Looking to rebarrel my Pre '64 Winchester M70

[Hand Skills]

Agreed, .223rem / .280ai / 35 Whelen pretty well covers the CF bases. I like the 9.3x62 over the Whelen personally, but it would be borderline sacreligious doing that to a pre '64 M70!

 

[Edd]

....but it would be borderline sacreligious doing that to a pre '64 M70!

I know there are a lot of people who share that sentiment with you, I'm not one of them. I think the best thing about a pre 64 Model 70 is what you can make from their parts. I think the rifle package, as a whole in it's stock form, is borderline awful.

 

[therifleman556]

or .300 H&H.

Yes! Oddball caliber and factory chambered.

Another neat option if opening up the bolt face would be 358 Norma Mag. Enough horsepower for just about anything and you can load 357 pistol bullets light for plinking or varmints

 

[WeiserBucks]

6.5x284

 

[kacerrob]

If I didn't want to turn it back into a 30-06, I would build something on the 06 case that was bigger than the 280 you already have. Something like a 338-06 or a 35 Whelen.

Thanks. That what I was leaning towards. The 280ai is so versatile, a 6.5 doesn't make much sense. The 30-06 doesn't get much horsepower over the 280 either. Thanks

 

[WildRose]

Thanks. That what I was leaning towards. The 280ai is so versatile, a 6.5 doesn't make much sense. The 30-06 doesn't get much horsepower over the 280 either. Thanks

If you want to go that route at all if it were me, I'd go with the .284 Winchester just to keep it "all in the family". My preference though would still be for the .264wm. There won't be anything you can do with the .280's that can't be done just as well or better with the .264wm and it's a perfect match for your action. There isn't much of anything more at home in a pre 64 action other than maybe the 300wm.

 

[jjmp]

Go 25/06 ,1/7 twist bbl cut/rifled Brux or Rock river, stainless steel 26 inch #3or a flutted 4 ,change out the original stock if a option ,or pillar n glass bed the wood stock ,get a trigger job , shot the new BlackJack 131 GN Hybrid bullet , and call me an tell me how yu Lv it ,!!! Gd luck !, thks

 

[Tracker12]

The 338-06 is a great idea. Actually that was the build I was looking for in my build that never materialized.

The 264 wm is a neat round and I have had two originals in Pre 64. Actually just sold the Feather weight this year. For deer it was a killer but I shot 4 elk with it and after the 4th I bought a 300 HH and never looked back.

 

[Capt RB]

I'd look hard at the 338/06 and Whelen. The 280 covers both the 270 and 30.06. Your already set for a varmint gun. The bigger 06 based rounds offer big bullets for big bears and moose options. The other options are an AI or sherman version of the bigger bores. Depending on your affinity for felines.
Hard to argue with a 264wm if you do open it up but I don't see anything that your 280ai couldn't cover. I had both a M70 and 700 in 300 H&H just no is all I'll say

 

[Hand Skills]

I know there are a lot of people who share that sentiment with you, I'm not one of them. I think the best thing about a pre 64 Model 70 is what you can make from their parts. I think the rifle package, as a whole in it's stock form, is borderline awful.

Gotta agree with you. Not a traditionalist myself, but I see both sides of it where an heirloom is involved. I have a good old M70 .270 Win - my grandfather hunted with it for nearly 50years. To me it's a bit of a pig, and sadly for the most part I'm not man enough to carry it in the field.

I do like hunting with this M70 FWT though - it's now a .280 Rem with a stainless 25" barrel, 1:9 cerakote'd. 8lbs as pictured.



I feel like I'm in a pretty similar position to the OP, so for me it's been an interesting thread. Wondering what my grandpa would think of a rebore!