Winchester Model 70 - Any years to avoid?
 

I'm looking to pick up a .243 rifle for my son's first gun. He's only 3 so I'll have a chance to make sure it works before I give it to him. :wink: Interested in the Model 70 line and will most likely purchase used.

Looking at the Winchester history, it seems that the company has had a few ups and downs and the Model 70 has gone through quite a few changes through the years. I get that the pre '64 guns are coveted for the crf feature, and that some subsequent models have re-introduced this. My question is this: Is there any years/serial numbers that should be avoided when looking at the Model 70?

The intended use would be mainly for whitetail (maybe a coyote or two) and I prefer wood stocks. Thanks.

I once owned a Model 70- manufactured in 1976. My ex-wife gave it to me for a b day gift. I'm glad they are both gone...the gun and the wife.

It was poorly made, loose fitting, crappy piece of wood for a stock and never much for accuracy. Kinda like her..........

Having a senior moment here, but I read that someone had re-introduced a rifle that is essentially a model 70.
I do remember that the writer liked the quality. But I cannot remember the manufacturer... DOOOH! Sorry. Maybe someone else can help me out here.

Found it! Here's the link, http://www.fieldandstream.com/articl...odel-70-reborn

anything after 1964

Even the CRF models of the last 15 years seem to be finicky with ammo/quality/fit. I have seen good ones and bad ones.

I know I had experience with the coyote model. And I can say out of the box, you might as well ship to a smith to have the full treatment done. Lugs lapped, crown cut, head space checked and possibly reset, glass bedded, trigger adjusted. Then after all that, it was a good gun.

But I will say this, even though out of box it may not be great, you still have a great foundation for a rifle.

The ones I saw that came out of New Haven in the last couple of years right before the shutdown.

Steve, The pre 64 is prefered because of the "Claw" Extractor. The CRF proceeded that. There is nothing wrong with either quite honestly. I am a Winchester guy, well at least was a Winchester guy, I once bought a Remington and never really looked back unless it was an older Winchester or one I just had to have. I bought my son a Remington Mountain rifle for his first birthday in a 25-06, I know it will still be a while untill he can handle it but I like that gun and Caliber. Winchester had a few years that when you ordered one it was kind of a crap shoot whether you were going to end up with a nice piece of wood or something that looked like it came off the dollar discount rack. Remington seems to have consitanly better figured wood. I would have no desire to own a so called "Winchester" that is currently being manufactured. All that being said I still have a soft spot for many winchester rifles, just not the new ones. I believe anything yo get him he will look back after you are long gone and be happy to say my dad bought me that rifle when I was 3 years old, no matter what you get him.

The years right after '64 were BAD, cheapo guns. Junk. Then gradually over the years they've gotten better and better until NOW they are (IMHO) better then the original pre-64's. These are the ones made in South Carolina and owned by the company that owns Browning. They are making some of the best made rifles out there right now.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/

Thanks for the comments. Reading these replies, I am more than a little bit leery of buying a Model 70 from Gunbroker, sight unseen, unless the description is real specific regarding age and model.

You've got the right idea. It's always better to hold the gun in your hands, cycle the bolt and look at the workmanship and wood.

If you do that you'll easily catch the Model 70's you don't want. They were fugly. If it looks nice and cycles smooth it shoould be a good one.

anyone that blindly says the 70 is a cheap pos is on crack. I've got four 70s...223, 243, 25-06 and 30-06. My latest groups was a 6 shot group out of my 25 at 100 yds that totalled .400". yep, inaccurate guns and made poorly, yep...go stand at 400 yds and tell me that. All my 70's are tack drivers even with factory ammo. ALL are post 64

There was a known quality issue for a period of time after post 64. Lets call it till the mid 70's.

The 80's-90's M70 are sought after for custom builds. The new M70 are freakin amazing.

Yes I would agree hard to go wrong with a M70.

Tom

Man, its the internet. Everybody shoots .4MOA on the net. Didn't you know that?

I tell ya what. We live close. I will put down 100 dollars that says you can't pull off 0.4MOA with 3 groups your your 25-06 model 70. All 5 shot groups at 200 yards. Any group over 0.4MOA, and you lose.

100 dollars in your pocket. Easy money.

