New Model 70 Sporter ‘06

[umc180gr]

Hey, I just wanted to share some details and pics of my new Model 70 Sporter that I am pretty excited about. It was pretty hard to find one among the dealers but one finally came through. I am thrilled with the quality and workmanship of this rifle. I had read a lot of good things about the FN South Carolina 70s and after getting this one I am sold. I can’t wait to get this rifle out in the field for deer season this year. I really like the Featherweight Models too.

The quality and wood are excellent, nothing I would change about it. The metal finish is perfect as well. I cant think of anything I would change on this rifle. I topped it with my Leupold Rifleman 3x9 Scope, it was been good to me. I still can’t figure out why the new sporters are so hard to find, do they make just a few or do they all get bought up? Hmmm

Range Report – didn’t take long to get the Model 70 sighted in at 100 yards. I was hoping it would like Winchester 150gr bonded ammo but after some testing I was back to my old faithful, Remington Core-Lokts 150gr’s. It just seems to shoot them well, oh well it works. The first two shots were high, I adjusted it down and last shot right in the bulls eye. One more trip to the range has confirmed it’s a shooter.

Thanks for looking and happy shooting

 

[sage5907]

Nice rifle, good choice of scope mounts and a good quality scope. You're all set up to go hunting. One suggestion, go to the range and sight the rifle to hit dead on at 200 yards. Some hunters sight the rifle 2 inches high at 100 yards and think they are good to go but you need to see exactly where it is shooting at 200 yards. An exact 200 yard zero with a 150 grain bulllet will let you shoot for the point of the shoulder on a deer all the way from point blank out to 250 yards. It doesn't get any better than that. Shooter

 

[umc180gr]

Thanks Shooter, I'll try that 200 yard setup at some point. I can never seem to get enough range time. I usually find myself shooting at 100 yards or less but it never hurts to be able to reach out.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I sight mine in for 250 yards...with 168 grain bullets that comes out to 3" high at 100 yards...that sight in allows "point and shoot" out to 300 yards, without having to even think about range.

Nice rifle, most seem to prefer heavier bullets though...mine doesn't do all that great with 150's...but with 168's, 175, 180's and 190's it piles them right on top of one another.

 

[Speedgoat]

That's a nice looker. I just got a new M70 Alaskan style in 300 Win Mag and it is the same way, finish, fit and craftsmanship are top notch. I just wish that they sold a new M70 action alone. I'm thinking about a .264 Win Mag, a local guy I know has offered to help me build a custom rifle to kinda get me into the gunsmithing world. I am just finding it tough to spend $7-8 hundred dollars on a rifle I'll be eventually using a different barrel and stock on. The Featherweights myself I'm not to sold on the fancy little turn down (for lack of better term) on the forend of the stock. Keep us updated on your new rifle. You can't go wrong with a Model 70 in 30-06 in my book. My Dad, and Me when I use his pre-64 30-06 almost always use 150 grain bullets as well.

 

[Halal Pork]

Those new Model 70 rifles just seem hard to beat. I know CDNN usually sells them. As far as local gun shops go, inventory is going to vary from area to area, but where I live if it's not a Remington 700 people will get confused.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The New Model 70s are supposedly the best ever. Now if they'd only go back to the old style trigger, or offer it as an option.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

The new trigger is better than the old one...its also the best factory trigger I've ever had the pleasure of pulling, especially after a bit of tuning.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The new trigger is better than the old one...its also the best factory trigger I've ever had the pleasure of pulling, especially after a bit of tuning.

If you're doing your shooting at a range, you're right.

if you're up in the Rockies at 11,000 feet, with misting rain, moisture forming in that inclosed trigger housing, and the temperature dropping, it's a different story. I had an enclosed trigger freeze up on me once under just those conditions -- and now I carry a pre-64 Model 70.

 

[sage5907]

I agree with Vern about the trigger. The original pre 64 Model 70 has the best hunting trigger ever made. A hunter doesn't have to worry about a trigger problem in the field. That being said, I think umc has just bought one fine currently manufactured rifle. Shooter

 

[Ridgerunner665]

How long has the Remington trigger been enclosed? I'm sure they have frozen a few times too...but not enough that its ever been a popular complaint.

And I'm not so sure the MOA trigger would lock up as easily...there is something like a 3:1 mechanical advantage to the trigger pull, and VERY little actual movement of the parts inside...with the added leverage, it would probably have to be frozen pretty much solid (as in mostly filled with water) to lock up.

I do understand where you're coming from, but theres an awful lot of people that use enclosed triggers...and not many of them seem to mind.

Timney, Jewell, Shilen, Rifle Basix...just about all of the available Remington triggers are enclosed...lots of people using them for both hunting and target...not many complaints.

Yes, they would probably freeze up if you dropped the rifle in the creek at 20 degrees or below...but there are several products available that would thaw it with just a quick spray.

I guess all I'm saying is this...it may be enclosed, but it is the best enclosed trigger currently available as an OEM trigger...properly tuned, the MOA trigger makes the Savage AccuTrigger feel like a joke.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Remington followers often overlook things like failures of the extractor and ejector (there was an article recently in Rifle on care and feeding of those parts), the bolt lockdown problem and the trigger.

