This pre-'64 Model 70 project has been most interesting and challenging....not exactly a straight forward deal for multiple reasons.

It's curing in the Pro Bed now.

Good shootin' -Al

I'll wait for the other shoe to drop but my first impression is that you didn't use enough tape. GD

never bedded a model 70, but can't think it would be much worse than a Ruger tang safety model,....or could it?

Yeah....if I'd only had a "...vernier caliper" (like the smart guys) instead of a lathe, mill and a couple dial indicators, I might have been able to accomplish something.

The back story is that it was a pretty well done job by someone, initially. Everything fit fine. The stock then got Ceracoated and in the curing process, the temps caused everything...I mean everything...to move around. To the point that the action would not physically fit back in. Pillars were tipped, c-c was off .025-ish, bottom metal inletting had moved about .030, etc, etc.

Hopefully I won't have to put it in a freezer (like the smart guys) to get it apart.

On the tape...I have some 3M stock that has treated me very well over the years ($115.04 today, up $1.18). Gotta' do my part!

Good shootin' -Al

Yes, they are generally pretty straight forward. -Al

Ahhh Al you still butt hurt that you come on here and call out people over their use of tools, but can’t take the heat of being called out for using the wrong name for a tool you are using. Typical.

How many Ruger 77s have you bedded?

3 or 4, with the angled front lug and the vertical rear screw and then bedding the bottom metal, not hard but "awkward" may be a better term.

The 10mil wrap is for side clearance or is that just to protect the action above the waterline?

I usually cover the entire stock in tape and plastic wrap because if I don't, I inevitably get epoxy on the exposed surface where I don't want it to be. One less thing to worry about while doing the job and I never end up with a short fill because I was worried about too much squeeze out.

Al, ya got $25 in just tape alone...

Yep! 3M closed today @ $115.95, up $2.09.

My plan is workin'. -Al

Both purposes, either single or multiple layers as needed for the individual circumstance. Ditto on the recoil lug surfaces where you need clearance.

Good shooton' -Al

This home made jack gizmo brings them straight out, straight up:

I've been hunting with pre'64 M/70's since the mid 1970's never had to bed any of them or do any other modifications to get them to shoot. Switched stocks on many of them, still never had to do anything to the bedding.

You mind showing your homemade jack gizmo?

Not at all.

I made it about 25 years ago and have resisted the urge to whittle out a really 'nice' one on the mill. It's got some sentimental value from a time when I had just a bench vise, a hacksaw, a drill and some of my Dad's old taps and dies to work with. It works on 700's, Model 70's, Sakos, Rugers, Howas...anything with a loading port that's open over the bolt.

With the same tools, anybody can make one and not spend $5, even if buying everything. I can't imagine how many barrelled actions this gizmo has pulled out of bedding over the years!

Hope this helps. -Al

Been using the 10mil tape for years when bedding rifles. Fabbed a similar 'jack' for extricating barreled actions out of freshly bedded stocks years ago - it can be a life saver.

Thanks, that is kinda what I thought you may have done but wanted to see for sure.

Al, thanks for all the tips that you post. I for one really appreciate it.

Good information here, Al. Thanks.

+3

Al, how do you tape the lug? Sides and front?
Always seems to be a source of some spirited debate.

(1) With one exception* the rear surface of a recoil lug is the only part that should have any contact with the stock. Sides, front and bottom of the lug should have a minimum of .020 clearance.

(2) *On receivers where the front action screw goes into the bottom of the lug, the bottom has to be tight. The sides and front on this type still need a minimum of.020 clearance.

Good shootin' -Al

Here's a few pics showing how much things moved after the stock finish was cured. Like previously mentioned, prior to this the gun had been nicely rebarreled, pillar bedded (not sure by whom but it was a nice job) and was all together.

The previous pillars had also moved so they needed to be replaced. Once they were out, the action screw center-to-center was used to locate the centers of the pillars and mill the holes.

New pillars in. You can see some of the initial mill work done to straighten out the inletting:



More mill work to straighten and square things up:



Sleeves in the pillars to center the action screw guide pins:



Somehow, it all fits:

That’s genius. I need one. How about $50 headed your way and one of those rigs coming back my way?

Closing in on some final small details of this project. One nice upgrade is eliminating the nasty 'center' guard screw that many of the Model 70's are saddled with. Over tightening this screw leads to all sorts of issues and leaving it just snug-ish tight can give as many issues as it fixes. The best approach is to eliminate it, which is simply done. I like to use a piece of .375 round aluminum stock, drill/tap to 10-32, epoxy it into place and the issues get fixed before they become issues.

I like it. Thank you Al for showing how it was made. Now to buy some 3M!

The center screw pillar makes everything better on these old dinosaurs.
Closed yesterday @ $125.30. Pretty good two week run (^ $12.00).
Good shootin' -Al

Interesting stuff as always, Al.

A few final pics.

Center screw pillar and trigger guard inlet milled flat and cleaned up:


Trigger guard over center pillar:


The 10-32 Allen flat headed cap screw is a perfect fit in the conical recess of the trigger guard. On some of these, I've had to reduce the O.D. of the cap screw head. The pre '64 Model 70's were done with a lot of hand fitting so this isn't always a consistent diameter:


There are several areas of the bedding that really need attention to make these Model 70's perform. Once you've addressed those areas, the rest is straight forward. Model 70's that don't respond to 'bedding' are simply the result of these areas not being understood as to how they influence the final job.

It was a lot of work to straighten out this light weight stock. Guns like this end up more of a labor of love that anything else...and that's where the payoff comes, for me. This classic Model 70 in 270 Winchester will be back out hunting, like it has done for decades and will continue to do for many years to come.

Good shootin' -Al

Thanks, Al, for the post!

Learning new things is one of the joys of this place.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and expertise!

Ed

Well done sir!

Note to self; don’t bake a good shooting stock.

Thanks again for the write up and pics Al.

Out of curiosity, what did that stock start life as - Brown?

Just make sure when you bed the thing you clean out all the excess epoxy material from the trigger group area - if you have some that squeezed out in the wrong place (and this is common) the sear won’t catch and it will act like it doesn’t want to cock the rifle.

Everyone learns once… if it’s your first one - learn from someone else.

It's a Bansner Model 70 Classic. The post coat heat was 150 degrees, which is right at the temp where epoxies release. That fits with the pillars moving along with the inletted surfaces moving around.

People think that 'glass and composite stocks don't move but the truth is quite different. Shooters should keep that in mind when they stick their rifles in the trunk on a 100 degree day.