I recently picked up a .30-06 M70 Classic FWT to use as a donor action. I got a spare .270 FWT barrel in the deal, and I don't know what I'm going to do with it. The guy said he wanted to put the .270 barrel on the .30-06.

It seems to me getting the .270 barrel to line up the extractor cut and headspace correctly might be a PITA. Am I correct in my thinking? I've swapped factory barrels out on my Savages and have never got the factory stamping to ever be in the correct place when I headspaced the barrel. The main reason I ask is it even worth my time to try and sell these barrels as take offs?

It would be re-timed when fit, its final position calculated and cut to be TDC with the sights, and the headspace adjusted (reamed) accordingly.

Bread and butter work for a competent gunsmith.

I'm not a gunsmith, but this is my cursory understanding of the process.

The barrels are worth selling, the guy who buys them can worry about the sights

Everything tin can said PLUS re-machining the cone deeper and re-milling that extractor slot deeper so that the extractor nose does not touch. It's much more involved than swapping Remy, Savage or Mauser barrels.

That is what I thought, just didn't know if they would really be worth anything. I'm going to put a .338-06 barrel on the action and drop it in an Edge stock. I'll have two basically new M70 fwt barrels when done. There is no way I could put one of these barrels on a M70 push feed is there?

Reason is after I build my .338-06, I'm going to have these two barrels left over and a McMillan FWT stock. I have a M670 .30-06 and was thinking of building a .270 to compliment my new .338-06. I could always just sell off the stock as well, that one I know will sell, or I could just open the McMillan to run the sporter weight barrel. The second option while practical just isn't as .

quote:

There is no way I could put one of these barrels on a M70 push feed is there?

Yes you can. The forceing cone has to be cut off & the barrel shoulder cut back then the threads picked up & cut back to meet the new shoulder. Then the chamber needs to be reamer deeper.

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:

quote:

There is no way I could put one of these barrels on a M70 push feed is there?

Yes you can. The forceing cone has to be cut off & the barrel shoulder cut back then the threads picked up & cut back to meet the new shoulder. Then the chamber needs to be reamer deeper.

There isn't a whole lot of shank on a fwt barrel. I think I'd be better off getting a new barrel. If I could do the work myself I might try it, having to pay a gun smith to do the work just doesn't seem worth it to put a factory barrel on.

I agree.

If it's a pre-64 then there's a good chance that everything will line up OK and the headspace will even be within limits.

A good chance, not a certainty by any means, but I've seen several that swapped perfectly and only one that didn't. FWIW.
Regards, Joe

Taylor have you thought about just having the 30-06 bbl rebored to 338?

I have gone through the same thing, and honestly, except a FEW select chambers....M70 barrels can be tough to dump, especially 270 and 30-06...because everyone buys up all the readily available used 270's and 30-06's for builds lol. The only M70 barrel I've easily gotten rid of was a 375 H&H. My 270 and 300 Win Mag barrels...not so much, just sitting around.

I've got the same rifle as you just picked up, sitting in layaway....with the same intentions (338-06). Is yours SS?

My Edge is set up for a Shilen #3 contour. I don't think I'd like the looks of a FWT barrel in that stock. Besides I'm not sure I'd want to bore out a FWT barrel to .338. I was originally going to use the M670 for the build as I got it super cheap, but I kept wanting a "Classic".

My rifle isn't stainless, I wanted a SS rifle but couldn't find one I was willing to pay the price for. I had bid on several on GB and other sites but never won one. I wanted a "Classic" action as well not a new M70 from FN. I like the old M70 trigger for its simplicity not that I've ever used a new MOA trigger to compare it to.

Here is the M70 .30-06 that I eventually got.



It is now siting in pieces in my safe so I couldn't be tempted into shooting it.

Dang I wish I would have known you were looking for a SS action! I'm likely going to be trading my SS Classic 270 in to pay for my FWT.

I DO like that stock of yours though. I love the FWT dimensions and the schnaebel tip.

Well that is how it goes you know, settle for something and as soon as you do what you wanted becomes available. Let me know what you think you might need for your .270 Win I'll think about it. I'm pretty sure I can get most of my money back out of my current rifle.

With a model 70 just pitch the old tube. Waste of good money to spend it on a 20 dollar barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
With a model 70 just pitch the old tube. Waste of good money to spend it on a 20 dollar barrel.

I used to think that until I made the mistake of shooting a couple donor rifles as well as my two FW's. 4 of my M70 Classic's with factory barrels consistently give me well under MOA which was the last thing I expected from any of them. I also have a Classic that had a 30/06 barrel that I swapped with a brand new take my builder gave me in 270. The darn thing indexed and headspaced perfectly and it shoots 5/8" 5 shot groups.

I have also had some factory barrels that grouped like a shotgun blast. But I have found that the barrel should not be discounted just because it is factory. And I have had a few top end custom barrels that had to go back because they would not group worth a darn. Every time the barrel maker shipped me a new barrel and the problem was fixed.