I hang my head in shame...

[tddeangelo]

Your dad is just showing his age, Tom. I would have probably have said the same thing! Plus, I probably would have said it for the same reasons. You shouldn't take us old guys to a gun show if you are in a buying mood! We will state our opinion no matter what.

Don't worry, Charlie, I did him a similar favor in return, lol. He's been on the hunt for a rifle, too, and he had started wanting an Encore. He's since moved on to looking at Tikka's in 260 or 6.5x55 (that's what he wants), and he's 2nd in line on a deal on a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in 260 that is unfired and has not yet heard an answer on it. He found an Encore in great shape for a great price in 7mm Rem Mag. Kept asking him, "Is that really what you want?"

:twisted:

I've really wanted a donor to make a Whelen. A non-collectible M70 like this in pretty good shape sounds to me like a great donor. I've been keeping eyes open for an M70 Classic that I can get on the cheap. In fact, I happened to stumble on such a rifle recently, too (300WM in an M70 Classic for just over $400). I have a way to do it financially, so my line of thinking is to stack this rifle away in my gun cabinet till my custom flintlock is done and then have it rebarreled into a Whelen. Probably won't even change the stock.

 

[DrMike]

Well, Tom, you've proved the old adage, "Like father, like son." I would be thrilled to find a non-expensive Winchester CRF donor for my next build. As it is, I bought two new rifles for my last two builds. Ouch!

 

[Oldtrader3]

I just picked up a .257 Roberts in the fall from Elkman. It is a Browning Highpower action with a custom 24 inch barrel and nicely figured stock. I have been doing some light cleanup, pumicing and refinishing on the stock, bluing and put a rear pillar into the action. I am waiting to recover from this pneumonia which has been bugging me in order to get my handloads to the range and see how everything turns out. I have some .257 Roberts, 100 gr Partitions all loaded with IMR 4350 and ready to go. I may move a scope for it but right now, it has a 2.5-8x32 Conquest on it. I will put up some pictures soon.

 

[338winmag]

Oh boy...

"My dad is fairly....oh, what's the word?..... frugal? "

I believe at least my wife my categorize me with your dad except when I am not looking she uses the word "cheap". :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[tddeangelo]

You're killing me, Tom. A Whelen! A Whelen! Arrrrrrrgh!

You know, I still an uncertain if this means you can't believe I would want a Whelen, or that you're in Scotty's camp that doing so would be such a fantastic plan that it is physically painful to see such a grand plan shot down.

Seller is located, rifle is located....just need to decide what I want to do. Either way I go on this, if I acquire it, I will be learning about $50 worth of "if you want it, get it when it's in front of you" that could have been avoided on Sunday morning.

I can go see the gun again to make sure I'm not inflating its condition in my head, but it's about 2 hours drive. I'm not sure I want to go to those lengths, but I may put a small deposit to hold it till he's at another show an hour from me. I don't know...we'll see. Assuming I acquire it, I will not be shooting it, it's going in my cabinet and staying put till such time as the project would be ready to commence. I know what will happen if I "shoot the donor". I was ready to pull apart my M70 Classic and make it a Whelen when it wasn't shooting to my liking. With help from Charlie and Scotty, I bedded it, floated the barrel, and put in pillars. Now that rifle shoots 1/2" groups and will remain as it is!

This rifle, should I get it, will lay dormant until my flintlock project wraps up, which is about 2.5 years out. At that point, then it would be time to get serious about making this a 35 Whelen. And....maybe, just maybe, Leupold VX6's will be available in shops at that point???? :shock: :twisted:

 

[DrMike]

I'm telling you, Tom, a donor action for that price is a bargain. I might be tempted to make the two-hour drive, just 'cause.

 

[Palouser]

Dr. Mike is a smart man. I would listen to him. Not too many times do you get a second shot at a deal like this. On second thought, you shouldn't buy it...where is the rifle and how do I get in contact with the person selling it???

Todd

 

[tddeangelo]

I'm telling you, Tom, a donor action for that price is a bargain. I might be tempted to make the two-hour drive, just 'cause.

