Got a couple hand me downs!

LJOHNS · January 21, 2019, 04:52 PM

Dad gave me a couple extra rifles he has that he does use anymore. A Rem. 700 BDL in 6mm (1966) and a S&W 1500 in .270 (Howa made). They both have had little use. I am going to replace the stocks and get some decent glass on them (both have junk scopes) and see how they shoot! These will be Whitetail rifles. Might use the 6mm on some coyotes also. I am excited to get them on the range!

bobn · January 21, 2019, 05:32 PM

glass bed with accuglass (brownells) yes definitely. replace real wood no. but enjoy your dads rifles. way cool.
….if the scopes are 70s 80s japanese weavers or bushnells I would shoot them first.
….bobn

ThomasT · January 21, 2019, 06:25 PM

Good rifles in great calibers. No way would I replace the nice stocks they came with. I had one of the S&W Howa 270 rifles and got talked out of it before I shot it. I was told I screwed up. It was a tack driver rifle.

Putting new scopes on is a good choice. Nothing better than good glass.

Shoot them first before you do any bedding. There is a good chance its not needed. I have a 700 BDL Mountain rifle in 7x57 that is bone stock and shoots just over an inch with my handloads. And does it with a cheap Simmons 3x9 scope.

LJOHNS · January 21, 2019, 07:09 PM

The Remington stock is pretty beat up. It does have an old weaver scope - it is not very bright or crisp. The S&W 1500 has a junk Tasco. I have come to like synthetic stocks better than wood. I have some that are too pretty to beat up in the woods.

Ricklin · January 21, 2019, 07:21 PM

I enjoy bringing a beat up old wooden stock back to life.

Most of the typical handling dings can be raised with an iron and a moist cloth.

One mistake that beginners consistently make is sanding off the old finish. Don't do that!
Use a chemical stripper to remove the old finish. A stiff bristle brush will get the crud out of the checkering when using the stripper.

Of course remove all the metal. Sometimes it takes several coats to remove all the old finish.

I like Tru Oil. I hand rub many many coats. Not a fan of glossy. A Tru Oil finish is easy to fix should you get a scratch.

ThomasT · January 21, 2019, 10:51 PM

I just refinished a Marlin model 30 and used Citrastrip. One heavy coat and wait 30 minutes and the old finish scraped right of with a plastic putty knife. be sure and wear GOOD rubber gloves and safety glasses.

I love to refinish wood. About any finish is the gloss showroom finish Remington used to use. Coat with oil and dings and scrapes are super easy to fix. I for can't stand the El Cheapo plastic crap stocks some gun companies use now.

I bought a Savage 223 with the flimsiest plastic stock ever. I bought a Boydes wood laminate stock and the comb was so tall I could no longer use the open sights. I sold the gun and said no more Savage rifles for me. I wish I had of spent less money and bought a Ruger MKII instead. I would still have that one.

But its a free country. Do what ever blows your hair back. But don't lose the wood stocks.

30Cal · January 22, 2019, 08:19 PM

The old Weavers were good scopes for the day. It'll look more at home on that old Remington than a new one.

**44 AMP** · January 22, 2019, 11:50 PM

Quote:

I am going to replace the stocks and get some decent glass on them (both have junk scopes) and see how they shoot!

Put whatever you think is "decent glass" on them, but shoot them BEFORE you change the stocks. You might have a rifle that shoots exceptionally well just the way it is. You might not, but if you don't shoot it, you'll never know....

Pathfinder45 · January 23, 2019, 01:12 AM

Make your Dad proud by restoring the wood. I like 100% Teakwood oil. If you like synthetic stocks, go buy a newer rifle that comes that way. But don't defile your Dad's rifle with plastic.

bamaranger · January 23, 2019, 04:19 AM

Yes, as others have stated, shoot the rifles for group, with the glass of your choice, FIRST before you slap a synthetic stock on them. Who knows what they are capable of with factory wood? And some synthetic stocks, particularly the Rem factory versions, are way to flimsy. Dropping my Rem 700 ADL in .270 into a factory walnut stock (it came with factory plastic) had a marked effect on improving accuracy.

The Rem 700 will have real walnut, even if its the ADL, that will strip and clean up well if you choose to put in the work. I hesitate to say it, but if the rifles group, and you do not want to strip and refinish, you could spray them with bed liner (heresy on walnut) and touch up as needed.

We have a S&W 1500 in '06 that has the best factory trigger I've ever shot and will plunk W-W factory 180 gr RN into tidy holes, but it is a real kicker for some reason. It's wood is quite blonde, but the sister that shoots it (honest) likes it.

LJOHNS · January 23, 2019, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the tips. I will shoot them some before I replace the stocks. Think I am going to go with Leupold VX3I for both.

ThomasT · January 23, 2019, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Dropping my Rem 700 ADL in .270 into a factory walnut stock (it came with factory plastic) had a marked effect on improving accuracy.

