24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Campfire Member
OP Offline
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Can (or should) a Win 70 pre-64 post war McMillan stock be fitted with a 70 pre-war action?

I want to restock a Win 70 pre-war action (clover leaf / dolls head tang) hunting rifle. I was just offered a nice used McMillan pre-64 post war standard tang painted stock that in theory should work well for my project, but I can't visualize how much work and material is required to fit & bed the tang?

Unfortunately I don't have a standard stock available to just drop my action into and see. I have seen a long time ago a pre-war action bedded into a factory post-war wood stock, and my recollection was that it was noticeable at tang but not especially hateful... The McMillan is painted, so my thought is that a repaint after bedding should take clean up the looks.

I am concerned about functionality, will it sit right and hold up to hunting and & 30-06 recoil. And if it takes 5 lbs of material, that might throw the balance off a bit ;-)

Has anyone done this?

Thanks,
Tim

BP-B2

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
R
Campfire Regular
Online Happy
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
I did just this a few years ago on a Wildcat stock.
You will have to move the front guard screw rearward about 1/4" and mill a new slot for the recoil lug.
After it's all bedded and finished you can't tell.
Bedding the clover leaf tang should not be a big deal.....Stuart at Wildcat stocks did the bedding..:-)
There might be some work required on the rear of the trigger guard also.
Some stock patterns don't mesh well with the Pre'64 metal in this area.
"greydog" who's a member here is the guy who knows all there is to know, (and then some) about your question.


"after the bullet leaves the barrel it doesn't care what headstamp was on the case"
"The 221 Fireball is what the Hornet could have been had it stayed in school"
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Campfire Member
OP Offline
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Hi rembo, I am no expert but was that possibly a post 64 stock fitted to a pre-64? My understanding is the pre-64 action bottom metal bolt location stayed same for pre & post war. thanks

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,274
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,274
Originally Posted by rembo
I did just this a few years ago on a Wildcat stock.
You will have to move the front guard screw rearward about 1/4" and mill a new slot for the recoil lug.
After it's all bedded and finished you can't tell.
Bedding the clover leaf tang should not be a big deal.....Stuart at Wildcat stocks did the bedding..:-)
There might be some work required on the rear of the trigger guard also.
Some stock patterns don't mesh well with the Pre'64 metal in this area.
"greydog" who's a member here is the guy who knows all there is to know, (and then some) about your question.


Rembo, I think you got your wires crossed here. Pre-64's, whether pre-war or post was had the same footprint. The only issue is the rear tang, it would need a bunch of fill and then paint or some type of finish. I think you may have mistook a pre vs. post 64.


+Professional member American Custom Gunmakers Guild
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
R
Campfire Regular
Online Happy
Campfire Regular
R
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
I see...I read Pre'64 post as post 64....it was a post 64 Wildcat blank I fitted to a Pre 64

Last edited by rembo; 10/16/17.

"after the bullet leaves the barrel it doesn't care what headstamp was on the case"
"The 221 Fireball is what the Hornet could have been had it stayed in school"
IC B2

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,124
G
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
G
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,124
It should drop right in but the tang will stand a little proud and will require some building up of the stock. Be sure and provide some clearance behind the tang (a couple layers of tape worth) or the stock will chip out behind the tang.
I put a model 54 (with Model 70 bottom metal) into a McMillan post-64 stock and it worked out well. Same requirement for building up around the tang and had to re-locate the front screw and recoil lug mortise. I have done numerous pre-war and transition models into post war stocks and this also works fine. GD

Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Campfire Member
OP Offline
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
thank you everyone!

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 25,033
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 25,033
I have a pre war/pre 64 that McMillan sent me a post war stock for.

I had Redneck bed it while he was rebarreling the gun. Looks like a bit of fill work for the tang and the TG was a bit proud and he fixed that as well, IIRC.

Shoot him a PM. I’ll try and post a pick.


“Life is life and fun is fun, but it's all so quiet when the goldfish die.”
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 25,033
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 25,033
[Linked Image]


“Life is life and fun is fun, but it's all so quiet when the goldfish die.”
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Campfire Member
OP Offline
Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 415
Madmooner, thank you very much for the picture - allows me to visualize this idea much better!

IC B3


Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
677 members (12344mag, 160user, 12308300, 1234, 163bc, 06hunter59, 71 invisible), 2,673 guests, and 1,276 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,615
Posts18,398,454
Members73,817
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.188s Queries: 14 (0.005s) Memory: 0.8347 MB (Peak: 0.9215 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 14:30:58 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS