The new Model 70s

[RTBRICK]

I don't read or hear much about new Winchester Model 70 rifles.  I never come across anyone saying they just bought one, saving up, etc.  What is the consensus out there?  Does noone like them?  Are they poor rifles compared to Remington, Browning, Savage, and Ruger?

[HogFan]

I have one that is the 70 SS in .270 WSM that my wife bought for me last Christmas. Very accurate rifle, and I like it very much. The older I get, the more I want to stay with Remington or Winchester. Ruger comes in a distant 3rd. I have no complaints with mine, and the only gun that shoots as good as it, is my Remington 700 BDL .280.

HogFan

[victorcharlie]

Having bought a Savage recently to the dismay of some on this forum......and as accurate as the Savages are for the price one pays.......I will also be staying primarily with the Remington 700 because of the availability of parts.  If you can't get it for a Remington 700, they don't make it.

I do love the action on the Ruger 77, and would not hesitate to buy more of them.

[copp]

I have 2 in 270 wsms bought within past 6 months. One is the coyote and the other is the super shadow. Though I have used Remington, Browning,Savage, and Ruger during the past 40 yrs my experience with Winchester has been excellent. Very accurate but part of this might be the short mag design. Really like the coyote lite that is coming out in 2005. Think Winchester has come up with new ideas that are working. Just came back from taking my 2nd nice buck in Tx. Do like the feeding system and easily adjustable trigger on Winchester. I now have about 15 other rifles but the Winchester's are going back hunting with me.

[swecology]

I've bought two new center fire rifles in the past three years, and they have both been Winchesters.  One a M70  Classic Sporter in 30-06, the other a M70 Featherweight in 7mm WSM, which I picked up right before Thanksgiving.

They shoot nicer and are more accurate than my Ruger M77, and fit better.  The trigger setup is very user-freindly.  Put a Sims Limbsaver recoil pad on them and they are truely a dream to shoot.  The Featherweight has the best balance of any rifle I've picked up in years.

One thing I would like to know, though, is what kind of preservative do they use inside the bores of the new ones?  Getting that stuff out of the bore of the 7mm WSM has been a nightmare.  Butch's won't touch it, Hoppe's barely touches it.  I'm waiting to see what happens when I try Shooter's Choice and a nylon brush to get it out of there.

[RTBRICK]

So it seems Winchester is still a top shelf performer.  Then why so little talk and discussion amongst shooters?  They are surely as expensive as any of the other top brands.  Their new 25 WSSM in the featherweight looks to make a fine woods or mountain rifle.  Though, I am in the midst of making a custom .257R.  Wonder how I'll get this one past the wife?

[Buffalogun]

RTBrick,

I have M70's made around 1994, chambered to the .243 Win, 6.5x55,.270 Win and 7mm Rem Mag.  The 7mm Rem Mag is a "Classic Stainless", the .270 Win is a "Classic Super Grade", the 6.5x55 is a "Featherweight" and the .243 Win is a "non cataloged, synthetic stocked, matte black Whitetail Carbine".

They are all fine shooters. All are capable of sub MOA accuracy. In fact, the little .243 Win has a 20" barrel and is just about a perfect rifle in that it shoots almost any 95-100g bullet under 1 MOA and several around .5 MOA. I reload all my ammo and have reloaded .243 cases as many as 10 times before tossing them out. All the while driving 95-100g bullets to 3,000 fps.

I have found them to be very dependable and worthy rifles. I can't think of any off the shelf stock from Remington or Ruger that can compare with the "Featherweight" stock.

I don't own any Remington or Ruger rifles and don't hanker for any. The Rugers appear too "blocky" for me and I have read of accuracy problems. I don't trust the Remington safetys! One of our club members has a M700 that discharged when he moved the safety into the fire position. We kindly asked him to leave that rifle at home!

I have a Browning Abolt II, but we'll leave that for later!


Buffalogun

[Jaydub in Wi]

I have 3 of them. All are classic sporters. Calibers are 264 win mag, 7mm rem mag, and 300 win mag. Soon, I will get a 338 win mag for the large game. The 264 is a shooter with 120 gr barnes x billets. Took 4 deer in the last 3 years with 4 shots. It's time for the 7mm to get out next. Love my 70s.

[Fullchoke]

I bought a Classic Featherweight in .270WSM late last year. It's a nice rifle. Have been hunting with it this deer season and it's probably going to replace my .257 Wby as #1 whitetail rifle.

I have two Weatherby's, one Remington 700 Mountain rifle and a Browning A-Bolt II for bolt rifles. No complaints about any of them, but the new Winchester just seems to call out a little louder.

I think the late Jack O'Connor may have been right.

[Patriot_1776]

One of our club members has a M700 that discharged when he moved the safety into the fire position. We kindly asked him to leave that rifle at home!

Was he following this safety rule below?

"Keep your finger OFF the trigger until READY to shoot."

It just seems to me that was not a mechanical failure; just an opinion, as I am not a gunsmith.  But I've seen Remington 700s at the range more than any other, and not a single accident have I witnessed as yet.   Patriot

[leverfan]

I don't read or hear much about new Winchester Model 70 rifles.  I never come across anyone saying they just bought one, saving up, etc.  What is the consensus out there?  Does noone like them?  Are they poor rifles compared to Remington, Browning, Savage, and Ruger?

The thread that I've put the most posts on is the one dealing with a Model 70 that I bought about a year ago.  It had feed rail problems, and it took two trips back to USRAC to make it right.  It works very well now, it's accurate, and I would still be willing to buy another.  The stock fits me better than any other bolt gun, and I prefer the Classic 70 action style.  CZ and Ruger are possible for future rifles, especially now that Ruger is offering the 260 Remington in a range of 77s.

[swecology]

So it seems Winchester is still a top shelf performer.  Then why so little talk and discussion amongst shooters?  They are surely as expensive as any of the other top brands.  Their new 25 WSSM in the featherweight looks to make a fine woods or mountain rifle.  Though, I am in the midst of making a custom .257R.  Wonder how I'll get this one past the wife?

Maybe because they are relatively trouble-free, and therefore no one gripes about them?  Or, if you do have an issue, the company seems to be very easy to work with, more or less staying off of the radar screen?

Just a thought.

Matt

[catchone]

I have a M70 classic compact in 7-08.   It is the sweetest handling mountain style rifle I have had.  I like the 20" barrel, simple checkering, stock profile, safety configuration and smooth operation.  Accuracy is better than I thought possible (3/4" @100yds) if I let it cool between rounds.  The only thing that could be better, would be to have it in .260 Remington.  It really has been flawless so far.
KL

[Buffalogun]

Patriot_1776,

This member is a retired deputy sheriff, so he should be very familiar with firearm safety rules. Evidently, he didn't think he was at fault, because he took the rifle straight to our resident gunsmith for a possible repair.

The trouble is, this "spontaineous discharging" of some Remington M700's has been well documented over the years. And, even though this members rifle has been worked on by the gunsmith, nobody trusts it, for obvious reasons!

Too bad!!!

Buffalogun

[BackCountry]

Now that browning owns winchester, are the winchesters still being made in the usa?

[Fullchoke]

Now that browning owns winchester, are the winchesters still being made in the usa?

My Featherweight was, but I can't say about the entire line.