mickeydim468
Member
This was a whim project because I was bored, but it worked!
I will try to keep this short. But you do get 50+ pictures to look at at the end. If you want to just skip my bantering, page down to the end and get your fix on my pics. I captioned each picture so you will still get the jest of it.
For the rest of you, here goes; I finally made up my mind to go ahead and order my new rifle stock for my Weatherby Vanguard synthetic which is chambered in .300 Win Mag. from Richard's Microfit. I debated whether to get the stock for my M1917 30-06 first or the .300WM stock. I decided on the .300WM stock first because they have it available with 99% drop in fit and the M1917 is only 96%. Since this will be my first inletting job, I went with the one that should be easier for my first try.
What does all of this have to do with the project at hand? After ordering the new stock, I got to looking at my M1917 closer, and ever since I got that rifle about a year ago, I have had an issue with a small crack at the right tip of the forearm. It got me to thinking... I will be getting that new stock soon, I wonder if I can make that Weatherby Vanguard synthetic stock work on my 30-06?
So I took apart both rifles and tried to set the 30-06 in the synthetic stock. It was not a very good fit, but I figured with a little whittling, duct tape and bailing wire I could make it work, so I got out the rotozip and went to town!
I got the stock on the M1917 and found that the holes for the tang screw didn't line up but the recoil screw was perfect. I drilled out the tang screw hole with an over-sized bit at the correct angle and took out the pillars that were previously installed in the cut down military stock it originally wore. I mixed up some epoxy and seated the pillars in through the epoxy and let it set up over night.
I didn't have access to any real gunsmithing products here in town, so I bought what the local Ace Hardware store had available. After deliberating over which one of about 10 options would be best I chose 2. One is a putty type of epoxy called PC-Metal and the other is a 2 ton liquid epoxy. The liquid epoxy helped me keep the putty epoxy stuck to the plastic stock until the putty epoxy cured. I ended up using heavy duty spray silicon as a release agent. I just sprayed it on and let it dry and then mixed up the liquid and coated the plastic with it and then mixed up the putty and smashed it where it needed to go. Then I inserted the action into the stock and tightened the action screws. I let it set about 10 minutes and then pulled out the action. I then scraped the excess putty off as it was pretty well set up by then, and then I let the stock sit overnight to finish drying.
I had to do this for a few days until I got the different parts of the action bedded the way I wanted. then I bedded the floor-plate bottom metal using the same process.
After all was done, I did a quick sanding job and then primered the whole rifle. I then used 3 different colors of paint and painted the rifle in a striped pattern. Then I took flat black paint, while using pine twigs with the leaves still attached as a stencil, I lightly coated the rifle to give it a foresty look. When I was done, I thought the rifle was too dark so I spattered some of the lighter colored paint over the whole rifle. It turned out ok, but I am not happy with the paint job. I also see where I should have taken more time in my sanding efforts too. I will strip off the paint and finish up the sanding in the near future, but for now, it is what it is.
I also decided I wanted to put a scope on it, and since I had already used the original scope that I bought for it on my .300WM, I decided to go out and get a new scope for it. I got the Nikon 3-9X40 ProStaff with the BDC reticle.
Now to the best part... Today I took it out to the range and shot at 100, 200, and 300 yards. This is the longest range I have found so I couldn't try any further.
I hand-load, so the ammo is a batch that has proved to shoot pretty well in the old stocked m1917 so I stuck with it. I was shooting 165Gr Speer SPBT with H4350 powder and Winchester LR primers in once or twice fired brass by Remington. I only neck size the brass so they are hot formed for the M1917 already.
At 100 yds, I was able to get a 3 shot group in less than 1/2 inch, and a 5 shot group in less than 3/4 inch. My 200 yard group was at 2 1/8 inch and my 300 yd group was at just under 4 1/2 inches.
For pictures of the old rifle start looking at pic #1. For pictures of the way it looks now plus the range report start looking at pic #22 and got to pic # 51.
Here is the link to the pics I promised.
Mikeys M1917 30-06 pics
I hope you enjoyed the story and I look forward to your comments... Good or bad, I just wanted to share! Heck, I was just amazed I could get it in that plastic stock at all. The center balance of the rifle is not in the back behind the trigger, like it was in the old stock, it is under the front of the floor-plate right near the recoil lug screw as it should be. It also weight, what seems like 2Lb, less than it used to.
I will tell you this, It shoots like a dream. I have the Timney trigger set to about 2lb and it is smooth as silk. Now, if only I could find a deer or elk during hunting season and not on someone's front lawn, I will be in business!
Mikey!
