Winchester Model 70

[smithguy47]

Greetings team...

I have read that depending on the year it was built, a "Pre-64" Winchester Model 70 might not be the hot ticket. I had one...not sure when it was built but man oh man was that a great rifle...sold it, darn it, many years ago.
So,the new Model 70 Winchester in .270 calibre...anything pro or con about this rifle? I have read great reviews so far. I am especially concerned about reliability, build quality (components, assembly etc) and safety. I have read that "this is welded, that is welded" etc vs machined...it's confusing since my old Mod 70 may have had welded parts and I wouldn't have known the difference.
I have looked at a couple Remington BDL700's in .270 but didn't get that "vibe".
Any comments are welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Smithguy

 

[peyton]

I have a couple of the new Winchester 70 classics and I have been happy with them. Mine have the controlled feed and they were built before FN took over production. I never held a pre 64 version or did any research on those compared to the newer ones. Oh, minor detail, they DO NOT HAVE A TRIGGER RECALL on every rifle they built (said by a person who also has 5 Remington's 700 rifles that have to be repaired

 

[alwslate]

Lots of original pre 64s around for sale. Buy one in nice shape and you
won't have to worry about it. Take care of it and you'll make money
on it when you sell, if you ever sell it. The new classics will never have
the aura of the originals.

 

[M29since14]

I like the new Model 70s a great deal. I don't think you will regret the purchase. The ones I have been around were nice looking, functioned smoothly and we're accurate. At the current prices, I don't see how you can go wrong. The one little bit of trouble I have had with a M70 recently was repaired quickly and at no expense to me. I was impressed. I intend to add another one to the stable as soon as I can.

 

[smutt]

I have a 1955 30/06, push feed .223 Featherweight, Classic 30/06 Featherweight, and Classic Super Grade in .270. Best trigger 1955. Best looking, the Super Grade. Best mountain gun, Classic 30/06 Featherweight. Best beat around gun for cougar and smaller game, push feed .223 Featherweight.

 

[lrb1200]

All day long, you can't go wrong with a Pre-64 Model 70.
They did not earn the nickname of the "Rifleman's Rifle" for nothing. My first and only choice in a bolt.
One of my favorites, a "Gopher Special" in 243 Win.
98% unrestored condition.

 

[Texas Star]

I really think the current ones are the best ever, and that's saying something! They do have the controlled round feed and a better cartridge support at the bolt head, a bolt guide that avoids wobble in cycling, and probably superior metallurgy. And the stock design is certainly nicer than on the old standard grade. Super Grade rifles look a lot nicer.

I've never seen anything about welded vs. machined parts.

The Model 70 is a lot nicer rifle than a Remington 700, made of better steel with higher chrome content, I think, and less inclined to rust easily. I think the metallurgy makes the bolt work slicker, too.

If I could own very few riles, the current M-70 Fwt. Classic would be my first choice. I'd also want some CZ's and a Sako or two. I probably wouldn't buy a Remington. If I did, it'd have to have the trigger replaced, as the design is faulty, and the actual designer has said so and that he told Remington many years ago that it needed fixing and they didn't want to spend the money. It would then have amounted to about a nickel higher price per rifle!

The Ruger M-77 is a good design and current ones shoot well. They had some bad barrels in previous decades. But the M-70 Winchester is where it's really at in hunting rifles. At least that's my opinion.

You could buy a vintage Mannlicher-Schoenauer and have a superb rifle. But it has 'scope mounting issues and the forward placement of the bolt handle makes it hard to cycle as rapidly as that on Mauser-derived bolts. The Model 70 works quicker for me than anything but a Lee-Enfield.

 

[thardgrave]

I am an old Winchester fan, and have several pre- 64's in different models, including 2 Model 70's. I think there is a fair comparison with pre-64 to current, as p & r Smith and Wessons...... They both hark back to an earlier era of craftsmanship that is pretty much gone today....replaced by new technology that could be superior in some respects, but the feel and look of those older models, as well as the knowledge that it was machined out of forged steel, is hard to deny if you love firearms..... Much as p & r are somewhat revered by many here....it's what it represents.

 

[Waywatcher]

So,the new Model 70 Winchester in .270 calibre...anything pro or con about this rifle? I have read great reviews so far. I am especially concerned about reliability, build quality (components, assembly etc) and safety. I have read that "this is welded, that is welded" etc vs machined...it's confusing since my old Mod 70 may have had welded parts and I wouldn't have known the difference.
I have looked at a couple Remington BDL700's in .270 but didn't get that "vibe".
Any comments are welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Smithguy

Mine is definitely a keeper.

I started hunting with a 6lb 12oz rifle chambered in .30-06 with a 12oz scope, which made it a total weight of 7.5lbs. Shooting 165 grain bullets this worked out to 20 ft/lbs of recoil and was not fun or enjoyable to shoot, in my opinion. I sold it.

About a year ago, I felt a void in my modest gun collection; I lacked a long distance rifle. I had nothing that really replaced that .30-06, and the closest thing I had was an iron sighted 5.56 AR. Naturally, I had to get a new rifle.

I wanted an American made rifle, and after the recent ammo panic, I decided it would be in a hunting caliber since it was always available here. I decided, after some research, on .270. It is flatter shooting than either a .30-06 or a .308, and with less recoil and more availability. I found the perfect rifle for me; the rifleman's rifle, the Winchester Model 70. They are being made in the USA by FN right in the same facility as machine guns for the military, which means they are made in a quality controlled, skilled labor environment. I also decided, early on, that I did not want a "lightweight" rifle. Standard weight would be preferred. I found perfection with the M70 Sporter, with a 12oz scope, as it ends up being 8.5lbs.

The really awesome part, though, is shooting it. That one extra pound, combined with the lower recoil of the .270, is downright enjoyable. It has only 14ft/lbs of recoil with standard 130 grain loads (compared to my old .30-06's 20ft/lbs!--That's 30% less recoil!) Sure, it's one more pound of weight to carry, but 8.5lbs is still not ridiculous. When it comes time to shoot, though, that the one extra pound of weight is so worth it! I have fired 35 rounds in a single range session; with that light .30-06 it was a chore to finish a box of 20.

Here is my handload I worked up for it; there really are five holes there if you look close!



Looks as good as it shoots:

 

[M29since14]

I really think the current ones are the best ever...

From what I have seen, I agree with you. My only criticism is the stock. I am more comfortable with a Monte Carlo design so I prefer that, but overall, the new Model 70s are terrific rifles.

Nice shooting, Waywatcher.