M70 Builds

[Hard rock]

It means having to 'dial-in' the barrel at least twice, besides milling 'the cut'. I charge 'extra' for actions where an extractor cut is required.

I've been around the gun world long enough too know that the gunsmiths of yesterday would barrel up any thing mod 70s , springfields , mausers etc . The cost was the same . Your lucky now too find a gunsmith that can work on anything or will work on anything other than a mod 700 rem . My last 3 builds , I didn't bother with a local gunsmith I let Bartlien barrel my mod 70 same cost as a 700 rem , Douglas barrels built my 25-284 on a FN Mauser and Straight Armory barrel up my Curtis Action that is on a 700 footprint . I don't see any cost savings these days working with a local gunsmith . I can have Bartlien , Douglas etc barrel a action ,barrel included for what the gunsmith that I use too use would charge me too thread , chamber and headspace my barrel for . My dad barreld most all of my rifles , extractor cuts no big deal.

 

[Rhett Crider]

It means having to 'dial-in' the barrel at least twice, besides milling 'the cut'. I charge 'extra' for actions where an extractor cut is required.

Nothing wrong there. Any business, extra mat,l-extra cost, extra labor-extra cost. As long as it's reasonable and no surprises. Most of us understand this, but then some don't. Perfect example here, Torque barrel on, index, remove, set up time and cut. I'm not a machinist, but I see an hour w/ no interruptions here. Tell me if I'm wrong but I can't be too far off. My smith has never charged me an upcharge for that but I always have receiver trued, lugs lapped, barrel channel opened most times, bedding, fluting, M/B threading, and trigger replaced or adjusted also. Also always give him a good deposit up front which he doesn't require from me. Built him a Christmas present a while back w/ an arm full of split mesquite. My gratitude for the exceptional work he's done for me.

 

[shortgrass]

I've been around the gun world long enough too know that the gunsmiths of yesterday would barrel up any thing mod 70s , springfields , mausers etc . The cost was the same . Your lucky now too find a gunsmith that can work on anything or will work on anything other than a mod 700 rem . My last 3 builds , I didn't bother with a local gunsmith I let Bartlien barrel my mod 70 same cost as a 700 rem , Douglas barrels built my 25-284 on a FN Mauser and Straight Armory barrel up my Curtis Action that is on a 700 footprint . I don't see any cost savings these days working with a local gunsmith . I can have Bartlien , Douglas etc barrel a action ,barrel included for what the gunsmith that I use too use would charge me too thread , chamber and headspace my barrel for . My dad barreld most all of my rifles , extractor cuts no big deal.

A Mauser doesn't require an extractor cut. Sorry, In my shop I'm not willing to give up an hour or more, making an extractor cut. Takes extra tooling, also. My tooling costs me just as it does any business. Extractor cuts are "no big deal", as you say, but they are extra time and know-how. I suppose you give extra time to your employer and don't expect to get paid for it? I "give away" enough of my time, and 'time' is something you can never get back! Take any 'job' to a machine shop, the longer it takes, the more special tooling it requires, the more it costs. Have any contractor do a remodel to your house. The longer it takes, the more specialized the work, the more it will cost. You may have been around the gun world a long time, but it's doubtful you have actually done the work yourself.

 

[Hard rock]

A Mauser doesn't require an extractor cut. Sorry, In my shop I'm not willing to give up an hour or more, making an extractor cut. Takes extra tooling, also. My tooling costs me just as it does any business. Extractor cuts are "no big deal", as you say, but they are extra time and know-how. I suppose you give extra time to your employer and don't expect to get paid for it? I "give away" enough of my time, and 'time' is something you can never get back! Take any 'job' to a machine shop, the longer it takes, the more special tooling it requires, the more it costs. Have any contractor do a remodel to your house. The longer it takes, the more specialized the work, the more it will cost. You may have been around the gun world a long time, but it's doubtful you have actually done the work yourself.

