Model 70 sporter in 270 Weatherby magnum

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stagpanther

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This gun was passed on from father to daughter, he's something of a Weatherby hardcore but this is a Winchester Model 70 sporter in 270 Weatherby magnum. The stock was a bit banged up and the barrel was extensively pitted on the outside (not sure about the inside) turns out it was splattered with salt water on a boat. My first time working on one of these--my first impression--robust simplicity; I like simple.

The bolt showed signs of binding so I thought it was likely related to the mount screws being over-driven--one of the screws was not original OEM and I wasn't sure about trying to back it out, it wouldn't budge with my torque screwdriver at 40 lbs. Closer look at the stock foreend and I noticed that the right side of the channel was possibly pressing the barrel, maybe the stock had warped.

The action screws were obviously loose when I removed the receiver--the integral massive lug looked like it might have not been backed all the way in the lug slot. After cleaning everything up including the bolt put her back together and the bolt was relieved of binding--felt like a new gun and it now glides effortlessly. I'm not exactly sure how the loose action screws would cause the bolt to bind--but once reinstalled and tightened the problem went away entirely. While the receiver was out of the stock I degreased, scrubbed down and re-blued the barrel where the it had been pitted. Not as good as new--but you can't notice the pitting unless you examine the barrel closely.

Next--install and lapping rings for a trijicon 2.5 x 12.5 aimpoint scope. Daddy likes to spoil his girl.:D
 
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Daddy's little girl likes to shoot 150 gr partitions at 3,245 fps. :eek:
Really attractive rifle! Nice wood and the checkering is nice design. Lucky daughter!
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It is, but most of all I really like the robust simplicity--I especially like the bolt design.
 
150 grain Partitions are expensive things. .270 Weatherby starts at roughly $60 per 20 at Midway with 150's coming only from Weatherby or No$ler.
Graf's shows Weatherby brand 150 grain Partitions at $57.99 though.
One always pays more for anything with the word 'Weatherby' associated with it.
 
Yes they are expensive. However, I have my marching orders, and they are make this rifle hit the target consistently at 200 yds with that cartridge. So that's what I'm going to do (assuming the bore isn't shot out, which it could be).
 
About the scope mount screw. Take a magnetic screwdriver bit and hold it in a needle nose vicegrip engaged in the screw then tap it repeatedly into the screw with a hammer. The vibrations sent though the screw will loosen it. I've been doing this for decades and it works...

Tony
 
About the scope mount screw. Take a magnetic screwdriver bit and hold it in a needle nose vicegrip engaged in the screw then tap it repeatedly into the screw with a hammer. The vibrations sent though the screw will loosen it. I've been doing this for decades and it works...

Tony
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Very good suggestion, I will try that if it seems the mounts have to come off. I just finished checking the level and true of the bases and rings to the rifle and they are very good actually, lapping of the rings to get an easy-sliding scope was actually less than average. However, one pretty significant issue came up that I didn't think of--though not really my fault since the gun owner went ahead and bought the scope and rings as recommended to him by a LGS. The scope has a built-in throw lever for magnification which the bolt knob won't clear when lifted all the way, even with medium rings. I had to move the scope forward enough to clear the knob but it also slightly lengthens the LOP from what the owner's daughter had been using. It might however make enough of a difference for uncomfortable shooting since the recoil is pretty stout.

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Is that a push-feed version, or does it have the Mauser-type extractor? When I zoom in it's hard to tell for sure. Otherwise, it looks a whole lot like my Classic Sporter.
Mine also likes the 150 Partition driven as fast as I safely can, which is around 3,000 fps, beings that it is, alas, a mere 270 Winchester.....;) However, mine is a 5+1 rifle; how many rounds can you get in that one?
 
Is that a push-feed version, or does it have the Mauser-type extractor? When I zoom in it's hard to tell for sure. Otherwise, it looks a whole lot like my Classic Sporter.
Mine also likes the 150 Partition driven as fast as I safely can, which is around 3,000 fps, beings that it is, alas, a mere 270 Winchester..... However, mine is a 5+1 rifle; how many rounds can you get in that one?
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It's a post-64 push-feed. Haven't fired it yet so haven't fully loaded it. The ammo I was given to test with looks pretty old, so I ordered a couple of boxes of new production (which now comes in a black box and is called "premium select"). I guess the day is not far off when ammo will be called "grand cru."
 
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Beautiful rifle! And yes, a lucky girl.

I just wonder about the stock fitting HER, especially if it has a stout recoil.
We keep forgetting that weman are built differently.
To properly fit is more than just the LOP. They typically like more drop, more cast off, and a higher comb.
Look at the Weatherby Lady Camilla stock for an example.
 
