33 in Leupold QD mounts on Leupold bases. Brass was no problem to find- only to pay for. Norma and Hornady Custom are available loaded or unprimed. I usually make them by necking up 375h&h and fire forming but taking this rifle away to Zimbabwe I needed the correct brass to save any Custom's Official's confusion. Using 78gn of ADI 2208 the Woodleigh 400gn Round Nose gets pushed at 2400fps and will group 5 shots under the inch at 100m off the bench. Same powder and weight but with the 400gn Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilised Solid gives only 2350frs but shoots to the same poa and groups even tighter. Yes the Winchester's magazine follower and action do feed the hyrdo's into the chamber everytime without jamming. Love this rifle.
I too have an 8mm Rem Mag in a Model 700 BDL. It now wears a Boyds laminate stock with proper cross bolts fitted. Sako style extractor fitted to the bolt, action trued and bolt lugs lapped. Speed lock firing pin kit fitted( it's amazing how many products there are out there to turn a Model 700 action into a benchrest competition winner.) I also gave the factory barrel a decent crown job. Remington unprimed cases were a bit harder to find, but same as my 416, I just neck down 375h&h brass and fire form. Woodleigh make the excellent 250gn. Push it with 80gn of ADI 2217 powder and it is doing 2630fps. This is just about on the maximum impact velocity recommended by Woodleigh. There is more than enough room in the case to load 84gr Of ADI 2217 but groups blow out to 3 times the size. I stick with 80gn of ADI 2217 and can use this rifle on small "varmit" size animals out to 200m, that is how accurate it is. No sight adjustment is needed from 25m- 200m it is that flat you will hit what you're aiming at. Only problem is it won't feed the 170gn Woodleigh Hydro Solid and the only bullets that reliably feed are long spire points or round nose. Being in Australia we have to wait until Mr Woodleigh has completed all his overseas orders before they supply the domestic market, I have ordered a batch of the Capped Hydros. Just as well I'm not holding my breath whilst waiting for delivery!
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