Don't mean too offend any one here , you charge what you have too , you know your time involved on a project , if your top notch with the work you do and are reasonable , make your customers happy etc . I say great for you and your customer . The Spring Field does require a extractor cut just like the mod 70 . The gunsmiths of yesterday we're happy too take on most any kind of job and would barrel up any thing . The gun shops and so called smiths around here don't hold a candlestick too the gunsmiths I knew in the past I helped my dad plenty on his South Bend lathe build everything you can think of , complete rifles from the metal down too the Stock . I guess what irritates me is these gunsmiths in my neck of the woods act like if it's not a 700 rem action they won't touch it , excuse ,they have too reset for a different machining process and don't have time whether your will too pay or not . I quit using them because reputable Barrel Makers will sell you the barrel chamber headspace and install , for what most smiths want too thread , chamber and install plus the cost of a barrel they charge for marked up double the price . I've built them both ways now I send my action in too the barrel maker. Good reputable gunsmiths are as scarce as hens teeth , I hope you are one of the good ones , I don't mind paying for what I get that's between the Smith and the customer.

 

[Ol' Red]

So, I had 2 Extreme Weather M70's collecting dust in the safe and decided to give both a big make-over. My builder, Matt, at Ridge Rifles finished the first one (7mm WSM) and fixing to ship it back to me. The other one is a 325 WSM. Both actions were trued and bead blasted. Both were given new Timney's and both will be dressed in new McMillan Game Hunters. The 7wsm has an 8 twist 24" Proof and the 325 wsm has a 10 twist 25" CarbonSix. Would love your thoughts and opinions on these two builds and reasons why you don't see more builds using the M70. Thanks

I think you will be happy with your build from Matt @ Ridge Rifles. He has done some work for me in the past. He was at the range yesterday morning and I was talking to him about a rebuild for a Remington 722 that that has been sitting in the safe for several years. He did some work on my Model 70 in 25-06 six in the past. Let us know they turn out when you get them.

 

[Hard rock]

A Mauser doesn't require an extractor cut. Sorry, In my shop I'm not willing to give up an hour or more, making an extractor cut. Takes extra tooling, also. My tooling costs me just as it does any business. Extractor cuts are "no big deal", as you say, but they are extra time and know-how. I suppose you give extra time to your employer and don't expect to get paid for it? I "give away" enough of my time, and 'time' is something you can never get back! Take any 'job' to a machine shop, the longer it takes, the more special tooling it requires, the more it costs. Have any contractor do a remodel to your house. The longer it takes, the more specialized the work, the more it will cost. You may have been around the gun world a long time, but it's doubtful you have actually done the work yourself.

I've probably have more time in building guns altering bolts ,drill and taping draw filing ,shaping trigger guards bolt knobs , barreling work ,inletting , duplicating the stock sanding , finishing watching trying too master checkering , blueing and crawling around a gun shop in my diapers than you've been on the face of the earth . Like I said I've been around the gun world long enough too know a gunsmith from a so called gunsmith. I hope your the real deal . I don't work on gun like I used too when my dad passed it took all the fun out of it . I now send it off on new builds.

 

[shortgrass]

Don't mean too offend any one here , you charge what you have too , you know your time involved on a project , if your top notch with the work you do and are reasonable , make your customers happy etc . I say great for you and your customer . The Spring Field does require a extractor cut just like the mod 70 . The gunsmiths of yesterday we're happy too take on most any kind of job and would barrel up any thing . The gun shops and so called smiths around here don't hold a candlestick too the gunsmiths I knew in the past I helped my dad plenty on his South Bend lathe build everything you can think of , complete rifles from the metal down too the Stock . I guess what irritates me is these gunsmiths in my neck of the woods act like if it's not a 700 rem action they won't touch it , excuse ,they have too reset for a different machining process and don't have time whether your will too pay or not . I quit using them because reputable Barrel Makers will sell you the barrel chamber headspace and install , for what most smiths want too thread , chamber and install plus the cost of a barrel they charge for marked up double the price . I've built them both ways now I send my action in too the barrel maker. Good reputable gunsmiths are as scarce as hens teeth , I hope you are one of the good ones , I don't mind paying for what I get that's between the Smith and the customer.