I will try to keep this short. But you do get 50+ pictures to look at at the end. If you want to just skip my bantering, page down to the end and get your fix on my pics. I captioned each picture so you will still get the jest of it.
For the rest of you, here goes; I finally made up my mind to go ahead and order my new rifle stock for my Weatherby Vanguard synthetic which is chambered in .300 Win Mag. from Richard's Microfit. I debated whether to get the stock for my M1917 30-06 first or the .300WM stock. I decided on the .300WM stock first because they have it available with 99% drop in fit and the M1917 is only 96%. Since this will be my first inletting job, I went with the one that should be easier for my first try.
What does all of this have to do with the project at hand? After ordering the new stock, I got to looking at my M1917 closer, and ever since I got that rifle about a year ago, I have had an issue with a small crack at the right tip of the forearm. It got me to thinking... I will be getting that new stock soon, I wonder if I can make that Weatherby Vanguard synthetic stock work on my 30-06?
So I took apart both rifles and tried to set the 30-06 in the synthetic stock. It was not a very good fit, but I figured with a little whittling, duct tape and bailing wire I could make it work, so I got out the rotozip and went to town!
I got the stock on the M1917 and found that the holes for the tang screw didn't line up but the recoil screw was perfect. I drilled out the tang screw hole with an over-sized bit at the correct angle and took out the pillars that were previously installed in the cut down military stock it originally wore. I mixed up some epoxy and seated the pillars in through the epoxy and let it set up over night.
I didn't have access to any real gunsmithing products here in town, so I bought what the local Ace Hardware store had available. After deliberating over which one of about 10 options would be best I chose 2. One is a putty type of epoxy called PC-Metal and the other is a 2 ton liquid epoxy. The liquid epoxy helped me keep the putty epoxy stuck to the plastic stock until the putty epoxy cured. I ended up using heavy duty spray silicon as a release agent. I just sprayed it on and let it dry and then mixed up the liquid and coated the plastic with it and then mixed up the putty and smashed it where it needed to go. Then I inserted the action into the stock and tightened the action screws. I let it set about 10 minutes and then pulled out the action. I then scraped the excess putty off as it was pretty well set up by then, and then I let the stock sit overnight to finish drying.
I had to do this for a few days until I got the different parts of the action bedded the way I wanted. then I bedded the floor-plate bottom metal using the same process.
After all was done, I did a quick sanding job and then primered the whole rifle. I then used 3 different colors of paint and painted the rifle in a striped pattern. Then I took flat black paint, while using pine twigs with the leaves still attached as a stencil, I lightly coated the rifle to give it a foresty look. When I was done, I thought the rifle was too dark so I spattered some of the lighter colored paint over the whole rifle. It turned out ok, but I am not happy with the paint job. I also see where I should have taken more time in my sanding efforts too. I will strip off the paint and finish up the sanding in the near future, but for now, it is what it is.
I also decided I wanted to put a scope on it, and since I had already used the original scope that I bought for it on my .300WM, I decided to go out and get a new scope for it. I got the Nikon 3-9X40 ProStaff with the BDC reticle.
Now to the best part... Today I took it out to the range and shot at 100, 200, and 300 yards. This is the longest range I have found so I couldn't try any further.
I hand-load, so the ammo is a batch that has proved to shoot pretty well in the old stocked m1917 so I stuck with it. I was shooting 165Gr Speer SPBT with H4350 powder and Winchester LR primers in once or twice fired brass by Remington. I only neck size the brass so they are hot formed for the M1917 already.
At 100 yds, I was able to get a 3 shot group in less than 1/2 inch, and a 5 shot group in less than 3/4 inch. My 200 yard group was at 2 1/8 inch and my 300 yd group was at just under 4 1/2 inches.
For pictures of the old rifle start looking at pic #1. For pictures of the way it looks now plus the range report start looking at pic #22 and got to pic # 51.
Here is the link to the pics I promised.
Mikeys M1917 30-06 pics
I hope you enjoyed the story and I look forward to your comments... Good or bad, I just wanted to share! Heck, I was just amazed I could get it in that plastic stock at all. The center balance of the rifle is not in the back behind the trigger, like it was in the old stock, it is under the front of the floor-plate right near the recoil lug screw as it should be. It also weight, what seems like 2Lb, less than it used to.
I will tell you this, It shoots like a dream. I have the Timney trigger set to about 2lb and it is smooth as silk. Now, if only I could find a deer or elk during hunting season and not on someone's front lawn, I will be in business!
Mikey!
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but, hey, if it works for you that's what you want. It should be very easy to pick up even in low light. 