What should I do with a pre64 Model 70 Winchester?

[Shortmagman]

I have already done most of the things both of you suggested. I cleaned the barrel with a good copper remover, installed a Timney, added a slip on recoil pad and a 3-9x42 Sightron scope. it already had a nice leather sling. In fact all i need is to find a great load.

 

[Sage70]

Got to be careful with those slip on pads. There's nothing worse for hunting than a rifle with a length of pull that is too long. The Winchester started with a 13 1/2 inch length of pull and that is plenty long for most people especially wearing a heavy hunting coat. I am tall with a 35 inch sleeve length and the length of pull I like best is 13 3/8 inches. You don't want the butt dragging on your coat when you are in hurry to lift the rifle. Many new rifles built to shoot prone have a 13 3/4 inch length of pull built for target shooting but in very few hunting situations will you be doing a prone hunting shot because of high grass, brush and weeds. Good luck with finding that super load.

 

[ARlife4me]

I have already done most of the things both of you suggested. I cleaned the barrel with a good copper remover, installed a Timney, added a slip on recoil pad and a 3-9x42 Sightron scope. it already had a nice leather sling. In fact all i need is to find a great load.

The only Timney I've found was for a post '64.

 

[Sage70]

The only Timney I've found was for a post '64.

The Timney 401 is easy to install in a pre 64 Model 70 and works good. Just be careful when you push the trigger and bolt stop pin to the side. Just push the pin toward the side just far enough to remove the trigger without affecting the bolt stop. If you completely remove the pin the bolt stop spring and spring pin will fly to the far ends of the world.

 

[Shortmagman]

Update i decided to glass bed and free float the barrel. I zeroed the gun at 50 yds with some reloads that had not shot so well before. I then shot the load that had shot very well before the glass beding. I found it hard to believe that this is my first three shots at 100yds.

 

[Sage70]

I found it hard to believe that this is my first three shots at 100yds.

I have been shooting small groups with a pre 64 Model 70 every since I bought my first rifle. The Sierra GameKing is a very accurate bullet and I use them for both target practice and hunting. However, for most of my hunting I use the 165 grain Nosler Partition. It take some experimenting to find loads where the target bullets and hunting bullets have the same point of impact at 200 meters. The Partition makes a big whap when it hits an animal with an exit on the far side and the whap can be heard for several hundred yards. The Sierra doesn't penetrate like a Nosler partition. I have found it easy to tweak a pre 64 Model 70 so it's comparable to any high quality hunting rifle that can be purchased today. You haven't said whether your rifle is a standard grade or featherweight?

 

[Shortmagman]

Featherweight and the recoil tells that it is not a heavy gun

 

[ARlife4me]

Featherweight and the recoil tells that it is not a heavy gun

Is the '06 a 24" barrel or 26" like the 264wm sporter barrels?

 

[Shortmagman]

22"

 

[OG10]

@Shortmagman What was your load bullet make weight and powder ? Thank you.

 

[Shortmagman]

I loaded a 165 gr. Sierra gameking in a ww cases, WLR primers and 47.0 grs of IMR-4064 with a COL of 3.220. This was close to a starting load. My velocity was only 2500+ ft/sec.

 

[OG10]

It is not a hot load by any means but it and 47 grains of imr 4895 have always been easy and pretty accurate loads. I have used it several times in my 30-06 career and it is a joy to shoot .Seems like you are on the right trac good luck and enjoy your rifle.