Winchester 70 Featherweight vs Deluxe?

[RyeDaddy]

I'm going to buy a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300 WSM to round out my hunting rifle collection. I'm only interested in a new FN built one. I had wanted a Featherweight Deluxe, but I see on the Winchester web site they aren't making them now. The only difference I could see between the standard FW and the Deluxe was that the Deluxe had "Grade 1" walnut. The website now shows the regular FW as having "Grade 1". So did they just rename the Deluxe as the standard featherweight for this year? You can still find the Deluxe around at dealers, were there any other differences that I should know, and would it be worth tracking down a Deluxe or should I just order a new standard FW?

Also, not sure if I should go with blued or stainless, blued appeals to me as all my other rifles are stainless and I want a classic looking beauty. Then again there is a reason all my other rifles are stainless. Real question here is whether there is a difference in the wood quality on the stainless FW vs the grade 1 on the Deluxe and the standard FW.

Long winded question maybe, but it boils down to the fact that I want a rifle with pretty wood. Any help?

 

[Canazes9]

I looked at some featherweights last year. The wood on the standard FW and the stainless FW was very plain, straight grain almost no figure. The deluxe was a very noticeable upgrade. Nice figure, little bit of burl, higher quality oil finish vs the laquer on the standard.

I have no idea if the new standard wood is the equivalent of the old Deluxe, but if I wanted a blued FW I wood definitely be shopping for an older Deluxe. The ones I saw were definitely worth the upgrade price.

David

 

[lowerunit411]

i think the "deluxe" was a 2008 issue only as it was a "transitional gun". i believe the floor plate has "limited edition 2008" engraved on it. i have seen some that had nice furniture on them and others that were just ok. other than that i dont believe that thre was any difference between them and the current FWT. Im confident others here who know more will chime in. I have a new super grade in .270 and couldnt be happier with it in every way. good luck

 

[RyeDaddy]

Thanks for both replies. Makes sense that the Deluxe was a special edition. I guess I can scour around and try to get one. If not I guess I'll just take a look at different shops around till I find a Featherweight with some decent wood. It's alot cheaper to buy one online and have it sent to my FFL, but you just never know what you'll get.

Something about the Featherweight's Schnabel forend really has me locked in. My other guns are all super accurate, but synthetic or laminate with stainless, in other words utilitarian. They all serve their purposes well, but I want something attractive for once.

EDIT: Searching shows that the Deluxe is "Grade 2" walnut, as opposed to the grade 1 of the others. Eye opener. I'm gonna buy a Deluxe off gunbroker.

 

[jmr40]

Of the 2 I'd probably go stainless, but that is just me. I wouldn't worry about the wood haveing any figure on a hunting rifle. In my experience the straight grained stocks with no figure are much more stable and less likely to warp, swell or crack in changing environmental conditions than the fancy stocks with lots of figure to them.

Just a personel thought. I love the Featherweight rifles, but not in magnum chamberings. The stocks are trim, lightweight and designed around a thinner contour featherweight barrel. When you put a heavy, magnum contour barrel in them they just plain look odd. If I were buying a stainless rifle in 300 WSM it would be the Extreme Weather. If I wanted blue/walnut it'd be the Sporter. I'd personally chose the EW.