Model 70 Action for Build

[3Poults]

Hi Gents,
I'm getting interested in doing a 30-06 build based on a controlled round feed Winchester Model 70 action. I was thinking about trying to acquire a late model, which would be produced by FN. Are there any options outside of purchasing a current production gun brand new or lucking out and finding a late-model used one for sale? I've never done a build before and wanted to check with the experienced guys before doing something stupid, which has been an ongoing hobby of mine for decades . . .
I'm not actually building anything myself and would likely choose Hill Country Rifles or perhaps X Ring Accuracy and Design if I can ever find their contact info. The idea for this rifle is a synthetic-stocked, accurized action and custom barrel - an accurate, bulletproof hunting rifle for those days when I wouldn't want to hunt my wood-stocked Super Grade.
I truly appreciate any input/guidance, and good weekend to all!

 

[Mauser fan]

The best thing you can do is talk to the smith who is going to build you the rifle and then decide what you are going to chamber it for. Do that before the keyboard commandos get to you.

 

[horsemen61]

Talk to the builder ask them
What you should do this is the way

 

[rabid wombat]

This who you are looking for?

https://www.hillcountryrifles.com/

https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_fl/P09000061752

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’ll go ahead and start the keyboard commandoing.

If I wanted a CRF action for a custom, I would go with a Mausingfield.

After acquiring an action and getting it blueprinted the price would be similar. Plus, the Mausingfield has a few features which are upgrades from a factory Model 70.

 

[jmr40]

I'd be looking for one of the Classics made from 1992-2006 in New Haven. IMO those are the best of the model 70's including the Pre-64's. You probably won't improve it much over factory. Personally I'd look for one in SS, put a better stock on it, have someone work over the factory trigger and be done with it.

Mine, a 1999 production in a McMillan Edge stock. 30-06. I bought it used about 15 years ago for $500 then upgraded the stock. Someone had already worked on the trigger. This is my do anything, anywhere, anytime, no excuses rifle. It weighs 7 1/2 lbs as it sits and consistently shoots MOA or better with just about everything.



If you just want CRF for reliability you can sometimes find Intearms MK-X rifles used at decent prices. They aren't the most refined, nor accurate, but are durable and reliable. With a new barrel and some work they can make for a very usable rifle.

 

[Nature Boy]

I’ll go ahead and start the keyboard commandoing.

If I wanted a CRF action for a custom, I would go with a Mausingfield.

After acquiring an action and getting it blueprinted the price would be similar. Plus, the Mausingfield has a few features which are upgrades from a factory Model 70.

I‘m fortunate enough to have have both a Mausingfield and an FN SPR custom built by Short Action Customs. I love them both and feel the OP would be happy with either.

Used M70 actions don’t come up for sale very often so a quicker path would probably be through American Rifle Company and their Mausingfield.

The Mausingfield will be more expensive than an M70 even after all the gunsmithing but it’s on the margins when we’re talking about custom rifles dollars.

As with all things custom, it comes down to the skill of the smith doing the work.

ARC Mausingfield



FN SPR

 

[MrBorland]

would likely choose Hill Country Rifles

Certainly ask them, but if you've got the coin for one of their builds, you might as well also ask them about some really nice M70 custom actions (e.g., Satterlee, Granite Mountain, Dakota).

FN SPR

I have one as well. Nice action, but AFAIK, they're short action only. Are they available in standard action?

 

[Nature Boy]

That is true. Only offed as a short action. I showed it as an example of a customized M70.

 

[3Poults]

Thank you for all the great input gents. Another thought I've had to accomplish my goal, and certainly more cost effective than doing a custom build, would be to simply buy a new 30-06 Super Grade. I would then sell the stock, and take the barreled action and drop it into the beautiful stock of my current Super Grade Stainless. This would be my "fair weather" rifle. I'd then take the stainless barreled action and put it into a McMillan stock and presto - there's my all-weather rifle. This would give me a pair of 24" barreled 30-06's that would do anything I would ever want to do. Any thoughts on this course? I would be heavily inclined to spend the money on a build if I were a serious target shooter.
I looked at the current production Model 70 Extreme Weather SS as a candidate but strangely the barrel is only 22" long. Seems kind of strange to make a 30-06 with a barrel that short. All the rest of the current Winchester M70's in 30-06 have muzzle breaks, which I don't want.
On a related note, I've got a long way to go with load testing with the existing Super Grade Stainless. I'm still experimenting with light 150 gr bullets but have found the rifle to be a fine shooter with Interlocks and SST's. With the right powder charge the gun seems capable of 1/2 MOA. I'll start shooting some 5 shot groups to confirm. Going to try Scirocco II's next to see how they do. Lots of shooting to do as I move up to 165's and 180's and maybe beyond. I put a Leupold VX5-HD 3-15x on this rifle and am very pleased with the choice. The process of putting the rifle together and developing handloads has been a lot of fun and very satisfying. As I advance I may join the shooting club at Quantico just to have some fun shooting at extended ranges.
As a relative noob in riflery, it's a real privilege to have a venue where I can get input and guidance from "those that know." Thank you very much for your time and efforts in helping me out gents! I've always heard there's no such thing as a stupid question - as I progress in my journey I hope not to prove that saying wrong!

 

[redneck2]

certainly more cost effective than doing a custom build, would be to simply buy a new 30-06 Super Grade.

There was just a Super Grade .30-06 in the For Sale section here a few weeks ago. Never sold AFAIK and it was withdrawn

 

[citizenconn]

ARC Mausingfield

View attachment 1137690

That is an awesome bipod (F-class?) on the Mausingfield. May I ask if that is commercially available or did you spin it up yourself?

 

[Nature Boy]

The bipod is a Sinclair F Class

AFAIK, the Mausingfield isn’t sold as a complete rifle commercially. Mine was a custom spec’d build

 

[Varminterror]

If I were spending money to build a custom rifle, it wouldn’t be on a factory action, even an M70. I’ve made that mistake multiple times. The things we did 20-30yrs ago didn’t survive into the current era - pricing and performance have made the paradigm nearly obsolete.

 

[Nature Boy]

If I were spending money to build a custom rifle, it wouldn’t be on a factory action, even an M70. I’ve made that mistake multiple times. The things we did 20-30yrs ago didn’t survive into the current era - pricing and performance have made the paradigm nearly obsolete.

I would agree that from an investment perspective a customized factory action doesn’t make sense, however, that only matters if resale is an important factor.

In my case I plan on hanging on to my FN SPR until they “pry it from my cold dead hands” and at that point who cares what I spent on it.