What to do with a pre 64 m70?...ideas

thepitchedlink

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So I have a nice pre 64 model 70 in 270 Win...I'm debating what to do with it. Here's what I know:
It's heavy....
The stock is "chunky"
It shoots like a house on fire
It's a super smooth action
It's got the best trigger I've ever pulled, to date anyway. It truly breaks like glass.
Seeing as it's a 270, I don't think it will ever be worth a million$, but it certainly will always increase in value

So what to do with it....
1 nothing, leave it siting in the safe so it increases in value
2 shoot the hell out of it, rebarrel when needed, 'casue it will never be worth that much anyway
3 Make it into a full "O'Connor" custom
4 Get a new stock to try and drop some weight
5 New stock and new barrel, save to old ones as it could always be reassembled to "original" again.

I'm sort of leaning towards rebarrel and new stock, leaving the trigger and action as they are, if I ever needed to sell it I could put in back together.
I'm wondering where the weight is hiding, in the stock or barrel or both?

What would you guys do, thanks
 
Save it or sell it to a collector, then buy something more common to build on. They aren't making any more of them, and once you modify it, the value is cut dramatically. - dan

X2, I would not rebarrel it, maybe try a new stock but for the cost of a new stock and barrel you could buy a new "light" rifle

...just buy a Rem. model seven or something along those lines, leave the Pre 64 alone

Just my 2 cents..,
 
I went through the same dilema and decided to install a lightweght synthetic stock to reduce the weight, it was the only thing that bothered me about the gun, it's weight is now more manageable and i'm happy with the results.
bigbull
 
Keep it and enjoy it as is. Too many "mod monkeys" wrecking good guns nowadays in my opinion. The way folks talk about shaving a whopping pound and a half off a classic rifle makes me wonder if they even have the strength to get themselves outta bed.
 
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Restock if you must. Hunt with it. Keep the old stock. It takes a lot of shooting to wear a barrel to the point where the average hunter will notice the accuracy drop.
I would just use it as-is, but then I don't mind rifles with a bit of weight; I seldom walk more than two miles on a day's hunt.
 
LOL Its like guys that restore Model A's..they look cooler hot rodded.
My 2 go to hunting rifles are both customs on pre 64's:)Chop em up,most wont appricate them anyways
 
stop agonizing over it and send it to me....it would make a nice 280 or 280 Ackley...I have the barrel and reamers,..all I will need is a stock....and I have traders....:)

Is this one that was on Epp's website this past week?

I see there are three of these on Epp's website...all Pre64's..two are sold.
 
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No, not one of Epps, I've had it for a while and don't think I'll ever part with it, just trying to find a way to have more fun with it.
However after looking at Epps site I see that mine is indeed increasing in value..1000$ for a nice one, crazy. Not sure I have the heart to chop this..just put a K6 I just got on it and call it a day. The only action that comes close to this one is a Husky 1640 I got from tradeex..as far as smoothness anyway. I think I'd look at getting another one of those for a donor action. The trigger on the Husky is not near as nice as on the M70...I'll have to play with it and see if I can get the creep out of it. Thanks for the opinions guys
 
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I put Bell and Carlsen stock on a pre 64 338. Rifle is lighter and I don't mind hunting with it. Original stock is on the shelf.

I am at least 50 pounds overweight. Given that, it is tough to blame the rifle for 1 pound....
 
Keep it and enjoy it as is. Too many "mod monkeys" wrecking good guns nowadays in my opinion. The way folks talk about shaving a whopping pound and a half off a classic rifle makes me wonder if they even have the strength to get themselves outta bed.


LOL I agree. Or people argue about a scope being 1.5 ounce lighter...go do some physical activity and loose some weight that really matters and costs nothing. A guy will be healthier and get to keep a classic rifle the way it should be.

Cheers!!
 
Well guys I'm not over weight and I'll keep up with most in the hills so carrying the gun isn't the problem, it's just how it feels. And ya, maybe the fact that it weights 3 lbs more then my mountain gun means that I don't reach for it as often as I'd like to. And that's the point of this thread, what to do to make it more "reachable". Would I enjoy it more if I made it into a custom, or would I have more fun leaving it as is, or something inbetween. Seems most of you would not alter it so that's good to know. I should keep my eye out for a featheweight stock with no home and see how that makes it feel. I don't think I have the heart to put it in plastic...maybe I should get off my ass and take a shot a making my own stock...we'll see
 
Do whatever you want with it. I tore mine apart, traded the stock for some sets of dies, re-barreled to 280 Remington in a lighter contour and plan to re-stock over the winter if I have time. In the end I will have another hunting rifle I don't really need and which I will probably change again before I'm done.
A rifle which spends all it's time sitting in the rack is a rifle of no value. Regards, Bill.
 
you say the pre 64 model 70 is the smoothest action you have ever encountered.
I would like to have my pre 64 Sako Finnbear 270 beside it and compare the two.
One way I like to demonstrate the smothness is to unhinge the magazine, to get it out of the way of the bolt. Then open the bolt, but leave it full forward, while holding the rifle in the horizontal position.
Now, slowly raise the barrel of the rifle and see what angle it is at, when the bolt smoothly slides backward.
It is almost weird, to see the bolt slowly slide back, at a low angle.
 
If done by a compitent smith no reason why you couldn't bring it back to original conditon at a later date.

It's a great action to start a custom gun with, look at what the Pre-64 Mod. 70 replica actons sell for.

JMHO
 
Considering that it is considered a classic rifle by many, altering it will destory any future classic value. If you are ok with that, it is up to you.
 
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