Model 70 life question

[Big country]

I have a rifle that is listed as a "Sears and Roebuck Ted Williams Model 53" it is a .30-.06 sprg and was manufactured by Winchester for Sears and Roebuck back when Sears sold guns. As far as I can tell the serial number goes back to a model 70 and the scope mounts I got for it were made for a model 70 and they fit fine. My question is if I were to buy an after market drop in stock for this for a model 70 long action with a hinged floor plate is it possible that the stock won't fit because it is not a "true Winchester model 70"? The next question is how do I tell if my hinged floor plate is a 1 or 2 piece? And how do I tell if a barrel is shot out? I have noticed my groups getting wider and nothing has changed. I think maybe a stock with a good solid bedding might fix the issues but I don't know. I need to find out if the barrel is dieing or if the rifle can be saved. And finally what kind of accuracy can I realistically expect out of this gun? There might not be any problem it may just be old and acceptable for it's time of production. I'm looking at Bell and Carlson for the stock.

Thanks,
Cody

[Texas1911]

Ted Williams as in the Red Sox baseball player? If so I wouldn't touch that thing dude.

[Big country]

Yeah he was apparently an avid hunter/outdoors man.

[Bullseye Shooter]

It's doubtful that the barrel is shot out. Most barrels can handle in excess of 5,000 rounds before accuracy suffers. It's not really the barrel that gets shot out, but the errosion at the throat that causes problems with accuracy. More than likely (as you guessed) it's the stock and the bedding. I would check with Bell and Carlson, but I'm guessing a Model 70 stock will work. I'm having a senior moment on what the floor plates look like on a Model 70 but again, B&C should be able to help with that.

[Big country]

So a new stock with a bedding system other than just plain ole wood would likely make the rifle shoot better? I figured but as I said in another thread. I started to read more of the rifles forum and I realized how much I don't know. LOL Anything else that I should check before investing in a new stock?

[Okierifleman]

Yes, the gun was made bearing that Ted Williams name. When you are checking B&C for the stock, make sure you are looking for a Pre-64 Model 70 stock, I am sure it will work on a model 53(although I would invest in a phone call to B&C). Like bullseye said, it is very doubtful that your gun is shot out, the 30-06 has never been known to be hard on barrels and very few people shoot enough to truly ruin one. I would have a gunsmith look at the throat for erosion, and while he is at it, look at the crown(just as important as the throat)If both look good, then you can go to the next step, which is a properly bedded stock.

[Big country]

So if the throat is eroded what can be done to fix that? And okierifleman you have brought me to my next likely culprit, the crown. I was going to take my rifle up to Hill country rifles down in New Braunfels to get a new crown cut but never got around to it. I'm almost positive that my numbers bring the rifles date to post 64. Other than the numbers what should I look for to tell if it's a pre or post 64? If it works here is a crappy pic of the Action.

[Big country]

One more thing would something like this help an old model 70 or is this a waste of money? http://www.hillcountryrifles.com/accurizeit.aspx

[Bullseye Shooter]

If it's throat errosion all you can do is put a new barrel on it or have a gunsmith try and recut the throat area to give you more leade. I did that on my .280 Model 700. The throat wasn't bad but it needed more length (leade) so I could seat the bullets out a tad more. The crown can be recut if that's the problem, but I doubt that it has a problem. Most guys clean their bolt actions from the rear so messing up the crown should not happen. And it it was cleaned from the muzzle end, most cleaning rods are a lot softer than the steel in the barrel, so it's pretty hard to mess up the crown.

I would go the new stock route first before sending it in to have it glass bedded, etc. My son-in-law bought one of those package Savage rifles a few years back. Out of the box, it shot just at one minute at 100 yards. He had some work done on it similar to your website and after it got back it still shot just at one minute.

You know, we never asked; have you checked to make sure the stock screws are tight and that your scope is secure? Sometimes it's just that something got loose that causes the accuracy to deteriorate.

[Big country]

Yes I have checked both. I wonder tho. If the stock screws are tighter than they were from the factory would that cause the harmonics to be off due to pressure on the barrel or something?
I just Googlefooed. As far as I can tell the rifle is a post 64 do to a push feed system rather than the pre 64 controlled feed system.