Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Just Another Refinished Standard Grade

Thought I'd post a few photos of my '55 .30-06 standard grade, which went in recently for some cosmetic surgery. I found this one sitting on the front seat of a friend's p/u during a hunting trip...it was owned by someone else that wanted to sell it to my buddy. I bought it because it was in nice, but very used shape, and it was in '06. Bore was spotless, but there was rust on the floorplate, and the stock was missing most of the finish. I got it for $500.00.

I had my favorite gunsmith, Justin McMillan, refinish the stock, reblue the triggerguard/floorplate and smooth out, polish and re-cut the buttplate checkering (it was pretty beat up) and recut the stock checkering. Justin, also an M70 pre-64 freak, did the refinish with an eye towards keeping it looking original; we didn't want to make it "better". No re-bedding was done. The floorplate wasn't given a high polish, and the factory mistakes in the checkering were left in. I think it came out quite well.

I sold my pristine '49 M70 because it was too nice. This one's refinished (just the stock and floorplate assembly), so I can use it. It's wearing a favorite Lyman 4X Permacenter with a duplex. I shot it before the work; nice round 5-shot groups of just over an inch with Win 180 grain factory sofpoints. THIS is the M70 I've always wanted. And it goes well with my other standard grade in .270. It's a working rifle.
Bob

Nice work....

Yep beautiful.

Very nice I had a similar experience with a FWT 308. Almost no stock finish. It's a great shooter now.

Nice work.

Very nice.

Very nice rifle sir, thank you for the pictures.

Very nice M/70, I have the same scope and mount on my prewar .257 Roberts.

A keeper for sure.

I'm drooling. Your frined, Mr. Mcmillan, does some fantastic work. You need to tell him we are drooling over here!!!! Thanks for sharing. I'm really liking it. Your pictures are always very professional looking too. Great job!!.

That is just a really pretty rifle. To me, there is just something about the "Winchester Red" stock color. Standard M70s may not be super flashy, but they are "quietly classy", and this one is all that.

Very tasteful and thoughtful "refereshing"! Not "all over", just where it was most needed, and back to original appearance. If you want to do something to old rifles, this is IMHO, exactly how to go about it.

As I said in another post, I think the standard .30-06s and .270s, along with the .375, are the rifles that made the reputation of the M70.

I also happen to like one piece bases.

I notice the rear sight slot has a filler. What did you do with the front?

My hat off to you sir, I guess Im not a puriest as I love to see these ole gals brought back or up to good looking and hunted like they were built for! very best winpoor

Hi GunDoc
I left the front sight on the rifle. It looks "right" on an M70. Rear sight (and front sight hood) was long-gone when I got the rifle. I put a rear sight slot blank and front sight hood on for appearance.
Bob

Looks fantastic.
Great job!

Nice rifle and great choices doing the "refresh"!

yep, looks like you brought it back just the right amount. Fine job.
John

I hear you about the "looks right." Logic tells me to pull the hood and both front and rear with mine and fill with proper width blanks. But "looks" say a M70 should have a slick barrel or a sight and hood. Even "loonier", but I am on the correct subforum for it, is I worked a bit to get a vintage having the integral to the barrel front sight ramp! Go figure.

I don't know what you paid for the refresh work, and I don't really care. I suspect you are sitting pretty good on the whole deal. What I really commend you for is being able to see what was possible when you first saw the rifle on the seat of the pickup.

Where you at in Texas?

Very nice!

New Braunfels.
Bob

Well then, I got you bracketed! I was born and raised in San Antonio, and have lived in Austin for years. And spent a lot of time on Lake McQueeny back in the day.