I agree--and I'm prepared to work with the owner and her to make it right; but there are going to be tradeoffs if they want to keep the scope as-is (unless I can find a bolt with shorter throw--but model 70 bolts aren't cheap--even the push feed ones). I just got back shooting it and it shoots fine, though I had some problems keeping it steady through the break--the trigger pull is just a hair under 6 pounds. Since I've worked on rifles for other members of his family I know they would likely approve my reducing the pull, so I took it down to 3.5 pounds which I think is a good compromise for hunting.

The recoil isn't nearly as bad as that of the 300 Weatherby mag IMO so I don't think it's really that much of an issue. The 300 Weatherby mag is a great cartridge--but it hits harder than my savage 110 in 338 lapua magnum so I don't think I'll ever be temped to get one--though it's performance truly is outstanding.
 
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It's a post-64 push-feed.
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I had one like that once, brand new in 1973 right before I turned 18; it was my first centerfire, 270 Win of course. But those push feeds, ummm..... they are still better than a Remington 700. Had to glass bed mine, before, it was mediocre on a the accuracy, but flat-out phenomenal after I let my kid brother do the work. The kid was great with chainsaws, fishing, timberfelling, backwoodsmanship, trapping, and briggling with rifles to get the most out of them; on a Weatherby fettish at the time.
But your project is a newer rifle and I dare say, even better than than my first one, which was darn good.
My current model 70 looks just like yours except for the controlled-round-feed, but the stock is identical, (no BS Monte Carlo sculpting, no fake ebony fore-end-tip, just nice, clean Walnut. Everthing you need, nothing you don't. Well, as an enthusiast of quality iron sights, it would be nice to have good irons.
 
I had one like that once, brand new in 1973 right before I turned 18; it was my first centerfire, 270 Win of course. But those push feeds, ummm..... they are still better than a Remington 700. Had to glass bed mine, before, it was mediocre on a the accuracy, but flat-out phenomenal after I let my kid brother do the work. The kid was great with chainsaws, fishing, timberfelling, backwoodsmanship, trapping, and briggling with rifles to get the most out of them; on a Weatherby fettish at the time.
But your project is a newer rifle and I dare say, even better than than my first one, which was darn good.
My current model 70 looks just like yours except for the controlled-round-feed, but the stock is identical, (no BS Monte Carlo sculpting, no fake ebony fore-end-tip, just nice, clean Walnut. Everthing you need, nothing you don't. Well, as an enthusiast of quality iron sights, it would be nice to have good irons.
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The Weatherby's are often intended to be shot at big game far out there, I don't see irons on the magnums very often. I have to admit the model 70 is beautifully engineered while being very simple at the same time--I admire that more than anything in a firearm. I assume there is a reinforcing cross bolt in the stock behind the magazine cut-out in the stock of this particular rifle. The stock is a "quasi free float" in that has a step-up bump at the end of the barrel channel. I've read many accounts of users taking that down to improve the accuracy and making it completely free-float. I've worked on several MK 5's that had a pressure point on the barrel in the channel and still put the bullets at MOA @400 yds; so my inclination is to not mess with it. The owner and his family use these guns for only one thing--and that's hunting.

As big as the scope is, it's actually quite light weight for it's size. Here's a close-up with the large tritium housing/objective and the magnification ring with throw lever at max 12.5 power, it's easier to see what the problem is. I added the MSP anti-cant device, while not visible easily from the eye piece it's better than nothing IMO.

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First shot, low right, second one on the money leaving it about 3" high at 100 yds, which is fine since this will eventually be zeroed for 2 or 300 yds.

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Cheaper than dirt was the only place I found the ammo in stock--and they are also slower than dirt in shipping things so it may be a couple of weeks before I get to shoot her again.

We keep forgetting that weman are built differently.
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Good point. Have you known many Maine women? They are often made of stouter stuff than men in many other states.:D
 
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If your playing goose, your doing it all wrong. ;)

I thought you lived in sunny, warm Florida.

And females are still built like females. Their bone srtucture is different from ours.
 
Way too much scope for me....but to each his own. Mine wears a Leupold 3-9x40 and I wouldn't want more. This one shoots well enough that I have left the bedding alone. You've got a great rifle you're working with there.
 
Way too much scope for me....but to each his own. Mine wears a Leupold 3-9x40 and I wouldn't want more. This one shoots well enough that I have left the bedding alone. You've got a great rifle you're working with there.
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This guy and his family are the real deal when it comes to avid hunting, so I can see why they like the scope--wide field of view and excellent dawn/dusk visibility. Wouldn't be my choice either, but they almost never come back from hunts without something tagged--whereas I rarely come back with one; so it's not for me to judge. ;) The only thing I really don't like about the scope is that the turrets spin a little too easily IMO.
 
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Since I didn't have any Weatherby cartridges (waiting for them to come in)--I threw together a random load using 150 gr game kings and magpro powder. The rifle shoots very well, but I had to squirm my head a lot in order to take the shot. Too convoluted and I've decided to tell the owner and his daughter that this isn't going to work for realistic hunting in the field. They'll have to decide what scope or rings they'll want.

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