Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles stock options for M70 FWT?

Gents - anyone have advice on putting a M70 FWT into a synthetic stock? I sort of like the idea of making an "Extreme Weather Featherweight" with one of my stainless barreled actions... but don't know much about drop-in ready options. Any firsthand experience would be greatly appreciated.

If you like the ergos of the wood Featherweight stock, you would probably like a "Winlight" stock. My understanding, the Winlight stocks are a McMillan featherweight pattern stock without molded in checkering. Offered as a factory stock on the M70 "Winlight" rifles. Barreled action should drop in. However, will need a (shorter) Winlight or Win M670 magazine box and trigger guard.

Another option for a little more money is a McM Hunter's Edge stock.

Here is an example of a Winlite I have on one of my rifles:

Wildcat composites, I picked one up, shaved 1 pound, improved accuracy and the textured paint is the best I’ve seen.

Yeah...that one is awesome!

I have several FWT M70's in the MCM compact edge, I've been very happy with them.

Drop in?

Years ago (on what seemed a different 24 hour campfire), there was a lengthy thread from some experienced rifleman (Allen Day, Dober, Rick, Bobin, John) who preached of getting a rifle "system", getting familiar with it, and riding off into the sunset of Rifle looney-ism while enjoying some big game hunting along the way.

It took a while but eventually sunk into my thick skull. I picked up a pair of featherweights in boring/gay calibers in which ammo could always be located in every state/province/territory. I then scoped them with inexpensive Burris scopes which I have a pretty good track record with. I zero them with my Pet loads and leave them alone while utilizing the reticle for drop. I am not a long range hunter, 350 yards is about all the poke I will take. When I travel for hunting, I take the pair.

Top one is a South Carolina Fwt in 270 Win in a edge fill micky. Picked up off the classifieds here. I bedded it at the lug, straightened the barrel channel to even the gaps for floating, applied some paint on the inside. With Talley Lightweights (soon to be Dual Dovetails) and the Burris 3-9 it goes 7lb, 6 oz. It was a touch lighter prior to bedding and paint. Balance is right about the front action screw.

Bottom one is a stock Winlite 30-06. I had a 280 winlite years ago and despite it being about perfect, I foolishly sold it. The one above provided some much needed grieving until I located this one. It is also bedded at the lug, weighs 7 lbs 11 oz with burris 3-9 and Leupold Dual dovetail lows (best scope mounting system for a hunting rifle IMO). Same balance point as the one above, best as I can tell.

If had one I wanted stocked today, I would seek a used winlite as they are a good bit cheaper and IMO superior quality to what I see today. They are especially dense without adding much more weight than an edge fill. If I did order one from McMillan new. I would definitely pony up for an edge fill as the lighter stock shifts the balance out in front where the skinny featherweight barrel needs as much help as it can get. I would also omit the standard pachmayr pad for something lighter, again to help on the balance aspect. Balance on wood stocked featherweights is hit or miss, usually miss depending on the wood. A good quality, lightweight synthetic really makes them come alive (that was hard for me to say still being a big fan of wood).

If you can find a Winlite take-off at a fair price, buy it.

I have a Winlite stock on a 70 FWT in 6.5-284, a rechambered 6.5x55 factory barrel, and like it OK. I think that I would like the laminated Wintuff 70 FWT stock better, but they seem to be as rare as honest politicians. I haven't shot the rifle in many years, so it doesn't really matter what stock is installed on it.

Beautiful rifles right there Tom. That scope mounting system and scope is my favorite. It keeps things simple and useful. I use the same scope on 90% of my "hunting" rifles. As for stocks, I love the hunters compact. I've had them with edge fill and don't like the resonance you get with the graphite fill. Bobin hated it as well. I figured I'd bring him up, since you mentioned him in your post. I much prefer the standard fill and in a hunters compact, it doesn't add much weight anyway and the balance is damn near perfect. I may have a couple pictures to throw out there in that regard:



For me, the fit and feel and handling characteristics of the hunters compact is second to none. Here are a couple pics of that stock and some featherweight rifles on utah708's stock template:


Like you said, the DD's are the best scope mounting system for a hunting rifle, plus they look much better than those blocky Talley lighweights. It is all about the "system", and choosing the right stock should be about fit, balance, looks, ergonomics, rigidity, and weight. These things greatly affect how that system is going to handle in the field. My personal experince with the wood stocks hasn't been bad though, but my pre 64's weigh in at 6.5 pounds and the montecarlo stocks fit me very well:


