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Winger Ed.
04-12-2020, 11:25 PM
When I got out of the Service in Dec 1980 and came home, my Mom said I was just in time for deer season.
I didn't have a rifle at the time, so she took me down to Best Buy, and got one. A Rem700 ADL in .270Win.
Shortly after that, I was down in the Texas Hill Country on the piece of the family ranch she'd inherited.

I hunted with it, very successfully for over ten years-- until that one day....
I was carrying a deer out, and fell going down hill. The rifle ended up on the bottom.
I shattered the stock, crushed the scope and trashed the barrel enough I couldn't hardly hit the ground with it.

It sat in the back of the safe a long time, until I started rebuilding it one thing at a time for over 3 years.

Back when Brownell's first had drop in barrels, and everyone was all crazy over the cryo-treated ones-
I got a heavy contour cry-oed, Shilen, short chambered for .30-06, and had it put on.
I don't know how long I spent cold bluing it, and it came out, OK, but not great.

I traded a buddy and got a high end, late 80's era Simmon's Presidential series 4x12 40mm scope.
Its on a one piece Redfield base with their rings that have the screws coming up from underneath.

Brownell's had a really cool, Alum. block, big fat, laminated stock-- for the ADL version I had, and grabbed one of them.
I put a Titanium firing pin and speed lock spring in it.
I sent the bolt out for a SAKO extractor.
Rather than spend big bucks for a trigger group, I found aftermarket 'guts' for the factory one much cheaper.
Its adjusted for 2 pounds, and is totally safe.

The stock wasn't checkered, and when I found out it was going to cost $400-- just for that,,,,, I couldn't do it.
Instead, I got the basic checkering file kit for about $50, practiced on the old split one, a baseball bat, and did it myself.
It came out well enough to justify getting and putting in the recessed sling swivels.

The project came out well,,,,, at least my Mom approved.
On a good day, I can keep all the holes touching at 100 yards.
And is heavy enough that the recoil is very mild and its a pleasure to shoot.

Texas by God
04-13-2020, 07:47 AM
Nice work and in my opinion a better chambering. Model 700s are great.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Shawlerbrook
04-13-2020, 09:13 AM
Very nice !

725
04-13-2020, 09:36 AM
Good project, well done.

TNsailorman
04-13-2020, 10:02 AM
Isn't is amazing what we can do when we don't have the funds to pay to have it done and have enough git up and go to tackle a project ourselves. By way, a very nice looking job you did there. james

Larry Gibson
04-13-2020, 10:07 AM
Very nice looking, and obviously shooting, rifle. Well done.

Pressman
04-13-2020, 10:39 AM
Great story of love and caring. It's too bad about the accident, but great that you cared enough to rebuild your rifle.
i'm touched.

EMC45
04-13-2020, 11:24 AM
Great job! Pretty gun!

Winger Ed.
04-13-2020, 05:18 PM
Thanks everybody.

It broke my heart when I ruined it.

I could have gotten instant gratification for about half the price if I'd just bought a new 700.
But it wouldn't be the same.
And this is as close as I'll ever get to a high end custom build.


It was like when my '06, F-250 was stolen... the first and only brand new car/truck I've ever had.
A couple weeks on down the road, the insurance company was willing to call it 'gone' and settle the claim.
I told them to wait another couple weeks to see if it would turn up--- and it did.

My position was, "I don't want another truck,,,, I want that one".
Building back the Rem700 my Mom gave me for a early Christmas present was sort of the same way.

richhodg66
04-14-2020, 07:12 AM
Nice rifle and I agree a much better chambering. I've been shooting a similarly contoured target rifle built on a Mauser action in .30-06 with a bunch of different cast bullets and can attest that a heavy barreled '06 is a fun thing to have.

Randy Bohannon
04-21-2020, 06:07 AM
I had a Winchester Mdl. 70 ‘Westerner’ I bought in Montana in the 80’s .Terrible rifle , 2,5”-4” groups at 100 yds. converted it to a 338-06 and love the cartridge . I wanted. 338-06 built on a Remington 700 action so I found a 70’s 700 ADL for $ 400.00 on GB. Before I sent it off for rebarrel I took it to the range and shot it to see what it would do. You have to spend a good deal of $ to get a rifle that shot better. Very nice rifle that I can’t butcher and deserves not to be changed , it has become my rifle of choice for the 30/06. I have thought of restocking, pillar,glass bedding and a Timney trigger I could spend the money an not likely to improve what it does now.