Modifications to a rifle I don't shoot?

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FiveInADime

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I have a Winchester M70 'Black Shadow' from somewhere around 99-00 that I received for high-school graduation, so there's no way I'm selling it. This one was ordered from Winchester and is not like the ones sold at Wally-World at the time. It has a matte finish but it's done well, has an extremely smooth jeweled bolt, has a hinged floor-plate, and the action/bottom metal fit very well in the stock. It's chambered in 7mmRemMag with a 26" barrel and was originally intended for mountain deer/elk hunting, but I just don't rifle hunt anymore.

I reload for all of my other rifles but I have held off buying dies for this gun because I just haven't shot it much since just after I got it. I put about 300 rounds of factory ammo down the tube and since about 3 years ago it's been sitting scopeless in its case. The rifle shoots about 1.5 inches at 100 yards with most factory loads. Some have done a little better but at $1.50/shot and with stout recoil in this relatively light rifle with a crap recoil pad, I didn't experiment that much.

I have thought several times of getting a nice stock like a B&C, getting a muzzle-break installed, and upgrading the scope but I just keep putting it off and working on other rifles, instead. I have also thought of using it for a custom build and scrapping the factory barrel. That would be a long-term project seeing as I don't have a huge yearly gun/scope budget.

If I did decide to do a custom build, what cartridge choices would be good for this action and bolt face. I like the 7mag, but if I started over I would probably go with a belt-less case. The other choice would be to restock it, buy the dies, and get a good scope for it. In the distant future I may be putting in for rifle hunts again because I have a baby boy that I'm sure I'll take hunting when he's old enough. But short-term this would just be another gun to shoot at the range or in the desert. I have a .243, 7mm-08, 30-30, and some rimfires and shotguns, so I really don't have a gaping need for anything.

Let me know what you guys think.
 
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Modification? No worries:

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Ha! Thanks.:D

If you like the rifle and the cartridge but don't want to deal with the recoil at the moment, you can always reload using Trail Boss. It'll kick like a 22.

I assume it's got a fairly nice, wood stock?
 
No, it has a crap synthetic. I have considered a new stock but probably would go with a McMillan or B&C. I have a nice walnut on my 7mm08 and a nice little birch stock with tiger-stripes on my .243.
 
Hm.

Yes, a new stock would be in order.

Get something heavy with a really good recoil pad and it won't kick so bad.

Turn it into a target rifle.
 
You have a magnum bolt face.

The 30-06 type case won't work.There are a few beltless cartridges that will work,but I would not count on them being economical.

Have fun doing whatever you want,its your rifle.

I'd start by first figuring what you want to use it for.

Bore wise,with a belted mag ,standard length case,options are .264,.300 win,.338 win.
Wildcats,of course,open that up some.A 30-338 gets an honorable mention.

Altering the length is possible.But,do check into parts availability.Winchester has gone through changes.Small parts might be hard to come by.
 
Not a lot of options for other chamberings that would recoil less. Since you reload it is possible to load it down to near 7-08 power and recoil levels. I'd leave it as a 7 mag. I would NOT put a heavier stock on it. I would NOT put a brake on the barrel. Recoil can be managed in many better ways starting with a your loads and a decent recoil pad. You should be able to find loads that split the difference between your 7-08 and full power 7 mag with less recoil than either. Since you already load for the 7-08 you already have bullets.

I'd take my time and do it right. A B&C stock is not an upgrade and they don't make them for that vintage rifle anyway. Only for the newer FN produced rifles. You'd have to also upgrade the bottom metal or use an adaptor to make it fit. I'd save a little longer and buy McMillan and get a stock 1/2 lb lighter than what you have. Recoil in a 7 mag is almost exactly the same as a 30-06. A good fitting stock with a modern high-tech recoil pad is very tolerable even from some quite light rifles.
 
The McMillan prices are hard to swallow. Assuming I didn't get a barrel, I would pay about twice what the rifle is worth to get it into a McMillan stock. Then I figure $1000 for the scope I want and the barrel may never shoot. With a barrel, $2200 or so on top of the rifle. That may take a while, indeed. A walnut or laminate may make more sense monetarily, but it would add a lot of weight.

The reason I don't shoot it much isn't just about the recoil. I am not recoil-shy at all. It's just that the .243 and 7mm08 are more practical for target shooting. Less powder, less bruises, and others want to shoot them.

Thinking about it this morning I think staying with 7 Mag is the way to go as JMR40 mentioned.

I think the easiest solution is to just start working up loads and see if I can make it shoot. Otherwise it will continue to sit around for a long time.
 
Brian,no on the swappable bolt face.Even if you found a bolt,the staggered mag box is set up to stack and feed a larger diameter round.

About anything CAN be done...if you have enough money.

I agree load tinkering might yield some good results.

