A "guy" told me they're not made in house, but he wouldn't tell me who made them either. He doesn't work for them, but has built a lot of rifles with their barrels. He swore to secrecy not to tell anyone, he wouldn't even give me a hint. They're so dang expensive tho, otherwise I'd try one.
280 ai build barrel contour selection
- Thread starter MT257
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Well if all you want to do is hunt deer and elk you already have it covered with your 06. If you want a purpose built hunting rifle, what are the goals you want to meet with this rifle?
What's your weight goal all up (loaded magazine, optics, sling) with this rifle?
What ranges do you want to try and be proficient with this rifle?
I have a M70 EW in .270 and it's one of my favorite hunting rifles, but it isn't my back country rifle. I have a 3.5-10X40 CDS VX3 scope in Talley LWT mounts and McM Edge FWT stock and All Up it weighs 8lbs 9oz with a 1917 shooting sling and five 130 grain cartridges in the magazine. 22" fluted sporter barrel would be similar in weight to a #3 fluted, so depending on stock and optics choices you're probably going to have a hard time keeping it under 9 lbs.
Then I have budget build Winchester 670 (same as a 770), in a McM Winlite stock, Burris FFII 3-9X40 LRS, in cheap bases and rings. This rifle with five 150 grain cartridges weighs in at 8lbs 7oz. I have about $650 in this rifle, the barreled action and stock were around $400, and I have about $150 in the scope and mounts, and another $100 in the bedding from a local gunsmith.
Here is my back country light rifle M70 FWT in McM Hunters Edge (blind mag), 670 alloy TG, Talley LWT mounts, VX-III 2.5-8X36. Scoped it weighs 7lbs 2oz, add five 150 grain rounds and Blackhawk Mountain sling and it comes to 7lbs 10oz. This is about as light as you can make a factory M70 rifle.
Then I have a full custom Weaver built M70 .338-06 24" PacNor #3 contour barrel, bedded in McM Hunters Edge, Talley LWT mounts, VX3 2.5-8X36 B&C, and it weighs 9lbs 8oz all up with Blackhawk Mountain Sling and five 200 grain cartridges.
Shootability hands down goes to the .270 Win, I've taken it out to 700 yards on steel and 560 yards on mule deer. It is by far the rifle I grab the most when I hunt. Probably the average of what I hunt has been taken inside of 300 yards with this rifle.
The .30-06 gets pretty snappy especially if I go over 165 grain bullets, but it is by far the rifle I like to carry the most. I have to shoot it with a firm hand on top of the scope off a pack to get it to group decent at the range and I'm pretty comfortable at 400 yards with it, but I don't like to push past that.
I'm really only posting this to give you a realistic idea on weight and what to expect when building on an M70 action. If light weight backcountry hunting rifle in .280 AI is your goal, then my best advice is to save money and buy a Kimber Montana or Hunter and go hunting, there is just no way to get a M70 that light or to get a light rifle as cheap. However, if you pay attention to the optic, mounts, and barrel contour you can build a M70 rifle into a reasonable carrying weight rifle.
harps
Well-Known Member
#3 22-24"
59FLH
Well-Known Member
I would consider factory contour unless the plan is to buy a stock as well and then I might go factory mag contour 26" & flute if weight is an issue and or carbon stock.
Plan is to put a bell and carlson stock on the rifle. Wills going to a 26" over 24" give me much more other than a touch of velocity?
59FLH
Well-Known Member
In theory there is an accuracy gain due to stiffness in the 26 mag contour. If the weight is not an issue 26" mag all the way. Get the most VL out of it.
B&C stocks are not the lightest but I like them a lot.
B&C stocks are not the lightest but I like them a lot.
I wouldn't choose a 26" barrel on a hunting rifle. Shorter barrels of the same contour are always stiffer, and I think the potential for accuracy will be better. I like 22" barrels on long actions or 20" or shorter on the short actions of my hunting rifles, I have a few with 24" barrels (magnums), and I sold or rebuilt anything with a 26" barrel.
