Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What to do w/ NH M70 Featherweight?

I have the same rifle stainless wood. No irons though. I tested a bunch of loads but the best were 180 gr sierra flat base, which I used for load development and Next was the 180 gr partition. Both with IMR 4831 and winchester primers in winchester cases. One inch or less 4shot groups. IMR 4831 is not usually mentioned but It gave me the best velocity and accuracy. Other powders were as accurate but at 75 to 100 fps less velocity. Hope this helps.

Yes, full float and thin wood for end are usually a bad mix. This particular stock is surprisingly stiff, though not stiff like glass. I have no thought, need, or want, for shooting a tight sling off this featherweight. Most any fast shot aided by the quickness of this rifle would be inside 50-yards, and a sling technique would slow me down. Any long shot would likely fall under 200-300-yards, and an adequate field position would suffice, without torquing the fore end.

Brad, the 1-pc bottom was already done.

With this FW contour, I do like the NH featherweight stock pattern. I like the ambidextrous drop, and slender for end. On this rifle, it maximises the usable forend, with the least material, with the perfect length for a 22-inch barrel.

I need to revisit the stock template thread, but the closest I recall to this pattern was the Compact, but I do not believe it looks as good length wise. I was thinking of shortening the for end on a Brown, but I would lose my drop. Same for the Bansner.

Kinda leaning toward the same FW pattern with an Edge fill. Forgot to weigh the wood before I just put it back together, so not sure an Edge would give me anything beyond stability.

If 150 loads become a dead end, likely would go back to my old ways w/ 180 partitions. Though now, like the thought of less recoil and faster recovery with a 150.

Just checked the wood stock, it weighs 30-ounces with a Decelerator pad and .25-inch spacer. Length of pull is a tad long, so change of pad and/or spacer would fix that, and drop the weigh a little. So, likely a solid fill McMillan would weigh slightly more, and and an Edge would weigh slightly less.

Brad and all, have you ever chopped an inch or two off a Brown forend?

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11668646/Re:_6_Digit_SS_Classic_FWT_06,#Post11668646

Here's a picture of a Classic featherweight in the first post that goes 7#'s 2 ounces in a mcmillan w/ edge fill, and set up a little diff than yours ie. the adl and the Talleys.

Jerry

Brad and Gary,

Who you using to add the irons to the fwt contour?

Mine were done by the late Dave Gentry. Straight as an arrow. I've had mixed results by other smiths.

I haven't done it, but I talked to Mark Bansner about it. Cut a 1" section off forward the front swivel, reattach with Epoxy. Bondo to finish and paint. Doesn't sound all that hard.

I believe Stacy (Mtn Hunter) who used to post here did one. 350 RM if I remember right.

Same here on the mixed results. If you find a good one please pass on the info.

Is that a Compact?

Jerry's FW Classic w/ Edge

Nice looking rifle there Brad...

A good friend, hunting partner, etc., who is a guild smith. He helps me out with my looney projects. He currently supports other guild smiths, who job him some of their work, but otherwise, does not take work and is retired.

Though, the machine work with those particular sights were not difficult. The front and rear were production sight bases for that diameter, with the heights to work above the LEU QD bases. Ashley (now XS) made the blade, we cut it to regulate and refinished. Certainly did not require a guild smith.

Thanks for the feedback.

Forming a game plan to keep her 30-06. Currently, the tang, receiver, lug, and the tiny 1/8" shank of the barrel are bedded. As noted above, the wood has slightly compressed, and now the mag box is tight when the stock is torqued. Thinking I'll temporarily add a couple shim washers under the bottom metal to free up the box, grab some factory Vor-tx 150ttsx, and see if it shoots.

If it works, I'll stay with the same bedding technique, but add poured pillars.

If it does not work, I'll tinker with the bedding technique to try and get the 150s to shoot. Maybe I could remove the bedding under the shank, or increase the bedding ahead of the shank, or add a tip end pressure pad, or even full length bed. I'm sure one of those techniques would tame a FW barrel. Hopefully, the current bedding technique will suffice.

If it looks good with the factory Vor-tx, I'll work up handloads.

Thinking any stock change would be an Edge fill, in either the same FW pattern, or maybe the Compact.

Thanks again!

The stock on mine is an MPI Kevlar. With the one inch recoil pad and three flush mounts for the Ching Sling, it weighs 18 ozs. ready to bolt up.
I keep telling myself to replace the factory SS FP & TG. The one that it comes with is 8 ozs......
BTW, using either form of Ching Sling, I can get into it on the way down into a sitting position. Allows me to shoot both faster and more accurately.
It's a great rifle with many very desirable features. Glad to hear you are focusing on it. E

Gary,

Not mine, PM Chad (taylorce1) for any details.

Jerry

Yes, that is a "Compact" stock in edge fill.