Lynn asked me to post this:

Thought I would tell you folks about a project I worked on this spring.

The following is a rifle I bought in an the auction earlier this year. This was the auction description for the M70 in the first 2 pics below:

" .375 H&H Magnum caliber, 25" barrel, S/N 2647XX. Blue finish, walnut stock. Redfield 1-4X scope with Pachmayr tip off mount. Aftermarket stock with Noshoc pad. Added 2-leaf folding rear sight. 1953 date of mfg.

Condition: Very good condition with an excellent bore. It retains most of the original blue finish and the aftermarket stock rates excellent."

I took a chance and I bought for way below the expected cost for just a barreled action in 375H&H. When it arrived I was more than pleased. The rifle metal is 98% and the bore mint. To my surprise the stock, although not exactly my idea of style, was very well done. My original thought was I would restock it for a more classic look.





However after more inspection I realized there was an overabundance of wood in the stock and the great part, it hadn't been checkered. So I reshaped the cheek piece, grip area, shortened the forearm by a little over an inch, and removed significant thickness from the pistol grip on forward to the forearm tip. (The original forearm was a bit of a beaver style and I thinned it overall by nearly 1/2 inch.) I added a Fisher grip cap, Tally mounts, and a Leupold 1.5x5x scope. Then I had Carrol, at Ahlmans, checkered the wood for me. And oh yes the sling swivels that came with the rifle are Winchester Mod 70 Super grade swivels.

The last 2 pics are the rifle now. Hope you like….

Wow-- first issue- like Eleanor Roosevelt in her 7th month of pregnancy- second issue- after your first class craftsmanship-- like Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca-- RWTF

LOL Thanks

Shows what some talent and skill can do. Great job and a nice looking rifle. That would look nice in anyone's racks and I suspect that there was a bit of personal fitting during the transformation so it should handle well.

Thaine

I must say that the original stock maker was a person of skill. The inletting is very nicely done without any bedding glass being used and the front and rear action screws are sleeved in metal to limit screw torque. The buttstock is castoff about 3/8” so it was fitted and I didn’t have to do a lot. I do not know what was the original stock finish was but every pore was completely filled. If the shape had been more acceptable I would not have done anything to it.

You win the sow's ear to silk purse prize. I have a couple of projects which need exactly your kind of transformation. I wish I had your skill to do it.

Congratulations!

Looks great!

You certainly took all the stink off that one Lynn! I'm sure in the time the stocks were done it was very popular. But today it looked dated, and bulky.
The way that gun stock looks now will be timeless beauty! Certainly one of the nicest saves I've seen in a long time!

Gosh, Fred, what a transformation! I’m impressed! Hope to see it in person once I get back to the States.

Thanks Vall for the compliments. With this and then my Remington Long range purchase earlier this year, luck was on my side and I should have been buying lottery tickets. LOL

And I took the 375 to the range today for sight in. I had to make 2 scope adjustments and then the last 3 went into a inch, 1.5" high at a 100 yards, done. I shot a total of 7 rounds from the bench and as far as I am concerned that was plenty. LOL I may have to have a couple filling tighten up by the dentist.

Lynn,

Removing the Monte Carlo comb must have increased the drop, any problems using the scope?

Rob

Rob improved it for me. As it was you had to crunch down on the cheek piece. Anyway its better