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

That's pretty close to perfect.

You did an excellent excellent job on that rifle.

Thank you!

Beauty of a rifle, excellent job with the build!

very nice rifle sir

Geez that is a work of art. I am drooling! A model 70 and in a Swede? That is as classy as it gets!

Bump please.

Proof of the old adage “that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish!” Very nice!

Excellent. Pre or post 64 action ?

Would you mind PMing me the contact information for the person in WY who did your case hardening/bluing on this rifle?
Thank you

Beautiful rifle; product of love.

It looks alike a push-feed bolt design. Do you know if the bolt recess only holds 0.473" rim-sized catridge (US standard), or 0.479" (Euro standard)? Remington 700 bolt in this caliber often has problem with Euro 6.5x55 brass. Not sure about the Win 70 spec

Push feed m70 action right?

Post ,64, push feed


Yessir, it may be a link to his Facebook page, but I'll send what I have!



Thank you!
It's a standard .473 bolt face, but I've had no problems whatsoever with it snapping onto a .479 cartridge head. I've used Lapua, Norma & PPU brass in all my Swedes with no issue in Winchester & Savage actions. I'm not sure what the deal is with Rem actions, but I've had issues with them myself. My 700 Swede was very tight, even on Federal 6.5x55 brass.



Yessir.

Excellent action. I’ve had no problem with the 6.5x55 and .473 bolt face at all. But, I haven’t tried it with a 700 action.

I built a 6.5x55 on a Win push feed years ago. Never have had the slighest problem. Have been using Rem. brand 6.5x55 brass.

Bump please.

Bump again please. Somebody really needs to give this a good, loving home!

I'd spend the Harley money on an African plains game hunt and take that rifle!

I've had my fill of riding on the street and the idiots that don't pay attention. One too many close calls with trying to commute to work in Colorado Springs, and finally a Bud Light delivery truck that wated my lane and forced me over a curb during rush hour has made me stick to off road riding. Since I shattered my lower right leg and have a fused ankle, I stick to ATVs now. I also don't work on ladders anymore because of my leg, scaffolding or lifts only from now on.

I've done Africa (Namibia in 2008) & honestly, didn't enjoy myself at all. Not my kind of hunt, to be honest.
Now... if I could do a 5 month, on foot, free range, spot & stalk hunt a-la 1890.....that'd be my kinda jam! But I'm probably a couple of bucks short there

Bump for a nice rifle

Thank you!

Bump please

👍

Bump

Sunday Gunday Bump!

Up

Nice work
If I were you I would use it
So you beat it up a little. You odiously have the skill to bring it back
Personally a well used rifle with bluing wear and a few battle scars has a lot of appeal

+1

I’m shooting my guns. That’s what they’re for. If a scratch knocks off a few $$ in value, that’s a problem for my heirs. If not abused, they remain in fine condition. Better than having some damn collector lock them away.

I really can't bring myself to do it. I have so many other hunting guns that I don't need to & the rest are all either pre-beaten or carbon & stainless.

I would honestly love to see it get well used, marked, dinged & enjoyed, but I'm not the guy to do it. I used to be the same with custom motorcycles. I'd spend years building something show-winningly pretty, then couldn't bring myself to go ride it.

I guess i get more fun out of the making than the doing! 🤣

Robtattoo -

Nice example.

Maybe I missed it, how does it shoot?

Thanks

Thanks! Exactly as well as you'd expect a 6.5x55 to shoot. Right at 1¼" for 10 rounds with 140gr Berger VLDs & Hornady ELDm

Bump please

And again

Bump

Once more

Most of your pics-











[img]https://i.imgur.com/xagdOCo.jpeg[/img]

Thank you!

Thanks for the reply 👍