So, about Winchester...

[Babalouie]

I went to a dealer today to put money down on a Model 70 Featherwieght, 30-06 and there were none available, this from a major national distributor. I have read that Win. is now making the M70 in South Carolina. Is that a very recent event in the life of Winchester? Has there just not been enough time for production to catch up with demand? So, that being asked can someone give me a timeline of when the major changes took place? Lots of people have made reference to these changes but I can't find a definitive description of when/where the M70s were built.

 

[jmr40]

The New Haven plant closed in 2006. There were no Winchesters made until 2008 when FN started production of the model 70's at their South Carolina plant. Winchester is in the process of building the parts in SC, assembling them in Portugal, then bringing them back for sale. Makes no sense to me either, but that is where it stands right now.

Ever since moving production to SC they have not been able to meet demand. Supposedly this will increase production, but at least temporarily there seem to be no Winchesters anywhere. My guess is that the Portugal assembled rifles will start showing up this summer for guys to buy before next Fall's hunting season. But that is simply a guess.

Why move assembly to Portugal? Just another guess, but the SC factory is running full speed building rifles for the military. I'm guessing they just didn't have the floor space to make it work with Winchester 70's and meet production on military contracts. Once again only speculation on that.

 

[gpb]

A couple of threads have run on this.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=747961&highlight=Winchester+Portugal

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=737250&highlight=Winchester+Portugal

 

[back40]

i bought an m70 extreme weather in '06 this past fall. i was lucky to find a NIB used one as there were none to be found. i talked to a rep who said that they would be back on shelves and available to order in early 2014. apparently we haven't reached the end of 'early' yet.

 

[bscott29]

The SXP's are made in turkey. The other rifles are made in Japan. The model 94's are unaffordable. The Super X3's are still nice guns made by FN I think. I've been a winchester fan all my life, but that whole company is a JOKE now. It's really sad.

 

[jmr40]

The other rifles are made in Japan. The model 94's are unaffordable. The Super X3's are still nice guns made by FN I think. I've been a winchester fan all my life, but that whole company is a JOKE now. It's really sad.

The 70's are still made here. At some point they will be assembled in Portugal. I don't see that as a negative.

The pump shotguns are a joke in opinion. The Japanese made guns are as good as anything made by anyone, and far better than the previously USA made counterparts. There are 7 million used 94's out there with probably 1/2 that many potential customers. If someone wants a USA made 94 on the cheap there are plenty to choose from. The new Japanese made guns are for collectors who want a much higher quality gun. There is room for both.

The market has evolved, Winchester has evolved. You cannot keep on building the same guns your grandfather used forever. Not all of the current generation wants those guns.

Winchester as a whole, is building better guns now than at any time since WW-2 started.

 

[dvdcrr]

You can get a current gun that says Winchester on it but they are not made by an entity called "winchester". They only use the name under license. Kind of like when you find out that your favorite peanut butter isn't Peter Pan, its Con Agra.

 

[thomis]

I bought a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .308 in 2012 when I heard they were being made in SC. It was an impulse buy and I bought it on Gunbroker. It was the best impulse buy I have ever made. Its the best built rifle I have ever owned. Fit and finish are absolutely impeccable and the rifle shoots everything I reload as accurate as I could hope for. Here she is, in all her glory:

 

[bscott29]

I bought a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .308 in 2012 when I heard they were being made in SC. It was an impulse buy and I bought it on Gunbroker. It was the best impulse buy I have ever made. Its the best built rifle I have ever owned. Fit and finish are absolutely impeccable and the rifle shoots everything I reload as accurate as I could hope for. Here she is, in all her glory:

That's a very nice looking rifle.

 

[Elkins45]

^^^ Yeah, but its a shame the bolt is on the wrong side.

I have one of the last New Haven model 70's in Pre-64 configuration that was made in LH. It is probably my most treasured gun that wasn't handed down by a family member. It is an absolute tack driver and smooth as butter.

I wish they were still making lefties, whether in SC, Portugal or even on the moon.

 

[thomis]

I shoot mine left handed

...and thanks, bscott

 

[DPris]

There really hasn't been a "Winchester" gunmaking company for over 30 years, it's just a brand name licensed by Browning from Olin Corp to import & market guns marked "Winchester" from various sources for FN, who owns Browning & indirectly thereby "controls" the Winchester brand.

The Japanese Winchesters are fully as good as (and better than most) standard production Winchesters put out here in the US for decades before the US Repeating Arms factory (in New Haven, owned by FN toward the end) that made them ceased operations.

