What to do with a Win M 70?

Z

zeke mccune

Member
Hi Gang:

Today I bought a 1954 Winchester M 70 30-06 that needs the barrel reblued and the stock refinished. The stock has no dings or scratches but does have the factory finish worn off on the butt stock. The barrel has some scrapes about 3" behind the front sight that need to be removed prior to bluing. Which brings up the next question.

Since I have some very nice wood that is begging to be used, should I restock this gun with some very nice wood? Also, since I have several new barrels, Shilen chrome moly. should I just have one of those fit in 6 mm Rem., 25-06 or any other caliber that would be fun to shoot?


How much money would I lose by refinishing the gun back to original? How much would I lose by using the action to make a "custom gun" if I go that route? I always thought the pre 64 Win 70 actions would make a very nice basis for a project gun.

Oh yes, I paid $500.00 for the rifle scope and sling. Was this a good buy for a project gun?


TIA,


Franchi
 
That's a GREAT rifle. I consider the original Model 70 to be the pinnacle of American firearms manufacturing. It makes a wonderful base for a custom rifle so if you have plenty of money have it done up right. If not you can enjoy it just like it is. A few scratches won't hurt it as a user rifle - not one little bit. And since its already "skint up" a bit you can use it without worrying about it.
 
You have several ways to go, if it was in worst shape and really needing a real over haul, I can direct you to a great restorer of model 70 but if you went that way, you would not use the rifle, it would become a safe queen.

The next way would be to throw a ton of money into it, another safe queen.

Another way is to go to and all out full blown custom, you could sure save a lot of money by getting a good composite stock, use your barrel you have as a blank and have a wonderful hunting rifle.

I have a number of old usable M-70 that fit the bill for that.

I also have some that are special order rifles that never see the light of day, it's all up to what you want.

Restocking just to please a desire to have what you want is a different way to get what you want. I have to tell you that the chances of getting your money out of that rifle are next to nothing. Usable but good Super Grade stocks are now bring from 12 to 15 hundred bucks, finding a Super Grade floor plate and you can dummy up a Super Grade and maybe break even.


It's your game, have fun with it.
 
Pre-64 M70 actions (30-06) sell for $700+ these days so at $500 for the entire rifle you got a good deal.

You won't lose money if you re-finish the stock and re-blue the metal providing both are well done. The action should be bead-blasted rather than highly polished. Find someone who blues metal who knows how Winchester polished metal parts so he can duplicate the process. Nothing looks worse than an old M70 with a highly polished, shiny re-blue.

Winchester used a sprayed lacquer stock finish that no one does these days. Besides, it scratched very easily. A soft satin oil finish looks good on those M70 stocks. Again, find someone who knows the proper stain to use that closely resembles the Winchester red-brown color.

If you re-barrel your M70 and want to use the original stock you have to deal with the barrel boss inlet (unless yours is a Featherweight). A little bedding compound of the right color solves the problem.

Whether or not to put a custom wood stock on this rifle is your choice. If you stick with the original, I've had good luck pillar bedding them. This prevents compressing the wood when tightening the action screws. Many of the original M70 stocks dried out over the years and got soft, or, worse yet, were oil soaked. Pillar bedding solves the problems permanently.

Good luck with this rifle--old M70s are arguably the best factory production sporting rifles ever made.

By the way, shoot it as is--you may really like the 30-06 and the way it performs. Don't just re-barrel it without giving it a fair trial. And, it may be a tack driver "as is." Many of them were.
 
I too admire the pre64 model 70, like a lot of other folks. I have managed to stay out of the collector guns lately and managed to buy a few pre 64 model 70 rifles in the 400-500 dollar range. Like yours, they have some wear and tear, but at least was able to own the rifles and not mortage the homestead.

As you know the pre 64 model 70 action is used in a lot of custom rifles, both hunting and lookers. One can buy a whole rifle for the donor action pretty reasonably at times, but remove the barrel and stock, and sell the action for more.............never could understand that, but seems to be fact.

I think one of the short comings of the pre 64 model 70 is its gas handling ability in case of a primer mishap, but as you know, that can be remedied by observing the old mausers at the back. Just a most intriguing action all in all.

