Winchester Bolt guns

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My model 70 in 30-06 was built in Utah, I believe. My 1873 in .357 is Miroku.
 
Never in Japan on bolt guns. Currently made in SC, assembled in Portugal there are probably a few still on shelves that were all SC produced. Portugal made guns say so but it is on bottom of barrel between stock

Never made in Utah either. That is a SC gun. Utah is where corporate office is.located
 
Has anyone seen an M70 that was made in Portugal yet? I heard they were moving the assembly location at the beginning of 2014, buy haven't really been able to find anything about the move since then. Is the quality still as good as the SC guns?
 
jmr40 said:
Never in Japan on bolt guns. Currently made in SC, assembled in Portugal there are probably a few still on shelves that were all SC produced. Portugal made guns say so but it is on bottom of barrel between stock

Never made in Utah either. That is a SC gun. Utah is where corporate office is.located
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The reissued Winchester 52B Sporter was made by Miroku. But that is the only bolt gun that I can think of.
 
My apologies, it WAS Portugal.
Had my mind elsewhere. :)

No Model 70 was ever made in Utah, however.
Denis
 
It makes no sense to make the parts here ship them there to be assembled then ship them back unless you are training a workforce piecemeal to eventually handle the whole job. I believe the 70's will either be discontinued or completely made overseas in short order. I think they will cease to be a mainline production rifle at some point with all the successful budget rifles on the market. There is just no reason to by a model 70 unless you really want just a model 70. Its not a cheap gun. Its not a custom or semi custom. It's just expensively in the middle which is not a good place to be. I see it being like the levers, a certain devout following which will warrant some level of production possibly even being reduced to special runs, or orders to an overseas producer.
 
dvdcrr:

You make good points about making parts here, assembling overseas, etc, even about the M70 price-point. However, where I disagree about the price is that the M70 is a CRF. Comparing the current M70 CRF, to other current manufacture CRFs, made in America, the M70 starts to pull ahead of the others. Add to that the fact that the M70 has rather a cult-like following, with people such as myself, wandering around mumbling "must have more M70s", and one can reasonably assume that the M70 will continue to sell in decent enough numbers that it will not be discontinued anytime soon. JMHO.

Geno
 
I have to disagree with dvdcrr, I think the current production M70s are an excellent deal, and have been pretty popular. In my case, I've more or less dumped my econo-rifles and have bought several M70s. To me, the SC M70s are a great deal, and are really at a sweet spot in the market. My M70s have all exhibited excellent fit, finish and accuracy, and you can pick up a slick Featherweight for less than $800 new. There will always be a market for RARs, low end savages, 783s and the like, but I think it's a mistake to assume that everyone is dropping their Winchesters, Weatherbys, Kimbers, etc. By the road side to make room in their gun cabinets for the next econo-rifle.
 
Ruger is another one. The price point of the hawkeye is pricing it out of the market, for the average casual shooter/hunter. It wasnt long ago you were looking at 600 OTD but now its creeping into that 750 range. They made a very smart move with the American. There's nothing not to like about that product at that price. If I were them, I would relaunch the Hawkeye with pillar bedding in the synthetic (an improved stock.), a true adjustable trigger and keep the wood very nice. Hey it aint cheap so it might as well be nice.
Weatherby: the mark 5 is US made finally. But the Vanguard has to be the bread and butter for that company.
I dont even know where to start with Remington, but I do like the 783, I wish it had a real trigger not that accutrigger wanna be thing. Rem ought to bring back the 788 in true form.
 
dvdcrr said:
...They made a very smart move with the American. There's nothing not to like about that product at that price...

Weatherby: the mark 5 is US made finally. But the Vanguard has to be the bread and butter for that company...

I dont even know where to start with Remington, but I do like the 783, I wish it had a real trigger not that accutrigger wanna be thing. Rem ought to bring back the 788 in true form.
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There have been reliability issues with the American due to the magazine. To what extent and whether it was sorted out, I don't know. Other than that, I like that model as well.

Weatherby: About a couple of years ago, Gun Tests compared a made in USA Weatherby to a made in Japan Weatherby. It was disappointing the made in Japan model one. I don't recall which models they were comparing. I remember the made in USA one was more expensive.

Didn't they stop making the W. Vanguard and start making the Vanguard II?

Chuck Hawks did a review of the budget rifles. The Rem. 783 came it last. See below.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_bolt_action_economy_rifles.htm
 
I just saw a pic of a Win model 70 WSM rifle made in Portugal. That thing didnt look right! Better check close before you spring for one of those. The stock inletting and action looked mismatched compared to the US ones.
 
Vanguard II is the current version.
It is an excellent value, made by Howa in Japan.
Denis
 
Probably better. Browning has been assembling HiPowers in Portugal since the 1970s. I had both an all Belgian Hi Power and an "Assembled in Portugal" one, which was nicer. Since FN now has the M4 contract as well as their other military orders, they probably needed the room. The Portugal plant probably has far more experience in nice wood and bluing finishes than the SC one anyway.
 
My M70 .25-06 was purchased Oct. 1981 for $251.99 at Gibson Discount Store. It has taken more white tails than I can remember. I have no idea if it was made in Wake Island or somewhere else. No parts have ever needed replacement and it is my go to rifle.
 
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