BobinNH on the Brown stock thread shamed me into pulling this NH Featherweight from storage. In this pic, was the first time it saw the light of day in quite a number of years.

It's 30-06, and was originally intended to be rebored into a 338-06. It was set up the way I wanted for testing, prior to the rebore. I then got side tracked with a 338rcm project, and never looked at this Featherweight again, until now.



Has fixed sights paired with LEU QD mounts and 2.5-8x scope.



Wonderful sight picture. Can swing on something small, like a squirrel or rabbit, busting through the woods. Very fast. Makes getting a sight picture on deer appear easy.



Scope has USMC mil-dot reticle from Premier Reticle, back when they did the custom work for Leupold.

So, here I am now looking at this thing, what to do? No longer interested in 338-06. Even if cut back to 20-inch, too thin to bore 9.3mm. Has 1-pc bottom, Williams extractor, lug and tang bedded, full float, and surpringly stiff for end for wood. Lost my notes, but memory was stock barrel shot around 1-1.5 moa 3-shot groups, if not allowed to heat too fast. That was without load development, so not sure I want to rebarrel. Did not add pillars at the time, as I had intended to restock, so that is a weak link now with the wood. As is, 7-pounds with sights and mounts less scope.

Thinking, if staying 30-06, may go ahead and drill out stock to pour pillars. Maybe see if I can get some sort of modern 150-grainer to shoot. If I like it, could always drop it in a light build stock, though not sure how much that would save over the factory FW.

Open for thoughts and suggestions, as I start muddling through this rifle.

Thanks in advance, for any input.

Later

Looks perfect as it is right now!

Don't see why you'd want to change anything...

but then it isn't my rifle...

+1

It's a great lookiing rifle, I'd spend some time on handloads and see what it can do. We've been quite happy with 150 TTSX's /H4350.

If I run it in that stock, would likely prefer to drill out action screw holes a couple sizes, and pour pillars, so it better holds torque. There is load development, and possible need to tweak bedding w/ that FW barrel.

If you ship it to me.... problem solved.




I don't know that I would TOUCH it--having irons on it.

Jerry

Here's what I would do with it, if I were you, or, if I had that rifle: hunt deer, black bear, elk etc. Now, that wasn't a tough question.

Have you shot it yet? If not,take it out and shoot it,then if need be do the above.

+2. I'd keep it as a 30-06. If not, sell it to someone who would appreciate it that way. bwinters comes to mind....

I'd put it in a Bansner, McM Sako Hntr edge, Brown, or similar, and hunt it. I would maybe cut the bbl to 22" if it wasn't already.

Don't touch it except for pillars, it is a thing of beauty as is.
My New Haven Fwt stock was about 4 oz lighter than a standard fill McMillan so I doubt that there would be much in the way of weight savings unless you go with the Edge fill, even then it would probably be mimimal.

drover

It was 22-inch, but the crown was given a deep recess for protection, so now a tad under 22.

Leave it as is and develope a load and go kill stuff. Nice Rifle!

I have not pulled it back apart, yet, but I recall it fell somewhere between a std fill and an edge. Was thinking about trimming a tad off the lop, so that would lighten it more. I do like the pattern.

May try a factory tsx, ttb, or gmx 150gr load, see if it responds well.

My stainless classic featherweight 30/06 loved 180 grain ballistic tips and a stiff charge of RL22. H4350 was nearly as good.3 shots in a nickel at 100 yards without any screwing around. Poke em down in the box and cycle them through. I'd leave her alone until some hand loads have been explored.

You're already where you need to be, so don't mess with success. Unless you've got a wandering zero, I wouldn't even bother will the pillars.

Those stainless Featherweights were one of the handsomest factory rifles ever; be a shame to chop it up, and likely a financial boo-boo as well. A thinner pad would cut the lop without messing up the stock.

I have the same rifle, but in .308. Of all my big game rifles, I keep coming back to it.
I have four bolt action big game rifles, three of which are full customs, and one semi auto BG rifle. While the semi auto is the current favorite, it's only because I hunt under special circimstances.
The only thing I've really changed in mine has been the stock. That's because the forend of the orginal walnut stock would flex too much when using a shooting sling. So now it wear an MPI Kevlar stock.
It's had a trigger job, just some stoning. I have nothing with a better trigger.
It's had three different scopes. Currently it wears a simple 4X, FX2 Leupold. Heck, I've even tried a couple of different scope reticles.
The bottom line is it's good to go were ever I hunt while the full customs often stay in the safe.....
My advice ? Stop messing with it and hunt it. If it needs any modifications, they will become apparent. I'd hate to tell you how much time and money that lesson cost me. E

Ditch the French Whorehouse Stock, drop it in a Bansner or Brown (I think The Brown forearm is too long and needs shortening). Ditch the factory 2-piece, all-steel bottom metal and replace with PT&G aluminum 1-piece and you're set.

A McMillan Hunters Edge will work too, and its comb is good for use with irons.

Here's the same rifle as yours I built some years back, 21" bbl., Bansner:

Lost my notes, but I was using 180-partitions a lot, back when I was first fiddling w/ this rifle. But, believe the basic testing and those 1-1.5moa 3-shot groups with this rifle were done with something mundane, like Speer cup and core bullets.

Now, would have interest in those modern 150 loads.

Just tore it down, gave it a look see. Pretty sure she was torqued 35-inch pounds when put away. The stock did give some, torque dropped, and now when torqued back into place, the clearance I had in the mag box is gone. I do like the featherweight pattern stock, and if I stick with wood, thinking a column of epoxy, poured as a pillars, would help lessen the likely hood of wood compression.

And yes, the stock has a full pad w/ thick spacer. Room to work before cutting any wood.

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.