adding iron sights to a Model 70 Super Grade?

rdelliott

rdelliott

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So I've been thinking about picking up a Model 70 Super Grade in .30-06 to celebrate the demise of the registry. The only thing that's bugging me about the rifle is the absence of iron sights. While I'd want to scope it, the plan would be to use QD mounts and be able to switch back to irons in a hurry if needs be.

Plus, I just like iron sights.

How feasible would it be to have irons fitted to the rifle? Would the stock's lines be such that it'd be hard to get a good cheek weld? Can anybody recommend some good sights (I'm thinking something pretty Express-like)? What about mounts?

Has anybody done this? Can they recommend a good gunsmith? Any other comments or suggestions?
 
Take a look at the NECG site; I believe they carry Recknagel sights designed specifically for the M70.
 
My grandfather has supergrade (im pretty sure) from the 60s and it has irons mounted on it. Came from the factory that way. It shoulders fine and I can get a good cheek weld. I suppose its possible Winchester has redesigned the stock, I dont know.
 
1899's advice is good, also see NECG's rear island sight with express leaves and their banded front sight. They make every possible size pretty much to fit any barrel. Easiest way to mount them is epoxy, but I'm not a fan of that method and prefer hard soldering- easy to do, just preheat the barrel and be careful with the torch not to spot heat too much. After that you can cut the rear sight notches and start playing with different NECG front post heights (they're interchangeable) to regulate. Brownells sells all NECG's sight bits, and I'd also pick up a bottle of rust blue solution from them and re-blue that way as it's nicer than hot blue and can be done at home easily. Use dental picks to clean up / scrape the exposed solder around the edges of the sights, and Brownells Hi-Force 44 solder and Comet flux is what you're after.

If you get really stuck PM me, my bench is pretty full but could likely help out if you're not in a rush. Straight combs work great with iron sights too, here's a CZ I restocked to a straight comb from a Euro / Bavarian Hog's back full stock to render a mini-Safari rifle in .22 Hornet, cheek weld and head position were perfect. The straight comb, American-style stock isn't available with iron sights from CZ so it had to be pieced together like your project. Also consider the Model 70 Safari, complete with iron sights, .375 H&H really isn't as big a cartridge as everyone thinks and will take anything a .30-06 will, better, with the same trajectory. Mine's taken from Coyote to Cape Buffalo.

CZ527AmericanIronFullView.jpg
 
Ardent said:
1899's advice is good, also see NECG's rear island sight with express leaves and their banded front sight. They make every possible size pretty much to fit any barrel. Easiest way to mount them is epoxy, but I'm not a fan of that method and prefer hard soldering- easy to do, just preheat the barrel and be careful with the torch not to spot heat too much. After that you can cut the rear sight notches and start playing with different NECG front post heights (they're interchangeable) to regulate. Brownells sells all NECG's sight bits, and I'd also pick up a bottle of rust blue solution from them and re-blue that way as it's nicer than hot blue and can be done at home easily. Use dental picks to clean up / scrape the exposed solder around the edges of the sights, and Brownells Hi-Force 44 solder and Comet flux is what you're after.

If you get really stuck PM me, my bench is pretty full but could likely help out if you're not in a rush. Straight combs work great with iron sights too, here's a CZ I restocked to a straight comb from a Euro / Bavarian Hog's back full stock to render a mini-Safari rifle in .22 Hornet, cheek weld and head position were perfect. The straight comb, American-style stock isn't available with iron sights from CZ so it had to be pieced together like your project. Also consider the Model 70 Safari, complete with iron sights, .375 H&H really isn't as big a cartridge as everyone thinks and will take anything a .30-06 will, better, with the same trajectory. Mine's taken from Coyote to Cape Buffalo.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I've been obsessively poring over the second edition of Wieland's Dangerous Game Rifles as part of my research on this project, and I have to say that I love what you did with the CZ and get what you were aiming for. Gorgeous little rifle.

Also, thanks for the offer of help with the build. I'm in the Ottawa area, and was thinking of taking the rifle to Jason Spence at Gunco for assembly once I've bought the bits. I definitely want to get this done professionally.

