Tell me about a Winchester 70

[pepperbelly]

I was doing some goofing off and saw a Winchester Model 70 SA in a pawn shop. It has a fiberglass/composite stock and a very heavy stainless barrel that is partially fluted. It looks to be in very good shape. It's a .308.
Are these used much for LR shooting or is Remington the king?
About how accurate are these?
About what should it sell for?

I have a DPMS SASS that I like, but I am always a sucker for a deal on a good rifle.

The only downside is some bozo stuck a POS BSA scope on it.

 

[buffybuster]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

Remington M700 type actions rule the roost because they are the easiest to smith. The Win M70/SPR CF action is my favorite. Winchester M70's have been made in four configurations.

Pre-64 CF LA Only (Controlled Feed)
Post-64 PF (Push Feed)
Post-64 CF (M70 Classic Controlled Feed)
Post-64 CPF (Controlled Push Feed)

They are all flat bottom integral lug actions. The aftermarket is not as extensive but everything is out there.

 

[Engine 22]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

I think you should buy it and sent it to me for evaluation

.

Nothing wrong with the Winchesters at all. There'll be folks who say the Controled round feed is the only one worth having, but I wouldn't get too wrapped up in that. My push feed is extremely accurate and totally reliable.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

Chalk me up as a Winnie push-feed hater.

I love a CRF Winnie/FN, and recognize the PFs are still fine, good shooting rifles, but without the "claw", it might as well be anything else. The 3-position safety though, is certainly the gold standard safety.

 

[Engine 22]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

So, are you a Remington "hater" too then? How about all the Remington clones? Push feed, aren't they? What about the safety? You said the Winchester is better, right? You know the action and recoil lug are one peice on the Winchester, right. The Winchester action is flat bottomed, like many high- end custom actions ( think Badger M2008 and more).
I don't understand why many people think the push-feed M70s aren't worth anything.

 

[jhr1986]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

I'm interested in hearing the forum's collective thought on this as well. I'm interested in a new m70 in 30-06 and an FN SPR in .308, but honestly it has more to do with wanting something other than the standard 700 action. I guess I'm just a contrarian by nature.

if you decide to pass on it, shoot me a PM with the shop's name so I can go check it out

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jhr1986</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm interested in hearing the forum's collective thought on this as well. I'm interested in a new m70 in 30-06 and an FN SPR in .308, but honestly it has more to do with wanting something other than the standard 700 action. I guess I'm just a contrarian by nature.

if you decide to pass on it, shoot me a PM with the shop's name so I can go check it out </div></div>

If I do pass I will send you the shop's name and address.
They have a price on it of $650.00, so I could probably get it for $600.00. I just have to decide if I need or want another '308. I have been thinking about a bolt rifle though.

 

[John1911.com]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Chalk me up as a Winnie push-feed hater.

I love a CRF Winnie/FN, and recognize the PFs are still fine, good shooting rifles, but without the "claw", it might as well be anything else. The 3-position safety though, is certainly the gold standard safety. </div></div>

I kinda cut my teeth on the CRF Winchester 70 action. I am very comfortable with the 3-position safety. I also really like how the Model 70 locks the action. VERY handy when crawling around with your rife.

I am so accustomed to it, I recall hearing a USMC sniper talk about just taping his bolt closed when stalking. My initial reaction was incredulous. Why? I didn't believe the 700 action wasn't lockable. I'm still not 100% sure there aren't some.

I'm a Winchester 70 guy and it was a major reason I bought an FN SPR A3g. The model 70 action.

TTR

 

[RyanScott]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

I like CRF but I would take a PF Winchester over a Remington. I sound like a broken record but a Winchester is superior in basically every quantifiable way.

I bought a CRF M70 7RM for $293 today. It needs to have the rust spots sanded off but it will make a fine custom .375.

