Building a 470 Capstick

[358 Norma]

I'm in the beginning stages of building a 470 Capstick rifle. I plan on using a new production Winchester mod 70 416 rem mag as the donor rifle, a Pacnor barrel, NECG Banded front sight, barrel ban swivel, island rear sight and McMillan safari express stock in the McMillan McWoody finish.

My question for you is what do you think of this setup? What is your opinion on the new 2025 built Winchester mod 70 action? What Barrel contour should I go with?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[WC86]

It sounds great. I like the McMillan mcwoody stocks.

That said, I would call McMillan about it if that is the stock you want. To my recollection that stock is made for the sunny hill drop belly floor plate, not the model 70

The sunny hill drop belly for model 70s may not be available anymore. It used to be listed on midway and others but then went to “discontinued”. On the sunny hill website their price list is for 2021

Lastly, I can’t find that stock on their current hunting stock list. I read somewhere recently (maybe on this forum) that they are only making stocks for rem and rem clones nowadays

In any event, a quick call to McMillan ought to be able to clear all of this up. I’d start there. Please report back your findings. I’ve thought about getting a mcwoody for one of my m70’s when I hunt in swamps of the southeast

Barrel profile choices incite a lot of passion

I had one of the new production rifles in 375 and thought the factory taper was a bit large for a 375. It wasn’t nearly as handy as other medium bores I have. Given the weight, the recoil was very mild as would be expected. It would be more appropriate for a capstick

I had a 2012 m70. If the 2025 is anything like it the action was excellent. Fed perfectly. Was very precise. I sold it to a member of this forum

 

[358 Norma]

It sounds great. I like the McMillan mcwoody stocks.

That said, I would call McMillan about it if that is the stock you want. To my recollection that stock is made for the sunny hill drop belly floor plate, not the model 70

The sunny hill drop belly for model 70s may not be available anymore. It used to be listed on midway and others but then went to “discontinued”. On the sunny hill website their price list is for 2021

Lastly, I can’t find that stock on their current hunting stock list. I read somewhere recently (maybe on this forum) that they are only making stocks for rem and rem clones nowadays

In any event, a quick call to McMillan ought to be able to clear all of this up. I’d start there. Please report back your findings. I’ve thought about getting a mcwoody for one of my m70’s when I hunt in swamps of the southeast

Barrel profile choices incite a lot of passion

I had one of the new production rifles in 375 and thought the factory taper was a bit large for a 375. It wasn’t nearly as handy as other medium bores I have. Given the weight, the recoil was very mild as would be expected. It would be more appropriate for a capstick

I had a 2012 m70. If the 2025 is anything like it the action was excellent. Fed perfectly. Was very precise. I sold it to a member of this forum

I already called McMillan and they do make the stock in flat top only! I believe they said the Safari Express used the standard bottom metal, but I will check with them before placing my order.

 

[uplander01]

If I was to build such a rifle and use a mcmillan stock I would do one of their camo finishes, they are spectacularly done. I would also use a pretty heavy barrel contour and have them put weight in the buttstock, balance it out right,make it weigh around 11 lbs and you really have a cool set up

 

[WC86]

That's good news. I may be calling them in the next few months too as I get other projects out of the way. It would be nice to have a weatherproof stock to complement beautiful pieces of wood more than twice my age when hunting in swamps

If they'll sell it in a flat top I would look into LRI and Chad Dixon. He prefers to receive flat top stocks and his bedding jobs with CNC inletting and custom pillars are legendary in the long range shooting community. He also advertises DG rifles and will install cross bolts, barrel band swivels, super grade sling swivels, etc although I've not seen one of his DG rifles in person

I haven't personally had work done by his shop (yet) but I've seen his work and he'd be at the top of my list if I had a flat top composite stock and wanted it inletted and bedded. In fact, the only thing you've specified that I'm not sure he does is install sights. Also not sure what finish you want and whether he does bluing work. Otherwise he could be a one stop shop

If he doesn't, and you want blueing, I'd personally look at having NECG do all barrel work and bluing. Although I've not personally seen their bluing jobs outside of their website, those look stellar and I've owned a 416RM custom build that they installed sights on and, as you would expect, they were excellent and dead on for 400gr moving at 2400fps at 50yds

Excited to see it

 

[358 Norma]

That's good news. I may be calling them in the next few months too as I get other projects out of the way. It would be nice to have a weatherproof stock to complement beautiful pieces of wood more than twice my age when hunting in swamps