Funny you should say that. I have a Remington ADL that came with matt finish and the lock on the bolt shroud and the flimsy plastic stock in 243. I found a pristeen short action Remington stock somebody had probably traded out for a plastic stock and paid $90 for the stock. I floated the barrel and bedded the action and what a shooter it is. Its a little heavier than with the factory plastic but its not that bad. And it looks so much better. No way I would ever put that plastic stock back on that gun.

January 21, 2019, 04:52 PM	#1
LJOHNS Member Join Date: December 11, 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 27	Got a couple hand me downs! Dad gave me a couple extra rifles he has that he does use anymore. A Rem. 700 BDL in 6mm (1966) and a S&W 1500 in .270 (Howa made). They both have had little use. I am going to replace the stocks and get some decent glass on them (both have junk scopes) and see how they shoot! These will be Whitetail rifles. Might use the 6mm on some coyotes also. I am excited to get them on the range!

January 21, 2019, 07:21 PM	#5
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,013	I enjoy bringing a beat up old wooden stock back to life. Most of the typical handling dings can be raised with an iron and a moist cloth. One mistake that beginners consistently make is sanding off the old finish. Don't do that! Use a chemical stripper to remove the old finish. A stiff bristle brush will get the crud out of the checkering when using the stripper. Of course remove all the metal. Sometimes it takes several coats to remove all the old finish. I like Tru Oil. I hand rub many many coats. Not a fan of glossy. A Tru Oil finish is easy to fix should you get a scratch. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

January 21, 2019, 10:51 PM	#6
ThomasT Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,753	I just refinished a Marlin model 30 and used Citrastrip. One heavy coat and wait 30 minutes and the old finish scraped right of with a plastic putty knife. be sure and wear GOOD rubber gloves and safety glasses. I love to refinish wood. About any finish is the gloss showroom finish Remington used to use. Coat with oil and dings and scrapes are super easy to fix. I for can't stand the El Cheapo plastic crap stocks some gun companies use now. I bought a Savage 223 with the flimsiest plastic stock ever. I bought a Boydes wood laminate stock and the comb was so tall I could no longer use the open sights. I sold the gun and said no more Savage rifles for me. I wish I had of spent less money and bought a Ruger MKII instead. I would still have that one. But its a free country. Do what ever blows your hair back. But don't lose the wood stocks. Last edited by ThomasT; January 23, 2019 at 11:33 PM.

January 23, 2019, 04:19 AM	#10
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	shoot them first Yes, as others have stated, shoot the rifles for group, with the glass of your choice, FIRST before you slap a synthetic stock on them. Who knows what they are capable of with factory wood? And some synthetic stocks, particularly the Rem factory versions, are way to flimsy. Dropping my Rem 700 ADL in .270 into a factory walnut stock (it came with factory plastic) had a marked effect on improving accuracy. The Rem 700 will have real walnut, even if its the ADL, that will strip and clean up well if you choose to put in the work. I hesitate to say it, but if the rifles group, and you do not want to strip and refinish, you could spray them with bed liner (heresy on walnut) and touch up as needed. We have a S&W 1500 in '06 that has the best factory trigger I've ever shot and will plunk W-W factory 180 gr RN into tidy holes, but it is a real kicker for some reason. It's wood is quite blonde, but the sister that shoots it (honest) likes it.

January 21, 2019, 05:32 PM	#2
bobn Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2006 Location: midwest Posts: 1,105	glass bed with accuglass (brownells) yes definitely. replace real wood no. but enjoy your dads rifles. way cool. ….if the scopes are 70s 80s japanese weavers or bushnells I would shoot them first. ….bobn

January 21, 2019, 06:25 PM	#3
ThomasT Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,753	Good rifles in great calibers. No way would I replace the nice stocks they came with. I had one of the S&W Howa 270 rifles and got talked out of it before I shot it. I was told I screwed up. It was a tack driver rifle. Putting new scopes on is a good choice. Nothing better than good glass. Shoot them first before you do any bedding. There is a good chance its not needed. I have a 700 BDL Mountain rifle in 7x57 that is bone stock and shoots just over an inch with my handloads. And does it with a cheap Simmons 3x9 scope.

January 21, 2019, 07:09 PM	#4
LJOHNS Member Join Date: December 11, 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 27	The Remington stock is pretty beat up. It does have an old weaver scope - it is not very bright or crisp. The S&W 1500 has a junk Tasco. I have come to like synthetic stocks better than wood. I have some that are too pretty to beat up in the woods.

January 22, 2019, 08:19 PM	#7
30Cal Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2002 Posts: 1,264	The old Weavers were good scopes for the day. It'll look more at home on that old Remington than a new one.

January 23, 2019, 01:12 AM	#9
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Make your Dad proud by restoring the wood. I like 100% Teakwood oil. If you like synthetic stocks, go buy a newer rifle that comes that way. But don't defile your Dad's rifle with plastic.

January 23, 2019, 05:57 PM	#11
LJOHNS Member Join Date: December 11, 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 27	Thanks for the tips. I will shoot them some before I replace the stocks. Think I am going to go with Leupold VX3I for both.