firstshot

I've decided on a 7MM-08 in a light weight rifle. I had kind of settled on the Rem 700 Mountain LSS but got to hold a Winchester 70 Classic Featherweight today and it sure did fit well and I really like the looks of it as well.

Winchester has a new Stainless model of their M70 Classic Featherweight that I would be interested in.

So......between these two...which way to go? Both are stainless, one has laminated stock, the other wood. Both have 22" barrels. What are the Pro's / Cons, the Good, the Bad, & the ugly of these two rifles?

Remington 700 Mountain LSS


Winchester M70 Classic Featherweight Stainless



Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

Doe Dumper

2 of the prettier guns being made right now for sure. I dont own either so i cant comment on whats better...but I will say that you should buy what fits you best anbd what you like the best...because its your money and you gonna be the one using whichever of those beauties it is ya buy. Be nice to be able to buy both...lol.

jcchartboy

For one thing the Winchester is available in WSSM cartridges. That would make it lighter and shorter, if that is something you are looking for.

I have been seriously considering that winchester in .25 WSSM myself.

I have seen a few of the featherweights that came out of the winchester custom shop with a laminated wood stock that match the standard configuration. I have yet to find them available as an aftermarket item though.

Virginia7

Ha, ha! I wish I had your problem. IMHO, you've picked two of the nicest looking rifles
available today. I guess my decision was made a few years ago when I purchased my
Rem.700 LSS Mtn. rifle in 270Win. The Featherweight stainless was not around then. If I had to do it over again today, I'm not really sure which one I'd opt for. Maybe, as one
suggested, get one of each. I suppose it comes down to just which one you like best - which one fits you best, seems better balanced to you. I mean there are the obvious differences such as safeties, triggers, stock material (though both are wood), etc., but they're both fine rifles.
I can say this, I've had no problems with my Rem.700 LSS Mtn. rifle, and it's a good shooter too.

firstshot

Thanks for the input guys.

Right now, it's still a toss up. I do plan to go handle both of them again before deciding; however, I am kind of leaning toward the 700 Mtn LSS primarilly for the laminated stock.

What about rifling twist rate? The winchester has a 1 in 10 and the remington a 1 in 9 1/4. Not a whole lot of difference, but would one favor heavier bullets better than the other?

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

tocs

Hi Firstshot,
I have owned both,and currently own the remington LSS in the 3006 caliber.It is beautiful,I have quite a bit of gun smithing work in it.Jewell trigger,floated and glass bedded,crowned.By far the most expensive firearm I have.It shoots great off the bench but I find it to be a little flighty on the off hand point.It serves as my backup gun to a Browning Stainless Stalker in .270.I have owned the LSS for two years and havn't hunted with it.The Browning is like the trusted old friend.I have so much confidence in it I have no reason to use any thing else.
The Winchester feather weight I owned was in the .300 win mag caliber.Nothing at all wrong with it other than it was not at all comfortable to practice with.I miss it but I sold it to a friend who I travel to hunt with every year so I get some visitation rights.
So after all that buy the one you are most comfortable with and get to know it well.With either of those choices you can't go much wrong!

Virginia7

Not sure there ref. twist rates. I thought the standard for the 7mm-08 was 1in9"(+/-).
Strange that Winchester would go with 1in10". I think I'd call them to check it out.
I doubt if the difference would mean much. I mean, Rem. & Ruger both use 1in10" for
the 308Win., while Winchester uses a 1in12" twist. My Sako 308 has a 1in11" twist.
They all seem to shoot okay (and I've owned/shot all these brands of 308Win.).

I seem to recall that Winchester once made the Featherweight with a similar laminated stock. Now, if they would bring that out again, and with a stainless barrel/action, that would be a must have.

dvdegeorge

I have two Winchester Featherweights,one in 7mm08 and one in 25WSSM.They are both good quality and shoot excellent with factory ammo,don't have the stainless barrel,as it is new this year,make's a beatiful gun even more so!

killer243

i have a winchester feather weight classic w/o the stainless steal and it is a great shooter. i came so close to buying a slightly used lss in a 7mm08 with a leupold the other month. i would have got it but when i came back the next day with the money the shop owner told me he sold it about 20 minutes after i left the day before.

either one you decide i am sure you will be happy. and another thing to remember is the winchester has a 3 postion safty and the remington dosen't.

firstshot

tocs....with all that work, what kind of groups are you getting off the bench? And what do you mean by "a little flighty on the off hand point"?

Virginia7......You're right about that!!! If the stainless featherweight had a laminated stock, I'd be all over it.....might be anyway! Could probably find an aftermarket laminated to put on it.

dvdegeorge....Man.....that is some good looking rifle!!!!!......and a good group too! What size are the squares? Don't have a feel for the scale. What did that group measure out to be? Have you had any work done, i.e. trigger job, bedding, etc.?

killer243......What caliber is your Win Classic Featherweight? What kind of groups can you get with it? What is the 3rd position of the 3 position safety for? Safe, Fire, & ?.

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!