I have a pre-64 mod 70 that was re-bored from 264 Winchester magnum to 7mm Remington by Cliff Labounty before he moved on to double rifles.

It shoots reasonably well, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch groups with a maximum load of RL-25 and the 160 grain Nosler Accubond at 3,070 fps. It is a 26 inch stainless barrel which is the reason I wanted to re-bore rather than re-barrel.

I have shot Swift facotry ammo plus 160 grain North forks in it also using RL-25, which no one claims will give me best accuracy, but in a 26 inch barrel I wanted velocity over one-hole groups, it is a pre-64 after all!

It has the original wood stock, and I wondered if you all could give me advice on bedding the stock, or should I forget about it and just purchase an inexpensive synthetic stock like the Bell and Carlson?

My barrel has the sight base on it so it owuld still need some inletting.

thanks in advance, Andy

quote:

Originally posted by Andy:
but in a 26 inch barrel I wanted velocity over one-hole groups, it is a pre-64 after all!

It has the original wood stock, and I wondered if you all could give me advice on bedding the stock, or should I forget about it and just purchase an inexpensive synthetic stock like the Bell and Carlson?

You're more interested in velocity over accuracy so I don't know that it matters what stock you use. And a good bedding job on either one couldn't hurt.

Westpac,

I am interested in keeping the point of impact from shifting. I used the original wood stock on my pre 64 375 h and h and after a few days in elk camp it would wander.

I discarded that for a mcmillan many years ago, and honestly dont know how to bed a pre-64 action.

Andy

When it comes to guns used in extreme climates I am of the opinion that the synthetics are the way to go. If it were mine, I would place it in a good quality synthetic stock such as the McMillan. As far as bedding goes, there are volumes written on the topic. Just do a search. For the ultimate in stability, I would recommend adding pillars to any bedding project.

The most accurate pre '64's I know of had conventional epoxy bedding in wood stocks; no pillars. They've shot 600 and 1000 yard test groups equal to and smaller than bench rest records.

quote:

Originally posted by Bart B.:
The most accurate pre '64's I know of had conventional epoxy bedding in wood stocks; no pillars. They've shot 600 and 1000 yard test groups equal to and smaller than bench rest records.

1.free float the barrel 2.check the bolt face have it trued if needed 3. check head space 4.have crown done 5. take your time build a load the rifle likes. Match King bullats have always worked well for me. Varget is a good starting point on powder.I start working up a load by setting my overall lenght at .015 off the lands and work from the after i have got the bullet and powder the rifle like.

Seeley Masker, an old-time Benchrest smith now deceased, made his own rep and the rep of pillar bedding back in the '60s. He didn't invent it, Paul Mauser actually invented pillar bedding, but Seeley popularized it and made many, many bughole rifles out of relatively standard M70s.

His quick-&-dirty 'field' accurizing consisted of pillar bedding the wood stock, truing the front of the receiver ring and the rear of the barrel where it contacts the front of the ring, obtaining equal locking lug contact and recrowning the muzzle. And of course a THOROUGH cleaning! I personally have witnessed this procedure result in cutting the groups of a 257 Roberts M70 from 1 1/4" down to 3/4" and less.

If you want to retain POI then IMO make sure your barrel doesn't touch any wood, even (and ESPECIALLY) when pulled down tight on the benchrest bags.
Regards, Joe

I had a really accurate factory 308 that would shoot five shot one hole groups,week after week, at 200yds with off the sand bags with a 2-7 leo.When I needed to rebarrel and took it to a gunsmith(a 1000yd gunsmith),he told me that my action was crooked and the lugs needed lapping.When I got it back it shot terribly.I would not bed any rifle if it shot good and the action did not move in the stock.My most accurate rifles were not bedded and my most accurate Winchester had only a dab of epoxy in the rear tang area.There is also no need to worry about any shift in POI.It is a rare thing.

First off I am in no way, shape, or form a gunsmith or facsimile there of, but I do tinker with pre 64 Winchester model 70's. I believe in leaving the pristine examples(safe queens) for the bigtime collector's. I keep a few clean examples for posterity, but most of mine have issues that let me afford them. I have no problem enhancing their appearance or performance.

I have a technique for bedding a pre 64 standard that is great for HUNTING. It will give you a good three shots without opening up; it will be on the money for that first cold clean shot with two quick follow ups. I believe in bedding the barreled action rock solid, no float.

The prep is to remove at least half of the stock bedding behind the recoil lug at a 45 degree angle and use a large diameter counter sink bit to ream out some of the front guard screw hole. Drill both guard screw holes to 5/16" - 3/8"

Use this same bit to remove material from the rear guard screw hole. The counter sink bit I use is right at the same width as the tang inletting.