If they'll sell it in a flat top I would look into LRI and Chad Dixon. He prefers to receive flat top stocks and his bedding jobs with CNC inletting and custom pillars are legendary in the long range shooting community. He also advertises DG rifles and will install cross bolts, barrel band swivels, super grade sling swivels, etc although I've not seen one of his DG rifles in person

I haven't personally had work done by his shop (yet) but I've seen his work and he'd be at the top of my list if I had a flat top composite stock and wanted it inletted and bedded. In fact, the only thing you've specified that I'm not sure he does is install sights. Also not sure what finish you want and whether he does bluing work. Otherwise he could be a one stop shop

If he doesn't, and you want blueing, I'd personally look at having NECG do all barrel work and bluing. Although I've not personally seen their bluing jobs outside of their website, those look stellar and I've owned a 416RM custom build that they installed sights on and, as you would expect, they were excellent and dead on for 400gr moving at 2400fps at 50yds

Excited to see it

I will keep what you said in my mind. I have already chosen a gunsmith to do the work, I've talked to Kevin Weaver and he has agreed to do the project!

 

[RLL]

I'm in the beginning stages of building a 470 Capstick rifle. I plan on using a new production Winchester mod 70 416 rem mag as the donor rifle, a Pacnor barrel, NECG Banded front sight, barrel ban swivel, island rear sight and McMillan safari express stock in the McMillan McWoody finish.

My question for you is what do you think of this setup? What is your opinion on the new 2025 built Winchester mod 70 action? What Barrel contour should I go with?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

I use Shilen barrels for all my builds. 458s have either been a contour #5 or 5.5. Heavier profile barrels I think look good and tend to help with recoil and heat management.

 

[WC86]

I will keep what you said in my mind. I have already chosen a gunsmith to do the work, I've talked to Kevin Weaver and he has agreed to do the project!

Awesome. Excited to see it!

 

[358 Norma]

I use Shilen barrels for all my builds. 458s have either been a contour #5 or 5.5. Heavier profile barrels I think look good and tend to help with recoil and heat management.

I have talked to Pacnor and I am thinking of using their #5 barrel contour.

I also talked to Kevin Weaver again and he told me he doesn't care for the molded in colors with the McMillan stock. He says they tend to chip when inletting the stock and then they just don't turn out as nice as he likes. So I've decided to just use the factory stock for now and the have a custom wood stock made for in the future.

 

[Riflecrank]

Too bad you cannot still get a Sunny Hill-McMillan drop-in combo, drop box and drop-belly stock.
I did that on a .500/.338 Lapua Magnum Improved wildcat.

The factory walnut stock on my 470 Capstick worked quite nicely.

I used the factory barrel sights and had gunsmith put a recoil lug on the barrel and glass bedded throughout, with pillars. No axial rod through the grip but good grain there = no worries.
Only other thing of note was to change the follower and magazine spring to those from a 300 RUM M70 Classic. Loads, feeds, retains and ejects well and a little more room in the box, slicked up by gunsmith.

Barrel contour. My 470 Capstick barrel is sort of a cross between a McGowen No. 6 Light Target with some sporterization instead of a straight taper. Call it a McGowen No. 6 Sporter, even if they do not list it as an option. 0.750" at the 26" muzzle.

I have built several .500 and .510caliber rifles and chose the Pac-Nor No. 6 sporter contour for those.
They are about 0.790" at the 24" muzzle, with a 3"-long cylinder shank before threading of the tenon. I have even had McGowen copy Pac-Nor No. 6 Sporter on their barrels, routine for them.

Pac-Nor No. 6 Sporter Contour would be ideal for a 470 Capstick, just as their No. 5 Sporter Contour is ideal on a .458 WIN MAG.
Calculate your barrel weight here thanks to Pac-Nor:

Barrel Weight Calculator – Pac-Nor Barreling –

Pick your twist offered by Pac-Nor:

475 (0.475")​

6 groove
10"
16"
18"
38"

8 groove
18"

Where an axial rod through the grip might be inserted, all the way up to the rear pillar, slathered with epoxy:

 

[Riflecrank]

Why build one with a 26"-long barrel of 1:10" twist ?
I guess I was suggestible due to this from Art Alphin:

I'd say the A-Square manual data was pretty reliable for my rifle.

 

[358 Norma]

I guess I should add that I'm going to have the barrel cut at 23 inches, I'm not looking to push the throttle on this rifle. What i want to do is get about 2250fps, essentially having a rifle that slightly betters my 470 nitro that I can use with optics!

