Why is the Winchester Model 70 called the rifleman's rifle?

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You really need to take the rifle to a competent gunsmith to adjust a trigger.You need a scale spring to set it.Then you drop it on its butt end to see if it fires by shock.
 
You really need to take the rifle to a competent gunsmith to adjust a trigger.You need a scale spring to set it.Then you drop it on its butt end to see if it fires by shock
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Not my M70s you don't.
 
Why not? Thats to simulate a fall from a stand.A small bounce,not of the roof.of your home.Just hold it in your hand,and let it bump the floor while cocked .Its a safety issue.My rifles are set @ 2.75lbs.
 
That "bump test" has been a standard safety check for longer than I've been around. :)

Remember that the term "Rifleman's Rifle" only applies to the pre-'64 Model 70s.

As far as group-size accuracy, the post-'63 rifles are just as good as the older versions. Really, if anything, today's machine tools enable better accuracy than in the past.
 
Push feed captive spring extractors require closing the bolt to grab the case rim, whereas a Mauser claw with be able to eject loaded rounds as soon as the round clears the feed rails, well before going to battery. I do not see how a push feed can be faster feeding OR ejecting.
 
The only advantage I see, generally, for the push feed is that it makes for a much stronger package. More of the cartridge case is supported, which was Remington's big noise in their advertising when they brought out the 721.

Back some 40 years ago, as a reloader, I could see the benefit against an Oops! for an over-pressure mistake in loading.
 
Do not most Big Game guides (Africa) require a claw foot extractor on your fire arm (bolt action)that you take into the field?
 
All my model 70's are post '64 Classics,with boss system (Browning)SST,composite stocks.All have claw foot extractors.One of my favorites is a model 70,chambered in 300 Weatherby,original barrel.Butter smooth action.
 
The only advantage I see, generally, for the push feed is that it makes for a much stronger package. More of the cartridge case is supported, which was Remington's big noise in their advertising when they brought out the 721.
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You would have to look at "The Bolt Action: by Stuart Otteson" to really verify whether the push feed M70 supported the case better than the claw version.

My recollection was that the M70 push feed had as much case head hanging out as any other action, including the M700.

The M98 was really good in supporting the case, it supports more of the case than the M70 or M700.

The M700 breeching is really good because of the counter sunk bolt face. Even though it has a fair amount of case head sticking out, if the case head blows, the bolt face is inside the barrel. Makes a very decent gas seal. It is very difficult to blow a M700 action. With most push feeds, there is a gap between the barrel end and bolt face.

Mr. Otteson points out the breeching methods in modern actions, there is more than one way to provide a strong and safe breech, even with push feed rifles.

My recollection was the Savage M100 was very good, but my Sako A3 Finnbear is not a good design when it comes to case head support.
 
Why not? Thats to simulate a fall from a stand.A small bounce,not of the roof.of your home.Just hold it in your hand,and let it bump the floor while cocked .Its a safety issue.My rifles are set @ 2.75lbs
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I might do it on a padded carpet, but all my M70s have steel butts and I would not want them hiting even a wooden floor.
 
I am not worried about the floor, flooring is cheap, pre 64 stocks are not. I have seen many old steel butt plate guns, M70 and others, with chips at the toe of the stock from being dropped butt down.
 
I might add the M70 safety locks the striker. You can take the trigger out and throw it away and the gun is still not going to fire.
 
Jim: I don't want mine to fire when you take the safety off...My gunsmith is one of the best in the south,trained at the old Walker Arms,in Selma,Al.
 
Jim: I don't want mine to fire when you take the safety off...My gunsmith is one of the best in the south,trained at the old Walker Arms,in Selma,Al.
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Virtually impossible in the M70,unless you take a stone to the sear. Trigger pull adjustments cannot cause that.
 
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Geezz, just telling ya about what I have learned about a gun I have owned many examples of over 40 years-if I came across as a smart a**, I apologize.
 
A point: I have stood by my gun smith,and watched him perform the actual setting of the poundage on the trigger.I saw it with my own two eyes,the bolt shut,and cocked,and the rifle snap when the butt hit the floor of his shop.Too light of spring,and it snapped. Thats all folks....case closed.Pulling the trigger does the same.So the inertia of bumping the stock,in firing mode and too light of trigger pull will fire the rifle.Safety first!
 
Well, crap happenes while hunting, so, I would rather have a 5lb. trigger, than a 2lb. trigger that goes off with a minor bump.....
 
I believe jim in anchorage was referring to a bump test with the safety "ON". That locks the striker and it will not bump fire.
 
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