ivan40•17d ago

A week of wall-to-wall work on a single Winchester Model 70

This past week was something else. A customer brought in his grandfather's Winchester Model 70 from 1958, a real family heirloom. He wanted a full restoration, but the bore was a mess and the stock had a nasty crack. I spent four full days just on the metalwork, getting the rust out of the pitting without hurting the original finish. The real trouble was the stock. That crack ran almost six inches along the wrist. I had to inject epoxy with a syringe, clamp it for 48 hours, and then spend another day matching the old oil finish so the repair was invisible. It was a huge amount of work for one gun, but seeing the guy's face when he picked it up made the whole grind worth it. Has anyone else had a single project just eat up a whole week like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

perez.mia17d ago

Ever think a full restoration is the wrong move on a true heirloom like that? I get the sentiment, but cleaning up the rust and fixing the stock is one thing. Re-finishing the metal to hide all the pits and trying to make the crack vanish changes its story. That rifle earned every mark over 60 years. A good clean, a solid repair to make it safe, and leaving the honest wear feels more respectful to me. Isn't the history part of what makes it special?

miller.tara17d ago

My grandpa's old shotgun, @perez.mia, has a dent from a truck tailgate.