Winchester M70 Review
06-23-2009, 05:13 PM
#32
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329
RE: Winchester M70 Review
Called Winchester and found out that first shipment goes out in August then another in October. So I'm thinking now it will be end of October. Looks like she'll have to wait till next year to get shot. Sucks.
Anybody out there hear anything?
Tom
Anybody out there hear anything?
Tom
06-30-2009, 04:34 PM
#34
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329
RE: Winchester M70 Review
Yeah the one on Gubbroker isn't exactly what I'm after. I'm after an extreme weather. The one they have though is at a very good price. Only thing I've never understood is how folks justify buy at an auction when you have to pay shipping, insurance and FFL transfer fees. At that point you might as well order through a local dealer.
There is a really nice used one on there for $500 that I wish I had room for. Looks like a steal to me.
Tom
There is a really nice used one on there for $500 that I wish I had room for. Looks like a steal to me.
Tom
07-14-2009, 08:06 AM
#35
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 2,862
I talked to one of the local gunshops and he has a bunch of 'em in stock, but he isn't selling any of them... He is stock piling them and is going to flood the market with them. He wouldn't even let me handle one.......Think he made my mind up that I'm not going to be purchasing any guns from him anytime in the near future.
07-15-2009, 09:07 AM
#36
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,600
statjunk....Got your PM and tried to reply. Said your board is full, and would not drop it until you cleared some out. So, I'll answer here....Yes, I did buy the SA from CDNN back in March. It comes with the CRF bolt and 3-position safe, and is NOT stamped as a Winchester. It's stamped "FN Police Special Rifle"', and also "FN-USA", Fredricksburg, VA. It sure appears to me to be every bit a Win. action. Matte finish, and a Picatinny top rib. Haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet. Maybe get working on it this winter....
If I can be of any help, let me know... Don.
If I can be of any help, let me know... Don.
07-16-2009, 04:56 PM
#37
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329
Hey PA,
I tried sending you a PM but I can't. After I typed it twice it just asks me for my username and password and then tells me I'm not a member. LOL.
I also can't delete PM's. Does the same thing.
I called CDNN and they no longer have the blind mag actions only the box mags. I only want the blind type. I was strongly considering buying one and just building it up. I think since I can't score one of those I'm just going to hold on and buy the factory unit.
Tom
I tried sending you a PM but I can't. After I typed it twice it just asks me for my username and password and then tells me I'm not a member. LOL.
I also can't delete PM's. Does the same thing.
I called CDNN and they no longer have the blind mag actions only the box mags. I only want the blind type. I was strongly considering buying one and just building it up. I think since I can't score one of those I'm just going to hold on and buy the factory unit.
Tom
08-01-2009, 04:48 AM
#38
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329
I seeked advice from many folks before making this decision but I decided to buy a long action. That way I could load pretty much whatever length bullets I want to. I bought the .30-06.
So to specify it's the Winchester M70 Extreme Weather in .30-06.
I picked it up yesterday. This is the third Extreme weather that I've seen. I looked at a .270Win another .30-06 and then the .30-06 that I bought. The first .270Win had the lightest trigger, I just wasn't interested in a .270. The first .30-06 had forearm flex that allowed it to touch the barrel. The last one, .30-06 was the winner. The trigger was crisp but not the lightest and the forearm cannot be flexed to the barrel.
Fit and finish: A+
Smoothness of the bolt: A
Trigger weight: B+
Length of pull: A
Fit of the recoil pad: A+
Allen screws instead of flat: A+++++
This morning I took apart the rifle to adjust the trigger. It was really nice to have the allen screws and not the flat screws. One of the things I noticed is that the action screws took little to no effort to remove. I'm going to monitor them. They may need some different form of loc-tite. The adjustment screws for the trigger are caked in some form of hardend glue. I removed it with a small screw driver and dialed the screw completely out of the housing. That is the lightest setting for the trigger. If you are a guy that usually has custom triggers put in your rifle or you have either winchester or remington triggers smithed to be made light then you might be very slightly disappointed. The trigger is light but right on the cusp of where I like them to be. If you're just a regular joe and buy and use rifles off the shelf you're going to be blown away. I won't be changing the trigger on the rifle but I would like it about a 1/2 lb lighter than it is. There is 100% zero creep in that trigger. Bet on that. It is 100% true. In the creep department it gets an A++.
The pillars are machined nicely and the underside of the action is finished just as nicely as the top. The reports of rubber in the stocks and what not is false. There is nothing in there but a piller and the stock. You can see the aluminum block for the stock, which looks pretty cool. The stock is a Bell and Carlson Medalist. I'm very happy with the stock at this point. The recoil pad is the pachenmeyer and it's real nice.
