A couple of years ago a friend was shooting his new Winchester model 70 rifle in 7mm WSM caliber when the rifle exploded. He was shooting Winchester factory ammo. Winchester replaced the rifle but my friend told me that he agreed not to talk about it. Therefore I do not know if they told him why the rifle failed, i.e. rifle or ammo. A couple of weeks later another person we know had an identical rifle explode, I was told. The rifles were bought the same day at the same store. I do not know the ammo used this time, but I was told that Winchester did not replace this rifle. I am in the market for a new rifle, but after seeing the parts and pieces of the first blown up rifle (I was about 20 feet away when it happened) I am not comfortable buying a Winchester. Has anyone heard anything about similar problems?
New Winchester rifle blow up
- Thread starter jim357
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unwise11
Member
Remington 700. Get one.
snake284
Member
I'm not saying it didn't happen, but the second guy's story sounds fishy. No way Winchester or Remington, nor Browning Nor Ruger Nor Savage would not replace a rifle that was new and blew up unless he was doing something stupid when it happened. Can you imagine the bad rep they would get?
Kachok
Member
BARF!! CCM has RUINED Remington forever
My new Model 70 works just fine thanks, does not lock up, rust up, or fail to chamber a cartrage like my last three Remingtons, they will never see another nickel of my moneyI've owned a Model 70 for the last 16 years, and it has been nothing but a reliable firearm that never fails to put venison on the table. Furthermore, as an avid shooter, I have no even HEARD of this happening, let alone being commonplace. If I were in the market for a similiar rifle today, I'd have no qualms about purchasing another 70
Reloadron
Contributing Member
My personal opinion is over the years the overall quality of firearms in general has deteriorated with Remington taking a really bad hit. It just seems manufacturers in an effort to reduce manufacturing cost have started to cut corners using cheaper parts. Milled parts seem to come out with a much rougher finish leading me to believe machining operations are being eliminated. The last new rifles I actually bought were a dozen or more years ago.
Today if I want a new rifle (new for me anyway) I look for an older rifle in mint condition someone is selling off. Even the quality of the bluing seems to suffer on today's rifles.
I see the same thing in pistols and revolvers. I just look for older when I shop.
As to the blowing up Winchester stories? Not sure I bite on that. What exactly failed?
Just My Take
Ron
Today if I want a new rifle (new for me anyway) I look for an older rifle in mint condition someone is selling off. Even the quality of the bluing seems to suffer on today's rifles.
I see the same thing in pistols and revolvers. I just look for older when I shop.
As to the blowing up Winchester stories? Not sure I bite on that. What exactly failed?
Just My Take
Ron
We will not know for sure what ccaused this, but Winchester did have a recall on some of their ammo several years back. I'm guessing ammo.
Winchester closed their New Haven factory in 2006 for seveal reasons, including poor quality. They had some issues with some of the rifles made after about 2000, and the closer you get to the 2006 production the more common problms became. The design is solid, but attention to details were not a priority at the end. Most of the problems are just minor issues that can be easily fixed, but the rifles should have never left the factory. I've never heard of any issues this serious from those rifles, but the possibility certainly exists.
After FN started making the rifles in their South Carolina factory quality has been superior. I'd be very surprised if there is a problem with a new production rifle. Were these rifles New Haven produced, or made in SC?
Winchester closed their New Haven factory in 2006 for seveal reasons, including poor quality. They had some issues with some of the rifles made after about 2000, and the closer you get to the 2006 production the more common problms became. The design is solid, but attention to details were not a priority at the end. Most of the problems are just minor issues that can be easily fixed, but the rifles should have never left the factory. I've never heard of any issues this serious from those rifles, but the possibility certainly exists.
After FN started making the rifles in their South Carolina factory quality has been superior. I'd be very surprised if there is a problem with a new production rifle. Were these rifles New Haven produced, or made in SC?
Kachok
Member
I bought a New Haven Winchester rifle back in the 90s, fit and finnish were good and it had a solid feel, never had one spec of rust in the decade I owned it, but it was the sloppiest shooting gun I have ever owned 8" groups at 50yds no kidding, my new Winchester feels every bit as good and makes nice tight little groups for me, I really like that rifle.
I would have no issue buying another Winchester M70. In fact it may well be the only modern made bolt/ hunting rifle I would buy.
Patocazador
Member
Could have been mud in the end of the barrel or another type of obstruction .. that's usually the most likely scenario.
