Author Topic: Quality of Win.Classic Featherweight?? (Read 867 times)

Big Paulie · « **on:** February 19, 2004, 04:00:47 PM »

Does anybody have any comments about the quality of this rifle? I have seen many comments over the years that the Winchester Classics are full of problems. One guy even called them junk?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Big Paulie

tominboise · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2004, 04:06:41 AM »

I bought a new one in 6.5X55 about 15 months ago. It's a fine rifle, but....

The barrel was riding one side of the stock very hard. In order to fix this, I removed the factory hot glue bedding and rebedded with the barrel floating. It will shoot at an inch or under with 120, 140 and 160 grain handloads. I never shot it with the barrel riding, as I knew what the outcome would be.

The other main problem I have, is that it will not reliably eject cases. They fall free from the extractor prior to being kicked out of the rifle. I have both tuned the extractor and replaced the extractor, to no avail. I believe there is a tolerance stack up problem with the machining on the bolt face. So I am at the point of either sending it back to Winchester, or dumping it. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't bother with the Winchester, but rather buy a Tikka T3. In fact, I also recently bought a Remington 700, which has fewer problems than the Winchester. This makes me sad, as I am a Winchester guy, but the rifle shouldn't leave the factory like it did, for what they cost.

Of course, other peoples experiences will be different.

HTH

CEJ1895 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2004, 08:44:31 AM »

tominboise - That's strange, I had the exact same extraction/ejection problems with a Win 70 featherweight in 30-06! The stock bedding was fine but the ejection problems cost a good friend of mine a buck when it jammed on him! This is what soured me on new Winchesters but if I ever find a M70 Alaskan in .338 for under and arm and a leg I'll grab it! CEJ..

Bear Wallow · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2004, 10:21:13 AM »

I have a classic in .270 win. and it's the gun I always grab. It shoots half inch all the time. It has uncommonly nice walnut. Also it likes 130's and 150's.

Big Paulie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2004, 06:41:51 AM »

I would certainly appreciate hearing more comments. The extraction/ejections problems described above are exactly the same thing that people were complaining about on the boards a few years ago.

Amazing, that this design was absolutely perfected in 1898, but Winchester (whose big marketing theme is that the Classic Winchesters have the classic controlled round feeding) can't make a rifle that reliably performs this simple function, and then has the nerve to sell it to you for nearly $800!

On the other hand, maybe they have totally fixed this problem in the last couple of years and it is no longer an issue?

Big Paulie

jvs · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2004, 01:05:30 PM »

When any manufacturer tries to make as many of an item in the shortest period of time, quality suffers.

Unfortunately, mass production of firearms has now reached the point where the standards are lower than ever before for most.

There are still gun makers who try to take pride in their final product. In my opinion, Winchester or Marlin isn't one of them.

Selmer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2004, 06:26:49 AM »

I have a Classic FWT in .30-06, it's my preferred deer gun. The only complaint I have is the glob of bedding compound around the recoil lug, looked terrible and the rifle shot poorly until I cleaned it up some. I'd still like to re-bed it and truly free-float it, but it shoots 1" most days and has killed many, many mulies and whitetails, so I'm not fixing what ain't broke. As for extraction, I run all of my reloads through the gun they will be fired in BEFORE I take the field with them. Therefore I have run thousands of .30-06 rounds through this action and had zero problems, it will throw a case across the room or gently tip it into my hand, it's all up to how hard I pull the bolt.
Selmer

alsatian · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2004, 07:19:25 AM »

I have a new Classic Featherweight in .243 which I bought last September. I haven't had any special problems with it. It ejects very reliably. It shoots OK, probably better than I can shoot it, to be frank.

One problem I did have, there was a white paste visible between the barrel and stock that the gunsmith noticed when he mounted my scope. He identified this to be blueing salt. He removed the barrel/action assembly from the stock, cleaned this paste off, lightly oiled the barrel and other metalwork, and reassembled the rifle. He said this would have caused rusting of the barrel. This was a little disturbing to find out that my brand new rifle would have been rusting away in my closet: I'm very diligent about cleaning my rifles and protecting them against any rust.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2004, 07:29:39 AM »

That isn't paste---its corrosion----like on your car battery------keep it very clean and oiled or it will come back.

Big Tom · « **Reply #9 on:** March 10, 2004, 07:46:51 PM »

Quote from: Big Paulie

Does anybody have any comments about the quality of this rifle? I have seen many comments over the years that the Winchester Classics are full of problems. One guy even called them junk?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Big Paulie

That could have been me Big Paulie. I got a new one in 7MM/08 a few years back and it was terrible....big glob of hot melt...terrible fit...8# trigger. It had really nice wood and my neighbor bought it. LOL
I bought an older used .270 FWT last year and the trigger was pretty stiff but I could get 1 inch groups with it.
I replaced it with a new WBY Mark V SS in .270 and the new WBY is a tack driver. 0.50 at 100yds with 130gr nosler BTs. I sold the FWT for 600$ and paid $800 for the WBY...well worth the $200! :wink: