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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Big Bore Rifles
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RLI
.375 member


Reged: 01/10/03
Posts: 534
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop?
      #25654 - 04/02/05 08:39 PM

I am considering getting a .416Rigby in Left Hand but which one Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? I have heard Dakota has slipped a bit in quality but expensive but Winchester Custom shop can be a few thousand dollars cheaper for rifle with same specs. but are they as good? Has any one seen their work or heard anything? The Dumoulin magnum mauser I was going to get just got a 20% price hike! Nice as these rifles are 20% can not be justified so its Dakota or Winchester Custom. Thanks

Steve

--------------------
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." — John Wayne

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ThomasEdwards
.300 member


Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 246
Loc: Newport Beach, CA
Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: RLI]
      #25658 - 05/02/05 12:57 AM

...my vote would be for the dakota (resale value if it ever came to that; use of walther lothar barrels; well-designed action)...

...another excellent choice would be the heym express (take-down version or standard)...

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Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: RLI]
      #25659 - 05/02/05 01:15 AM

Steve,

This made be of some help. This is a thread I started on AR for a friend of mine on the exact topic that you are talking about.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=518103&f=9411043&m=354102261&r=354102261#354102261

Winchester supposedy made 5 416 Rigbys and it now represents no more than a website entry.

Unless things have changed you will find contacting Winchester Australia about the various Model 70 customs will leave you with the impresson that they have a massive lack of interest.

Your best bet might be to bring in a Dakota action for 416 Rigby and have it made here. Dakota is getting a terrible reputation for their upgraded wood option giving wood that is about the quality of a fruit box.

If I was not caught up with Weatherby I think I would look at getting a Granite Mountain Arms magnum mauser action out here. You can also get then as a barreled action.

An American who I have a lot of communication with has a 450 Dakota, not the factory rifle, and he has a few D'Arcy Echols rilfes. He is looking to Echols to a wood rifle in 460 Wby but using the Granite or Hartman and Weiss action and not his Dakota action.

There is a poster on AccurateReloading who had the lower priced M70 custom in 458 Lott, the one that is now listed for $3030. He had his a couple of years ago.

Problems were: The bolt hiit the stock when it was pulled fully back. The sights were on crooked. The weld on the barrel recoil lug cracked.

Eventually Winchester fixed everything but that would be real fun doing from Australia.

Mike

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bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: RLI]
      #25664 - 05/02/05 05:44 AM

Champlins has a left hand action for $1750 which is probably one the best in the world. I'd then get one of those seringetti (sp) stocks and a badger barrel chambered in .416 Taylor.

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vapodog
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Reged: 28/12/04
Posts: 237
Loc: Nebraska USA
Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: RLI]
      #25679 - 05/02/05 12:45 PM

I wouldn't hesitate for an instant on the M-70 from the custom shop.....however I wouldn't take any bets that the gun will ever be delivered.....I wouldn't make a down payment unless there was a delivery agreement.....such as delivery in August 2005 or something

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RLI
.375 member


Reged: 01/10/03
Posts: 534
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: vapodog]
      #25709 - 05/02/05 05:49 PM

I am more inclined to go with the Winchester Custom Shop for the Left Hand .416 Rigby M70. The standard Left Hand "Classic Safari Express" .375H&H I have has been excellent out of the box compared to some Right Hand models . Makes me think right handed people put Left handed rifles together better than a right hand bolt rifle because its not natural to them and they take more time with it. I have contacted Winchester Australia and they will take my order thru a Winchester gundealer but they tried to talk me out of it because of possible 2 year wait but I reminded them that I waited about 2 years for my standard .375H&H Left Hand! They were a bit quiet then.!
Thanks for the info everyone.

Steve

--------------------
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." — John Wayne

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Re: Dakota or Winchester Custom Shop? [Re: RLI]
      #25711 - 05/02/05 07:27 PM

Steve

I don't know if this is any help since what applies to Nioa and Weatherby might not be the same with Winchester.

With Weatherby I deal direct with the bloke in the custom shop and do the leg work and form my own relationship with them. He gives me pricing in US retail and sends the "Nioa" price to Nioa, then Nioa gives me the recommended retail and my Weatherbys are sitting at Horsely Park Gun Shop awaiting our stupid gun law paper work.

When I settled on what I was getting I spoke to Nioa and they rang Horsley Park and I went in and got the price and paid 50% deposit.

Are you ordering the Custom Safari Express or Custom African Express.

One other point, and again it might be different to Weatherby, if you form your own relationship with the people in Winchester you might find you can do different things to what are "catologued" and also get then to sneak on some good wood for you.

Mike

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