I don't do one type of hunting, I hunt and have hunted in blinds, tree stands, wide open western hunts, dark timber, and from boats. I just think 20-22" is a better "all around" length of barrel. I wouldn't recommend a 26" barrel or longer unless that person has handled quite a few and knows what they want vs. any perceived benifits of the 26" barrel on an "all around" hunting rifle.
IMO a short 22" barrel does the important things faster and better for most general hunting situations as far as getting behind/coming up, points on target, tracks, and moves around obstacles. Yes short barrels are louder especially braked, but again my opinion more versatile in more hunting situations. Since I've started to shoot suppressed I'm investing in 16-18" barrel lengths on short action rifles to keep under 24" total barrel length.
I don't do one type of hunting, I hunt and have hunted in blinds, tree stands, wide open western hunts, dark timber, and from boats. I just think 20-22" is a better "all around" length of barrel. I wouldn't recommend a 26" barrel or longer unless that person has handled quite a few and knows what they want vs. any perceived benifits of the 26" barrel on an "all around" hunting rifle.
IMO a short 22" barrel does the important things faster and better for most general hunting situations as far as getting behind/coming up, points on target, tracks, and moves around obstacles. Yes short barrels are louder especially braked, but again my opinion more versatile in more hunting situations. Since I've started to shoot suppressed I'm investing in 16-18" barrel lengths on short action rifles to keep under 24" total barrel length.
59FLH
Well-Known Member
Well if all you want to do is hunt deer and elk you already have it covered with your 06. If you want a purpose built hunting rifle, what are the goals you want to meet with this rifle?
What's your weight goal all up (loaded magazine, optics, sling) with this rifle?
What ranges do you want to try and be proficient with this rifle?
I have a M70 EW in .270 and it's one of my favorite hunting rifles, but it isn't my back country rifle. I have a 3.5-10X40 CDS VX3 scope in Talley LWT mounts and McM Edge FWT stock and All Up it weighs 8lbs 9oz with a 1917 shooting sling and five 130 grain cartridges in the magazine. 22" fluted sporter barrel would be similar in weight to a #3 fluted, so depending on stock and optics choices you're probably going to have a hard time keeping it under 9 lbs.
Then I have budget build Winchester 670 (same as a 770), in a McM Winlite stock, Burris FFII 3-9X40 LRS, in cheap bases and rings. This rifle with five 150 grain cartridges weighs in at 8lbs 7oz. I have about $650 in this rifle, the barreled action and stock were around $400, and I have about $150 in the scope and mounts, and another $100 in the bedding from a local gunsmith.
Here is my back country light rifle M70 FWT in McM Hunters Edge (blind mag), 670 alloy TG, Talley LWT mounts, VX-III 2.5-8X36. Scoped it weighs 7lbs 2oz, add five 150 grain rounds and Blackhawk Mountain sling and it comes to 7lbs 10oz. This is about as light as you can make a factory M70 rifle.
Then I have a full custom Weaver built M70 .338-06 24" PacNor #3 contour barrel, bedded in McM Hunters Edge, Talley LWT mounts, VX3 2.5-8X36 B&C, and it weighs 9lbs 8oz all up with Blackhawk Mountain Sling and five 200 grain cartridges.
Shootability hands down goes to the .270 Win, I've taken it out to 700 yards on steel and 560 yards on mule deer. It is by far the rifle I grab the most when I hunt. Probably the average of what I hunt has been taken inside of 300 yards with this rifle.
The .30-06 gets pretty snappy especially if I go over 165 grain bullets, but it is by far the rifle I like to carry the most. I have to shoot it with a firm hand on top of the scope off a pack to get it to group decent at the range and I'm pretty comfortable at 400 yards with it, but I don't like to push past that.
I'm really only posting this to give you a realistic idea on weight and what to expect when building on an M70 action. If light weight backcountry hunting rifle in .280 AI is your goal, then my best advice is to save money and buy a Kimber Montana or Hunter and go hunting, there is just no way to get a M70 that light or to get a light rifle as cheap. However, if you pay attention to the optic, mounts, and barrel contour you can build a M70 rifle into a reasonable carrying weight rifle.
Great post.