I have redone one? for my own use, 1950's era, a beater to most people. This one was redone by myself with a Shilen SS 22 caliber blank(5.5 taper, 26" finished) in 220 Ackley. I steamed out the dents that I could and filled the others with a mix of acrajel/sanding dust. The wood stock was pillared, and a triggershoe was added(not for everyone probably). It wears an old T-16 Weaver, and is ok for me. Kinda a medium weight varmint(coyote) gun to me.

I have a second action, another 50's era to do the same way in 25-06 Ackley; components are under the couch, but not had time yet. Sometimes a little extra zoom would be nice.

Currently I am working on a third for my own use, another hunting rifle, that is in 257 Roberts with a Shilen CM barrel. I am in the process of slow rust bluing the barrel, and pillaring the stock, kinda different that the other two, but all of us slow down from time to time.

I kinda like the original stock style(no cheekpiece). The sight boss in the stock can be filled with expoxies/dust or carefully with wood. Guess one could contour a barrel with the sight boss(fairly painful) or just add a faux one. On some, I kinda like a recoil pad; I think red is ok, but others like black or brown. Someday probably will touch up the checkering on these, but for now the worn checkering slides on the bags ok, and still is good enough my needs.

One can go most anyway one wants. You can hire things to be done that will astound you in the cosmetics and function of the original rifle. If money is no object, then there are those will cater the finest work. If one is on their own or thereabouts, then somewhere in the middle can be done as well. I think that most of these old model 70's will surprise you if you just shoot and tune as you found them, but of course; I personally have no problem with mods.

I have an old model 70 that was 30 Govt, that was remodeled by the previous owner. Sweets thru the barrel is bluer than my new blue jeans and just runs out the barrel, but it will shoot 5 shots out of the rechambered 30/338 under 1 1/2" on occasion.

Just amazing rifles...........you are lucky to have one.
 
i wouldn't change a thing on it and use it the way it is.
 
Butch

Butch Lambert said:
Henry,
I love mausers, but have had many pre64 Mod 70s.
Butch
Click to expand...


Hey Butch,
I am in the process of putting together a couple "Belgium Fn 98 Commercial"
and would like to find a source of info on accurizing them. 6x284 & 300 win.
Triggers, tuning etc.
Any help guideance greatly appreciated.

Aloha, Les
 
The real trick is to find someone that has the tooling and will work on Mausers. The numbers who won't do the work far out distances who will do the work.
 
Thanks Butch

I will give that a try. Best groups so far .625" with a 12 leupold, no flags, stiff trigger, for the 6X284. Still workin on 300 win.
Don't mean to hijack this thread, so sorry.:(

Aloha Les
 
If it were mine

I would have it pillar bedded, re-crowned and the trigger adjusted.

Then apply a good carnauba wax to the stock and all metal work.

Work up a max load of 165 grain Accubonds and go hunting.

Tell everyone you have been shooting it all your life and have kill dozens of stuff with it.

You would be a cool dude!
 
Or Franchi could still take Butch Lambert's offer and brag for the rest of his life that the made 1000% annual rate of return on his wise investment. The rate is dropping each day he waits.

I'd agree with John S up to the last sentence of his post. But when did a person start being called a "cool dude" by exagerating their hunting exploits? That used to just be called a liar.
 
I should have added

You would also need a smart looking hat:)=

But no bull as I stated before:

"I would have it pillar bedded, re-crowned and the trigger adjusted.

Then apply a good carnauba wax to the stock and all metal work.

Work up a max load of 165 grain Accubonds and go hunting."
 
Rick W. said:
I think one of the short comings of the pre 64 model 70 is its gas handling ability in case of a primer mishap, but as you know, that can be remedied by observing the old mausers at the back. Just a most intriguing action all in all.
Just amazing rifles...........you are lucky to have one.
Click to expand...



Other than the bottom metal, that is my biggest complant with the Model-70 and has been since I was old enough to know better. But there is a way to vent the shroud away from the shooters face.:D
 
a few months back i picked up a pre-64 win 70 chambered in .270 in about the same condition for $500 at a pawn shop in el campo texas. the finish on the barrel is fine but the receiver has been polished & reblued. the stock was also lightly sanded then covered with a light coat of varnish, but it hasn't been cut down & still has the original metal buttplate. there is a guy in houston i know who duplicates the original pre-64 stock finishes & can also recut the checkering. i'll have him do mine as soon as i have a chance to get the gun to him.
i prefer mauser sporters to win 70's but at that price i couldn't pass it up
 
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