I'm going to see how she shoots before I have her glass bedded.
Ok here's the best part. I checked the rifle with the oal guage and I will be able to load 180gr and 165gr bullets to the lands and still fit them in the magazine. The freebore in this rifle is nice and tight. I have about .04" to spare on the 165gr and .07" to spare on the 180gr. I check Nosler Partition 180gr, Sierra GK 180gr, Nosler BT 165gr.
Honestly I don't know that I could be happier with this rifle right now. The only thing I would change out is the trigger to a traditional Winchester M70 trigger than a smith could easily turn down to 2.5-3lbs. Or less even. Funny the trigger is the part they advertise the most. Guess most guys buying guns don't care about all the other goodies they packed into this thing.
My opinion one of the nicest rifles under $1k on the market today.
Ordering the rings and bases today. Should have a range report with some pics in the next couple of weeks.
Tom
So to specify it's the Winchester M70 Extreme Weather in .30-06.
I picked it up yesterday. This is the third Extreme weather that I've seen. I looked at a .270Win another .30-06 and then the .30-06 that I bought. The first .270Win had the lightest trigger, I just wasn't interested in a .270. The first .30-06 had forearm flex that allowed it to touch the barrel. The last one, .30-06 was the winner. The trigger was crisp but not the lightest and the forearm cannot be flexed to the barrel.
Fit and finish: A+
Smoothness of the bolt: A
Trigger weight: B+
Length of pull: A
Fit of the recoil pad: A+
Allen screws instead of flat: A+++++
This morning I took apart the rifle to adjust the trigger. It was really nice to have the allen screws and not the flat screws. One of the things I noticed is that the action screws took little to no effort to remove. I'm going to monitor them. They may need some different form of loc-tite. The adjustment screws for the trigger are caked in some form of hardend glue. I removed it with a small screw driver and dialed the screw completely out of the housing. That is the lightest setting for the trigger. If you are a guy that usually has custom triggers put in your rifle or you have either winchester or remington triggers smithed to be made light then you might be very slightly disappointed. The trigger is light but right on the cusp of where I like them to be. If you're just a regular joe and buy and use rifles off the shelf you're going to be blown away. I won't be changing the trigger on the rifle but I would like it about a 1/2 lb lighter than it is. There is 100% zero creep in that trigger. Bet on that. It is 100% true. In the creep department it gets an A++.
The pillars are machined nicely and the underside of the action is finished just as nicely as the top. The reports of rubber in the stocks and what not is false. There is nothing in there but a piller and the stock. You can see the aluminum block for the stock, which looks pretty cool. The stock is a Bell and Carlson Medalist. I'm very happy with the stock at this point. The recoil pad is the pachenmeyer and it's real nice.
I'm going to see how she shoots before I have her glass bedded.
Ok here's the best part. I checked the rifle with the oal guage and I will be able to load 180gr and 165gr bullets to the lands and still fit them in the magazine. The freebore in this rifle is nice and tight. I have about .04" to spare on the 165gr and .07" to spare on the 180gr. I check Nosler Partition 180gr, Sierra GK 180gr, Nosler BT 165gr.
Honestly I don't know that I could be happier with this rifle right now. The only thing I would change out is the trigger to a traditional Winchester M70 trigger than a smith could easily turn down to 2.5-3lbs. Or less even. Funny the trigger is the part they advertise the most. Guess most guys buying guns don't care about all the other goodies they packed into this thing.
My opinion one of the nicest rifles under $1k on the market today.
Ordering the rings and bases today. Should have a range report with some pics in the next couple of weeks.
Tom
Last edited by statjunk; 08-01-2009 at 04:52 AM.
08-03-2009, 12:55 PM
#40
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,329
Warne rings and bases in the mail on the way.
I loaded up some Nosler custom brass with Winchester Large rifle primers, and Remington Coreloc 180gr as the bullets. I'm just using them to test the rifle out and to get some fire formed brass. I'm using two different powder loads. 52gr and 54gr of IMR 4350.
I loaded the bullets .002" off the lands.
I'm hoping to have some results on the accuracy by the weekend.
Tom
I loaded up some Nosler custom brass with Winchester Large rifle primers, and Remington Coreloc 180gr as the bullets. I'm just using them to test the rifle out and to get some fire formed brass. I'm using two different powder loads. 52gr and 54gr of IMR 4350.
I loaded the bullets .002" off the lands.
I'm hoping to have some results on the accuracy by the weekend.
Tom