I have an M-70 Classic Laredo in 7mm rem mag.Win blocked the mag box and shortened the bolt stroke a bit for the designed max LOA of the cartridge,but then they throated it long.It I load a 162 gr A-Max to the longest the mag box will accept,the bullet jumps about .150 to the rifling.

I'm tempted to remove the block from the mag,alter the bolt stop,etc to be able to long seat the bullets.I suspect I'd get better accuracy.Then,I have this box of really sleak looking Berger VLD's...

So far,H-1000 is one of the better accuracy powders I've tried with 162/168 gr bullets.IMR 4350 flings a 150 gr Ballistic tip pretty well.
 
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I would just get a better stock that's definitely heavier (to reduce felt recoil) with a really good pad. Go for a muzzle brake as a last resort.

I'm also a big fan of leaving it 7mmMag, the ballistics on those 7mm bullets is fantastic!

I don't understand why the 7mmmag seems to be losing popularity, I've been seeing lots of used in the LGS's. Some for pretty good deals, been thinking about picking one up.
 
The McMillan prices are hard to swallow. Assuming I didn't get a barrel, I would pay about twice what the rifle is worth to get it into a McMillan stock. Then I figure $1000 for the scope I want and the barrel may never shoot. With a barrel, $2200 or so on top of the rifle. That may take a while, indeed. A walnut or laminate may make more sense monetarily, but it would add a lot of weight.
Click to expand...

#1. Muzzle break
#2. McMillan stock, with Pachmayr Decellerator. Stock cut to your length of pull with the Decellerator pad
#3 If you want a little more punch than the 7 MM Magnum without the expense of a new barrel, have the chambere reamed out to 7MM STW.

I accquired a Remington 700 in 7 MM Remington Magnum a long time ago that had what appeares to be a McMillan stock. The stock is very Light weight, probably not much more than a pound. The rifle really had a stiff recoil. I had the break, and decellerator installed, along with some trigger work. It now is a very pleasant to shoot tack driver. The smith that did the work had also mentioned the STW chambering, but I opted to keep It 7MM Rem. Mag.
 
I still say load it up with Trail Boss. You don't need all that BOOM! to shoot paper.

You can shoot a 140gr bullet around 1700fps.
 
Five and Dime, those "crap" synthetic stocks Winchester used are down right accurate. I have Winchester shadow in .270 WSM, that I am re-barreling right now. Orig. barrel shot out. It will still be wearing that old ugly stock even after it has its new stainless barrel. I love that rifle.
 
These loads are from an article by John Wooters in the July-August issue of Handloader Magazine.

7MM Rem. Mag.
Bullet Weight: .280 Rem./ .284 WCF/7MM Express 7x57 Mauser
140 gr. 57.0 gr./4320 54.0 gr./4895

160 gr. 52.0 gr./4064 50.0 gr./4895

175 gr. 51.0 gr./4064 50.0 gr./4320

My next suggestion would be to have a competent gunsmith put a Pachmeyr Decelerator recoil pad on the gun. I have a Wally World Winchester M70 in .300 Win. Mag. and I replaced the Rock of Gibraltor they called a recoil pad with the Decelerator and it made a big difference. I also used Mr. Wooters loads from the article mentioned and they did simulate the recoil of the .308 Win. which was the level I chose to use.
Personally, I would rather suffer a bit more recoil than put a muzzle brake on my .300. Add the length of the brake to a 26" barrel and it could get a bit unwieldy. Besides, I don't care for the extra loud muzzle blast from a brake even when wearing ear plugs and muffs. One thing I have noticed is if you're on a hunt and the game is in your sights, as you're concentrating on that shot, you won't hear the blast not will you feel the kick. At the range I have to fight to keep from flinching, even more so now that I have arthritis on my right shoulder but shooting at game? What kick? What blast?
You can also get a Past Recoil Shield. That, along with a good recoil pad and better quality hearing protection will go a long way toward making that rifle more comfortable to shoot.
Paul B.
 
The most economical thing you could do, while keeping the cartridge full power, would be put a good recoil pad on the existing stock. It would make a big difference in felt recoil and I think you would enjoy shooting the rifle then. My son has a 7mm RM and making that one change really helped tame his rifle.
 
I should mention that my concern with the stock is that it is flimsy in the forend and touches the barrel.

Does someone want to give a poor guy with an old lady who just doesn't understand $600 to buy a stock and maybe $130 for the bottom metal to make it work. Damn 2-piece floor plates. That would just make my Christmas so special!

Again, I don't have a problem handling the recoil on this gun.
 
Those stocks are crap...pure crap.

I have an 30-06 that used to be an Ultimate Shadow, newer (FN made) version of the same rifle...

It now wears a McMillan stock...expensive, but some of the best money I ever spent.

That said...my rifle was pretty accurate even in the flimsy, uncomfortable, plastic stock.

It got even better in the McMillan.
 
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