quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I guess, for me, the issue was not as much that they were cut down stocks as the fact that the owner thought they were a top dollar, as in unmutilated items.

Right on!

The amount of mutilated abominations I see on a regular basis demanding top dollar is deplorable. Whats worse is some numbnut will eventually buy them at that price!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Wait until you guys hear the worst: I like steam locomotives better than electro-diesels.

Nothing wrong with that! Steam is alive! I have personal experience with 844,4501 and a couple others. Diesels dumb it down, for lack of better terms. Three positions on a selector and 8 notches on the throttle. No such luck with a Steamer.

Sorry to get off topic.

I have 2 pre 64s, both all original with the exception of the Pachmyer pads. BFD, Pachmyer pads on M70s were de rigueur for a long time.

Some years ago I bought an P64 M70 that had been lovingly reworked with a .338 Win Mag Krieger cut rifled barrel and put into a McMillan stock. Price was right.

Took it on a hunting trip to Wyoming. Got off the plane in Jackson Hole. Registered at the Motel 6 to wait for my buddy coming in later in the day and went to the public range.

The 300 yard gongs had just been painted. Rifle put three rounds of handloaded 225 grain Barnes Xs in 2" at the center of a gong with a zero hold. Ready for hunting.

Ain't original ... but is one approach to a simply superb practical rifle.

I guess it was such a neat thing, to hear that a vendor had nine or ten of them on a table. Then to see the cheesy red ventilated pads on cut down stocks, all at nearly new pricing. Pachmayrs would have been ok. It took me two months to save up $1700 for a clean 300 H&H, and these were much closes price-wise than condition.