Winchester M70 Ranger--need new stock.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Hey guys, I picked up a 30-06 M70 ranger a few months back. It has all the features I wanted, reasonably compact, lightweight, 5 rounds of Americany 30-06 goodness, reserve sights, etc. But it has an ugly stock and I honestly would like to get something synthetic. Any suggestions. Is this something I will need to just ship off to get fitted?

[SeriousStudent]

Hey guys, I picked up a 30-06 M70 ranger a few months back. It has all the features I wanted, reasonably compact, lightweight, 5 rounds of Americany 30-06 goodness, reserve sights, etc. But it has an ugly stock and I honestly would like to get something synthetic. Any suggestions. Is this something I will need to just ship off to get fitted?

What kind of budget do you have in mind, and what's your timeline? Do you need it anytime soon for a spring hunting trip? How much accuracy do you need it to provide?

I have a M70 Ranger and really like it. Mine's a .223 that I was thinking of rebarreling. But my buddy's kids are having way too much fun shooting up the reloads. :)

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Budget wise I am pretty open. Accuracy wise I am satisfied. I am only a marginal rifleman, but the rifle will shoot MOA with Walmart ammo from a bag--which is plenty for ol' Greg.


Does anyone know if a modern featherweight syntetic stock will fit it? Do the post 1992 rifles have different stocks to to the return to the pre 64 bolt? Bleah!

[okie john]

It really depends on what you want to spend and what you want the rifle to be when it grows up.

For building a general-purpose sporting rifle, top of the line is McMillan (http://www.mcmfamily.com/mcmillan-stocks.php), with Borden (http://www.bordenrifles.com/stocks.shtml) coming in a very close second.

I've owned rifles in Borden and Pacific Research stocks (the name before Borden bought them) because Jim Cloward, the guy who designed the Borden stock, lives nearby. They're good enough that I've never owned a McMillan.

Either stock will run ~$600 installed. To really get your money's worth, ship your barreled action to a good smith for pillar bedding and free-floating the barrel as part of the installation. I'd also have them recut the crown, set the barrel set back a thread, recut the chamber, and lap the locking lugs. This work will wring the maximum possible accuracy out of the factory barrel, which can shoot surprisingly well with these changes. On the downside, you'll probably never need another hunting rifle unless you go to Africa for dangerous game.

As time goes on, you can add custom upgrades until you have basically a full-custom rig, although with a Model 70 in 30/06, all you really need is a few cosmetic touches to personalize your rifle.


Okie John

[JStor]

If it's an ugly stock you can become creative with various shades of spray paint, or if you are looking at a stock replacement, keep in mind that Model 70s have three different screw hole spacings for bolting actions into the stock.

real pre-64 actions=7.450 inches

post-64 true short actions=7.035 inches.

post-64 long actions=7.575 inches.

Some Winchester trivia for you....

The rifles produced from 1965 to mid 1980s were all long actions despite being chambered for short and long cartridges. Magazine boxes were shortened and ejector blades repositioned to accomodate the shorter cartridges. In 1985 Winchester gave shooters the short action push feed, and in 1992 stainless steel rifles were offered. Beginning in 1994 the Classic (controlled round feed) action was placed into production in both long and short sizes. The actions screws all retained the 1/4-32 thread pitch.

For synthetic stocks, McMillan, of course, is probably the most popular. Decent prices can be found on the used market, sometimes, or one can order a new McMillan through Rick Bin via, the 24hourcampfire website...quite a lot of McMillan users there.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

So, theoretically a modern factory synthetic long action stock would fit my ranger since it is a post 64 LA?

[JStor]

Yes, it should. Any differences will have to do with the barrel channel. Also there was a synthetic lower-priced Model 70 that came with a blind magazine, so no bottom metal opening.

Some years ago I purchased a Winchester 70 .30-06 Classic with a factory black synthetic featherweight style stock. Instead of a featherweight contour barrel, it had a sporter weight 24 inch one. I sold the stock, and that would have been perfect for what you want. I found a used McMillan and bedded the rifle into that, after fitting a recoil pad to it. I think I paid around $160 for that stock, but with the prices of everything going up and with more folks becoming aware of McMillan stocks, the used ones don't hang around long on the "for sale" forums. Good luck in your project. The nice thing is you can use it the way it is until you find another stock.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Absolutely! I shot about 30 rounds through it today at the range. I shot it from all sorts of positions at the 200 yard gong. It is a sweet shooter but man that barrel gets HOT.

Really there is nothing wrong with the stock. I just like the idea of a little more durability built into the stock.

[wesprt]

You can get a Bell and Carlson Medalist for 2 someodd that weighs 28oz and is hell for stout. Aluminum pillar bedded and the whole shebang. Should drop in or at worst need a few minutes of sandpaper.

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-459/Bell-and-Carlson-Browning/Detail