Remove a lot of stock material from the goose egg area of the barrel channel (rear sight bulge) and go pretty deep for about a 1/2"-3/4" circle where the stud goes through the stock.

Now sand the barrel channel and front action ring inletting to allow for a 1/16" give or take amount of bedding material.

Use Brownell's bedding tape to mask your stock's exterior and also a combination of Play Doh and Brownell's bedding tape to seal of mag openings (all openings)etc. Put a layer or two of Brownell's bedding tape on both sides of the front receiver ring.

Now you have a choice as to whether you mask off the front and sides of the recoil lug and the rear edge of the tang or wheter you use a dremel to relieve these surfaces after the fact. Anymore I chose the latter. I usually put a wrap or two of bedding tape on my inletting guide screws but again this is optional. Take a spare forend screw, chuck it in a drill and turn the head down to screw diameter. This will become an inletting guide screw for the forend end boss.

Make sure you properly coat the barreled action with release agent and that you have filled all areas of potential mechanical locking with PlayDoh or equivalent and let it dry thoroughly. Mix up more than enough Acraglas Gel and dye it to your tastes. Make sure you have enough Acraglas Gel so you don't have gaps. I put the scope bases on the receiver minus the rings and windage screws to give a nice flat surface for clamping. I use a large C clamp (5 or 6 inch model) with a 3/4" thick hardwood strip across the scope bases and a 1/2" thick 2" x 2" block on the bottom of the stock. You need to insert the barreled action in and clamp it tight. Put pressure on the barrel as wellto compress the bedding good and get the overflow oozing out. Take a popcycle stick and scrape off the overflow.

After it is cured remove the barreled action and clean off all of the release agent from metal and wood. Use a knife and sandpaper to trim off excess Acraglas Gel from the stock. Drill out the guard screws with a 5/16" bit and clean up the forend screw hole and stock escutcheon, coat the stripped barreled action with oil or RIG and reassemble with the floorplate and triggerguard. Install all of the guard screws and the forend end screw and then tighten in this order: Front guard screw as tight as you can get it, rear guard screw as tight or nearly as tight as the front; middle screw just tight; and finally the forend screw tight. The screws should give a nice positive stop instead of having to guage torque. Make sure the floorplate can close. You may need to loosen the front guard screw and then close the floorplate and then retighten. Let it sit for a week. Remove the barreled action, reassemble all parts and you are ready to go. From this point forward tighten the screws as previously stated except from now on turn the forend screw in tight and then back out and turn it in until it stops (no troque). Be sure to relieve the rear edge of the tang and the sides of the recoil lug as well as material in front of the recoil lug; Not the Recoil shoulder, but from the rear of the barrel channel if you did not add bedding tape for clearance initially.

This is my tried and true method for a hunting rifle. It shoots good and is pretty weather proof. This is in my opinion the way to go for bedding a pre 64 Standard; We all know about opinions, they are are like buttholes, everyone has one and everyone else's stinks worse than mine!

Airgun,

thank you very much for taking the time to answer my question so thoroughly!

This is a good reference for people like me to have on line and in print.

I recall a similar article in Rifle some years back but could not find it. thanks for sharing.

JD, the rifle barrel was crowned by Le Bounty when he rebored it.

Andy

My process originated from an article in Rifle from about 1989 or so, with tweaks along the way!

I will add that it might be worth while to examine the materials and bedding methods of the USMC snipers as well as those of other super-precise professional shooters. (BTW this definition does not include any Benchresters or FBI 'snipers' since the Bench boys foul their bores first and Ruby Ridge IMO proved the Feebs aren't very professional.)

I'm not gonna argue with anyone and so will leave it up to the readers to decide whether the methods used by real professionals are actually worth pursuing. I'll just say that these shooters are accustomed to putting their first shot from a clean cold barrel right on the money at up to 1000 yds. And yes, FWIW all their rifles have trued actions and floated barrels.

Some of the very best money I ever spent was when I first subscribed to Precision Shooting back in the '80s. I strongly recommend the magazine, it's about 10 times more interesting and believable than (and also about twice the content of) the the various slick-paper newsstand gun mags.
Regards, Joe

Another 'BTW': Kenny Jarratt(sp?), the fellow whose products prompted the term 'bean-field rifle', has stated that sometimes he has to discard as many as 2-3 high-grade barrels before he finds one that will deliver acceptable accuracy for his rifles. I'm adding this info to illustrate that some of our problems may actually be internal to our barrels and thus not entirely attributable to their bedding. BTW I believe all Kenny's rifles are blueprinted and free-floated.
Regards, Joe