My .257 Weatherby Magnum Mark V is now a super custom deluxe.. (my own designation not Weatherby's).
Since my last post, the rifle barrel inlet was opened up .030 to allow for free floating. I installed aluminum pillar posts front and rear and then bedded the action and posts in JB Weld. Following that I filled the floor plate inlet with JB weld and then milled it and the proud set posts perfectly flat.
Once all the milling and trimming up was done, I checked everything for fit and then changed out the 1960 trigger for a new Timney that I set to 2.5lbs. Finally I fixed a couple of blemishes on the stock that I did, (darn Dremel slipped), and sanded it with 2000 wet/dry to level the finish and then re sprayed it with three final coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane.
I revisited the barrel cleaning scenario and found it was still puking out copper so I soaked it in 10% ammonia then cleaned it with Hope's #9. I just kept doing that until I think I have it all out. It was cleaned like a regular rifle for so many years that it was several layers deep in copper and carbon.
Getting the right scope bases did prove to be challenging because two out of three orders and numerous visits to local sources resulted in them all but one trying to sell me Remington 700 bases. Finally, I found out about Warne bases and rings and they fit perfectly. I went with Weaver style rather than Picatinny because they were thinner. The rings are also Warne permanent low height. Still, I just barely got it to the ideal 1.5" off center of bore. The Scope is a Leupold VX3i 4.5x14-40mm that I've had in my safe for a while now.
Worthy of mentioning is that the bolt is now smooth as glass and all the slop, (wasn't much to begin with), is completely gone. I suspect that over time (50+ years), the repeated tightening of the floorplate screw and humidity changes caused the wood fibers to crush. That might have been putting stress on the action. With the pillar posts, that can never happen again.
Next week I'll take it out to the range and see how it shoots. That will determine whether it becomes a mantle piece or a tool.
Before, Just after I bought it at the gun show
After