Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I'm thinking of getting this gun for Missouri deer hunting and I wondering from owners their opinion of this gun. Also your opinions of the 7mm-08 vs 7mm WSM. Which scope you have would be nice as well. Thanks for all your comments...

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I like the Mod 70 reciever over all recievers, but the featherwieght can be finicky with factory ammo as alot of guns can. I reload for my best friend with a 270win feather mod 70 and the gun won't shoot factory ammo less than 3" groups. But will drive tacks with IMR 4064 and 130gr sierras.

As far as the caliber, pretty easy advise. Missouri as I know it has all kinds of terrain. If shooting open fields and have plenty of experience with centerfires, might want to look at WSM. If not plenty of experience, I think a 7mm-08 makes a great first rifle depending on your size.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I think the 7mm-08 would be a good caliber. I am not yet sold on the WSSM cartridges. I know "that's just me" but i see them as more of a fad that just costs more money to shoot. But it kind of depends on the terrain and distance shots you will be taking. However, the 7mm-08 is no slouch.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I would go with the 7MM.08.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I would go with the Featherweight classic in 7MM-08 if it was me . I have that model in 6.5X55 Swedish and it a great rifle . I just don't buy into the WSM rifles .

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

I really have to agree with the rest here and recommend the 7mm-08. Yeah, the WSM may give you a little flatter trajectory and greater performance with heavier bullets, but since most hunters rarely shoot more than 250 yds (more like 100) for deer, you really should not need more than what the 7mm-08 can provide, after all, as far as the trajectory is concerned, we are only talking a coulpe of inches at 300 yds. Any well practiced marksman should be able to operate within such parameters with no loss in effectiveness.

Besides, I am like semi, and just don't see the hype behind the WSM cartridges. I think they are unnessecary and are there simply to appeal to the the inferiority complexes that most humans are accompanied with.

I really love the Winchester Model 70 actions and finally they have started to offer them in a Left Handed Featherweight rifle but only in the WSM calibers. Kinda upsets me since I would rather wait and get a tried and true caliber like the .308 or the 7mm-08 instead of the experimental WSM's.

Well, atleast that's my 2 cents worth.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

experimental WSM. wow! got us a crazy one here boys.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

BC --can't wait this is going to be a good one. The guys a pychiatrist also since I seem to have some sort of inferiority complex because I own one

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

LOL!!


I dont have one but i think they are the best looking guns on the market. Gonna try to buy one someday.........if they shoot anything like they looks....sweet deal.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

My M-70 fwt (in .257 Roberts) with it's 3-9 Leupold compact is a very sweet, good looking, very accurate rifle for medium size "big game". If it was in 7-08 it would be a little better yet.......they're very fine guns.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Alright, alright, I had a looong day and probably wasn't thinking too clearly so I may have to retract such statements.

On the "experimental" statement, that was just in contrast of true field tried and tested years. In comparison, the 7mm-08 is a senior next to any WSM caliber.

As far as the "inferiority complex" I referred to, how many of you know or are guilty yourselves of buying something bigger, or trying to get something faster or newer, or better just to "out do" or "one up" the guy next door or the fellow you work with? If you say NO to any of these, you are a straight true blood liar! Sometimes you just have to "feel" like you are or have something better than a few others. Can you honestly say I am wrong?

And yes, I may have chosen a few challenging terms to voice an OPINION, sue me.

But let me ask you this...

Yes, the performance of the WSM's may better or equal to the output of their short action and long action cousins, and yes, the introduction of a new caliber can be fun and will more than likely sell more rifles, and yes, I believe they are probably going to be here a while, BUT.....Are they Necessary?

Just my point of view. If you wish to try and humiliate or chastize further, do so as you wish. Its just a point of view...

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Pyral, BC and I were just having a little fun with you. As for the shortmags do I think they are necessary well yes and no. Their performance is matched by the long mags and other rounds in some cases. I have/had 2 300 wsm and currently own 1 7 WSM and absolutely love them because they are so easy to load for and accurate. I couldn't get an inaccurate load if I tried to with the 300 wsm and I am sure the 7WSM will be the same way. Your dealing with a 24" barrelled rifle that is very handy to lug around and is usually 1/2 lb lighter then the equivalent 24" barrel long mag with comparable velocity. I also own a 7 STW(because of its reputation for velocity and accuracy) and a 7-08(because it is one of the sweetest 7mm cartridges available) and just sold a Ruger M-77 in 7 REm mag(because I had too many damn 7mm rifles . I like all those cartridges these WSM's are just another choice. These shortmags have some drawbacks such as in some non push feed actions they chamber roughly in a few guns. Other then that ammo is very available in my area and at reasonable prices as are reloading components. I am all for firearms manufacturers coming up with new ideas and profiting from them and keeping these business's open especially in todays lawsuit crazy society which has such a dim view on firearms in general. Just trying to support this industry

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

[BUT.....Are they Necessary?] How boring..if all we could shoot or use were 30-06's, 12ga's and 22lr's. What the heck would I do with all my centerfire rifles? How could I do any rifle hunting since I no longer own a 30-06?