Now, the OP was talking about making an "extreme weather featherweight". Here's a BACO model 70 with an EW barrel and hunters compact swirly:


Also, since you brought up Bobin's name I'm going to also suggest one of his favorite stocks. The Brown precision poundR. I believe he actually settled on that stock as the all time favorite of his. Lightweight and rugged and fit him like a glove. Here's a 7 pound 338 I use for elk hunting:

I have a couple rifles that fit Bob's prescription pretty closely. A 270 in a mcmillan compact edge (I call it "Bob's gun") and a 30-06 in a pacific research (early Rimrock), both pre 64 fwts. I have also had a Brown Precision and a few Bansners and like them a lot as well.
After cycling through a lot of rifles these two are the end result and fit my needs very nicely. I will still play with others but the "recipe" is pretty much fixed for serious hunting rifles!

You can get it how you want and have it painted (or with no paint) how you want. Originally I was going to do the work myself until I felt the textured paint he uses. He used to work on hot rods so he does excellent paint work and has been working with composites for decades. I had him make mine a drop in, it’s a way better fit and finish than my Nula’s were.

I bought a Winlite 270 off the classifieds for the stock. It has a blind magazine. I put my stainless FW 5 digit serial number 30-06 in the stock (already bedded) and put a thinish O-ring near the fore end. I have a Leupold FX-II 6x36mm in a DNXZ low mount. It's a very accurate rig. I paid $800 for the Winlite and sold the 270 barreled action in the Tupperware factory stock with the stainless bottom metal for $400.

Here’s my attempt at an Allen Day rifle.



New Haven Model 70 Classic Sporter in 30-06, G-prefix/5-dight SN, Bansner stock. In this pic it has a Leupold VX-R 3-9x40, steel medium Leupold PRW rings, and Weaver aluminum bases, and weighs 8.23 pounds. With a Leupold FX-II 4x in low Weaver rings, and Weaver aluminum bases, it weighs 7.78 pounds.

It's probably a bit heaver than you're going for but I shoot a lot of offhand and the extra weight helps it settle down. The Sporter contour also balances better than the FWT.

Also, you ask about drop-in stocks but I'd plan to have yours bedded as soon as the budget permits.



Okie John

That is a really good looking finished product RBO!
I’m not sure if that option is available to us on the other side of the border, however. When I ordered my Wildcats a couple years back it was not. Did you have to get the barreled action to Stuart, or was he able to do that from a slave?

I only live 1/2 hour away so I brought my rifle to him but I seen he had a Tikka t3 slave there so I’d imagine he can do it all, you might just have to bed it. I’m pretty picky when it comes to custom work and workmanship and I was very impressed with what he built me.

He emailed me back. Said they don't do drop-in ready stocks. Also have a line out to McMillan.

Anyone ever use the Hogue? They appear to be drop-in?

I never cared for the Hogue stocks, way to clubby, and I am not picky on clubiness. I would go H-S precision or whatever they use for the extreme weather before Hogue.

BSA- I remember the stock template thread vividly. Thats why I havent tried a compact yet. The Fwt pattern has as open-ness in the grip that I am willing to tolerate and the compact looks more open yet on the template. Plus the short forend, I like them a bit long due to my gorilla like arms. I agree that the Pre-64 Monte Carlo is a great pattern. If I have another made up, I will probably go with that or the echols legend if barrel contour is a #2 in-lieu of Fwt. Teh pre-64 Fwt's in wood tend to balance well if they retain their aluminum or bakelite buttplates. If a whiteline pad is added, balance suffers greatly IME.

Okie John- I drug a 30-06 stainless classic like that all over Alaska for 10 years. It was in its factory tupperware which actually fit me really well. Wish McMillan or somebody would offer that pattern.

Lots of nice rifles in this thread. Lots of choices when you get down into the weeds on custom stocks but pricey. For the money the factory winlites are a steal. I see them for $400-600 on GB from time to time.

Well that sucks

Okie - agree, re: bedding. But I'm fine doing that myself... Don't mind relieving barrel channel. By drop-in I really mean not requiring me to fit/cut inletting for mag, trigger guard, etc.