Winchester 70 rebarrel/caliber change...which action?
- Thread starter Joel
- Start date
To answer your question, i’d rebarrel a classic stainless if you’re looking for an all purpose gun. The pre-64 rebarrel appeals to me, as I prefer to have a classic wood rifle in my hands, but then the utility portion of my brain takes over. Either way, can’t go wrong with the CRF action!
6.5x55 to me screams P-64 action with a pretty walnut handle with a satin oil finish. Something that feels right in the hands with that warmth of wood but not something that will make you gasp when it brushes against a brier patch. 22” tube of a profile that makes it all balance perfect on the front action screw with a small variable scope mounted in low simple classy mounts. My preference is a red recoil pad as well, seems like a Winchester thing.
The rifle you want to use but aren’t afraid to use so to speak.
Classic stainless action to me is best suited for a rifle you grab when sh!t just has to get done in any weather. McMillan stock stainless tube type gun in some thing like a 280ai or 338-06 or 35 whelan depending on where and how you hunt.
That’s how I would roll. Not practical but hits the feel goods.
The rifle you want to use but aren’t afraid to use so to speak.
Classic stainless action to me is best suited for a rifle you grab when sh!t just has to get done in any weather. McMillan stock stainless tube type gun in some thing like a 280ai or 338-06 or 35 whelan depending on where and how you hunt.
That’s how I would roll. Not practical but hits the feel goods.
Can't disagree with that sentiment at all!
Even though its low combed, I kinda like the original Win 70 stock without the raised cheekpiece. Just makes for a handier, sleeker rifle to me.
Looks like the angle of the drop changed some over time too...or was at least inconsistent?
The M70 is my favorite hunting action and I own and hunt with factory chambered rifles and custom rifles built around M70's both in pre64 and classics. I would answer your question by stating that the pre64 is my favorite since they are more cartridge specific and tend to feed smoother in my opinion, they also have 1 piece bolts which are desirable features for me. Now cost aside the caliber choice would depend on what game I would be interested in chasing, I have them in no fewer than 10 calibers, I have some favorites but for all around woods and medium distances something in the 358Win, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and if longer ranges were in order then I would look at 270Win or 280Rem or 6.5-06. Factory trigger and a nice wood stock or a light Synthetic, Mcmillan edge, Brown Precision Pounder, Basner or Wildcat stock, and a light weight barrel.
Which of your builds are your personal favorties, BigBull? Or just 70s you've had in general?
Good suggestion on the comparison, thanks! Will as soon as I can (postal strike put a bit of a cramp in that plan for now)
The one I have the longest is my favorite, it is a 280Rem, with a Lilja SS barrel 22" in a FTW profile, everything bedded in a Brown Kevlar Pounder, finished in Black Chrome Sulphite by Robar, light accurate and good long range caliber, my 330Dakota is my second but I hardly use it, good for Moose since it is just too powerfull for anything smaller. I also like hunting with a factory 308WIn FTW pre 64, nicely balanced.
BB
I was going to do the exact same thing a few years ago, ended up buying a Tikka T3 stainless in 6.5 Swede instead, one of the best rifle related decisions I have ever made. For me there are only two bolt actions worth owning Tikka’s and CRF winchesters, strange because they are so different.
Joel you should edit your post a fourth time, maybe you will be able to workshop something that hits by then.
As far as outshooting my guess from your 80 posts a day is that you spend about as much time at the range as you do in the field hotshot
As far as outshooting my guess from your 80 posts a day is that you spend about as much time at the range as you do in the field hotshot
Hey Joel I bought a grooved barrel nut made for the Ruger American from Pacific Tool and Gauge. Make re-barreling a Win 70 push feed easy as long as you have a barrel with a 1-16 thread and a tenon about 1.25 long. The nut is .50 inches wide. Savage action wrench fits. Very cost effective!
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
If I was going to spend the money on a custom rifle, I would use the action that would have the best resale value. imo and many others, that would be a pre64. I would chamber a standard action in 270,280 or 30-06. If I had a short action M70 I would chamber it in 284win.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I don't know why a guy wouldn't use the Classic Stainless. As gatehouse pointed out, essentially the same action as the Pre64 but without the added cost. Damn near 20 years ago I shot out the barrel of a Classic Super Grade and had it built by ATRS into, essentially, a Winchester version of the Sendero. 300 Winchester, H&H-length magazine, 29" RKS barrel and dropped back into the original stock. The only thing that I would do differently today (besides not moving to Nova Scotia where such a rifle could start an international conflict) would be to use a carbon-wrapped barrel. I used my cousin's custom 28 Nosler a couple years ago, and it was nice to have a long barreled rifle that weighed the same as a regular sporter.
