GardDog223
Member
Upon deciding to purchase a new hunting rifle, I researched the calibers and decided on 300 WSM. I wanted another bolt gun and I already had a Rem, so I purchased a Winchester Mod 70 Super Shadow (which I soon found was a light fame for a very powerful cartridge). The Mod 70 granted me the opportunity to take my best buck to date at a phenomenal range of 287 yards.
Never being a follower of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
, I decided to make the Mod 70 into my project gun. I am not a gunsmith, nor do I claim to be, so all of the improvements were done in my garage over a period of three months, a couple of hours here & there.
This is what I started with:
Original rifle:
• Winchester Model 70 – Super Shadow 300 WSM
• Leupold rings and bases
• Nikon Buckmaster 3-9X40 Scope
I was extremely happy with the results I had seen from my Rem 700P .308, which has a heavy barrel, so I wanted to add one to my Mod 70. I checked around and decided to have E.R. Shaw do their magic on the Mod 70. I sent the receiver and barrel off to E.R. Shaw in September of 2006.
While in a Cabela’s store in Texas (On a business trip), I held a Howa 1500 that had a Boyd’s Thumbhole Varmint stock. I really liked the feel of the stock and the high comb gave a great cheek weld, so I ordered a Boyd’s Thumbhole Varmint Stock for the Mod 70. Boyd’s offers already finished stocks in different configurations, but the Thumbhole Varmint for the Mod 70 only came “VIP.” This meant a ~70%~ finished stock that needed inletting and finishing on my own.
I researched the possibility of “free floating” the barrel and pillar bedding the stock for best fit. I came upon ScoreHi (www.scorehi.com) on the internet and after reviewing their instructions, I ordered the Deluxe Kit, which came with epoxy bedding compound and adjustable pillars.
I wasn’t happy with the two-piece plastic trigger guard and blind magazine on the stock Mod 70, so I located Williams Firearms (http://www.williamsfirearms.com/) on the internet and ordered a one-piece assembly.
I had installed a Jewell Trigger on my 700P, with fantastic results, so I ordered one for the Mod 70.
My waiting ended in January of 2007, when the barreled receiver was delivered to my house.
1. I started the process by sanding & inletting the stock to accept the larger barrel and new trigger guard assembly.
2. I performed the epoxy bedding and adjustable pillar assembly.
3. I stained, filled, and finished the stock.
4. The construction was then complete.
I upgraded the optics by adding a Zeiss Conquest scope and new bases and rings.
Here was the final product:
I had seen the performance of my 700P with 168 gr ammo, so I cooked up several loads for the 300 WSM with Sierra 168 gr HPBT Match ammo. The results were:
Final Product:
• E.R. Shaw No. 4 Contour Helical Fluted 25” Bull Barrel
• Jewell Trigger
• Williams Firearms 1-piece Trigger Guard
• Leupold rings and bases
• Zeiss 4.5-14X44 Scope
• Boyd’s Varmint Thumbhole V.I.P. Stock
• Score-Hi Epoxy & Pillar Bedding
• Uncle Mike’s QD Mounts
• Harris Bipod
• Accu-shot Monopod
Never being a follower of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
, I decided to make the Mod 70 into my project gun. I am not a gunsmith, nor do I claim to be, so all of the improvements were done in my garage over a period of three months, a couple of hours here & there.This is what I started with:
Original rifle:
• Winchester Model 70 – Super Shadow 300 WSM
• Leupold rings and bases
• Nikon Buckmaster 3-9X40 Scope
I was extremely happy with the results I had seen from my Rem 700P .308, which has a heavy barrel, so I wanted to add one to my Mod 70. I checked around and decided to have E.R. Shaw do their magic on the Mod 70. I sent the receiver and barrel off to E.R. Shaw in September of 2006.
While in a Cabela’s store in Texas (On a business trip), I held a Howa 1500 that had a Boyd’s Thumbhole Varmint stock. I really liked the feel of the stock and the high comb gave a great cheek weld, so I ordered a Boyd’s Thumbhole Varmint Stock for the Mod 70. Boyd’s offers already finished stocks in different configurations, but the Thumbhole Varmint for the Mod 70 only came “VIP.” This meant a ~70%~ finished stock that needed inletting and finishing on my own.
I researched the possibility of “free floating” the barrel and pillar bedding the stock for best fit. I came upon ScoreHi (www.scorehi.com) on the internet and after reviewing their instructions, I ordered the Deluxe Kit, which came with epoxy bedding compound and adjustable pillars.
I wasn’t happy with the two-piece plastic trigger guard and blind magazine on the stock Mod 70, so I located Williams Firearms (http://www.williamsfirearms.com/) on the internet and ordered a one-piece assembly.
I had installed a Jewell Trigger on my 700P, with fantastic results, so I ordered one for the Mod 70.
My waiting ended in January of 2007, when the barreled receiver was delivered to my house.
1. I started the process by sanding & inletting the stock to accept the larger barrel and new trigger guard assembly.
2. I performed the epoxy bedding and adjustable pillar assembly.
3. I stained, filled, and finished the stock.
4. The construction was then complete.
I upgraded the optics by adding a Zeiss Conquest scope and new bases and rings.
Here was the final product:
I had seen the performance of my 700P with 168 gr ammo, so I cooked up several loads for the 300 WSM with Sierra 168 gr HPBT Match ammo. The results were:
Final Product:
• E.R. Shaw No. 4 Contour Helical Fluted 25” Bull Barrel
• Jewell Trigger
• Williams Firearms 1-piece Trigger Guard
• Leupold rings and bases
• Zeiss 4.5-14X44 Scope
• Boyd’s Varmint Thumbhole V.I.P. Stock
• Score-Hi Epoxy & Pillar Bedding
• Uncle Mike’s QD Mounts
• Harris Bipod
• Accu-shot Monopod
