Model 70 Question?
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brentc
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I don't know the specific years, but the most complaints come from the latest years of the New Haven production, maybe 2005 - to plant closure, mostly due to poor QC.
The new ones built on the CRF actions by FN in South Carolina are good to go. The new MOA trigger is a common compliant, but it is easy to take care of with some minor adjustments.
winmag
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Noooooo
That's way off. Basically it concerns post 64' models using the push feed bolt (no claw, XTR models etc.) up UNTILL the reintroduction of the controlled round feed (claw along side the bolt) well before the plant closure.
There are tons of great Model-70's in those "questionable" years. Switching from hands on to automation took its toll on form, fit, & Finnish. I own Winchesters from pre 64 to plant closure.
In short, it boiled down to cost, & greed from both the workers, & Winchester. Sad. Everyone has to bite the hand that feeds them. But there are plenty of accurate rifles even in those "off years" of low cost production rifles. I own a few, & none shoot over MOA with handloads. I will say that I had to float the barrel, & bed the action of my XTR 300wby before I could CONSISTANTLY get sub MOA. But it averaged 1-1/4" groups BEFORE that, with occasional sub MOA groups. After the float/bed job I gave it, I shot a 4-1/16" five shot group at 541 yds with factory Hornady box ammo180gr. Now it consistantly shoots sub MOA five shot groups with factory Hornady ammo, & handloads too. Just sold it to a buddy who is extatic. It's the most accurate rifle he owns. Not bad for a rifle from the "off years" imo.
I also plan to own quite a few more Winnies, & I'm looking forward to owning a few of the new FN Winchesters too.
I just got my Kreiger barrel and take the reamer to my smith probably friday. He is putting it on the first rifle I ever bought when I was 14 (1970) It is a pushfeed model and I prefer it over the 700 action on my edge. I had to buy a new bolt for the rem, original was junk. I am going for a 284 improved. Should be interesting.
There was an inherent design issue in the early post 64 models for a couple of years that was corrected. The issue was the lack of a guide slot on the bolt that resulted in a sloppy bolt movement that was prone to bind, this was corrected. It is evidenced by the lack of a rail slot on the front of the bolt. Some shooters complain about the extractor on the push feed model, but I have never had an issue with it and like it better than the Remington design. I have owned several Model 70's over the years and have't never had any issues except for my own desire to free float the barrels if they weren't by the factory and check/fine tune the bedding. Accuracy was typically excellent and would equal or exceed my Remington 700's.
brentc
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Funny, the "post 64" generation didn't even cross my mind. You're absolutely correct. I was referring to more recent QC and Union issues out of the New Haven plant.
Colorado Cruiser
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I have a Model 70 Coyote light chambered in a 22-250. It has been an great rifle. My best grouping is .279 3 shot group at 100 yards. I have a Vortex Viper PST on top of it and I couldn't be happier
ArmedAviator
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I have a Winchester Model 70 XTR Sporter Varmint in .223 that I picked up for a really nice price. It appeared to have sat in the gun safe of or closet for a decade or two. The oil has sorted of varnished on the bolt. Got it cleaned up nice. Had the local smith put on new rings and LR scope for some fun.
Reading everything I can find, came across some discussions about floating barrels. So I ran a dollar up the barrel under the forearm(?). It gets to the rifle sling bolt and sticks. No that's not it, I loosened the sling screw, it still hags about there.
Is the model 70 barrel supposed to float? Someone mentioned that Weatherbys and other similar guns touched the stock to the barrel up there.
Thanks!
Reading everything I can find, came across some discussions about floating barrels. So I ran a dollar up the barrel under the forearm(?). It gets to the rifle sling bolt and sticks. No that's not it, I loosened the sling screw, it still hags about there.
Is the model 70 barrel supposed to float? Someone mentioned that Weatherbys and other similar guns touched the stock to the barrel up there.
Thanks!
I had had one of the earliest post 64 push feeds. One was the one without a slot and guide for bolt. When I came across three coyotes at close range while doing some walk around varmint hunting I got the first yote then the bolt got bound up and I missed getting a second. Got rid of it immediately.
The next time I acquired a push feed model 70 it had the guide/ slot system. It was a 300 win mag westerner. I had it bedded in the walnut stock and it shot 200 gr nosler partitions into three shot groups in the 2s at 100 yds. It eventually became a 300 RUM. The feed rail width is wide enough for RUM cases to pass through without modifications. A wyatt's mag box was added. Really like this setup. Really like Winchester's bolt design allowing an easy disassembly without tools. It was placed into a McMillan hunter stock and it is my #1 LR elk rifle.
The next time I acquired a push feed model 70 it had the guide/ slot system. It was a 300 win mag westerner. I had it bedded in the walnut stock and it shot 200 gr nosler partitions into three shot groups in the 2s at 100 yds. It eventually became a 300 RUM. The feed rail width is wide enough for RUM cases to pass through without modifications. A wyatt's mag box was added. Really like this setup. Really like Winchester's bolt design allowing an easy disassembly without tools. It was placed into a McMillan hunter stock and it is my #1 LR elk rifle.
