Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Custom Pre-64 Thoughts

So a while back I picked up a pre-64 in 30-06. The previous owner cut the barrel down to 20" and parkerized the barrel, receiver, and bottom metal. Bolt was not parkerized.

So I have had this thing sitting around with a somewhat long term goal of using it for some sort of custom one day. I figured I would throw the thoughts I have been having on here and see what the fire can come up with.

My goal for the rifle is to have a light, handy for general knock around use. Would be mainly using it here in East Texas on the family ranch. Our ranch tends to be heavily wooded with a lot of hardwood creek bottoms just to give you an idea of terrain it would be on. I love to take a rifle and just go walking, shooting pigs along the way. Would also use it out of a truck while out and about.

Now for my thoughts so far on what to do with it. While 30-06 is completely and totally adequate for this, probably even optimal, I have had a strong interest in a 338-06 as it seems like it would be a fun one on pigs. So I have thought maybe have the rifle bored out to a 338-06 by JES. From there I was thinking of dropping it in some sort of lightweight synthetic stock. No idea what the right choice for that is. Would also like to add a barrel band sling swivel. I like being able to sling rifles low for going into brush.

I would also like to do a more weather, sweat, and knock about resistant finish for it. Was googling cerakoting earlier today and ran into a thread where someone suggested hard chrome. That really intrigued me, but certainly open to suggestions.

Leave it alone and buy a Model 70 Extreme Weather.

Thinking 338-06?.....buy it in 325 WSM....:-)

Maybe an Echols Legend stock and get a barrel from Bartlein or Kreiger and have it chambered in your choice of cartridges!

We see it's already finished!

Use it just the way it is. It already has an original Winchester barrel and the front sight is back on it!

It's already chambered for the most famous rifle cartridge of all time!

It's chambered for the 30-06 Springfield.

That's the cartridge that has won ALL of the world wars!

While the Legend is a great stock - not sure it would be great with your 20" barrel (not that 458Win and others have not done it).

Stay local in TX, get a Bridges pattern McM edge from Hill Country Rifles (if is the fastest handling stock I've had on a 70) have JES do the rebore to 338 and rock on!

Cerakote is great, but being in TX, I'd just keep it oiled/CLP'd well and rock on.

The Echols looks like a good option for a stock. Just buying a new barrel has went through my mind, but I think boring this one out to .338 should make it feel about right. The combination of boring out the barrel and a lighter stock just seems like it would give it a nice weight. It is a bit of a pig right now.

This.

The Legend is a great stock for Magnums, but the Bridges is my choice (I've owned around 10) for the M70

I am with TDN here almost to a T. There are a bunch of great stocks for the P64. CeraKote or whatever is a personal choice, but it is a nice finish. Good luck, that looks like a cool rifle and would be pretty slick as a 338-06..

Pre-64, I was 5. And, that sweet little girl in Kindergarten with the curly hair sure made me my heart flutter.

I have never heard of the Bridges Mcmillan stock before. That seems like an interesting choice. This rifle won't be used or fired from a stand often. It doesn't make it into the carry rotation often right now in large part to it's weight and it falls into a strange place for given it's current finish.

I have probably only killed about 10-15 hogs with it and a few doe on cull hunts in about three years of owning it, so it hasn't gotten out much. All of those have been taken from a standing or field position, none from a stand or rest beyond maybe a tree or fence post.

So stock recommendations, please keep that in mind. On the finish, what I mean by it fits in a strange place is that it isn't blued and pretty. I have lots of rifles that are more aesthetically pleasing finishes I like to use when the weather is perfect and I won't be working the rifle hard. But, I don't think of parkerizing as being a really superior finish for weather and wear resistance either. The bolt is still the original bluing, and a fair bit of it is worn off.

So when I think about refinishing it, my thought process is that it isn't optimized for look or function. So in my mind, being that is already refinished to a degree as to remove collector value, it is a perfect pre-64 candidate for doing something a little bit radical with a classic action.

Changing the caliber to 338-06 is just something I thought would be cool to play with. 30-06 is certainly enough for my uses, but I like to play with different stuff just because. Also, some of the pigs I run into down here I don't mind punching a little bigger hole in.

Before reboring you might try loading a few boxes of Nosler 200 grain partitions and shoot them for a season.

More than 25 yrs. ago I had a pre'64 rebored to .35 Whelen, it has been my go to deer rifle ever since. I like the Whelen for the wide selection of bullets, jacketed, cast and pistol bullets all have their place with the Whelen. For off-season practice I shoot mostly cast bullets with Unique, easy on the rifle, the shoulder and your wallet.

Yes, I agree. 35 Whelan would be my 2 cents. Maybe load up some cool 357 pistol bullets as a plinker-pest rig the Whelan for pigs and deer. I now nothing of a good aftermarket wood stock. I need to learn wood for when I do my 7x57 Mauser walkabout rifle project.