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Oldelkhunter, fair enough, I may have responded a little too quickly in a manner that assumed harm or foul. If so, I apologize[:-].

Popeye...like I said, it was just my opinion....[&:]

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

A buddy of mine has an older 70 featherweight in 7 X 57. I have tried tempting him with high offers for years. He will not sell it.
I would give him a very pretty penny for it, but alas...he will not part with it.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Of the two, I'd pick the 7mm-08 also.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Wow !!! Now that the dust is clear, I will have to say that I'm very conflicted. I have owned a Remington 700 in 7M-08 for two years and love it. I could shoot that rifle all day long. I use it for deer hunting in Wisconsin. Here is where my conflict comes into play. I won a Win. Classic Featherlight in 7 WSM at my NRA Chapters Banquet last month. I still need to save up to scope it with Kahles 3x9 but which rifle do I use for my November season? I didn't ask for the extra power, but maybe I will take it for bear whenever I get selected for a tag. I have never shot a 7 WSM or Rem.mag.

The only novice advice I would give is that if you wanted one great, accurate rifle for deer, Elk, Bear, Muley's- I would go to with the 7 WSM. If you want a great, accurate rifle for deer,muley's, and even black bear- I would go with the 7m-08.

Oldelkhunter,Pyral and Bigcountry are much more experienced than I am since I have only shot the 7m-08. I have learned a lot about ballistics from reading what these guys have posted. I'm looking forward to future posting runs.

Good luck,
Mathewsconquest2

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Mathewsconquest..good luck with that featherweight..of all the Winchesters I have owned/own its my favorite model. I will start loading up some 7WSM loads in the next few months and keep everyone posted on what works and doesn't work. Nothing wrong with using something your familiar with though for hunting season in fact it is preferable.That 7-08 is a real sweet caliber and one I wish I had thought about a few years ago.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Every event I go to everyone around me is winning shotguns, and rifles. Oh well, congrads on the win. I buy new guns all the time, but only use guns I am comfortable with. For instance last fall, I was in the middle of trying out different loads for 3 of my rifles. And didn't have time to get my zero on on any of these guns. So I grabbed my sluggun for all my hunting as shots are below 100 yards. I never mess with this gun, and never change the zero for any reason. Also knew of a good chance for a needed follow up shot. Since I mess around alot with reloads for all my rifles, they are rarely zeroed in. I think I am more addicted to reloading and range shooting than I am to hunting.

RE: Winchester model 70 classic featherweight
 

Well, I'm a well known fan of the 7mm-08. Light recoil yet enough power for any whitetail and a pretty flat shooting caliber as well. A caliber that even from a light rifle you can shoot all day at the range and not need a chiropractor the next day. I think its just about the perfect whitetail caliber.

Not trying to start an argument but I'm not sold on the new short magnum concept either. For hunting purposes I don't see a significant adavantage over the magnum calibers that already exist or much of an advantage over many of the non-magnum calibers for that matter. Unless you routinely go on long hiking backpack hunting trips for elk or moose where you are forced to carry all your equipment on your own back I can't imagine why anyone would want a lightweight magnum gun. And even in that case I'd get either a Tikka t-3 lite or a Winchester Featherweight in 270 or 30-06, load them with a bullet designed to penetrate well on larger animals and not feel the least bit undergunned.

I know that short action rounds are supposed to be inherently a little more accurate than their long action cousins but you would probably have to be an avid benchrest shooter and reloader to notice a difference. In other words someone able to tune a gun and the ammo to a point that this adavantage would even be noticeble if it actually existed. This a moot point in the above case anyway as the 7mm-08 is also a short action round.

For all I know these new WSM's and WSSM's may catch on and become more popular than girls with big breasts but right now you will find them less available at many outlets and a more limited selection of factory ammo at the places that do carry them. It's generally more expensive too. Especially in the 7mm WSM that you mentioned as it seems to be far less popular than the 270 WSM or 300 WSM calibers.

As for scope opinions, I am of the opinion that it is just as important as the gun. Save up and at least get one up into the 300-450 dollar range. Good choices in this range are Nikon Monarch, Leupold Vari X III, or Zeiss Conquest. I find that scopes in this range offer significant usable advantages over cheaper scopes such as: better coated lenses for light transmission; tougher components that stand up to recoil better without shifting their point of aim; better and more consistent eye relief, they're clearer; water proof, shock proof and fog proof; they stay true when you adjust them from low power up to it's highest power setting (which is often a problem on cheaper variable power scopes); and they carry a lifetime guarantee. Those are all features I can make use of in hunting situations. Now do the 1200 dollar scopes offer advantages worth an additional 800 bucks? Not to me but thats another debate.