What to do with a pre 64 Winchester Model 70?

04 October 2016, 05:46

I have a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 featherweight that I seldom use and was trying to come up with an idea for a new use for it. Rebarrel, change the caliber, add a quality stock, ???

Anyone have an good ideas or suggestions? I am at a loss.

04 October 2016, 05:59

Biebs

What caliber is it now? Perhaps having the stock re-oiled a bit darker and glossier, and adding an ebony forend tip, grip cap, and a red recoil pad would give it a classic Griffin & Howe look for not much $$$.

04 October 2016, 06:34

DMCI*

The chief advantage of a pre-64 Winchester is that they were built with a smooth hand worked action. This of course is very desirable in any rifle.

Next question that needs to be addressed is what caliber or function you expect to do with this rifle. Most model 70s are found in .30-06 and this means you can reduce the amount of work to be done if you stay with that rim size. If you want to do wildcat might consider .30-06, .243, .308, etc. once you have determined the function, take a look at the available bullets. For example, 7 mm bullets come in the wide availability from varmint to medium hunting versions. One of my favorites right now is the 7 – 08 caliber. If you want something heavy you can go to a .35-06.

Having decided upon the caliber, the next thing is the stock. This can range from refinishing the factory stock or purchasing a custom stock, or even an aftermarket stock designed for a specific purpose.
Then there is a whole question of a custom barrel. In fact you can spend as much or as little as you want for a custom rifle.

04 October 2016, 06:52

B L O'Connor

quote:
Originally posted by boliep:
I have a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 featherweight that I seldom use and was trying to come up with an idea for a new use for it. Rebarrel, change the caliber, add a quality stock, ???

Anyone have an good ideas or suggestions? I am at a loss.

Well, you could just, you know, give it to me! I mean, why would you want such an old POS in the first place?

04 October 2016, 06:54

richj

sell it and buy what you want

04 October 2016, 06:57

Idaho Sharpshooter

tough one...

The last two I had altered were both actions.

Jim Kobe turned a real bubba'ed one into a458 RUM.

Bartlein Barrels just finished the barrel work on the other one ('06) by rebarreling it in 6.5-284.

Check www.walnutgrovegunstocks.com for wood. They have some incredible blanks, and about thirty different patterns for OM M70's.

04 October 2016, 08:28

Lamar

shoot it.
you'll figure out why they are popular the way they come from the woolworths.

04 October 2016, 13:29

Eastcoaster

quote:
Originally posted by boliep:
I have a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 featherweight that I seldom use and was trying to come up with an idea for a new use for it. Rebarrel, change the caliber, add a quality stock, ???

Anyone have an good ideas or suggestions? I am at a loss.

Id drop it in a Brown Precision or McMillan stock and hunt it. It will last a lifetime and you'd be hard pressed to buy a better hunting rifle at any price.

04 October 2016, 17:07

boliep

Let me catch up with all of the suggestions. I appreciate each and every one.

Biebs the rifle is a 30-06 now. It has the low comb factory stock which I do not care for. I do like your ideas and especially the low $$$ amount but if the rifle is altered it will need a new stock for sure.

DMCI you are right about it having a super smooth action. I have thought about changing the caliber as a number one thing to do. You suggested for one of your options the 35-06 and doing it as a Whelen was one of my first thoughts.

B L O'Connor that is a nice try and it never hurts to ask but I have to admit that giving the rifle away has never crossed my mind.

richj I have thought seriously about selling or trading it but not sure what I want to replace it.

Idaho Sharpshooter your ideas are good as well but while Jim Kobe does fantastic work based on the pictures I have seen and the reports I have read, his work is more than I want to spend. I am going to check out your link for walnut grove gunstocks. That might be a solution along with possible rebarreling into a 35 Whelen or keeping it as a 30-06. I was thinking of using a Kreiger barrel if I go that route.

Lamar I have shot it and used it for quite a while. I just seldom take it out of the safe any longer.

Eastcoaster buying and bedding a stock like you mention to the action is probably a first choice followed by a new barrel and maybe a caliber change.

04 October 2016, 19:52

custombolt

boliep
Pre-64 actions won't get you much $$$ on a trade in these days.
Another option not mentioned is a re-bore to a larger '06 based caliber, cost is less than a re-barrel. If I'm not mistaken, the caliber stamp could be filled and re-stamped or engraved to the new caliber. Essentially you get a brand new bore and retain the original integrity of the barreled action. Might take less time (and money) to get it back over a new replacement barrel. Might get more info on here with a search for rebore or JES.

04 October 2016, 20:24

Blacktailer

If you don't like the stock just restock it. Keep the stock or sell it. I kept mine so if and when I ever part with it (not even cold dead hands) I could sell it with the custom stock and the original.
If you want to change caliber, since the 30-06 is parent to so many others, you could swap out the barrel and keep the original and probably not have to alter the action. Again it doesn't cost much to get another barrel screwed on and headspaced.

