TenPM, full of turkey and . . .

[ADfields]

This dang machine is taking forever.
100% custom Model 70.

[iofthetaiga]

Ok, I'll bite. Whatcha making Andy? That looks like you're milling a receiver from scratch(?). If so, can you really call it a "Model 70"?

[ADfields]

They are just Winchester Model 70s (mostly pre 64 features) in 4 action lengths with integral bases, long magazines and one piece bottoms.

I was just tired and sleepy, board stiff of watching the machine cut for an hour per part . . . there are 30 of them so that is 30 hours of boardom watching this hogging operation run. Back at it now . . . <sigh>

[Amigo Will]

On day five of turkey,potpie tonight should about do it in.

[iofthetaiga]

They are just Winchester Model 70s (mostly pre 64 features) in 4 action lengths with integral bases, long magazines and one piece bottoms.

Nice. Then do you use Winchester bolts and safeties, or....? Are these all for the same customer?

[ADfields]

Nice. Then do you use Winchester bolts and safeties, or....? Are these all for the same customer?

It's my brother in-law Bill's project, I'm just running some of the prototype production for him. Yes all for one customer, a builder in Vermont named Matt. Bill does lots of high end Mauser stuff (for Garnet Mountain Arms) but these are the prototype run of Winchester and it takes a LOT to hammer out all the little bugs. We have 15 pre 64 rifles tore down and when you get down to the nitty every one is built a little different so lots of reverse thinking and path picking.

We will make everything but springs, pins, and sights in-house, just cut the first stock yesterday from a $500 hunk of California walnut. May run some of these in titanium later too.

4 action lengths, 223, 308, 30-06/WM, and full on magnum for 375H&H/500Jef and so on. Barrels get cut from 2-1/2" Krieger blanks with all sight bases, sling points, or ribs milled from the steel for a one piece solid barrel. It's been a year of tinkering so far and Matt should have the first rifle 100% by Christmas . . . we just got to get him a bolt done and heat treated by next week.

[ADfields]

20 right hand that just need 2 more operations, one is to open the bottoms.




This is the other . . . who can guess what this hunk of iron does to a receiver?