Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors A couple of questions

I am thinking about rebarreling a Model 70 and putting it in an after market stock, probably a McMillan. There are some choices available to me if I do this.

1. I can use either a pre 64 and a 2009 featherweight for the action. Would one be better than the other? I kind of hate to disassemble a pre 64 but the result of building another one would be important too.

2. If I happen to get a McMillan that takes the two piece floor plate, is it a big deal to get the adapter that allows the one piece to be used? Are there any problems inherent to using the spacer?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

If I can possibly avoid it, i won't tear up a nice pre 64 to use as a donor.

A good smith can fix the evil crap in a Classic so that it's just about as good when he rebarrels it so I would use the Classic action.

Tune the trigger and replace the cast extractor for a spring steel after market item. The cast extractor is a POS.

Not sure about your bottom metal question. What adapter or spacer are you referring to?

If you have one piece Classic BM just order the McMillan to take that bottom metal.

FWIW, a 2009 Featherweight is not a Classic. It should have a spring steel extractor as it is.

I think Bob is sidestepping the BACO. Primarily because of the MOA trigger. I'd also use a classic, but would have no qualms in tearing a barrel off of a pre 64 if it is shot out and the rifle has no significant "collector's" value...

Oops I missed that. ...to me they are all the same [bleep] after 1964....

I agree with you Bob. I've seen a lot of problems with other brands of rifles and hear about a lot more. The recent thread on Samo's Montana really has me thinking, are the newer rifles that much better? Or are they even better at all??? With that being said, IF I were going to build an all out reliable and accurate rifle, it would be built on a pre 64 model 70. Not a Tikka, not a Kimber, not a Savage, and damn sure not a Remington 700....

bsa: I don't think they are one damned bit better.....of course I am talking the metal,could care less about the stocks on any of them. Many of the new ones still have to be tweaked to get them to work right.

The only unmodified BG factory bolt rifles I would trust blindfolded are things like the pre 64 M70,and the FN Mauser rifles from Belgium. An original BRNO Mauser is the same animal and will make you drool. I'd build a custom on any of those three actions but not much else.

Any M70 made after 1964 doesn't cut it with me. Classics can be made into good rifles but many of them need a good smith IMO.

The BACO's are nice but I have no use for the trigger.I would never build a custom on a BACO for just that reason. JMHO on what I would and would not spend my money on in building a custom..

Despite my preoccupation with the pre-64, there may be reasons to use the 2009 action. Building with the newer action will cost you less and will result in a rifle that handles and shoots pretty much the same. If this is for your own personal hunting rifle and you don't care which you carry, then save yourself the money and use the 2009 action. If you think you may sell this rifle later, the pre-64 will retain its value better. There is strong demand for custom pre-64 hunting rifles, but there's not much demand or value for custom rifles built on the newer actions.

My favorite hunting rifle, built on a 1955 action with a Lilja barrel and a McMillan stock.

So what do you have in mind for cartridge? Is the BACO a long or short action? I understand Bob's sentiment on the MOA trigger, as I (and a lot of others) believe Browning Arms CO. really missed the boat when they changed things up. Why sway from a proven, extremely reliable design and switch to a box trigger???? I know guys biotch about the MOA a lot here in this forum, more so than any other forum on the fire. Partly because we, here, are a sentimental bunch that like keeping things simple. Part of the beauty of the pre 64 model 70. I'd also like to ad, for those that have never had a rifle equipped with the MOA trigger: The moa is not a bad trigger. It's just more complex than it needs to be and it's a box trigger. I've seen quite a few guys read into this the wrong way and end up buying a Timney to replace the MOA. This is just plain idiotic (sorry for putting it so blatantly blunt). You are replacing a great trigger with an equal, which, in my book is making a lateral move. Not really gaining a damn thing. boliep, the choice is yours and I can see the predicament you are having. If the 09 is chambered in the cartridge you want, I'd re-stock it in the Mcmillan of your choice and rock the hell out of it. I actually did a lot of testing on the MOA trigger before sending all of my baco's down the road and will say when compared to even the best tuned pre 64 and classic trigger, the MOA wins hands down. They are smoother and feel just a little more refined than the old trigger. However, this is done with many more moving parts. The parts involved create a mechanical advantage that gives this trigger a great feel when operating it. As for the spacers, you won't have to worry about using one if you order the right stock from Mcmillan. Good luck with your decision and remember it's your money and only you have to be happy with the rifle.....

I think the BACO trigger feels great. I just don't trust any box trigger the same way I feel comfortable with the open architecture of the original M70.

The BACO rifles I have had all worked and shot great.

I'm with you on this Bob, one of the reasons I sent all the BACO'S down the road and hung on to the pre 64's... Like I said, I did a lot of testing, shooting and comparisons to help make the final decision about which ones to keep. I chose to keep the better rifles...

I will probably do something exotic like a 30-06 if I re barrel. A 35 Whelen is interesting and a possibility too. Especially since I do not seem to be able to sell my Whelen ammo.

As for the floor plate question, I have a local that wants to sell a McMillan stock for the later model Winchester model 70. His is made for the 2 piece floor plate which is why I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the adapter that is sold online.