Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Building a model 70

I was given a stripped 1960 action. I now have almost all the original parts to make a featherweight in 308. My question……. The magazine box I have is for 30/06. I do have the spacer that is for the 308. Am I better off buying a magazine box from pre64win or trying to add the spacer to my standard box?

Seems like you're not out much by trying it. If it doesn't work you can get a magazine box that does work, right? Good luck and have fun!

You will also need a short action extractor ring and ejector

here is my experience re: a similar situation. I intended to have a pre-64 action re-barrelled in .220 Swift. The factory swifts used shorter followers, mag. boxes, extractors, etc. Those parts, bought separately, are very pricy. The man doing the re-barrelling for me told me I didn't need any of those: the Swift case would feed, eject,, etc. just fine in the 06' action I had: actually was a factory .270. He even sent me a short video of a pre-war action he'd re-barrelled in a Swift with no problems. Well, he sounded very convincing so I went ahead and had him do the barrel. He was exactly correct-at least in my rifle. This thing works as slick as any of my other pre-64s and I have a bunch of them. No magazine block, no different anything. And I'd almost forgot to mention, prior to having that done, I'd used the action for target shooting, with a custom barrel in .308. Again, no issues at all. So you might want to consider that as good ahead.

I bought a complete bolt which was mislabeled. It’s a 1953 with the short cartridge extractor ring. I guess I could sell that and buy a standard extractor ring.
Really would like to use it as a 308 running 200 and 220 grain bullets. There’s a Lyman 57 all tuned up ready to screw on when I get the barrel on and the stock finished. Lucked into a low comb featherweight stock that needs some work. My neighbor will recut the checkering later this year.

Frank500: Good luck with your project.
If it were me I would go find the correct extractor assembly and make a 25/06 out of that action - but it sounds like you are looking to Hunt Moose or Griz so again, good luck with the project.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

If you have the correct extractor assembly for a 308, it sounds like you're good to go. The shorts are getting spendy. I personally would find the sa box, however, ruffed is correct, try the box first. I put together a 284 on an 06 and didn't change a thing. Same with the 7x57. The 250 3000 I had to change it up. I think wisners generally has mag boxes.

Gentleman
Thank you for the suggestions. I looked at Wisners, he didn’t have any short magazine boxes. Pre64win does.
The safety won’t go on. Seems to be a tricky fix from what I’ve read on this site. And parts are not available if I mess it up. Maybe that’s a trip to pre64win.

Timing the safety is more tedious than tricky as there is a lot of disassembly and re-assembly between file swipes. It is probably worth sending it in though if you don't have anyone to mentor you through the process.

Yahoo buckaroo!!! I got the safety to work!!!! Yes it’s very tedious but so satisfying. Next is the barrel install and stock work.

Good you got the safety working. I've never had an issue with a pre 64 model 70. That is one thing I always check when looking at used ones that I buy. Keep us posted on your build and then later on your 200gr loads. Sounds pretty cool. Good luck with it!!!

Good job with the safety! Mixing parts can create those issues, but it is satisfying working through them yourself.

I agree.

This rifle is back shooting!!! Stock is finished, metal is up and running! Put it together this morning and shot it. Just offhand at rocks but very satisfying. Quite a project but worth it. Learned some things along the way. Next week I’ll put it on paper and see how it shoots.