Personally, I want a Mauser extractor and blade ejector, an open trigger, and a 3-position safety that locks the bolt down when fully engaged.

 

[Slamfire]

The original pre 64 Model 70 has the best hunting trigger ever made.

I agree, I did not read any compliants about the pre 64 trigger when it was used in Vietnam by Snipers. The mechanism is much harder to plug up with rust, dirt, and ice than the enclosed triggers.

There were some FN PBR's built with the old style triggers. This is a FN PBR action.

 

[USSR]

Personally, I want a Mauser extractor and blade ejector, an open trigger, and a 3-position safety that locks the bolt down when fully engaged.

Oh, sort of like this 1st Generation FN SPR?

Don

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I'm not trying to change anybodys mind about the old triggers...I never meant to imply they were bad, if I came across that way...I can and do appreciate simplicity.

It just bugs me when I see so many people saying the MOA triggers are junk because they are far from junk...FN has put a lot into the M70, they're building them with quality in mind instead of quantity. I believe thats why they are so hard to find in anything but a Featherweight...it seems they're building more Featherweights which is understandable considering thats probably the best seller.

After all the R&D and startup costs...I doubt FN is even making a profit on the M70's yet...and I'd hate to see them stumble or fall because so many people are repeating what they heard (MOA is bad)....The MOA trigger is different, but its not bad in any way...not compared to any of the competition (Rem, Savage, etc.)...it really is better than the rest when viewed in that light.


Thats the only point I'm trying to make here...did not mean to come across as argumentative if I did.

I used to be a hardcore Remington guy...and they still feel good in my hands, but when I work the bolt on one now they just feel cheap and inferior...even the Winchester push feeds are WAY better than any Remington I ever owned, and I've owned a lot of them...I just never realized how "clunky" they were until I got to spend a day sighting in a friends push feed Featherweight...that got me to thinking....then I sighted in his brothers FN made Featherweight (270 WSM)...and proceeded directly to the gun store and bought me an FN made M70 (30-06) which has been great except for a weak firing pin spring, which was a common problem even for the old M70's as I understand it...I put a +2 lb. (25#) spring in it and that was that.

You don't hear about any problems with the new M70's...both mine and my sons had weak springs in them, I blame that on the supplier though...not FN...anybody can get a bad batch of springs from time to time. They offered to fix them both free of charge but I didn't want to send the rifles in, they wouldn't just send me springs...so I replaced the springs myself (Wolff)

I'm plumb drunk on the Winchester KoolAid...and I'm loving every minute of it.


Don,
You may remember me asking you some questions in a PM a while back about the 30-06...that rifle is almost finished...I'll be home Friday to bed it in the McMillan and it'll be done...it turned out to be quite a shooter even in the cheap factory plastic stock...I don't think the McMillan can improve its shooting very much (be great if it does though), but it'll certainly improve the looks and feel of it.

 

[USSR]

Don,
You may remember me asking you some questions in a PM a while back about the 30-06...that rifle is almost finished...I'll be home Friday to bed it in the McMillan and it'll be done...it turned out to be quite a shooter even in the cheap factory plastic stock...I don't think the McMillan can improve its shooting very much (be great if it does though), but it'll certainly improve the looks and feel of it.

R665,

Glad to hear it's coming along. Would love to see pics of the finished product.

Don

 

[umc180gr]

Good to see there are some Model 70 fans here. I traded my old Rem Model 700 on it. Don't get me started on the quality lacking on that gun. I do like the trigger on the Model 70 so far.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

FWIW, I have a Win M70 EW in .30-06. It's apparent optimal load is 48.0 gr of IMR 4895 under a 168gr SMK with a CCI BR2 primer. This load produces slightly under a 0.5" 5-shot groups. Still working on optimal hunting loads...my best results lately have been coming from 165gr Nosler AccuBonds.

These new FNH Winnies are the best yet...my next rifle will either be a Supergrade or a Sporter...if II wait til after SHOT, it may be an exotic new caliber...if I go sooner, .270 Win or .264 Win Mag



FH

 

[lovethosesooners]

Agree that the Model 70's are excellent!

I have a Sporter .270 and a Coyote Light .243 and love both of them.

Also agree they have very good triggers-right out of the box.

 

[umc180gr]

FH,

That's a real nice group with 4895. I am running 47gr IMR-4985. I need to start working up some handloads to see what my Mod 70 likes.

 

[sage5907]

umc, you should be able to go on up to 49 grains of IMR 4895 without any sign of excess pressure. 49 grains of IMR 4895 with a 150 grain Speer boattail bullet works good in my Model 70 rifles. Also, another load you should try is to work up to 51 grains of IMR 4064 with a magnum primer. Really good velocity and accuracy. Shooter

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Handloading is interesting. I was getting great groups out of my Savage 116 with 47.0 gr of IMR 4895 but only good, not great, groups with the Winnie. I had five 48.0gr IMR 4895 loads left from an earlier test session with the Savage and, voila, the above group was the result. I've since duplicated it with some fresh loads...it's another demonstration that different rifles seem to prefer some loads over others.

FH