Rastoff's thread got me thinking...

[307-Niner]

I can not fall in love with this gun.

A few years ago, I bought this Winchester 70 30-06. It is supposed to be my "beater" hunting rifle. The one you can rely on, ding it up & not lose any sleep about it. It's a newer model toploader with a synthetic stock, jeweled action, 3-9 Simmons, etc.

It shoots great, and it's 100% reliable. But it is just so ugly... And it's also worth mentioning that the light weight plastic stock does make it kick harder than my 300WM. Did I mention that it's ugly??

So I have thought about selling it, or replacing the stock with some nice wood. But I have never replaced a rifle stock before. Is this a basic task that a guy can do at home with good results?

Here are a couple pics of the ugly duckling.

[snuffy51]

Plastic is ugly and light (ouch!), but a scratch doesn't usually cause heart attacks either. Other than a few shots to check zero every now & then, how many times will it be fired. I don't remember worrying about recoil when making a shot at any game animal. A good accurate rifle is the best tool for hunting. Having another to pamper and polish is a very good reason to have two rifles. For me, I think two are better than one, and I don't like stress. Be safe.

[alwslate]

It looks to be well suited for the purpose you bought it for so why
worry about it? You're not going to fire that many rounds through it
for hunting. I agree with the above poster. Keep your mod 70 hidden
from view in a closet or safe and get a second rifle to handle and gaze
at.

[loc n load]

I agree with the previous posts, in my world form follows function. To answer your question, a wooden stock could be obtained. And since it is wood, you may have to do some fitting to make your action fit properly.
In the OP you state that this rifle is intended to be your "beater" hunting rifle, and light is good when you are humping one around a lot. (Typically a hunting rifle is not one that you are going to shoot until you are knee deep in brass)......a synthetic stock will serve that field/hunting purpose much better than a fine looking wood stock IMO - impervious to weather conditions & resistant to knocks and dings.....I own a bunch of rifles, I have vintage models that have nice wooden stocks, and these go to the range and get shot periodically.
I have a bunch of "working rifles" that I hunt with, these all have synthetic stocks. I have a bunch of long range precision rifles, purpose built for sub moa groups at extended range, these all have synthetic stocks.
Having shot and competed & hunted with wooden stock rifles back in the 60's, 70's and into the 80's(in all kinds of weather), I totally appreciate synthetic stocks for their virtues. For your stated purpose, I think your mod 70 30-06 is a handsome rifle. Course, I may be biased, as I own and hunt with a twin to your's.

[PatriotX]

A couple of observations from having changed a stock:

1) Balance will likely change, and how the gun tracks may be different.

2) If you hike a lot to your hunting sites, the added weight may be noticeable. This may not be a drawback with regards to recoil.

[307-Niner]

Back from the dead...

Today, a friend suggested re-barreling my rifle to a 25-06. Something that I had never considered before. How big of a job is this? Expensive?

It would still be a great deer gun, but also a good varmint gun. What do you guys think?

[alwslate]

Since you can load your 30-06 with good lightweight bullets for
varmints, like the various polymer tipped 125 gr BTs for example,
rebarreling it would be a pure waste of money. The 06 is a very
versatile ctg, certainly a better all around ctg than the 25-06. Your
rifle is basically the economy grade mod 70 hunting rifle and money
spent on it is unlikely to be returned at the time of sale. If you're
really that unhappy with it for some reason you would be far better
off to sell it and buy something else than sink a bunch of money in
it that won't be returned.

[Frank46]

As a long time Model 70 owner I've had the pleasure to own and shoot a bunch of pre '64 model 70's all were in '06 with the exception of a pre '64 featherweight in 308. The only one I have now is a post '64 model 70 match rifle in 30-06. I find the 30-06 cartridge to be a very easy cartridge to get excellent accuracy from. My current Sako 75 in '06 is a case in point. Has a love affair with IMR 4350 and the Nosler 165 gr BT. And loves the M72 match ammo as produced by lake city. you'll probably hate mr for what I'm about to say so here goes. Keep your M70 in it's present caliber and reload some ammo for varmints using the 125 grain Sierra flat base spitzer. Figure about $300 for the new barrel, $150-200 to thread, chamber and fit it to your action, about another $150 or so to refinish blue the new barrel and all the metal. Pretty close to the cost of a new rifle ain't it?. If you want a 25-06 just get another rifle. In closing "the 30-06 is never a mistake". Frank

[alwslate]

Seems like I have read several times that the 06 is the top seller year
after year in reloading die calibers. Just guessing I would bet that it
is the best selling caliber in hunting rifles also. As said above "the
30-06 is never a mistake".

[model70hunter]

You asked if you, a 1st timer, can put a wood stock on a gun. Yes you can.

Try Boyds. They have many pre-inletted stocks. I have not bought from Fajens in a long time they may have some inletted ones.

I have bought some inletted Boyds stock when restocking guns with broken stocks. Very little work. I also glass bed them, Easy to do, read all instructons so you don't glue the stock to the action. Bownells acra glass is what I use for bedding.

The model 70 has a nice deep front lug and is easier to bed than the short mauser lugs.

Boyds can add a rubber recoil pad, they are nice, I had one put on a magnum rifle cheaper than I could have bought the pad and done it.