NEW model 70 Winchester Rifles

[Vern Humphrey]

I am definitely a Winchester fan. But I had a bad experience.

Bigfoot Wallace, my custom '03 Springfield in .35 Brown-Whelen has a Mashburn trigger -- an enclosed design with a lot of tiny parts. One elk hunt in nasty weather and dropping temperatures, the trigger mechanism froze up.

For the rest of the hunt I carried my pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06. With its open trigger design it worked fine.

The new Model 70s have an enclosed trigger like the Mashburn, and until they offer the option of the old trigger design, I won't be buying one.

 

[USSR]

Have to agree with you, Vern. Why they had to go and mess with an excellent and proven design is beyond me. I bought a new (new to me) Model 70 just last year - made in 1980.

Don

 

[benellimax4]

Are there drop in triggers available for people who don't like the factory trigger?

 

[Pendy]

Hello everybody, I'm a new member to this forum. Been reading here a while, but decided to join the other day.

I have one of the new Model 70s and I couldn't be happier. The trigger is great and the fit and finish are outstanding. Very accurate and a very solid rifle all around.

GuysModel94, ask and ye shall receive!

Here is my Sporter in .30-06:



Here are the results of sighting it in @ 100 yds (first 5 shots out of the gun):



That flyer I blame on two things: I was elated at how well the rifle was shooting right off the bat, and was probably too excited to keep the rifle steady. I also received a phone call right as I pulled the trigger, which startled me. Either way, the other four shots are just fine and dandy and work for me.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The problem is not that the new trigger isn't good -- light, crisp, breaks like a glass rod, and so on. The problem is that I have had a similar enclosed design freeze up on me in nasty weather. I tend to take guns out doors a lot -- and into some brutal conditions. I want a design that will stand up to that.

 

[harrygrey382]

If I could have one new production rifle, it would without doutb be a Winchester M70. Probably in 270. Such classic rifles with such a brilliant action. And then on top of that fit, finish and accuracy are first class. Move over Sako I'd say

 

[benellimax4]

My biggest dilemma concerning the Winchester 70 is choosing which one to take out in the field. I have both the SS Extreme and the Sporter in 30-06.

I decided to just alternate.

 

[Frozen North]

Sir, I would like two of each please.. yes, one chambered in .270 and the other in 30-06.

Yes sir, I will back the truck up to the door with the money in the back.

Ha!

 

[Welding Rod]

Look to be excellent guns. I have hanlded maybe 15 or so and they all showed high quality with one exception. I saw 3 short actions feqtherweights at the same store that all had a minor issue with the recoil pad. The bottom tips of the pads were stuck out oddly beyond where they should have ended, and curved out forming an ackward lip.

Oh, and one of the guns above had a stock that hit the "floated" barrel on one side.

Other than that all guns have been really nice. All triggers, safeties, and actions worked nicely. All the others had nice evenly floated barrels, nice finishes, etc.

 

[iceclimber]

Here is a pic of my new FN Super Grade in .270 win... a classic!!

 

[Rokman]

I bought a new Model 70 featherweight in .270 last September and I am very impressed. Great quality, looks and accuracy. I am very pleased and will buy more.

 

[az_imuth]

Here's an FN M70 Super Grade in .30-06. Haven't shot it yet, but the fit and finish is fantastic.

 

[jpwilly]

Nice like that Super Grade!

 

[Frozen North]

Those are some pretty ladies...

 

[bpl]

Vern,

You don't think that if you got moisture in the mechanism of an open trigger in sub-freezing temperatures it could freeze up as well?

 

[bpl]

The correct answer, as d vader has alluded to, is that you should buy seven new Winchester Model 70s. Seven is the perfect number, after all!

 

[Bill_Rights]

jeweled bolt body

Now you guys have got me interested in the new FN Model 70s built in Columbia, SC. A question:

1) Reading about the Featherweight on the Winchester web site (http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=001C&mid=535109), the description says

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.

What the heck is a jeweled bolt body? Is it only on the Featherweight? Or only mentioned in there but is present on all the Model 70 variants?

 

[az_imuth]

What the heck is a jeweled bolt body? Is it only on the Featherweight? Or only mentioned in there but is present on all the Model 70 variants?

I could be mistaken, but I believe the jeweled bolt is on all of the M70 rifles. The jeweling is the circular pattern machined onto the surface of the bolt. I don't know that it serves any purpose, but have read that it helps to retain lubricants on the bolt's surface.

 

[DPStx]

Primary purpose: Pretty. Secondary purpose: retains lube.

DPSTX

 

[ClayinAR]

FN owns Winchester. I bought a Patrol Bolt rifle. It is pretty much the same gun, just has FN on it instead of Winchester. I had a trigger job done. Nothing I did made it shoot under 1.5". Had pretty much the same experience with a Remington PSS. Luckily I still have my SAKO Finnbear 7mm Mag. from 1967 which still shoots around 5/8" to 7/8" groups.
I dumped both the Remington and Winchester.
Had the Remington glass bedded, recrowned, trigger work, no joy.
The Remington actually shot pretty good if you seated the bullets too long to go in the magazine. Waaay to much freebore. POS in my opinion.

 

[Melgamatic]

Of the Model 70 versions (featherweight, safari express, sporter, stainless featherweight, super grade, ultimate shadow) which have free-floated barrels? Hard to tell from the Winchester website...

 

[jmr40]

To the best of my knowledge all are free floated. My EW was and all the Featherweights I've handled were.

 

[vaherder]

I have a model 70 that I purchased new in 2009. It has gone through two winters in snow, sleet, freezing rain, and blizzard conditions without any trigger issues.

Coldest temps according to the weather data from last two winters from the sensors on the farm show the lowest temp of-4 degrees F in Feb 2010. Either I carry a model 70 or a Winchester 94 lever action in my ATV everyday on the farm. Rifle and I walked through 5ft of snow last winter w/o a problem.

Chambered in .308 its just a nice rifle nothing special and its accurate enough.
If I need the capabilities of a sniper rifle I buy/build one.

Va herder

 

[bpl]

FN owns Winchester

I could be wrong, but I believe FN uses the Winchester logo under license from Olin Corp.

 

[USSR]

I could be wrong, but I believe FN uses the Winchester logo under license from Olin Corp.

Yes, FN is licensed by Olin Corp. to use the Winchester name for it's rifles. However, Olin continues to make sporting ammunition with the Winchester name.

Don