I should specify however. Gun has to be normal hunting barrel contours, (under 10lbs), and sandbag rests, no remote firing or rigid shooting rests.

really? You want to see the target? It's a stock m70 handloaded with 40 grains of AA4064 with a 120 gr speer, cci lg primer, redfield 4-12x40 with boss. pm me your e mail and I'll send you pictures. It's dangerous what you can do with good knowledgeable handloads sparky.

now, go with the rest of MD and learn to drive.

picture for those that do not believe

picture, this was at 100 yds off caldwell bags

I can match that with my model 70 stainless classic, circa 2001-2002 vintage, 300RUM, 4.5-14x Leupold, 200gr Partition on top of 94gr of Retumbo, 100yards. Now my 7mm mag thats identical except with the BOSS, I'm still working a load for it, but without playing with the BOSS, I'm confident it will get 1/2" groups. Both guns were recently put in winchester wood stocks, no bedding performed. The 300RUM has only had the trigger tweaked from its 8lb trigger to a more sedate 3.5lbs.

Thats what I thought. Man, we are less than 2hours apart. Surely, you can meet. Its easy money for a guy like you.

underpowered loads or not, it's a load the gun likes and I was called out on group size, not load charge. And if you want to get picky? It's a .489x.600 inch 6 shot group. Ridgerunner, I could give a crap if you are 25 miles from my driveway. Where did you shoot 724 'lazered' yds at? There are only a handful of ranges like that around. That group could be at 50 yds, there is no telling.

and as for the rounds on paper in my pic? they are DIFFERENT loads. It's called load DEVELOPMENT

Im not sure he meant to call you out Hoyt....

This is such a tired argument around here. I think this problem stems from the mix between bench rest shooters and guys that just like to shoot for groups. I'm one of the guys that shoots for groups.

A bench rest shooter doesn't call a gun a .4" shooter unless it can repeat time and time again. I don't have all the fancy stuff to even attempt that level of repeatability. I shoot off sand bags and sometimes I shoot .5" groups and sometimes I shoot 1" groups but I'm usually around .75" groups.

Hoyt, if you're happy with your rifle and feel comfortable calling your rifle a .4" rifle. Then so be it. The general consensus and mine as well is most guys can't shoot what they claim. While I'm sure RR could shoot a .4" group at 100 yards consistently I don't feel he'd come anywhere near that number at 700 yards or heck even half that. he'd likely be a world record holder if he could.

Anyone can be amazing once and if that makes you feel good, go for it.

Tom

I've got two model 70's (one 1967 and the other 1969) in .7mm and 30-06. Both shoot just fine for me and while I'll admit I'm not a long range target shooter and rarely take a shot past 300yds, I can put all of my shots in a fist (heart) sized target at 200yds with both of these rifles using simple rests (sand bag, back pack, rolled up jacket, etc...) so they are "good to go" for hunting.

Quality wise they are very good. While I prefer control feed bolts I have I've had zero problems with push feed bolt guns while hunting (or at the range). My Winchesters feed and shoot the same as any other bolt gun I have...and I've got a lot of them. :)

That being said I've never bought a rifle that I haven't held in my hands first......

I purchased one of these in 270 win. back in Feb. this year. I have shot approximately 100 rounds to date. I will first say that the fit and finish are better that expected for a production rifle. The action is bedded in the tang and recoil lug area and is very solid. The barrel is free floated, and as for the trigger; No creep, No over travel, and at 3.5 lbs which feels much lighter it breaks like glass. Second for the accuracy; off the bench at 100 yds. and handloads with H4831sc and Nosler 130 gr Partition bullets it will group 4 shots right at 1/2 inch. with an average velosity of 2970 very low sd & es. The folks in SC have really done their home work and I'm glad to see the Model 70 back in the USA. Hope this helps.

CK

Warbird Lover - did you shoot the buck in your avatar? That thing is a beast.

WOW - It's offered in 243 Win w/ 22" barrel (also comes in 257R, 7-08)




The Model 70 Featherweight:
The Model 70 action offers Pre-’64 style Controlled Round Feeding, a Three-Position Safety and is highlighted by a jeweled bolt body with knurled bolt handle. Inside is the M.O.A. Trigger System, the finest trigger ever offered in a bolt-action with zero take up, zero creep and zero overtravel. Like the original Featherweight, the angled comb Grade I walnut stock still features the Schnabel fore-end and satin finish with elegant cut checkering. A premium Pachmayr® Decelerator® pad helps soak up felt recoil.