What to do with my new (to me) 1973 Win M70??

[markierausch]

So I was just visiting family and my grandfather decided it was time to pass down to me his Winchester Model 70 in 7mm Mag. I checked the serial number to confirm it's from 1973. The rifle seems to be in pretty fantastic shape considering its age. He's used it fairly extensively over the years and has taken elk, whitetail, mule deer, and antelope but it's been sitting in his safe since the mid 1990s. So here's my dilemma: I think it would be really cool to hunt with this rifle given its history. Would it be sacrilege for me to update the scope and perhaps swap to a more modern barrel and/or stock? I've included an image of the rifle below in its current state. Let me know what y'all think I should do!

 

[MT_Fin]

I have gone back and forth with similar dilemma. Have had a M70xtr 264wm inherited years ago that has been sitting. Have thought about putting a different stock etc. I think I have concluded that I am going to put a good scope on it and run it the way it is. I won’t use it a ton but would like to take it out a bit and continue to be the caretaker of it until I give it to one of the kids.

 

[SDHNTR]

Clean it and go shoot it. As a push feed, it doesn’t have the collector value of pre64 CRF models, or even the more modern CRF models. Go shoot it. And I wouldn’t worry about customizing it either, if you wanted to rebarrel or restock it. Do whatever would make you enjoy shooting it more.

 

[TaperPin]

Great old gun!

Everyone has different attachments to old guns and keeping them original. My main rifle started out as a semi collectible, but if the original rifle is kept in the safe and never used, that doesn’t make the most of it. Now with replaced stock and barrel it’s fun to shoot and competitive with new rifles. Rather than hiding in the shadows never to be seen, it’s the center of attention every week at the range.

One of my favorite guns of all time was a model 70 just like yours that was rebarreled, restocked and went with me all over Wyoming. You’ll enjoy it more, and the action is the heart of any rifle so it will always have a connection with gramps.