OK, starting at the beginning, I was coming out of a sporting good store where I'd purchased a Leupold VX III for my 45/70, and the pawn shop on the way back to the main drag had a sign in the window:
"All Guns 20% Off"
So I picked up a Wby Vanguard, 85%, 30-06, blued, synthetic stock w/ Leupold VX II, 3 - 9x 4mm, duplex on it for about $340, out the door. Last Thanksgiving my nephew says, "If you see a bolt action in 30-06 for a good price, pick it up for me and I'll pay you back."
Christmas comes early. I gave him this rifle because he'll use it and I can afford to. Besides, that gives me a reason to shop for a replacement. I looked at Wby Vanguard, Rem. 700, Win. 70, Ruger M77, in 270, 7mm, 7mm RUM, 30-06, 300 Win. Mag, -- even a Wby Mk V in 340 Wby. Ohhhhh yeah, and Rem. 700 in .375 H&H, for a bit.
Well, I kept looking at the Win. Mod. 70 -- "Rifleman's Rifle," but the model variations from year to year get confusing. Besides which, it seems like Winchester "went out of business."
Winchester just "reorganized" . . . currently part of Olin, and manufacturing out of Columbia SC. They closed the plant in New Haven, Conn.
Winchester introduced synthetic stocks and stainless in the Mod. 70 in 1992. They went back to the Mauser style long extractor, controlled feed. They jeweled the bolt.
I found a post '92, Mod. 70, synthetic stock "Classic Stainless" 30-06, Leupold VX II, silver, 3 - 9x 40mm, duplex.
Took it out on the range on the way back from the shop. I have some LC 1969 surplus ammo. I don't know the bullet weight. These days I'm shooting it up so I can reload the brass.
I'm getting 3" groups at 100 yds. (It's the ammo.), two inches above the POA. I'll be reloading w/ Hodgdon 4895, various weights, trimming the brass to 2.486", square the primer pocket, deburr the flash-hole. This should bring the groups into sub-MOA.
It's my "open country range gun" -- the one that gets carried when hiking.
"All Guns 20% Off"
So I picked up a Wby Vanguard, 85%, 30-06, blued, synthetic stock w/ Leupold VX II, 3 - 9x 4mm, duplex on it for about $340, out the door. Last Thanksgiving my nephew says, "If you see a bolt action in 30-06 for a good price, pick it up for me and I'll pay you back."
Christmas comes early. I gave him this rifle because he'll use it and I can afford to. Besides, that gives me a reason to shop for a replacement. I looked at Wby Vanguard, Rem. 700, Win. 70, Ruger M77, in 270, 7mm, 7mm RUM, 30-06, 300 Win. Mag, -- even a Wby Mk V in 340 Wby. Ohhhhh yeah, and Rem. 700 in .375 H&H, for a bit.
Well, I kept looking at the Win. Mod. 70 -- "Rifleman's Rifle," but the model variations from year to year get confusing. Besides which, it seems like Winchester "went out of business."
Winchester just "reorganized" . . . currently part of Olin, and manufacturing out of Columbia SC. They closed the plant in New Haven, Conn.
Winchester introduced synthetic stocks and stainless in the Mod. 70 in 1992. They went back to the Mauser style long extractor, controlled feed. They jeweled the bolt.
I found a post '92, Mod. 70, synthetic stock "Classic Stainless" 30-06, Leupold VX II, silver, 3 - 9x 40mm, duplex.
Took it out on the range on the way back from the shop. I have some LC 1969 surplus ammo. I don't know the bullet weight. These days I'm shooting it up so I can reload the brass.
I'm getting 3" groups at 100 yds. (It's the ammo.), two inches above the POA. I'll be reloading w/ Hodgdon 4895, various weights, trimming the brass to 2.486", square the primer pocket, deburr the flash-hole. This should bring the groups into sub-MOA.
It's my "open country range gun" -- the one that gets carried when hiking.
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