This one hurts to post, but if I'm honest with myself, I've sat & stared at it for 2 years now. It's just too damn pretty for me to hunt with & I know I'm going to spend more time worrying about it getting scratched than I actually would hunting.
I built this up from parts. The action is a Sears model 52, which is the Sears specific brand Winchester Model 70. I had the entire action blueprinted & rebarreled to 6.5x55 Swede by E.R. Shaw. The barrel is 21", 5R rifled with a 1:8 twist. The profile was turned to match the factory M70 barrel which is basically a medium/light Sporter. The barreled action was then mirror polished & sent to a specialist refinisher in Wyoming for bluing. Along with that, the hinged bottom metal, bolt shroud, trigger, grip cap, scope mounts, sling swivels & all screws & fasteners were sent for color case hardening.
While all the metal was away for finishing, I found an unfinished, Exhibition grade walnut stock & set about hand fitting & finishing. I hand sanded everything to 800 grit & applied 24 coats of Alkanet oil, wet sanding the first 12. Once the color I wanted was achieved I applied 32 very fine coats of polymerized Tung oil (over a period of about 4 months) The stock was then sent to Ahlmans for hand cut checkering in a 22tpi Winchester point pattern. Once finished, the checkering was then very lightly oiled.
Once it was all back here & together, I added a Leupold FX-3 6x42 scope.
I've taken it to range 1 time to zero & work out a load & that's literally it. I don't think I've fired 40 shots since I finished it.
The whole project was a labor of love, because I wanted an Heirloom Quality gun, only to find out that I'm far better served with working guns. I don't know how many hours went into the build, but I'm pretty sure I clocked over 100 just in the stock.
Since then, it's literally sat in the cabinet slathered in anti-rust. I've occasionally taken it out to look at & fondle.
It's a crying shame to just have it sitting & it needs to go to someone who'll actually use & appreciate it for what it is, rather than just being a decoration.
I'm not gonna lie, I'm pricing this at slightly less than I have in it, but not much & the price is NOT negotiable. I paid nearly half the cost just for the stock alone.
$2000 will buy it & if it doesn't sell for that, it can stay in the cabinet. I'm only selling her now to fund a used Harley purchase (unless someone wants to part trade me for a ratty big twin.....)
Link to photo album.......
https://imgur.com/gallery/LrNFN1l