I was kind of worried that somebody would mention .375 H&H :). I don't think that anybody except cartridge manufacturers have anything bad to say about it, and having shot it before, I think that I could manage the recoil. That being said, .375 would probably be a bit more than I need for most of what I'd be using the rifle for; deer, black bear, the occasional moose. And ammo availability is also a concern for me. I'd like to be able to walk into the Canadian Tire in St-Anselme-de-la-Poutine, Quebec or Moose Butt, Manitoba and be able to pick a box up, and .30-06 wins in that department.

OTOH, .375 H&H needs no justification :), and the rifle coming with the sights pre-installed os a big plus.
 
I also have had the thought of adding express sights to my NIB Win model 70 Supergrade 7mm Mag ,1990-s claw extrac gun I bought and put away for my nephews high scholl graduation present. I think all sporters should have a decent set of sights put on them. I would recomend Martin & Hagne or Bits of Pieces to do the work, top notch, I would go with Recengle or NECG myself, both great products, just make sure you use a banded front sight, just gives the gun class!!Dale Z!
 
Good luck with the project and be sure to post pics when done, look forward to seeing a new model Supergrade with irons I you decide to go ahead with the project. I understand what you're saying with regards to Canadian Tire ammo availability, fear not for .375 availability- I've found it from Fort Nelson BC to Bulawayo Zimbabwe. :) It's also a perfect deer/bear/moose cartridge. ;)
 
I was going to suggest NECG, but seems that's already been mentioned. Personally, I like their stuff. If you're going to choose the express sight you should have a go to load for that rifle as the leafs have to be regulated for one load.

By the way, I think you're right, the Super Grade needs irons.
africa1stcd372.jpg
 
It's a beaut regardless of inches. I'm especially appreciative as I missed one nice one like that, took a running shot and made a direct kill on a solid Mopanebok. Left my trophy in the bush. Ended up taking a smaller pig later in the hunt, and a nice warthog's something for my next trip.
 
I agree that the Super Grade needs irons. I have been considering putting irons on a Super Grade 30-06 or .270 to go along with my .375H&H safari express, so I have searched far and wide to see what is available. As others have said, look at the NECG sights, including the Recknagel (ERA) sights that they sell. Recknagel makes the sights that Winchester uses on the Safari Express model but there are many other styles available through NECG as well.
 
Ardent said:
It's a beaut regardless of inches. I'm especially appreciative as I missed one nice one like that, took a running shot and made a direct kill on a solid Mopanebok. Left my trophy in the bush. Ended up taking a smaller pig later in the hunt, and a nice warthog's something for my next trip.
Click to expand...

Mine was a fluke pig. He took off quartering to our right, and by the time I got on him he was better than 100 yards out and accelerating. I fired off my left shoulder and the flat nosed 300 gr solid rugged him. I doubt if I could pull that shot off again in a hundred tries, but it worked when it needed to.

According to the tape, the tusks are just a hair better than 9".
DSC_0292.jpg
 
Ardent said:
It's a beaut regardless of inches. I'm especially appreciative as I missed one nice one like that, took a running shot and made a direct kill on a solid Mopanebok. Left my trophy in the bush. Ended up taking a smaller pig later in the hunt, and a nice warthog's something for my next trip.
Click to expand...

If you had been using The New King, as I did, you would not only have killed the Mopane, but the pig as well.

I have to go wash now...I feel dirty!:D
 
I digress. Pick up a NECG Masterpiece banded front sight and NECG Adjustable Rear Sight from Brownells and have your favourite smith install them. In the end they'll add a ton of class to your Super Grade. I wouldn't add an Express style sight to a 30-06 because sighted in at 200 yards you will only be 2" high at 100 and the odds that you take an iron-sighted shot at 200 (or more) is almost zero. Plus I doubt that you are going to want to put in the time to file down those NECG express sight leaves to give you a 75 and 200 yard zero. But again, if that's what you want, fill your boots.
 
Boomer said:
I was going to suggest NECG, but seems that's already been mentioned. Personally, I like their stuff. If you're going to choose the express sight you should have a go to load for that rifle as the leafs have to be regulated for one load.

By the way, I think you're right, the Super Grade needs irons.
africa1stcd372.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, that warthog looks nothing like Pumba from The Lion King. Could Disney have been lying to us all these years?

I may have been reading too much Jeff Cooper, but the idea of a rifle without irons just bugs me. Optics are fragile.
 
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