I am tempted as well.

Now, do I change my mind (plenty of time) and make a 338-06, just to mess with Scotty? :shock:

 

[DrMike]

I like the 35 Whelen, but there is certainly nothing wrong with the 338-06. The only major drawback I can see is the cost of brass that is properly head-stamped. For most people, that is a minor point, however.

 

[tddeangelo]

On this topic....any other calibers anyone thinks I should be considering? Or I could leave it an '06 and have two...lol.

 

[Palouser]

7mm Mauser

 

[tddeangelo]

Hmmmm....that's an interesting one. Shame original barrels in that chambering are EX-PEN-SIVE, or I'd jump in with two feet on getting such a barrel. Modern barrels could be interesting, though, too.

 

[muleman]

Buy the gun! If nothing else you could turn it and come away with $100+ for your flintlock. I never pass on a good deal if I have the cash handy. I just picked up a nice older 700 action for a $140. Not sure what I'd build on it but I know I can turn it for a small profit pretty easy.

Scott

 

[Oldtrader3]

Your dad getting another 6.5mm of some description sounds like a plan to me. For you, the .300 H&H is a priority. They made a few at USRAC as well, in the late 1990's, if you can find one. I had one and sold it for some reason that I can not remember now.

I also had a .30-06 Mannlicher, Winchester Model 70 as well which I bought new. It was made in about 1970 and they are hard to find now because they only made them for two years. I really liked that gun despite it not being the best era for Winchesters, quality wise, they are interesting and are from the era when New Haven started to make changes (XRT Models) and increased the quality of the Model 70, starting in about 1969. That is another one that I wish I had hung onto, despite the 20 inch barrel.

 

[tddeangelo]

Charlie,

He is more into softer kicking deer-oriented rifles now....which includes an FN-made M70 in 7-08 that he loves.

He has a Swede sporter, but wasn't done terribly well and he wants something a bit better.

The 300H&H is all accounted for. Buying this will not impact that in any way, nor would I let it. I'm hoping to have it in hand in a couple of weeks and will post pics at that time.

 

[alaska100]

There is no way my dad would have left the show without it. He is no longer with us but I still would have heard him telling me to buy the rifle, buy the rifle, buy the rifle. As you know Tom, I have no idea why your changing it to a 35 Whelen, you would be changing it from the mother caliber . ???
Tom and I are on another forum when my log on name is "30-06" (-

Whatever you decide to do Tom, good luck to you,

 

[tddeangelo]

Sean,

I have a great-shooting M70 Classic in 30-06. I have a 300WSM in an M70 Extreme Weather. I have an XTR Featherweight in 257 Roberts. One day in the (hopefully) distant future, I will inherit my dad's XTR FWT, which might be a "Lightweight"(?), in a McMillan stock. That is a .30-06 too.

Soon I'll have a pre-64 in 300H&H, too.

30-cal's are covered, so I'd either want to go lighter or heavier, and I have really liked the idea of a Whelen.

Alternatively, I could see going with a 7x57 for the girls to use, too. That would be neat.

 

[alaska100]

Tom
You should definitely change it to whatever you want. I was just joking with you.

You would certainly have the support of A, if you went the 7 x 57 route.

Best of luck Tom, whatever direction you elect to take and I hope you get it, take care

 

[Oldtrader3]

My dad did not care much for recoil, except for 12 ga. high brass duck hunting which did not seem to bother him. He had a 7mm Mauser (Oberndorf Sporter) spoon bolt with an old German Zeiss scope that he used for years. It was stolen from him and I had him buy a .30-06 for moose hunting in Quebec but he did not like it nearly as much as his 7 Mauser because of recoil.

I have lost so much weight with this recent pneumonia, that I should be shooting the .338 Federal instead of the .340 Weatherby but until it knocks me off the bench, I will keep doing what I have done for nearly 50 years. The .338 mag's are still my shooting passion.

 

[efw]

Why not do a 358 Norma on that classic action?

That pre64 has Whelen written all over it for sure!! I'd hop in my car and get it if I were you.