So far this year I have barreled 2 CRF Win 70s, 1 Rock Island manufactured "Springfield" 1903 (w/a 'high' serial number), A Win made U.S. Model 1917, a half dozen Mauser '98s, a couple of push feed 70s, a Howa 1500, a MRC 1999 LA Mag , a CZ 527 , a Defiance Tenacity and 8 or 9 Rem 700s. Those who come to me aren't willing to wait 6 months to a year for a barrel maker to install a barrel. I know, Douglas does it in weeks, but most want 'more' than a Douglas (I have nothing against Douglas barrels personally.) Those who think they only "specialize" in 700s , well,,,, I just don't know what they are thinking! I have fit and finished my last laminate stock and and am considering the same for hardwood stocks. Few are willing to pay for the hours involved in completing such stocks and I'm not willing to do a "half way" job. Unless you stated all of your "gun building experience before 1974............... And in my mid 30s actually attended and graduated from an accredited 2yr gunsmithing program at MCC. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday or the day before!!

 

[Hard rock]

So far this year I have barreled 2 CRF Win 70s, 1 Rock Island manufactured "Springfield" 1903 (w/a 'high' serial number), A Win made U.S. Model 1917, a half dozen Mauser '98s, a couple of push feed 70s, a Howa 1500, a MRC 1999 LA Mag , a CZ 527 , a Defiance Tenacity and 8 or 9 Rem 700s. Those who come to me aren't willing to wait 6 months to a year for a barrel maker to install a barrel. I know, Douglas does it in weeks, but most want 'more' than a Douglas (I have nothing against Douglas barrels personally.) Those who think they only "specialize" in 700s , well,,,, I just don't know what they are thinking! I have fit and finished my last laminate stock and and am considering the same for hardwood stocks. Few are willing to pay for the hours involved in completing such stocks and I'm not willing to do a "half way" job. Unless you stated all of your "gun building experience before 1974............... And in my mid 30s actually attended and graduated from an accredited 2yr gunsmithing program at MCC. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday or the day before!!

You sound like the real deal , wish you were local might even send you something too barrel up I was raised in a gun shop starting in the 50s started helping in the 60s , if I thought I could make a living out of it I might have gone too a gunsmith school . I have done a lot of hands on gun work that only hands on training and experience can master.

 

[Hard rock]

So far this year I have barreled 2 CRF Win 70s, 1 Rock Island manufactured "Springfield" 1903 (w/a 'high' serial number), A Win made U.S. Model 1917, a half dozen Mauser '98s, a couple of push feed 70s, a Howa 1500, a MRC 1999 LA Mag , a CZ 527 , a Defiance Tenacity and 8 or 9 Rem 700s. Those who come to me aren't willing to wait 6 months to a year for a barrel maker to install a barrel. I know, Douglas does it in weeks, but most want 'more' than a Douglas (I have nothing against Douglas barrels personally.) Those who think they only "specialize" in 700s , well,,,, I just don't know what they are thinking! I have fit and finished my last laminate stock and and am considering the same for hardwood stocks. Few are willing to pay for the hours involved in completing such stocks and I'm not willing to do a "half way" job. Unless you stated all of your "gun building experience before 1974............... And in my mid 30s actually attended and graduated from an accredited 2yr gunsmithing program at MCC. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday or the day before!!

I'm sure that Springfield was above 800000

 

[shortgrass]

Rock Island made 1903 "High Number" is generally accepted to be @ 285,507 and above, I believe. Springfield made "High Number", 800,000 serial number and above.

 

[Hard rock]

Rock Island made 1903 "High Number" is generally accepted to be @ 285,507 and above, I believe. Springfield made "High Number", 800,000 serial number and above. My understanding is 800000 on all springfields because of the glass hard heat treatingon anything lower than 800000 , I f I'm wrong just learned something new today.

 

[Hard rock]

Too kind of stay on the OP,s topic , the Springfield was referred too as the poor man's mod 70 . I can remember the receiver on the low # below 800000 would turn red when reblued , because they we're so hard , of course that's the reason why it wasn't a good idea too too rebarrel too a higher pressure cartridge . They Springfield makes a slimline beautiful Sporter done right.

 

[CEB]

I have several M70s that I used for builds. Here are a couple. 300wm and 300wsm. Both are trued with Brux barrels and McMillan stocks.

 

[Pelicanpoint]

Those look great....thanks for sharing.