Vintage M70 Target Range Report

[noremorse92]

For anyone who saw my thread in the vintage forum and those who didnt, I picked up this Model 70 sight unseen the other week. I refinished the stock and cleaned it up first thing. Today I got the rifle out to the range, I had loaded up 20 rounds.

Imr4064, hornady 168 bthp, petersen srp brass and a cci br4. Loaded as long as humanly possible.

This rifle, per my investigations, is throated for something much longer than the 168s. So I went as long as I could while maintaining concentricity.

The Unertl was easy to set up and the markings on the AO seem accurate. Optically it was more than acceptable. Adjustments were as accurate as I could figure them to be. Generous eye relief and an average eye box.

The stock is way too short, has a less than ideal geometry for bench shooting and the trigger while very light isn't what I'm used to (tikka). The odd carved out grip isn't my jam either, my hands are too big for it.

That being said, once I put a few rounds through it I got myself dialed in somewhat. I was able to pull off that small group on the far left which measures 3/8" at 100 yds. It's only 4 rds unfortunately as I kept having light strikes and for 1 of the shots i didnt reset the scope. Usually i test a rifle's accuracy with a 10rd group. I suspect the firing pin spring is weak.

Is that a fluke group? I have no idea. I need to shoot it more. I only loaded 20 rounds, in case it was a piece of junk. It is however, promising. I'm going to replace the firing pin spring for a start and take it back out after.

 

[moosemeat]

Nice.

 

[Terry Cross]

That being said, once I put a few rounds through it I got myself dialed in somewhat. I was able to pull off that small group on the far left which measures 3/8" at 100 yds.

Some of the old 70s can shoot really well.
I have a Pre64 in .300H&H that is a freak.

It's only 4 rds unfortunately as I kept having light strikes and for 1 of the shots i didnt reset the scope. Usually i test a rifle's accuracy with a 10rd group. I suspect the firing pin spring is weak.

Have you done a complete tear down of the bolt and firing pin assembly including the 3 pos safety shroud?

My Pre64 mentioned above was manufactured in 1954. I purchased it in 2022.
It was well worn but extremely well cared for where it counts.
Before prepping it for my elk hunt, I wanted to totally clean the trigger and firing pin system.
I was very glad I did!

There was years of gummed up oil in the bolt and in the middle/safety area of the shroud.
I detail cleaned everything and re-assembled with a very light coat of oil.

If you have anything similar to this residing in your ignition system, you will have light strikes.
It would be unusual to have a problem firing pin spring on those guns in spite of the age.

Is that a fluke group? I have no idea. I need to shoot it more. I only loaded 20 rounds, in case it was a piece of junk. It is however, promising. I'm going to replace the firing pin spring for a start and take it back out after.

IF you your firing pin energy is retarded for any reason, you will get light strikes and more critical to your answer you can have major accuracy issues. Even if you have decent groups at 100, your vertical could go to shit at distance due to velocity variations associated with light/inconsistent primer function.

Good luck with getting her to shoot.
Be sure and update your results.

 

[noremorse92]

Some of the old 70s can shoot really well.
I have a Pre64 in .300H&H that is a freak.


Have you done a complete tear down of the bolt and firing pin assembly including the 3 pos safety shroud?

My Pre64 mentioned above was manufactured in 1954. I purchased it in 2022.
It was well worn but extremely well cared for where it counts.
Before prepping it for my elk hunt, I wanted to totally clean the trigger and firing pin system.
I was very glad I did!

There was years of gummed up oil in the bolt and in the middle/safety area of the shroud.
I detail cleaned everything and re-assembled with a very light coat of oil.

If you have anything similar to this residing in your ignition system, you will have light strikes.
It would be unusual to have a problem firing pin spring on those guns in spite of the age.


IF you your firing pin energy is retarded for any reason, you will get light strikes and more critical to your answer you can have major accuracy issues. Even if you have decent groups at 100, your vertical could go to shit at distance due to velocity variations associated with light/inconsistent primer function.

Good luck with getting her to shoot.
Be sure and update your results.

Thanks for the reply Terry

I've removed the firing pin and cocking assembly from the bolt and cleaned it all already. It feels like it's not hitting hard enough. My tikka strikes with much more authority. Is there anything in the shroud that would cause this?

 

[Terry Cross]

Thanks for the reply Terry

I've removed the firing pin and cocking assembly from the bolt and cleaned it all already. It feels like it's not hitting hard enough. My tikka strikes with much more authority. Is there anything in the shroud that would cause this?

I had a lot of gummy, sticky lubricant remnants inside the shroud's firing pin channel.

More concerning was that the inside of the bolt body had the same gummy stuff where the larger firing pin hole chokes down to the smaller diameter. I think this was dampening the firing pin fall.

NOTE: I did not even fire the rifle before performing this cleaning chore so I have no idea if it would have indeed caused an issue. After finding the old lubricant, I was quite sure that sub freezing temps of Wyoming at 10K feet would not have helped matters.

Even though I did not fire the rifle prior to cleaning the bolt, I can tell you that the firing pin fall during dry firing was audibly quite different. Before was somewhat of a plunk and after was a more crisp snap. (My adjectives suck but you get the idea.)

The 3 position safety was also restored to a very positive click at each position.

.

 

[noremorse92]

I had a lot of gummy, sticky lubricant remnants inside the shroud's firing pin channel.

More concerning was that the inside of the bolt body had the same gummy stuff where the larger firing pin hole chokes down to the smaller diameter. I think this was dampening the firing pin fall.

NOTE: I did not even fire the rifle before performing this cleaning chore so I have no idea if it would have indeed caused an issue. After finding the old lubricant, I was quite sure that sub freezing temps of Wyoming at 10K feet would not have helped matters.

Even though I did not fire the rifle prior to cleaning the bolt, I can tell you that the firing pin fall during dry firing was audibly quite different. Before was somewhat of a plunk and after was a more crisp snap. (My adjectives suck but you get the idea.)

The 3 position safety was also restored to a very positive click at each position.

.

OK I will verify all that is cleaned out 100%.
I'm taking my tikka out tomorrow but perhaps Friday I'll get back onto the 70. I really like that Unertl. There's just something about it.

 

[noremorse92]

OK I took it out again today
I loaded a few up to test a different primer (fed gmm) and that coupled with a good cleaning of the bolt I had no issues firing.

However the zero felt like it kept shifting after my first group. I shot 5 in the top target, adjusted, next 2 are on the bottom post it. 3rd way off ???

But the last 5 are in that tiny group there with the slight flier (called). I checked my action screws, mounts and bases, all tight. Scope pulled back for each shot.

I've got not experience with the external adjustment scopes. I adjusted it the wrong way clearly as well. Does it just need to 'settle in'? Any ideas?

I have zero issue with modern scopes on modern rifles. My nightforce holds 0 session to session and adjusts perfectly and rtz after dialing.