Welding Rod
Member
My new Model 70 (30-06 Sporter) came out of the box with the bore full of what appeared to be redish lapping compound. It wasn't plugged with the stuff, but there was enough in there that a fair bit pushed out on the patches in clumpy particles. Initially I thought it was flakes of rust on the patches.
I called Winchester and they did say that they lap the barrels on the Sporter.
Did your guys clean the bores before shooting?
I called Winchester and they did say that they lap the barrels on the Sporter.
Did your guys clean the bores before shooting?
dubbleA
Member
M70's can and do blow up.
Coyote3855
Member
What I see in the above pictures are buggered screws. If the owner was careless, or uncaring, enough to use a 39 cent screwdriver on a $400 rifle, who knows what he left in the barrel or how sloppy his reloads. Just sayin'.
A quick follow up - I know only what I was told about the second rifle blow up. I was told that then Winchester asked the owner if he has ever used reloads he said yes and Winchester told him that even though he was using new factory ammo when the blow up happened they would not replace the rifle due to the prior use of reloads. This may or may not be the true story, I was not there and got it second hand. The first rifle that blew up was at a camping trip where I was present. I was about 20 feet away. My ice chest still has a piece of that rifle imbeded in the top. My friend was wearing shooting glasses that saved his eyes and he only had a few cuts on his face. One of our group is a policeman who gave immediate first aid and my friend is fine. I am not trying to beat up Winchester or anyone else, I just have a bad feeling about pulling the trigger on a Winchester without knowing what caused this accident and that it has been corrected. I have been unable to find any ammo recalls for Winchester 7mm WSM ammo, only Winchester 7mm Remington or .22 rimfire. Two rifles bought at same time, serial numbers within 200 of each other, both firing Winchester factory ammo bought at same time in same store, both blow up. Manufacturing problem or ammo problem???
The old Winchester closed their doors in 2006. There were no Winchesters made from March 2006 until late 2008. Full production of the new rifles made in South Carolina did not get going until sometime in 2010. Very few 2008 and 2009 Winchesters were made. There were, and still are a few of the older Winchesters out there for sale. I just bought a 1999 model that was new in the box with all hang tags about 2 months ago.
It would be helpful to know if these rifles were made in New Haven prior to the closing in 2006, or if they were new production rifles made in SC. I'd have no doubts about a new production Winchester. One made between 2000-2006 might give me a little concern. I currently own 3 made in 1999, 2000, and 2006. The 2006 rifle needed a little tweaking, but is now darn near perfect. The other 2 were perfect from the beginning. I bought another 2006 rifle several years ago that was so bad I didn't even try. Just traded it at a loss. None were dangerous though.
The new production 308 I own is by far the best rifle I've owned or handled, period. I'd put it up against anything ever made, including the pre-64's.
It would be helpful to know if these rifles were made in New Haven prior to the closing in 2006, or if they were new production rifles made in SC. I'd have no doubts about a new production Winchester. One made between 2000-2006 might give me a little concern. I currently own 3 made in 1999, 2000, and 2006. The 2006 rifle needed a little tweaking, but is now darn near perfect. The other 2 were perfect from the beginning. I bought another 2006 rifle several years ago that was so bad I didn't even try. Just traded it at a loss. None were dangerous though.
The new production 308 I own is by far the best rifle I've owned or handled, period. I'd put it up against anything ever made, including the pre-64's.
tahunua001
Member
pretty sure winchester went downhill in recent years as well. also, since remington is the cerberus flagship company they are the highest quality of the bunch.
Kachok
Member
CCM has nothing to do with Winchester or Browning that is all FN (Thank God) Remington being their flagship has not helped them out one tiny bit, their quality is absolute garbage compared to the old ones which are a fantastic rifle even by today's standards. I have owned alot of rifles and not all of them I can recommend but the Remingtons are the only one that I advise people to avoid at all costs, sub par accuracy, piss poor steel, horrid QC and WAY overpriced. One defect can happen to any manufacture, three in a row is just a bad company.
ANY rifle can blow up. It is the cause that matters.
AMEN! as far as blowups are concerned, i would not worry about it from ANY major manufacturer, here or overseas. you have a better chance of being hit by a bus, than you do of a new rifle blowing up on you. quality, fit, finish, and accuracy are COMPLETELY different than blow ups however.
I know this has nothing to do with their rifles. The only remington I own was an 887 shotgun that I purchased last year. It is a 100% POS. The engineering is so bad I can't believe a gun manufacturer would actually mass produce something like that. So I have a hard time wanting another Remington product. Not that you asked, I just felt like $itching again. )
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