Rifle Loony-ism is grabbing hold of me again

[tddeangelo]

A buddy of mine enjoys going to auctions as a hobby. He's gotten some stellar buys.

He came across a transition period M70 rifle...standard rifle in 270 Win....in a stock he likes, but to a Model 70 person it's......well....it's not what most would want, put it that way.

Anyway, bluing is in great shape. Two extra holes for a side-mount, plugged with plug screws. Redfield style mount with a Lyman Perma Center post reticle scope.

Bore was literally clogged with dust. Some rust near the crown.

Copper-cleaned it after running a brush through it a few times. The bore looks much better, but I'm still skeptical. He gave me full permission to just workup a load for it and see how it shoots.

It may be fine, I don't know. He has $595 in it, which is what I'd need to give him for it. The Lyman can go down the road, and the stock can go in the fire as far as I'm concerned.

I have a B&C Carbelite the same buddy got me at another auction for a song, and while it's a post-war inlet, it seems it's workable with some careful bedding and finishing, and then probably a paint job of the stock.

So....thoughts?

If the barrel is not going to shoot well as a 270, I had thoughts of sending it off to JES to become a 338-06.

If it shoots as a 270, then it stays such. It handles great in the B&C stock and I really like the transition safety.

Trigger is superb. Bolt is like butter.

Am I nuts? I have a a pre64 (shooter-grade, not collector grade) M70 in 270 already.

Am I even more nuts for thinking this crew will talk me outta this???

 

[djauofd]

I sure hope it is not contagious [emoji40]


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[tddeangelo]

I blame half of this forum for the fact that my M70 population has reached double digits.

The other half didn't directly participate, but they didn't try to pump the brakes, either.

 

[djauofd]

I blame half of this forum for the fact that my M70 population has reached double digits.

The other half didn't directly participate, but they didn't try to pump the brakes, either.

Sometimes I feel we should offer a AA style forum area where you could get support for the addiction we all have. [emoji848]


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[JD338]

A 280 AI would be pretty nice.

JD338

 

[tddeangelo]

Darn it....

That’s a good idea!

 

[JD338]

And the 280 AI has lots of cool factor Tom.

JD338

 

[Slimfinn]

You know a 6.5-06 with a nice twist would be cool too..

 

[gerry]

Maybe a 6.5-280 AI would be a possibility for you as well. If you really want to go full looney an 8mm-06 or the Ackley improved version would be kind of cool especially if you don't own anything in 8mm yet.

 

[6mm Remington]

Man I have to agree you are a sick man and I hope you don't pass it to the rest of us. The 280 AI would be a good one! I'm not biased at all in that I have owned a 280 Remington and now have the 280 AI that I love. Either of those would get my nod over the 270. Good call by Slimfinn on the 6.5-06 too! It's everything that the 6.5-284 and the new 6.5 PRC are as they each have almost the same exact ballistics. Nosler Guide #7 lists the fastest loads with the 130 gr. AccuBond in the 6.5-06 at 3151 fps. The 6.5 Remington Magnum and the same bullet lists 3180 fps as the fastest load, and the 264 Winchester Magnum lists 3166 fps.. Pretty darn good I'm thinking.

WE are here to help you! Glad to be of service.
David

 

[tddeangelo]

Boy am I glad you're all there for me in my hour of need.

So---

6.5-06...I have a 264WM, so I'm not sure I want to split that hair much thinner.

280AI.....you have my attention.

I'd mentioned getting a sporter 03A3 recently to make into a 400 Whelen, except said sporter 03A3 turned out to be rechambered to 308 Norma. The friend who acquired it for me likes the 308 Norma so he's just keeping that one rather than reselling it to me as planned.

So I'd thought of the 400 being done on this platform, however I'd rather not.

Since I had a good experience with JES on reboring a 30-06 to a 35 Whelen, I'm more interested in a rebore of the factory barrel ..... IF it won't shoot as the 270 it is.

That remains to be seen, but with rifle deer season started here, now the ranges shouldn't be jacked up like they were before the season started.

I'm gonna work with it some as-is and see how it does.

Then if it just won't /can't play nice, I'll get serious about what a rebore/rebarrel might be.

 

[Darkhorse]

Tom, I think you have enough centerfires. Maybe you just need another flintlock?

 

[SJB358]

Man, since You have some beauty ML’s maybe it’s time to give yourself a really nice bolt gun. Send it off to a good builder like Kevin Weaver with a barrel of your choice, turned just like the P64 with the dog knot on it, just without the dovetails, kinda like a Gopher Special in the caliber of your choosing. Have it blued, nitrided, or Coated to your liking and bedded in a perfect stock that fits you to a T.

My opinion, and don’t hate me but putting a P64 in a Carbelite isn’t becoming of a P64.. I know I know, I’m a meanie but I’m also a P64 maniac and think a fella should have that one rifle that is just perfect. You can hate me via text. :mrgreen:

 

[tddeangelo]

Tom, I think you have enough centerfires. Maybe you just need another flintlock?

I’m actually piecing some flintlock builds together.

I have a few in mind with a smoothbore high on the list.

 

[Blkram]

Yes the 280AI is a good cartridge, but since you were looking at something bigger as you mentioned the 400 Whelen, but aren't going there at this time and are thinking of a rebore, perhaps you should look at the 338-06 or 35 Whelen.

Just trying to help you out a little more here...
Sorry, couldn't figure out how to make the brakes work here, except maybe the pause to reconsider the bore/cartridge can be considered as "pumping the brakes"! LOL

 

[JD338]

Tom, treat yourself to a premium barrel and have it chambered to your liking. Getting the right contour, length, fluting, etc., you will be really happy in the long run.

JD338

 

[tddeangelo]

Well, if it shoots as a 270 it’ll stay a 270.

I’m gonna hit the range maybe on Sunday and see what it does.

 

[tddeangelo]

Haven't been able to hit the range, yet.... but I'm thinking...

pre64 barrels sure ain't the lightest things out there, but when I dropped that rifle into that Carbelite, it changed. And it changed in a good way. Light(er), balanced....felt really nice.

I think that's where it's gonna go for the time being, but I also think you all have me talked into (over time) doing this one up nicely into a more trim hunting rifle.

Thing is, I really hate to ditch that barrel. And if it shoots, I won't be able to bring myself to ditch that barrel.

I'm wondering....putting it in a nice light stock, find some good one-piece bottom metal, and a trim/light scope for it....I'm sorta thinking that may be the end result. And if it doesn't shoot, have JES ream it to a 280 and call it a day.

I just love that pre64 barrel for some reason.

 

[SJB358]

Nothing at all wrong with the barrels. I'd likely just have it turned to a lighter contour, and stocked in a stock that is what you consider A-1 first class, that fits. If the rifle shoots as it sits, turning it won't do anything to hurt a cut rifled tube, but lighten it to a nice weight.

JES won't rebore below .338, so reboring it isn't an option till you wanna go larger.

I also don't replace bottom metal on P64's. The two piece stuff works just fine although I may swap to Featherweight metal to lighten the overall package.

Turning it and shortening that tube a touch, along with a great stock and maybe a reblue or similar protective coating wouldn't be out of this world and I'd bet you wouldn't leave it sitting around very often.

 

[tddeangelo]

I gotta say, with RL26's performance envelope, I may sell off my 264WM, because it just doesn't offer much over a 270 anymore.

I'm not even really kidding. When you start flinging 150gr 277's at 3k, there's not a lot of daylight between that and the 264's 140s at 3100-3200.