Any suggestions on how tight to tighten the screw that goes into the barrel on a Pre-64 M70? I have a 300 H&H thats been rechambered to Weatherby. I've tried it 1/2 turn looser that real tight and with the screw completly out without any accuracy difference. What do you guys think?

You have a .300 H&H pre 64 converted to a "Weatherby" !!!

Mine is tight and has loctite on it. It shoots very well. A buddy has a M-70 in .270 and he took the screw out. He has had that rifle for a long time.

Don, Yes I have one convereted to Weatherby. In fact I have 2. A .300 and a .375. Matching guns that I bought off of the original owner who sent them to Weatherby to have them re-chambered. I haven't snapped a cap on the .375 yet, I need to get some H&H brass and fire-form it before I try some full house loads in it.

Reelman,
So you took two rifles worth $2500 and paid money to convert them to two rifles worth $1,000 at a cost of $XXX. Sorry to hear it. More sorry about the loss of the model 70's.

I agree with Chic. What a crying shame.

When I'm looking for M-70s I always have a dummy 300 Weatherby cartridge with me. If it chambers the offered price goes WAY down.

BTW-- The screw is there to hold the barrel down. It can't do that if it's loose.

[ 09-22-2002, 22:07: Message edited by: JBelk ]

reelman,
congratulations on your new rifles, and enjoy them. While not in original condition, if they went to weatherby they had quality work done to them. Besides, if you ever want to take them back to HH all it requires is a period barrel, which you can find all day for ~100-200 bucks.
I hope they shoot well, and if the 375 is too much for you, let me know, and we can work out a trade.
Jeffe

Gentleman,

If you read reelmans post closely, you'll see that it was the former owner who had the rifles rechambered.

My question is...

What screw are you guys talking about?

Be really careful. I had one in the shop, a converted 300 H&H to 300 Wby Mag, that someone had opened up the mag box and ground down the feed ramp and the bottom locking lug in the action so far that it was gone entirely; ground out the whole damn bottom locking lug. I told the guy to get it the hell out of the shop or I would take the cutting torch to it. And all he wanted to know when he came by was to find out if it was OK to shoot.

Yes, I agree with all of you about the re-chambering beign a shame, but as I stated this is the way I bought them. I also have a original pre-war .375 that is all stock. I bought these as shooters which is something I really don't want to do with an original .375 that the stock is not cracked on. As you know most .375's stocks cracked rather quickly.

I also have to disagree that they are only worth $1000 total, come on now!

I'll also say that if I hear of anyone taking an original M70 (especialy one in a rarer caliber in good shape) and having it re-chambered I'll be first in line to give him a good swift kick in the you know what!

OK reelman, you convinced me. I scratched you off the big S list I tattoo on my thigh. OUCH!

On many of the old M-70s that I have used for hunting I have cut the screw threads off for the most part, knocked out the dove tail recepticle and used a bit of glass to hold the screw head in place in the hole for show...

On many guns that screw is a detrement to accuracy...I have a jar full of them...Some guns shoot better with certain tension and others it seems to make little difference in group size...but most shoot better with a little inletting and removable of that screw.

FYI my prewar .300 H&H which I have recently acquired shoots the only maximum load Ive yet tried at sub MOA with the forearm screw good and tight.

You can stop praying for forgiveness, Reelman. Pre-64s are not one-of-kind. No one painted blonde hair on the Mona Lisa.

It's not heresy to own a modified pre-64, or even to modify one. Those type of things help make it a custom gun. They pay gunsmiths' bills, too.

My uncle did the same conversion .300 H&H to .300 Wthby, stocked it in scorched bird'seye maple and hunted pleasurably with it.

The real depreciation occurred when it was stolen.

I would pay a pretty penny to get that rifle and its sister back, a pre-64 .30\06 with a scorched bird'seye maple stock.

There is a distinguishing feature about each rifle that I can positively identify to the current owner.

If anyone has information on these two rifles, please e-mail me; I assure you they have increased far above market value.