They rival the "real" Winchester Company in its heyday.
They are a relatively limited-production deal, and expensive, but they're good quality.

The quality of new Model 70s when available should also be of no concern.
FN shut down the New Haven operation because it was aging & QC was declining.
FN has since been, by & large, taking the Winchester brand seriously as far as paying attention to turning out a good product.

Denis

 

[Gtscotty]

By the way OP, if you're still looking for a 30-06 M70 Featherweight, Buds gunshop has a pretty grade 3 available on their website for just over $800... I'd be tempted if I didn't already have a few Winchesters.

 

[Hangingrock]

The M70 L.H. are not that common. This one in 30-06.

 

[forward observer]

There really hasn't been a "Winchester" gunmaking company for over 30 years, it's just a brand name licensed by Browning from Olin Corp to import & market guns marked "Winchester" from various sources for FN, who owns Browning & indirectly thereby "controls" the Winchester brand.

The Japanese Winchesters are fully as good as (and better than most) standard production Winchesters put out here in the US for decades before the US Repeating Arms factory (in New Haven, owned by FN toward the end) that made them ceased operations.

They rival the "real" Winchester Company in its heyday.
They are a relatively limited-production deal, and expensive, but they're good quality.

The quality of new Model 70s when available should also be of no concern.
FN shut down the New Haven operation because it was aging & QC was declining.
FN has since been, by & large, taking the Winchester brand seriously as far as paying attention to turning out a good product.

Denis

I totally agree. Besides, I wonder if FN/Browning hadn't acquired Winchester, would we be seeing limited re-issues of the 1886, 92, 95 or 1873 and 1885 high wall.

I have one of the 1886's, 1895, and 1873 and they are gorgeous rifles. By doing a lot of shopping around, I got them each for about the same price as an Italian replica--actually less on all but the 1873, and of course all cost less than a comparable, shootable original. At least they can legally carry the Winchester logo--something no Uberti will ever be able to do.

Only the 1894 seems to be priced at an unreasonable level, but that may just seem that way because there are close to 7 million of them floating in and out of the used market for much less--however, also with varying questionable degrees of quality.

Tell me that this 1895 Miroku take down model in 30-06 isn't equal or superior to any similar grade that ever came out of New Hartford. I got lucky and snagged it for just over a grand, but I couldn't approach a shootable original in this kind of condition for less than 5 or 6 times that price.

It's going deer hunting this next season, but I also believe that as long as I take care of it, it will at least hold its value.





Cheers

 

[a-sheepdog]

I have a 375 H&H as well as a 416 Rem Mag from the "new" plant and could not be happier with the rifles. The 375 is scoped and is extremely accurate for a medium bore and is well put together/finished.

 

[Speedgoat]

Here's what started out life a year ago as a SC made Model 70. Fit and finish was nice from the factory, but my gunsmith made it a little bit nicer, 30-06...

 

[Gtscotty]

I'd love to have that 1895, but there is no way I could bring myself to take it into the woods, it's far too pretty.

 

[Pilot]

The Japanese Miroku made rifles are superb. I have handled a few of the Browning .22LR rifles, the BL-22, and Semi Auto .22 and they are beautiful, and on my list to get some day as is and M70.

 

[Elkins45]

That 1895 is just gorgeous.

Here's my New Haven lefty wearing an aftermarket laminated stock. I just love this gun!

 

[forward observer]

I'd love to have that 1895, but there is no way I could bring myself to take it into the woods, it's far too pretty.

I have deliberated about that very thing, but I am determined to take it out at least once just to justify having it. However, I intend to treat it like a baby if I do.

One of the reasons I got it at a good price was that it had been in the woods, so the stock was dinged up a bit. Getting the old epoxy Browning style glossy finish off was a chore, but the refinish came out quite nice.

Here's their newest 1873 short rifle with a color case hardened receiver in .357/38. I took it to the range just last week and it was one of the most satisfying and fun shoots I've ever had.


Cheers

 

[Babalouie]

Thanks so much for all of the responses. Love every firearm pic you all posted!

Thanks Gtscotty!...I just purchased that Bud's grade III featherweight! Can't wait for it to arrive. I'll post pics of it coming out of the box!

Thanks again everyone, I'll be posting another Win. related question in a moment.

 

[Armybrat]

Love lookin' at all those beautiful Winchesters. Here's my original '73 Short Rifle - in .44-40: