What was competition to Win. Model 70's in the early 1950's?

[bushmaster1313]

If someone was thinking of buying a Model 70 FWT in .243 or .270 in the early 1950's, what else was there to look at?

This would have been before the Remington 700

 

[LoonWulf]

remington had its 720 series, im only actually familiar with the 721. savage had the 110 out towards the end of the decade, milsurp conversions and other stuff im sure. but the remington would likely be the direct competitor.

 

[Picher]

The Rem. 725 was an up-scale version of the 721 and 722, with a higher-grade walnut, checkered stock. The 722 was the short-action version of the 720 series.

 

[Abel]

A Marlin 336. Believe it or not, most deer hunters used a 30-30 back then.

 

[heeler]

During that era the model 70 probably was the desired choice of most American hunters who wanted a bolt action rifle for hunting.
That is if they could afford it.
Most know back in those days $5-$15 difference would easily sway a man to get the Savage 110 over the model 70 because money was tight.
One of my very best friends has a 1949 made Remington 721 in 270 caliber that his father past down to him in the early 80's and that rifle is very accurate and has accounted for well over 100 Texas Whitetails in it's years afield.
Putting it right next to my brothers 1985 built 700 BDL 30-06 you can clearly see the evolution of change between the models.

If I was grown back in the 50's I would have saved up a few more months to spend the extra bucks on the model 70.

 

[Baba Louie]

The Common Option

Typically, when new Wins and Rems cost so much more... you'd buy an old 1903 or a K98 for $15-25, and (shudder today) sporterize that puppy. Put $40-50 in it with your local smith (maybe more, maybe less), go hunt.

 

[Gordon]

Or a Savage 99

 

[sage5907]

The Winchester 70 was the top of the line rifle back in the 50's and it's only U.S. made competitor over the counter was a Weatherby on a FN Mauser deluxe action and I bought a Weatherby in 1965. By the end of 1959 Winchester had sold over 450,000 Model 70's into the U.S. market. Weatherby had sold less than 10,000. I couldn't afford a Model 70 in the 50's so I had a 722 Remington in 257 Roberts. It was cheap made, had a stamped cover over the magazine box, the cartridges didn't feed well, it dinged almost every bullet tip, but it shot good. A government hunter who was a good friend had a Model 70 with a Baush & Lomb Balvar 8 scope and it was top of the line. He had it re-barreled to a 25-06 and I was jealous. I didn't get my first Model 70 until 1978 and it was a 53 Model, I never looked back. There was some re-barreled custom jobs in the 50's with Flag's Ace or Douglas barrels on Springfield and Mauser actions but in my opinion they weren't as user friendly as a Model 70. Like Gordon says, the Savage 99 was really a quality rifle and for someone didn't want a bolt action they were a really good choice. I hunted with a borrowed Savage 99 in 308 Winchester and I really liked it. BW

 

[Smith357]

The FN commercial Mauser that later become the Browning Safari was a direct competitor for the Win M70 market share in the 50s.

1947 FN Mauser

 

[Art Eatman]

For factory competition in the 1950s as to fit and finish for the Model 70, you pretty much had to go to the Weatherby or to English and German rifles. (That's separate from group-size capability.)

 

[SwampWolf]

As Picher noted, the short-lived Remington Model 725 was a worthy competitor to the Model 70 for a factory rifle in terms of fit, finish and general aesthetics. It's a rifle I've always wanted to get but they're mighty hard to find and pretty darn pricey when you do.