Winchester Model 70 revival

orygun · Mar 6, 2020

I got the new stock today and checked it out closely. It was fairly well represented in it's listing and is overall a nice looking piece.
Here's the link if anyone gives a rat's bubblegum. 1952-1957 Monte Carlo Standard Rifle Stock

It has been refinished and had previously been bedded. It also has aluminum pillars installed. Leaving about an 1/8' border the barrel channel was then relieved and coated with clear epoxy, I assume to stiffen and seal the forend. I had to open up the bedding in a few places to get my action to fit, but everything cleared in the channel and I was even able to easily install the front barrel screw. I'm going to shoot it first, but then I will clean out more of the old bedding and redo it. I'm going to keep track of groups and see what difference it will make. Hopefully I'll get a chance to sight it in and see how it does with a clean barrel tomorrow.

I'm not liking the one piece base as it doesn't leave much room for fingers in the action. I'm going to change to split bases, but I don't really want to change the rings. I love how low the scope sits. With the new stock and the low rings I'm thinking this rifle fits me better than even my favorite Ruger!

Rem725 · Mar 6, 2020

orygun said:
A call to Boyd's this morning didn't turn out like I'd planned.

They don't make a stock for a Pre 64 unless it's a Pre War. Well, that sucks!

I may be left with very few options besides buying something like @No_Regerts suggested.

A prewar stock can be fit to a postwar by filing the rear area beside the rear screw. Just match the contour of the underside of the receiver.

Ura-Ki · Mar 6, 2020

orygun said:
I got the new stock today and checked it out closely. It was fairly well represented in it's listing and is overall a nice looking piece.
Here's the link if anyone gives a rat's bubblegum. 1952-1957 Monte Carlo Standard Rifle Stock

It has been refinished and had previously been bedded. It also has aluminum pillars installed. Leaving about an 1/8' border the barrel channel was then relieved and coated with clear epoxy, I assume to stiffen and seal the forend. I had to open up the bedding in a few places to get my action to fit, but everything cleared in the channel and I was even able to easily install the front barrel screw. I'm going to shoot it first, but then I will clean out more of the old bedding and redo it. I'm going to keep track of groups and see what difference it will make. Hopefully I'll get a chance to sight it in and see how it does with a clean barrel tomorrow.

I'm not liking the one piece base as it doesn't leave much room for fingers in the action. I'm going to change to split bases, but I don't really want to change the rings. I love how low the scope sits. With the new stock and the low rings I'm thinking this rifle fits me better than even my favorite Ruger!
View attachment 666966 View attachment 666970 View attachment 666973

That's a nice lookin Flatty Ford in the back ground you got there!
More pictures please!

orygun · Mar 6, 2020

Ura-Ki said:
That's a nice lookin Flatty Ford in the back ground you got there!
More pictures please!

Belongs to a friend and I'm doing a few things for him. It's kinda stuck where it's at right now.

orygun · Mar 6, 2020

Rem725 said:
A prewar stock can be fit to a postwar by filing the rear area beside the rear screw. Just match the contour of the underside of the receiver.

I wondered if there wasn't a way around that. Thanks!

Rem725 · Mar 6, 2020

orygun said:
I wondered if there wasn't a way around that. Thanks!

Just extend the receiver bottom contour backwards. Seal with epoxy from Acraglass