 

[Riflecrank]

82 to 83 grains of H4895 will probably get you close to 2250 fps from a 23" barrel.
You'll be cracking past 2300 fps with a 23" barrel and 85 grains of H4895 with 500-grainer.
Same MV can be done with a 23"-barreled .458 WIN MAG handloaded with 500-grainer in the same length action/mag-box as the 470 Capstick.

 

[Riflecrank]

Hey ! Maybe I need to have mine cut down to 22" and get a barrel-banded front sight
for extended-pinky-finger appeal and I bet it would still do 2300 fps with 85 grains of H4895 and 500-grainer.

 

[358 Norma]

I guess the biggest reason I don't want to do a 458 win mag or 458 lot is because I like oddball calibers. I already have 10 boxes of Swift .474 cal 500 grain A-Frames and 3 boxes of Hornady 500 DGX's. I've also been told the 470 Capstick at 2250-2300fps will have less recoil then a similarly loaded 458 lott.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Too bad you cannot still get a Sunny Hill-McMillan drop-in combo, drop box and drop-belly stock.
I did that on a .500/.338 Lapua Magnum Improved wildcat.

View attachment 709419
View attachment 709420

The factory walnut stock on my 470 Capstick worked quite nicely.

View attachment 709421

I used the factory barrel sights and had gunsmith put a recoil lug on the barrel and glass bedded throughout, with pillars. No axial rod through the grip but good grain there = no worries.
Only other thing of note was to change the follower and magazine spring to those from a 300 RUM M70 Classic. Loads, feeds, retains and ejects well and a little more room in the box, slicked up by gunsmith.

Barrel contour. My 470 Capstick barrel is sort of a cross between a McGowen No. 6 Light Target with some sporterization instead of a straight taper. Call it a McGowen No. 6 Sporter, even if they do not list it as an option. 0.750" at the 26" muzzle.

I have built several .500 and .510caliber rifles and chose the Pac-Nor No. 6 sporter contour for those.
They are about 0.790" at the 24" muzzle, with a 3"-long cylinder shank before threading of the tenon. I have even had McGowen copy Pac-Nor No. 6 Sporter on their barrels, routine for them.

Pac-Nor No. 6 Sporter Contour would be ideal for a 470 Capstick, just as their No. 5 Sporter Contour is ideal on a .458 WIN MAG.
Calculate your barrel weight here thanks to Pac-Nor:

Barrel Weight Calculator – Pac-Nor Barreling –

Pick your twist offered by Pac-Nor:

475 (0.475")​

6 groove
10"
16"
18"
38"

8 groove
18"

View attachment 709447View attachment 709448

View attachment 709449

View attachment 709450

View attachment 709451

View attachment 709452

View attachment 709453

View attachment 709454

View attachment 709455

View attachment 709456

Where an axial rod through the grip might be inserted, all the way up to the rear pillar, slathered with epoxy:
View attachment 709457

I drilled the "axial rod" down from rear pillar. If drill goes off track a bit during progress, it's less critical at the grip cap end.

This the drill in the jig ready to start. Next time I'll cut the shank of drill off shorter. Not necessary for it to be so long. Only increases the potential for it to wander during drilling (which it didn't).

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Lija contoured my 24" 404 barrel at #5. My 98 Mauser is heavy but balanced perfectly at front of magazine floorplate. He advised 1/14 twist. I knew nothing about twist so followed his lead.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I will keep what you said in my mind. I have already chosen a gunsmith to do the work, I've talked to Kevin Weaver and he has agreed to do the project!

I just picked up my CZ550 Lott from Kevin today. I had an occasional stoppage of a round feeding from the magazine. No more. He cycled a number of his well worn dummy rounds through it in front of me without a hitch. He has built many large bore custom rifles and he knows what he is doing. In fact, he has a custom .470 Capstick that he built in his shop right now. FYI

 

[CoElkHunter]

I guess the biggest reason I don't want to do a 458 win mag or 458 lot is because I like oddball calibers. I already have 10 boxes of Swift .474 cal 500 grain A-Frames and 3 boxes of Hornady 500 DGX's. I've also been told the 470 Capstick at 2250-2300fps will have less recoil then a similarly loaded 458 lott.

I’ve shot @CZDiesel ‘s scoped .470 Capstick and the recoil is noticeably less than my unscoped CZ550 Lott.

 

[steve white]

I’ve shot @CZDiesel ‘s scoped .470 Capstick and the recoil is noticeably less than my unscoped CZ550 Lott.

What!? I heard they named it the 470 Capstick because one shot took old Capstick himself from drunk to stone-cold sober....
Glad to hear it is manageable.