I have a Whelen listed for sale on here I would talk with you about trading if you are interested. PM me if you are.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11957720/Re:__35_Whelen#Post11957720

Can't tell for sure from the pictures, but could that be an original carbine length barrel ??

I've got quite a few pre-64 "shooters". I have always wanted to re-barrel one to 7X57 with a 26" barrel. Part of the fun of having these shooters is making them into what you want.

There's a lot of wisdom in this post^^^^^^^^^

Oh I know the 30-06 works great. I killed a 150 pound sow with that rifle about five minutes after I took that picture the other evening. (I took the picture in the evening, went hunting, then posted this thread when I got home). So hunting isn't something I do every fall. I am killing stuff all year long. I don't go a week without dropping a couple of pigs.

A sub magnum 338 has intrigued me since I first saw the 338 federal. The 338-06 has just been even more interesting to me. I am thinking about doing one because I have gotten comfortable enough with my reloading that having a cartridge I pretty much have to reload for doesn't worry me anymore. I reload nearly all my hunting ammo these days. The primary advantage to me on the 338-06 isn't that I think it will necessarily kill significantly better. It is more the increased bore size lightening the barrel and getting a little better theoretical performance in a shorter barrel due to the increased bore size allowing for more complete powder burn.

I am glad you have chimed in here though bsa, it was a thread of yours that kind of sent me down this road. You had a thread a while back I think where you did something somewhat similar. I believe it was that thread that I actually saw the comment about doing a hard chrome finish.

A pre 64 hunter with a 26" barrel in only a 7-57 is a heavy rifle. I have pre 64's with 26" barrels in 220 Swift, 264 Win
300 H&H and a long heavy 25" on a 375 H&H African. Unless a long heavy barrel is really necessary then its just a long heavy barrel.

I like your enthusiasm you have for wanting to go with a different cartridge. Many of us have been there and tried that, now it seems it's your turn. It's fun as hell, messing with different cartridges and platforms (rifles, stocks, scopes, cartridges, bullets). That's what makes us "rifle loonies". If you are bound and determined to go with 338-06, then it's going to happen. It will kill hogs, bear, deer and elk with the best of them. Just as the 35 Whelen, 9.3x62mm, 8x57 and all the rest out there. My favorite cartridge is the 338WM and the 30-06, they are just the 2 I always come back to. I'd say build the 338-06, but don't be surprised when you come back full circle to the old 06. It happens to the best of us.... Post pics of the rifle, the animals and targets you shoot with it and good luck with your build. Should be a damn fine rifle, whatever road you take... By the way, your rifle looks cool with the short carbine length barrel. Should make for a damn handy tool out in the woods...

I agree with BSA, but what you wanna do makes great sense as well. I like them all, even trying a 30-06 out a little these days.

A 338-06 or 35 Whelen really has some good stomp to it as well. Not sure you have HUGE gains, but it certainly will dig big holes. A 210 Partition at 2750 is a beast killer in my opinion.

I agree with you. I once owned a nice .264 w/ 26" barrel but I loved the way that rifle handled with the longer barrel.

I'm glad you brought up the 210 partition. That's what I was thinking as well. They are also on sale now at SPS. I NEED to get some for my 338WM....:

Good deal on .338 210gr. partitions

I like heavy for caliber bullets, so the 200gr. partitions in the 30-06 might be something to play with before I settle on swapping calibers. I had thought though that my pre-64 Supergrade in 300 H&H might be the better platform for those.

This rifles emphasis will really be on shots under 200 yards. At least 75% of shots I take on pigs are under 100. Most pigs die with whatever you stick in them pretty quick, but I have had some die closer than I like. I had a boar die with his nose touching the toe of my boot once (was using a 5.56 AR with just 55 gr FMJ that day).

Moving beyond the caliber issue though, I have been focusing on the stock choice. I am thinking pretty hard about the Mcmillan Hunters edge. I read through the thread about lightweight stocks and looked at the comparison photos and I think that one may come closer to what I would want. The Hunters Edge is the same as the compact with the lighter construction right?

I was thinking a little more drop works for me better when shooting while standing and from field positions. Also, it looks like the fore arm of that stock is a little bit shorter. I think that would go well if I decide to do a barrel band sling swivel. Anyone have a similar setup or any experience with one?

On the Mcmillan, is there an extra charge for going to a 14" LOP? I may just be slow, but I have a tough time figuring out the Mcmillan website and catalog options. If you get the fully inletted option from Mcmillan, does it really just bolt up ready to go like their website represents?

Thanks for all the help and opinions everybody.