 

[SuburbanHick]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

alright.... ill say this... look at all high end dangerous game rifles....a very high percentage of them have controlled round feed on a Model 70 action.... the model 70 recoil lug is one with the receiver.... and with the right barrel is just as accurate as the 700....only difference if you find one with controlled round feeding, the likely hood of jams is next to nothing.. thats why they are used on dangerous game rifles....the main difference is the amount of aftermarket products out there for the 700 compared to the model 70...right now im building a model 70... you can get all the good stuff for them to, one piece base triggerguard with AI mag mcmillan stock... its possible to do a model 70 build...and are they o so sweet...

o lets not forget how great a 3 position safety is....

 

[madppcs]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

I have a model 70 (7mag) being built by phoenix custom rifles right now. Its getting a McMillan A5 and a brux barrell. And if this means anything to you then I'm not sure what will.
I asked bradley about truing the receiver. And he said that they guarantee the accuracy without having to machine the action. The actions (most of the time are just that good.
And when I asked about why everyone trues the remmys, he said that they are so easy (and in so much need of truing) lol...

 

[Al_Ski]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

Model 70's don't shoot. and Rock Creek barrels don't either...

Target dot is 1" for reference.

 

[Mike]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

I LOVE Winchesters way more than 700s. If they made a LH, that's all I would shoot.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

Pepperbelly,

The Remington 700 on the firing line of an HP-XC or LR match is a relatively recent thing. Wasn't that long ago that the Win M70 was THE rifle for HP matches. With their flat bottom receivers, they hold bedding far better than the M700s do, especially with more potent calibers like the 300WM when it was still one of the dominant cartridges for LR matches. For XC use, the Remingtons couldn't (and still can't) hold a candle to the M70s for bolt throw during rapids. Haven't used any of the current production M70s, but still have several M70 Match rifles built on older actions. They're still perfectly competitive, and I'd still take one over an M700 for XC use without the slightest hesitation.

Truly one of the all-time great bolt action designs.

 

[Rainier42]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

Was at a local shop a couple weeks back and there in front of me was a 30-06 Model 70 on consignment. The rifle was in cherry condition and I asked the dealer what year it was ... a quick look up on its serial number put it at 1952. At $850.00, I HAD to purchase even though I was not in the market for a new rifle.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Engine22</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So, are you a Remington "hater" too then? How about all the Remington clones? Push feed, aren't they? What about the safety? You said the Winchester is better, right? You know the action and recoil lug are one peice on the Winchester, right. The Winchester action is flat bottomed, like many high- end custom actions ( think Badger M2008 and more).
I don't understand why many people think the push-feed M70s aren't worth anything. </div></div>

Yes, I am in fact, a bit of a Remington hater. They're just not my bag. Before people flame me - I recognize they are generally good shooters out of the box, and with a bunch of tuning and hop-ups, are great rifles. They're just not my cup of tea.

I am not <span style="font-style: italic">totally</span> against pushfeed. There are far too many excellent guns out there that use pushfeed to good effect. HOWEVER, I'm simply not going to have a Winnie that is pushfeed. To me that's like putting a Chevy 350 into a Mustang. No doubt the 350 is a good engine, but I'm just not going to bastardize the Mustang with a Chevy engine.

If I'm going to have a PF rifle (and I do), it is going to have extra/better features than a PF Win70. Such as 60º bolt lift, 3 or 6 locking lugs, AW magazines, Easily swappable barrels/calibers...

To give you an idea, my PF rifles include:

Sako TRG42 338LM
Savage 10FP in 308/223ai
Badger M2008 in 260

 

[pepperbelly]

Re: Tell me about a Winchester 70

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jhr1986</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm interested in hearing the forum's collective thought on this as well. I'm interested in a new m70 in 30-06 and an FN SPR in .308, but honestly it has more to do with wanting something other than the standard 700 action. I guess I'm just a contrarian by nature.

if you decide to pass on it, shoot me a PM with the shop's name so I can go check it out </div></div>

I am going to pass on it. I sent a PM with the shop's info.
I think that if I get another rifle I might go with a different caliber, like maybe a Savage in .260 Rem.