04 October 2016, 21:13

Sniper

Actually have the exact same dilemma, was thinking a 280AI.

04 October 2016, 21:38

Idaho Sharpshooter

Custombolt,

Pre-64 actions are back up around $600 these days.
If you do not think so, just post a standard length/30-06 bolt for sale here for $600 and see how long it lasts. I would be second in line, because Jim Kobe would have seen it first and bought it.

Still the best non-current production action available for less than a thousand dollars to base a custom rifle on.

Rich

05 October 2016, 03:47

Atkinson

I;ll swap you a super accurate std. wt. in 30-06 for it..Mine is a pre war transitional with the backasswards safety on it..nice gun.

05 October 2016, 10:01

Shumba

Let's see a photo! If your stock has the original aluminum buttstock on it and not a recoil pad, the stock itself is worth quite a bit. Probably best to buy another stock and just hang on to the original. I put an original featherweight stock (very nice condition) on eBay a year or so ago and it went for over $600. My current go to hunting rifle is a Pre-64 M70 Featherweight in 30-06, bedded in a McMillan stock. Super accurate and because of the stock, it feels like it has less recoil than my Pre-64 M70 Featherweight in .270. I used to shoot rifles in 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, etc., but finally realized I can do pretty much everything in North America with a 30-06. Now when I need something more than a 30-06, I step up to my 375 H&H.

I keep the original stock in my safe (all original with plastic buttstock), just in case I want to put it back to original again.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Tim

05 October 2016, 11:25

Ray B

if the rifle is left as is, it may be appreciated by your heirs, since they will use it as you used it back in the day.

06 October 2016, 01:01

custombolt

Hi Rich,

Mr. boliep said about selling it OR trading it. I referred to only a trade in.
As for Pre-64 M70's in general.....I'm fairly up to date on their person to person values.
$600 seems too cheap and seems to be hugging the bottom, value wise.
An example is ..........I just sold my great shooting (1MOA) - smooth and really clean Pre-64 .270 with an old sporter stock for $600 after listing it for $795.00 and then $695.00 on here and subsequently on GunBroker as well.
Interest was really slim.

5 years ago it would have been gone in 10 minutes at $795.00 even with a non-original stock.
Having said that, since I had that .270 I have a new found respect for those old M70's.
Like buttah!

quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Custombolt,

Pre-64 actions are back up around $600 these days.
If you do not think so, just post a standard length/30-06 bolt for sale here for $600 and see how long it lasts. I would be second in line, because Jim Kobe would have seen it first and bought it.

Still the best non-current production action available for less than a thousand dollars to base a custom rifle on.

Rich

06 October 2016, 01:44

metric

Make it a nice .270W or .280R, and put on some fancy Walnut

06 October 2016, 21:05

okie john

quote:
Originally posted by Eastcoaster:
Id drop it in a Brown Precision or McMillan stock and hunt it. It will last a lifetime and you'd be hard pressed to buy a better hunting rifle at any price.

This. Even if it's only a spare or back-up rifle, a pre-64 FWT is still one of the best hunting rifles ever made, and the 30/06 is one of the most versatile cartridges ever developed. Hard to go wrong with what you've already got...

Okie John

07 October 2016, 15:45

DMCI*

The above rifle is a classic example of what you’re talking about. The only exception here is that it rarer than the pre-64 30-06 length as it is the shorter .308 length action, which is particularly well-suited for rounds like the .260 or 7mm – 08. At the time I had this rifle built the Smith was drowning in model 70 stocks. So I purchased this rather fine example of the deluxe M 70 stock for about 50 bucks and had him clean the original finish off and replace it with an oil finish. Intention was build a light hunting rifle using the 142 grain Sierra rifle round and 100 grain hollow point for varmint hunting.
The barrel is a Lilja three groove and custom two-stage trigger is at a very crisp 2 pounds the way I like it. Even the scope something the local gun shop had for some time and that none of the local Leopold users wanted at twice the price, but had very fine glass. He was amazed that I bought it, but this rifle also acts as my backup varmint rifle and did very well on short range squirrels out to 300 yards plus. This rifle was an attempt to reduce the cost over the "purple" rifle shown below. The reason that the rifle is purple is that one of the Smith's big-time customers had it painted and then didn't like the color so he put it up for sale. The varmints don't care about the color and either it I!

Here by comparison is an all up varmint rifle with custom stock, Lilja barrel, trigger, and heavy US optics scope. This rifle also a .260, known at the time building as a 6.5-08 wildcat. Shown with .17 HMR Cooper rifle.

08 October 2016, 00:01

olarmy

A short action pre64 M70??

09 October 2016, 23:26

olarmy

DCMI: I'm really curious about the short action p64 M70. Please elaborate. Thx.

10 October 2016, 06:37

DMCI*

quote:
Originally posted by DMCI*:
quote:
Originally posted by olarmy:
DCMI: I'm really curious about the short action p64 M70. Please elaborate. Thx.

