Last year an old buddy of mine passed on after a long bout with cancer. He left me his circa 1953/54 M70 in .300 H&H as well as a few pistols. The M70 had the stock cut,terrible pad installed, the gun had maybe 50% bluing,missing the iron sights,etc.
I have another friend who is a lifelong M70 NUT who found me another stock, the sights I needed as well as the proper sling swivels. He also dropped the rifle off to a MT gunsmith who specializes in metal and wood restoration using the old methods. Long story short; eight months later I picked up my like new M70.

Had NO idea that one could restore a rifle to such a condition. I'm surely no M70 expert, but I have been to a rodeo or two and have been a gun nut for forty plus years. This thing looks brand new, right down to the crisp engraving and proof marks.
As though you found one locked in a vault for fifty years.I know the collectors value is ruined,but I don't care as I will never sell it as it reminds me of my old buddy Mel and our long friendship.

Now to shoot it tomorrow. I have to get it shooting so I can bag a bull this year in my buddies memory.

FN in MT

Frank don't worry about it, your friend hunted with it. Go shoot a bull elk with it, it will make you feel better.

Shoot the hell out of it. If I shot right handed,I'd never buy anything but old rifles and have them rebuilt. If you don't mind saying. Who did the work?

[ 03-31-2003, 11:03: Message edited by: RMK ]

I'm also curious about the smith you recommend so highly--hopefully he's local.

Frank it sounds like a heck of a nice rig-now get out on the hill with it and find the biggest darn bull you can on that neat ranch!! It tis a wonderful place isn't it!

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

Frank:

Please share the name of the gunsmith who did the restoration.

I have an old family rifle and I have been considering a similar restoration (even though it will cost way more than the rifle is worth!).

jpb

Good luck with your 300 H&H. I lucked into a 1962 vintage M 70 and I shot it last summer every time I went to the range. The previous owner must have had trouble with the accuracy as it sprayed the 180 Silvertip's that came with the rifle all over the paper. I really don't know if I fixed it or not as I had taken it out of the stock and I just tighenened the screws the right way and it has been very accurate right from the start with handloads.

I make cases from Remington .375 H&H brass as I can set the headspace from the get go. My chamber has +.001" headspace over the .227" max as I measured it.

This rifle has my best scope on it for what that says and I am a scope switcher.

For general summer shooting the Sierra 165 SBT lays them in there and the recoil is just fine.

Nice rifle, classic cartridge.

[ 03-31-2003, 21:03: Message edited by: Savage99 ]

Hey Frank, it sounds like you need to plan an African trip to blood that H&H proper. With your .375 you have a great (2) rifle battery.

A great caliber and one I have used for years and am, in fact, on my 2nd barrel of that old M-70..."Old Ugly", no blue, driftwood stock and -1/2" groups...

A cupfull of old war surplus 4831 and a 200 gr. Nosler or Woodliegh is my use it on anything load.....and ocassionally I shoot 220 gr. Woodleigh softs and solids across the pond....

The Smith is in Kalispell, MT and I am sworn to secrecy by my buddy who dropped off my rifle. Apparently this fine Gentleman is well backed up on work and my buddy doesn't want any more competition from work other than his.

I was out of State to Florida for almost a week and just got home. STILL haven't fired it, have to get that done this weekend.

I now DO surely have a "classic" pair. The .300 H&H has been a favorite as I have an older Sako bolt that I have used for several years now. Throw in my tried and true "three seven five" and I have about 99% of the world covered.

FN in MT