What to do with M70 super short action?

[LongBomber]

I picked up a used push feed M70 in .223wssm for a price I couldn't refuse, I also have about 200 once fired brass.

I was toying with the idea of having the action trued and the magazine port filled, and maybe chambered into 6.5wssm, say a 30" Lilja barrel (1:9 or 1:8 twist).

Is the push feed 70 worth trueing up, or should I start with a custom action and build something like a 6.5-284? From what I can see the rough case capacity should be close to a 260 or a 260 AI.

If it helps I only want the rifle for punching paper / milk jugs / varmints out to about 1200-1300yards.

Any opinions or other options??

 

[J E Custom]

I picked up a used push feed M70 in .223wssm for a price I couldn't refuse, I also have about 200 once fired brass.

I was toying with the idea of having the action trued and the magazine port filled, and maybe chambered into 6.5wssm, say a 30" Lilja barrel (1:9 or 1:8 twist).

Is the push feed 70 worth trueing up, or should I start with a custom action and build something like a 6.5-284? From what I can see the rough case capacity should be close to a 260 or a 260 AI.

If it helps I only want the rifle for punching paper / milk jugs / varmints out to about 1200-1300yards.

Any opinions or other options??

If your going to single feed it should work on anything up to the 7 WSM (any of the WSSMs
and most/all of the WSMs) they all have the same size case head (.534 to .535 ).

For 1200 to 1300yrds you will need a 6.5 or 7mm bullet to get you there.

J E CUSTOM

 

[LongBomber]

I talked to the smith I am going to use and he suggested the same thing. Going to the wsm case and still going 6.5mm. Looks like thats the plan, a few final decisions and the wait begins...

What would your opinon be for the longest barrel that this reciever could support? I am going to use a laminate stock (I could also bed the first few inches of the barrel) and am trying to finalize the barrel length/contour. My local guy is suggesting to stay around 26 inches in lenth for a #5 or 6 contour. I was kind of leaning towards a 30 inch in a number 6 contour or possibly a palma 30.

A few other questions: Does filling the magazine port with a welded/brazed in follower make the action any stiffer? Would a quality rail also help make the action stiffer as opposed to seperate bases? These would obviously not be things that really matter but more of a curiosity.

 

[J E Custom]

I talked to the smith I am going to use and he suggested the same thing. Going to the wsm case and still going 6.5mm. Looks like thats the plan, a few final decisions and the wait begins...

What would your opinon be for the longest barrel that this reciever could support? I am going to use a laminate stock (I could also bed the first few inches of the barrel) and am trying to finalize the barrel length/contour. My local guy is suggesting to stay around 26 inches in lenth for a #5 or 6 contour. I was kind of leaning towards a 30 inch in a number 6 contour or possibly a palma 30.

A few other questions: Does filling the magazine port with a welded/brazed in follower make the action any stiffer? Would a quality rail also help make the action stiffer as opposed to seperate bases? These would obviously not be things that really matter but more of a curiosity.

I would recomend a 24 to26'' barrel in a hunter bench rest taper ( Lilja has the specs. for this
taper if you want another brand of barrel.

Most barrels taper at around .015 thousanths per inch of barrel . this taper is .024 thousanths
per inch making it very stiff and not so muzzle heavy. (This is my favorite barrel taper).

Using the laminated stock is a good idea because it will balance the rifle better.

As for bedding 1 or 2 inches of the barrel I normally bed about 1 inch of the barrel as long as
it is on a straight shank like the standard tapers,(Not a contour).

With a capicity of 70+ grains of powder you wont gain much with a barrel longer than 25 or 26
inches long.

And as far as the rail mount it can't hurt the stiffness of the action and may help.

With a push feed action you don't have to do anything to the mag well if you don't want to.
just lay the round in the action and close the bolt.

If your smith wants to fill in the mag well thats ok to .

J E CUSTOM

 

[LongBomber]

Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty new to the over 600 yards shooting and there are so many options when you start looking at having something built.