It seems having measured by short action and long action Model 70s, that the bolt throw and bolt length are exactly the same. So naturally, I called the Rifle Smith in the agreed with my findings stating that the modification referred to only the magazine well which had equipment and that shortened the magazine well for shorter rounds and this is what he referred to as a short action. So in effect, you are absolutely correct and his terminology only refer to foreshortened magazine wells which were arranged so as to not take longer rounds in them. I could see how his terminology could lead to confusion when the Model 70 was compared to similar technology in the 700 Remington.

10 October 2016, 09:21

olarmy

Thanks for the clarification.

10 October 2016, 09:29

olarmy

BTW Winchester DID introduce a true short action, beginning in the 80s.

13 October 2016, 21:21

Atkinson

Yes one needs to clarify that short action mod. 70, it is the only one they produced..I had one in a 22-250 and liked it...Not sure if they still make it???

21 December 2016, 03:43

Gunswizard

My two pre'64 Winchester M/70 have been made into a Featherweight .257 Robert, it had been rebarreled by a previous using a Douglass barrel in the original FW profile. My other M/70 started life as a standard weight .30-06, I had it rebored by Randall Redman to a .35 Whelen. I found the various bits and pieces to make it into a Super Grade, it is topped by a Leupold VX-II 2-7x in a Griffin & Howe mount and has a repro solid red Winchester pad.

21 December 2016, 05:00

boliep

I like the way you think.

21 December 2016, 06:02

Atkinson

Well we made a trade, my pre war for his old beat up fwt..Good trade for both of us.

in the floor..

Its exactly what I was looking for and the description was accurate, its a pretty beat up ole fwt, bores excellent, stock near smooth as described..Bolip forgot to tell me it shot 1/2 inch, 3 shot or 10 shot, makes no difference, I stuck a 4X Leupold on it and it has its own saddle scabbard..I love this gun, it will never leave my casa, nor will I change a thing on it. I like it as is and curmudgeons need feather weight rifles, the standard weights wiggle too much.....Thanks Bolip, your a true gentleman.

21 December 2016, 21:26

AFRICAN LEADWOOD

Sounds like a pretty good solution.

21 December 2016, 22:13

Dr. Lou

If it were my rifle, I'd likely re-barrel it with a 24" #2 chambered in 6.5-06, NP3 it, and drop it in a McMillan stock. I would also contemplate 280 Rem, 35 Whelen, or 9.3x62.

21 December 2016, 22:58

dogcat

quote:
Originally posted by Sniper:
Actually have the exact same dilemma, was thinking a 280AI.

That is what I did....
I like the .280 REM or AI.

22 December 2016, 19:33

AFRICAN LEADWOOD

Gentlemen unless I didn't follow Bolip and Mr Atkinson did a swap and are both happy.

This makes the question academic now, but that said I still enjoy reading the suggestions.

22 December 2016, 20:26

Atkinson

I'm happy with the featherweight, but that does not mean that Boliep isn't thinking about a conversion to my old gun...both rifles show a lot of use..and he may want to build a custom rifle out of my old gun that's smooth as silk, and its a pre war gun which is desirable..His gun fit me perfect in that I don't have to baby it and it shoots fantastic..

Sooo, keep the suggestions coming to him, he needs help!!

My thought is since its a std. weitht gun, How about a 9.3x62 or 64, sounds like a winner to me and the weight is right..a rebore or rebarrel is in order, maybe a custom stock, would make a nice riflewith a minimum of expense.

24 December 2016, 10:52

Idaho Sharpshooter

heck, I owned a carbine OM chambered for 22 Hornet for several years. I never figured out how they could chamber them in everything from the Hornet to the 375 H&H and make them all feed so flawlessly.

I'd be very happy to raid the cookie jar for just a clean action for $650 or less.

24 December 2016, 10:54

Idaho Sharpshooter

I could find a magnum action, it would be headed to a trusted gunsmith to be converted to...
Never you all mind, just find me one.

Rich

24 December 2016, 10:54

Idaho Sharpshooter

quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
If I could find a magnum action, it would be headed to a trusted gunsmith to be converted to...
Never you all mind, just find me one.

Rich

24 December 2016, 22:20

nopride2

What would I do with a pre '64 mod 70? Shoot it a lot.

Dave

24 December 2016, 22:53

npd345

hmmmm what to do with this Remington mdl 30 action here on the desk.........

quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
quote:
Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
If I could find a magnum action, it would be headed to a trusted gunsmith to be converted to...
Never you all mind, just find me one.

Rich

26 December 2016, 21:50

jeffeosso

sell it to some ~~sucker~~ er, fanatic, and buy a new one, with a better trigger, better accuracy, and in a caliber/finish you want .. and use the left over to fund a nice hunting trip with it -

seriously, i don't get the draw, but i am the same way on mid 60s, early 70s "super" cars -- i had them, was "meh" THEN too...

but, yeah, don't change it, sell it as an original, collect your proceeds, and buy the gun you want -- that way the guy who buys it can have the gun HE wants, too