My understanding, Yes, the Hunter Edge stocks and the compact stocks come out of the same molds. Just different fabric and fill. The forearm on my Hunter Edge might be a 1/2" shorter than some other stocks in my gun case. But not a huge difference in length. Definitely thinner, trimmer than many of the others. Most of the fully inlet stocks that I have purchased from McMillan have fit fairly well. I still find little tweaks like opening up the bolt notch to keep the bolt handle from rubbing. Sometimes sanding a little material out of the barrel channel to float a barrel. However, McMillan out-of-the-box fit is LIGHT YEARS ahead of some of their competition. And I'll stop with that...

Orion2000 hits the nail on the head. Keechi Kid, when I look at your rifle, I imagine it in a Hunters compact stock. That design is my favorite on the fwt. With your short barrel I think it's the way to go because it's a trimmer stock with a shorter fore end. I know the other guys are saying the Bridges pattern, but I've also heard complaints about that stock having a real short grip length. This sucks if you have a big hand like mine. Here's a fwt I have in a hunters compact. It's about perfect as far as I'm concerned....:




Here's the same rifle on the stock contour template:


Here's a rifle similar to yours (std wt on the stock contour template), to compare to the fwt in the Mcmillan hunters compact):


As you can see, the hunters compact is almost a full 1 1/2" shorter than the factory std. wt stock forend... Hope this helps a little.. Also, contrary to popular belief, the hunters compact, also doesn't have as much drop at the comb as the factory montecarlo stock either.... That makes for a winning combination as far as I'm concerned...

I believe if I ever swapped stocks on my Featherweight I'd roll like you BSA.. I do kinda dig it the way it sits right now though.

Scotty, I really like my 1956 30-06 fwt in its original stock. I'm keeping that rifle set up just like it came from the factory.

Thanks for that help there bsa. I'm thinking the hunters edge is for sure the way to go on the stock. The finish is what I am trying to figure out now. I am intrigued by the hard chrome option, but there isn't a lot of info on using that finish in this context.

I decided to go cerakote and haven't had any regrets. Here's on I had done in midnight blue:



I'm really liking the durability of this cerakote. I've had about 4 rifles cerakoted now and it holds up well...

Same here. Mines a 58 I think, but yep, I like it in the wood.

Another vote for Cerrakote. It's pretty good stuff.

How does the cerakote hold up to the bumps, rubbing, and weather that a hunting rifle that gets carried a lot encounters for y'all?

Mine have done pretty well. I did a few myself and baked it on. Pretty tough. It will scratch if it is subjected to something hard enough but it is pretty durable otherwise.

Make sure you do not get moving parts Cerrakoted, Micro Slik should be used on all things that need to move freely.

Good post Scotty. I'll agree, the cerakote will scratch. I finally scratched a part of my rifle, when I dropped the bolt on the cement floor .., but out in the brush, I haven't noticed any scratching. This is the kind of brush (like manzanita and vine maple) that is hard on other finishes. I remember having to re-paint floor plates on my Ruger rifles after every elk season because they would get scratched. This same brush hasn't harmed the cerakote finishes I've had done though. Seems to be pretty damn hard stuff. I don't know if it matters, but I asked my smith to add extra hardener to the mix, but that was to get a glossier finish to make it appear more like bluing. I'm thinking my favorite cerakote color is midnight blue right now..

Hi all am an old pre 64 model 70 guy. Shot a pre 64 ftwt 270 for 37 years. had a lot of fun with it. Last year had a old pre 64 ftwt 30/06 rebored to a 338/06. Oreggun smithing did the work had a Pendleton composite stock installed shoots great dime, size groups with 210 NP at 100 yards 2600 fps VX III 2.5x8 scope SK rings and mounts cerakoted about 7.5 loaded. I never have bought a real nice pre 64 because I would probly never use it. Have several reworked ones though but I do like to see them and look at them they are as nice looking a rifle as there is . BSA is on track I will never give up on my old 270 all the way we are old friends.
P S shot 250 lbs bear with it last year 150 yards pass though broke both front shoulders went less than one body length hits hard.

Welcome to the fire bapple. You will like the Winchester collectors forum here... I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say regarding pre 64 model 70 rifles. They are damn hard to beat my friend.. Regards...

I may be in the minority here, but, I like a good (Manganese) Parkerized finish. Got that finish on my 8mm, just sent 2 more Mauser barrelled actions to ITD to get parked the same way. I just strip them apart when I get them back and mix one part Marine grade axle grease and one part synthetic ATF and coat EVERYTHING metal. Let it set for a month or so and wipe it off and put it back together. Have had zero corrosion issues.

Welcome aboard. That's a great sounding rifle!

Something about a Winchester 70 Pre 64 that gets the soul stirring. I will never, ever sell my 375H&H. I will be a homeless hobo living under an overpass before we part ways.

I like the way you roll.