Sabertooth · Mar 6, 2020

orygun said:
I've always wanted an older Model 70. I even had a late 50's Featherweight that was really nice, but too nice to use. I've used Rugers for a long time because they are strong rifles with features similar to the Mod 70.
I'd say this rifle popped up, but I've known about it for a long time. A standard Model 70 built in 1952 chambered in 30-06. The price had come down just as I was considering getting another '06, also moving away from stainless/synthetic. It's rough, but not terrible. It's one just f-ed up enough I can change a few things and not feel guilty. The basic rifled action seems to be in fine shape. The bluing is nearly gone on the floorplate and trigger guard. The barrel and action are 80%ish. The stock has many chips and scrapes, hogged out swivel stud holes, the buttpad is a disintegrating brick and the butt is about an inch short. When it came to me it hadn't been shot in probably 25+ years. The magazine body was installed upside down and the trigger guard wasn't seated. I put it all back together correctly and checked function. The bore looked ok so I ran a few patches thru it and headed out to shoot.
The recoil "pad" hurt. A folded up towel made up for short stock and the lack of absorption of the so called pad.
The 24" barrel boosted velocities 100fps faster than the 22" tube of my Ruger. I was really tickled to see the SD numbers on my favorite reload were in the low teens out of this rifle.
View attachment 662847 View attachment 662848
After I got it home I tore it down again and am giving it a thorough cleaning. The bore has been soaking and is still full of copper, but it's looking great. The scope ring and mount screws were all loose. I loktite-ed the threads and changed the scope to an older VX-II.
View attachment 662849
Next up is a Boyd's stock. I'll be looking into the proper way to bed this 4 screwed action.
I'd be interested in hearing from others that have experience bedding and action screw "tuning".

My intention is to make this my primary hunting rifle.

Bed the action and float the barrel. Its a lot easier that was and the floated barrel does not affect the barrel harmonics. Make for better accuracy also.

orygun · Mar 7, 2020

I went out to sight it in today and at 32 yards it looked promising. Upper right group first, then more centered group 2nd. Both groups 3 shots.

My wood backing is soggy and blows up when hit. Time for a new target board.

I moved the target out to 95 yards and squared it away. I made this 5 shot group, or should I say pattern? The wild upper left shot was all shooter error and while I wasn't dialed in for one hole groups today, I expected a little better than this. Guess I'd better get to work.

orygun · Mar 8, 2020

Looks like I purchased a copper mine. I only shot 15 rounds since the last pile of rags. Guess I must have missed some. Still mining...

turq · Mar 8, 2020

Research Bore Tech solvents and copper remover. Great company and products

orygun · Mar 12, 2020

turq said:
Research Bore Tech solvents and copper remover. Great company and products

I did. Thanks.
I have some of their Eliminator on the way from Brownell's along with some bedding compound and a couple of other things.

I started the "unbedding".

orygun · Mar 14, 2020

Between a new chisel and a rotozip like bit in the Dremel tool I got the stock ready to bed. The action drops right in.
I'm tempted to shoot before I bed it. Any excuse to shoot is a good one.

orygun · Mar 18, 2020

Tonight I took a crack at bedding it. I was pretty disappointed that the Brownell's bedding kit was one large batch, not two smaller batches like it used to be. As it was I threw away about 3/4 of the batch of bedding compound. It sure would have been nice to have saved half of that Acraglass for another project, or for a second shot on this one. I'm very curious to see how well I covered the critical areas.

orygun · Apr 30, 2020

It turned out that the barrel channel was hogged out much more than I originally thought and the chamber section of the barrel didn't completely bed.
I took another crack at it, but I didn't get any pictures of the process. It's all back together and ready to go, but then I got distracted with another Winchester.

PaulB47 · May 12, 2020

I bought an old Sako Forester in similar condition. I just glass bedded the original stock to get it to shoot right, and applied some oxpho blue to the barrel, etc. It's got its scars but they just add to the charm. One of my favorite rifles, I even just use it with a peep sight. The thing reeks class.

orygun · May 13, 2020

PaulB47 said:
I bought an old Sako Forester in similar condition. I just glass bedded the original stock to get it to shoot right, and applied some oxpho blue to the barrel, etc. It's got its scars but they just add to the charm. One of my favorite rifles, I even just use it with a peep sight. The thing reeks class.

I bought some Oxpho blue for another project, but I'm going to use some on this rifle's floorplate. The rest of the bluing looks pretty decent.

DunRanull · May 24, 2020

A 1951 .30-06 Mod 70 is on my "Next Year In Jerusalem" list of firearms I want but don't need. Actually have/ had some nice sporters and tricked out Mausers.. but nothing says it like a Model 70 made during one's birth year :s0017: