Opinions on winchester's MODEL 70

GorV · 10-15-2004, 04:04 PM

Just want to hear some thoughts on winchesters classic super-grade, the goods, the bads,and how it compares to other winchester models..thanks!

oldelkhunter · 10-18-2004, 09:18 AM

At least you'll get a very nice stock

I won't be purchasing another model 70 anytime soon been there done that with a Supergrade in 338

Fireblade545 · 10-19-2004, 11:47 AM

I dont own one but i messed around with a featherweight at teh store. I still dont like the 3 position safety. It makes no sense to me when you can get a much simpler 2 position that does the same thing. The new remingtons can reload on safety as well as others. And whats the big deal about loading and unloading the gun when its not on safety? IF you cant handle flipping the safety off to open a bolt , you dont need to be around guns.

10-19-2004, 03:13 PM

I don't know much about super grades. but all the 70's I have worked on, needed additional work to get them to be shooters. Some needed a new crown cut. Another has sloppy headspace and needed rereamed, all needed triggers adjusted or just changed. Almost all needed some sort of bedding. Some had some real rough barrels.

But when its all done and over with, you still got the best action in the business. And the action is the heart of a gun.

10-19-2004, 03:16 PM

Fireblade one of the nice things about thier safeties is you can't lift the bolt when on safety. Beleive me thats nice when in the real thick of things. With Model 700's, I have had alof trouble Moose hunting. I will have it on safety, and be walking thru pine thickets and black spruce. Up in Newfie land, thats tough stuff. Then the moment of truth comes, and my action is wide open gettting all kinds of crud in it and my bullet gone. I myself definatley see an advantage of a three position safety. I was like you before.

Fireblade545 · 10-19-2004, 03:21 PM

Yeah I agree with you there BC. My Abolt locks the bolt on safety. What im saying is you really dont need to have that 3rd position where you can open the bolt on safety.

oldelkhunter · 10-20-2004, 08:18 AM

Almost 900 dollars and it has hot glue bedding. Half shoot ok after you have work done on them and half don't even after work is done on them. Sounds like a great deal to me.

keyshunter · 10-20-2004, 08:23 AM

The model 70 safety locks the firing pin when on safe, similar to the old mauser. Most of the other modern rifles lock the trigger sear. No matter how light the sear is set, with a firing pin blocking safety the pin cannot fall. Back in the 50's and 60's I used quite a few model 70 and mauser actions for benchrest, and varmint rifles. I especially liked the model 70 because I could quite easily set the trigger pulls to about 1 pound, and it's safety would still work reliably.

Also, the older Model 700's had a safety which locked the bolt as well as the trigger. Remington changed this years ago after several lawsuits where guns supposedly fired when the safety was released for unloading. Remington issued a recall whereby they would, at no charge, change the safety to one which would not lock the bolt.

zekeskar · 10-20-2004, 02:31 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Fireblade545

Yeah I agree with you there BC. My Abolt locks the bolt on safety. What im saying is you really dont need to have that 3rd position where you can open the bolt on safety.

I've been handling weapons for over 30 years and just can't see why the three positon safety is not a good thing?

It allows safety and bolt lock for safe bush-wacking.

It allows safety and bolt action for safe unloading or loading.

It allows safety off for firing.

The existence of the three positions in no way hinders taking the safety off to shoot, at least any more so than any other safety I've ever used.

To me, there's no negative in this scenario and in comparison, a safety that only allows unloading with safety off is a negative feature that I'd avoid.

Also, it's even more important with a rifle that has a blind magazine because there's no real alternative to unloading other than working the rounds with the bolt. To me doing this with the safety off is asking for trouble. Maybe not with you or me, at least in theory because we're perfect and never make mistakes

. But it's just inviting an accident just because sXXX happens, even to the most careful and most experienced of us.

My model 70 is my only high powered rifle, but I'm not brand loyal. I just happen to have one. But, I wasn't aware that there are some brands that don't have the feature of moving the bolt w/ safety on. On the other hand, the other guns I have (various types of shotguns and a semi-auto .22) all allow unloading in some form with safety on.

Fireblade545 · 10-20-2004, 03:01 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: keyshunter

The model 70 safety locks the firing pin when on safe, similar to the old mauser. Most of the other modern rifles lock the trigger sear. No matter how light the sear is set, with a firing pin blocking safety the pin cannot fall.

"The safety locks the trigger and blocks the striker. It also locks the bolt closed, preventing inadvertent opening if snagged in the field." tooken from the Browning Abolt review page by Chuck Hawks. The model 70 is no tthe only rifle that locks the trigger AND striker. I guess you guys do have a good point on the 3 pos. safety. I just dont see how its dangerous to take the safety off and open the bolt if you are careful. And on the remington thing, i have a 1970's Remington model 700 and the safety does lock the bolt. I dont see whats the deal with these lawsuits about the model 700 firing upon opening the bolt. The dumbasses prolly had there finger on the damn trigger and flipped the saefty off to raise the bolt and unload and teh gun went off and they sued em.