I was fortunate to pick up a Pre War Mod 70 in .375. The rifle has definitely seen a few sights, the rifle remains completely original except for the addition of a Lyman Aperture sight, the remnants of a Paul Jaeger side mount are also present and a somewhat rustic piece of ivory has been added as a grip cap.
By my small amount of research the rifle was made in 1942
The stock has the telltale crack from sitting in a low moisture area for most of its life.
Is anyone aware of a ready source of aftermarket stock? I’d like to keep the old one, either correctly repaired or simply because of its history.
I know the rifle is somewhat uncommon, but I intend to keep it as a “user” either by sourcing a new side mount or with the Lyman sight. My gunsmith could fix the stock, chase out the checkering and fit a new pad or I could simply replace the stock , maybe with a synthetic one and save the old one as a curio.
What would you do?
So what I did. I have a pre-64 Win Model 70 in 30-06 - as per serial number, it was made in 1955, so not as old as yours. It also had had some version of side mount at one time - I re-threaded those holes and installed three plug screws. I was able to find the correct Weaver top bases and installed them. The rifle wears a Weaver V9-II scope, which I guessed would be about period correct for the time that the rifle's original owner would have decided to install a scope. I used Warne QD rings because the rifle barrel still had the iron sights, including a front sight "hood".
I have not yet fired it - the recoil pad says "Pachmayr" on the end, and is the "white line" spacer type - again, not original to the rifle, I do not think, but more or less period appropriate. The chequering on the wrist and the forearm appear to be flat-topped style - not really as "grippy" as chequering on other rifles here - as discovered a long time ago by some British shooters, maybe "not grippy" is a good thing on a heavier recoiling rifle - saves some skin on your hands. But it was done rather haphazardly around the edges of the panels - so it may or may not be factory done. I have not yet found any cracks in the wood to deal with.
Since I read several books and articles by Finn Aargaard, I would suggest that you consider a low powered Weaver scope (or Leupold, or something). His first Model 70 375 H&H had an aperture sight; his second had a 2 1/2 power Weaver scope - he had written he was able to take some shots in dark, shaded situations with the scope, that he could not have taken with the aperture sight. As per a comment above - whatever sighting system that you intend to use most, stock it for that - line of sight for irons and a scope are not the same - I suspect if you are going to build up a "fighting rifle" that you probably want it to fit to you well - in the clothes that you would plan to be wearing.
If you want it mostly for "looks" - I would be with the recommendation to get that stock repaired as well as possible - is multiple ways to do nearly invisible repairs - epoxy or pins inside where it is not seen, and so on - but first try to figure out what caused those cracks and splits and address that, first - but you will never really get past those holes drilled and tapped into the left receiver wall. In my opinion, and for me - this 1955 made one is not really stocked well for scope use - but is a thing for you to consider.
I enjoyed to read the writings by Finn Aargaard - I think his wife, Berit, took Cape Buffalo Number 50 with the second Model 70 375 H&H that he had owned. Not sure many of us will get to live the kind of life that guys like he had, so may as well read those stories - not sure if you want that rifle as something to "look at" or as something to "fight with" - that might influence your choices going forward. In at least one article by John Barsness, he describes the pre-64 Win Model 70 stocks as "clubby" - he says he has trimmed down several - I do not think they are actually very well done, if the intent is to use a scope - but sounds like they sold well, and people like Jack O'Connor seemed to think highly of them, apparently.
