I have a M-70 Varmint model in .243 that I bought new in 1957. The throat has been worn to the point where it no longer groups like it should. The rifle is in nice shape and has sentimental value to me.

The barrel is the orginal 26" stainless steel and it's blued. It's all orginal.

I wonder if having the rifle rechambered a thread or more would freshen the throat. I have contacted "Winchester" and they are no longer Winchester and are not interested in rebarreling it. I would like it to have a Winchester bbl.

If you rebarreled it what brand would you select? Keep in mind that the stock has a wide bbl channel in it. If I got a new bbl. I think it would be a .220 Swift.

I would put any good barrel (Shilen, PacNor, Krieger, Lilja, etc.) on it. They can match the factory contour for you. Several places will make the new stainless steel barrel any color you want. You keep the old barrel. It's original equipment. Just my input.

Check whether you can have it rechambered to one of the 6mm calibers that uses a bit longer case. I'm not sure whether rechambering to 6mm Remington would or would not work, but I think 6mm/284 definitely would work -- you may have to have some work done on the magazine and the magazine follower and feed ramp.

One viable solution would be to have the barrel rebored to 264 and chambered for the 260 Rem. This way everything would look the same only the caliber would be different. Alternatively any decent gunsmith could duplicate the original contour in a new barrel in the caliber of your choice. Set backs while they can renew accuracy for a while usually don't last too long. Regards, Bill.

It sounds as if this barrel may be a bull barrel. If it is you may have the barrel shorten from the chamber end and rechamber for the same cartridge. Then the rifle will still have all the factory markings on the barrel.

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BigBob

It's a light target bbl. with a straight taper. I have lapped it and it has not helped. I don't think it's some odd ball thing like a cracked stock or loose sights.

This winter I am going to make up some test ammo and maybe I will recrown the bbl. I have always seated the bullets way out and now thats way, way out! I may try a load with the bullet seated in the case quite a ways.

To be honest while this form of rifle was very useful to me when I was starting out target shooting I soon had specialized target rifles and I no longer like to carry such a heavy gun for varmints. But as I said this rifle has a strong sentimental value to me so I am keeping it no matter what. I have a nice Unertl 15X Ultra Varmint scope for it. It was quite a long range varmint rig when it grouped.

I think it would be ashame to rebarrel or rechamber that great old rifle. Too many pre '64s have already been canabalized and they're kind of like land -- They ain't makin' any more.

I would set it back far enough that the barrel markings wind up back in the right place, re-crown it and hope for the best. It doen't sound like you are planning on shooting it that much anyway.

True I have not shot it much at all the last couple of decades. The bbl is tapped for scope blocks for a target scope. That's what would have to line up for sure.

Doing nothing is what I have decided year after year. Like I said I think I will make up some different loads and recrown it this winter. I know a fool would expect a different result but........

That rifle "suffered" some really hot loads. I am not going to write them here but with the 75 gr bullet it could do almost 3600 instrumental with no problems.

I have a wildcat I designed with a large case and .224 bullets and a 1-9 twist. That's my long range varminter right now.