Winchester M70 XTR FWT .308 Build ALL ADVICE WELCOME!!!!!!

Hi all, i recently picked this rifle up off a close family friend, he owned it from new and i grew up going hunting with him. now that he is older i got the opportunity to purchase said rifle and jumped at the chance. Now i know its not everyones cup of tea to modify a "classic" rifle but i wanted something i could use out to 400m and swap the scope out for the Thermal scope for deer pest control when needed. Rather than have it done for me i set about trying to do everything myself with YouTube and advice from a friend as guidance. I'm pretty sure i have done some things wrong but the result was a short, light rifle that shoots bloody well. Still, Any advice is most welcome for the next build. Cheers.

Attachment 224182
Re-shaping the stock to fit new butt pad

Attachment 224183

Final shape

Attachment 224184Attachment 224185Attachment 224186

Added a block to strengthen butt, Northland recycled Kauri.

Attachment 224187Attachment 224188

Spartan bipod adapter

Attachment 224189

Sh*%loads of careful sanding and cleaning up checkering

Attachment 224190 Broken parts, there are 2 legends on this forum that helped me out with getting this part. thanks heaps, you know who you are.

Attachment 224191Attachment 224192

Trying my hand at pillar bedding

Attachment 224194

Devcon plastic steel bedding compound, Kiwi shoe polish release agent. came out pretty mint for a first try.

Attachment 224196

Bedded and fitted rail, leupold quick release rings

Attachment 224198

New scope, nice and light.

Attachment 224199

Free-floated the barrel

Attachment 224201Attachment 224202Attachment 224203

DPT suppressor, several cotes of boiled linseed. will give it 5 or so more cotes and cerakote all the metal once bank account recovers.

Attachment 224204

Most importantly, tried Hornady precision hunter, Superformance, American whitetail, Federal fusion, winchester super x and finaly SAKO gamehead 150gr which it loved. after shooting this group i took the scope off, wound the turret up and down and shot another group, repeated this 3 times, zero stayed rock solid. Even though removing a scope several times feels very wrong, good quality Pic rail and quick release rings ensure that the zero doesn't move an inch. will radar and work out a drop sheet then hit the hills. As i said at the start, i am a mechanic not a gunsmith, all feedback appreciated. cheers.

Great practical improvements, good work preserving the checkering, I would never have the patience. The only critique is that you filled the snack compartment in the stock with wood.