What does the barrel breech look like on a Pre-54 Winchester?

[phantom496]

Pre-64 Winchster Barrel Face

I know that the New Model Classics have the radius cut on the barrel face that the extractor has to go into to remove the spent shell, I have cut a couple of them, that is a $100 cutter from Manson's. The Winchester Push feed barrels do not have that cutout, it is a flat end barrel like the Mauser's. I haven't done one of the Pre-64's in a 'very' long time, most people that have one do not want to mess with it, it is a classic and re-barreling one is sacrilegious . . In fact as well as I can remember the last time I did one was back in the late 60's . . aging myself . . ouch !!

The receivers are Round, I believe - if memory serves me right 1.360 in diameter, and when I build a new stock for one I step that radius off so that the receiver will nearly blue off with the stock, 99% wood to metal. Then I pillar Bed each end of the receiver, the front screw and the rear one, the middle one is basically just to hold the trigger guard in place, and if you get industrious - put a pillar on it too, but if the wood is cut correctly, you shouldn't need it. The middle screw can be tightened - but not overly tight. If done correctly the pillars should be doing all of the holding of the receiver to the wood/ or what-ever is used for a stock.

These are pictures I took of the work I did on one of them. You have to remember that the barrel cutout and the receiver have to be timed together, if you go past the cut out the extractor will not go into the slot and pull the spent case out - or anything else. You have to put the barrel on, then mark the receiver and barrel together - remove the barrel and set it up and cut the extractor slot. After all that, be darn sure that the Barrel is Floated, if there is any barrel pressure - they will shoot all over the place . . All in a days work . . .

This one didn't come out too bad - a 22-244 AI - - - - ya think ?

 

[Jim Kobe]

You must have an awfull tight mill to get by with that Manson cutter climb milling that slot. Looks like a recipe for disaster. JMHO

 

[phantom496]

Not climb milling . .

I didn't climb mill that slot, I fed in from the side of the barrel, as you see I just pulled back on the "Y" axis. And for a little Smitty, it is a pretty nice little milling machine. Mind you, I have done this kind of work for over 45 years, and I know how to control the cutter and feeds. But you are correct, it isn't for the faint of heart . . . One little miss calculation on my part could lead to big pieces flying around, been there - done that !!

I was really surprised at how sturdy this little mill is, but it locks up tight and with some dial indicators as a DRO it will hold very good tolerances for what I use it for. It isn't a high $$ mill, I was used to using Deckels but this has done all that I have ask of it with ease. I would like to have had a nice place with a 3 car garage when I moved to OK, but the wifey seen this and the view out the back door and said "Sold" before I had a chance to open my mouth. So I am religated to a 2 car garage with no place to put a small shop - at ALL, and this fits the bill quite well.

 

[housefull]

The tenon should be .728 long and 1"x16TPI. It should have a cone breach and an extractor cut.
Butch

I've looked at many Pre-64 M70s and never saw an excessively rough chamber. The barrels were factory produced (581,000 of them) and had cut rifling--they all show tool marks in the throat/bore to one degree or another, some worse than others. Despite this, most shoot very well. Yes, they do pick up fouling. Most of them have copper wash at the muzzle visible to the naked eye. With today's cleaning products including the foam cleaners, you can pretty easily get copper and carbon out. It's not necessary to get it all out for acceptable hunting rifle accuracy.

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