Winchester Model 70 Accuracy Issues - Help Needed

[ndczerwinski]

I have a newer Model 70 Extreme Wether SS that I bought new last year that I am having accuracy issues with. I have already done the following work to it.

-New Timney Trigger installed
-Had gun smith glass bed the action
-Had gun smith recrown barrel

The gun will shoot Winchester 180 gr Ballistic silver tips at 1 MOA at 100 yards. All other ammo shoots terrible. It seems to throw all other bullets about 6" low. I am also having problems getting the gun to hold its accuracy at longer ranges.

I have tried the following ammo without success. I am talking 4" or larger groups at 100 yds that are 6" below my zero with the above mentioned ammo.

-Hornady Precision Hunter - 200 gr ELDX
-Federal - 180 gr Trophy Tip Bonded
-Winchester - 190 gr ABLR
-Nosler Trophy Grade - 190 ABLR
-Federal - 200 gr Edge TLR

Also with my scope zeroed for the 180 gr Ballistic Silver Tips I have about half a turn left on my knob for elevation adjustment. The scope is a Swarovski Z8i 2-16x50mm and it is mounted with Talley lightweight aluminum rings. Everything torqued to factory specs for rings and scope and the rings were lapped. I have the scope mounted as close to the bore as I can while still clearing the ocular with the bolt handle.

I am looking for advice on what I should do. This is the first Winchester I have owned that is not a shooter. I am wondering if there are any other measures I should take short of re-barrelling or selling the gun and starting over. Hand loading is not an option for me right now because I do not have the time for it.

Thanks for any constructive advice.

 

[Wolf76]

Had a gun do the very same thing. I'd measure the freebore. If your bullet is jumping a ton, mostly likely accuracy will suffer greatly.
Try Barnes bullets and see if it makes a difference.
In my case, handload the bullets long, made all the difference. Good luck.

 

[Idahoelkaddict]

I have a newer Model 70 Extreme Wether SS that I bought new last year that I am having accuracy issues with. I have already done the following work to it.

-New Timney Trigger installed
-Had gun smith glass bed the action
-Had gun smith recrown barrel

The gun will shoot Winchester 180 gr Ballistic silver tips at 1 MOA at 100 yards. All other ammo shoots terrible. It seems to throw all other bullets about 6" low. I am also having problems getting the gun to hold its accuracy at longer ranges.

I have tried the following ammo without success. I am talking 4" or larger groups at 100 yds that are 6" below my zero with the above mentioned ammo.

-Hornady Precision Hunter - 200 gr ELDX
-Federal - 180 gr Trophy Tip Bonded
-Winchester - 190 gr ABLR
-Nosler Trophy Grade - 190 ABLR
-Federal - 200 gr Edge TLR

Also with my scope zeroed for the 180 gr Ballistic Silver Tips I have about half a turn left on my knob for elevation adjustment. The scope is a Swarovski Z8i 2-16x50mm and it is mounted with Talley lightweight aluminum rings. Everything torqued to factory specs for rings and scope and the rings were lapped. I have the scope mounted as close to the bore as I can while still clearing the ocular with the bolt handle.

I am looking for advice on what I should do. This is the first Winchester I have owned that is not a shooter. I am wondering if there are any other measures I should take short of re-barrelling or selling the gun and starting over. Hand loading is not an option for me right now because I do not have the time for it.

Thanks for any constructive advice.

If you get a Winchester model 70 that doesn't shoot use it for a tent stake. I have had 2 that didn't shoot, one of which has been rebarreled 3x by 2 different smiths and still is a nightmare. Only wish I had trashed it before getting so wrapped up in it.

 

[medic201]

My M70 XTR 338 Win Mag has the same mods but I also had a muzzle brake added. It only likes Remington 225 gr PSP Core-Lokt. I've tried just about every commercial ammo out there. I thought it might be the brake but it is starting to look like an M70 problem.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

I have a few model 70's. Each one of them shoots just fine.....




......if I load the bullet so far out of the case that I can no longer use the magazine. To be fair, I have some remingtons with the exact same issue.

 

[Pulpwood]

I have only bought one Winchester model 70 (used) that wouldn't shoot under 1 moa and it was a 300wsm from the ct plant . I sent it to hill country rifles in Texas and it was the best 595.00 I could spend . The rifle came back shooting .217 and I'm not sure what was wrong with it . Good luck

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Is the scope touching the barrel? Are you sure the scope is in good working order? The other thing that gives me pause is that you stated you lapped the rings. I have seen lapped rings that will not hold the scope. I don't think there is a single ring manufacture that is ok with you lapping their rings. Also check all the action and scope screws to make sure they are torqued to spec.

I still think you have an optics issue with the statement that you only have half a turn left on the elevation turret.

Good luck.

Steve

 

[jdc526371]

Try 155 to 168 gr bullets. I have a newer m70 ultimate shadow 1in12 twist first tried 178 eldx factory an168 fgmm neither would shoot. Tried 155 a max, the new 155 Browning stuff and 168 a max. Shoots all 3 lights out. Although I was hoping to run the heavier bullets

 

[ndczerwinski]

Is the scope touching the barrel? Are you sure the scope is in good working order? The other thing that gives me pause is that you stated you lapped the rings. I have seen lapped rings that will not hold the scope. I don't think there is a single ring manufacture that is ok with you lapping their rings. Also check all the action and scope screws to make sure they are torqued to spec.

I still think you have an optics issue with the statement that you only have half a turn left on the elevation turret.

Good luck.

Steve

The Scope is definitely not touching the barrel. Its a brand new Z8i, so I would hope there is no mechanical issues. For whatever reason all ammo other than the Ballistic Silvertip seems to fly low, so I am not surprised that I am running out of adjustment. The rings are Talley LW alloy mounts. Talley doesn't have a problem lapping horizontally split rings. I have been debating remounting the scope with a rail to see if the mounting really was the problem, but I am hesitant to stick another $250 in rail and rings into the gun.

 

[ndczerwinski]

Try 155 to 168 gr bullets. I have a newer m70 ultimate shadow 1in12 twist first tried 178 eldx factory an168 fgmm neither would shoot. Tried 155 a max, the new 155 Browning stuff and 168 a max. Shoots all 3 lights out. Although I was hoping to run the heavier bullets

Is it a 300 win mag? That twist seems a bit slow for 300 win mag?

 

[jdc526371]

Is it a 300 win mag? That twist seems a bit slow for 300 win mag?

No 308. I didn't see anything caliber specific

 

[Hatrick]

What twist rate do you have? Steve at Hammer enlitend me on that awhile ago. My 300 rum is a 12 and it only shoots short 180s. He said I should use his 155 and it would be a laser to 500.

 

[ndczerwinski]

What twist rate do you have? Steve at Hammer enlitend me on that awhile ago. My 300 rum is a 12 and it only shoots short 180s. He said I should use his 155 and it would be a laser to 500.

1 in 10 which should be good to about 200 or so based on my research.

 

[Rhett Crider]

If it's a 308 M70-EW, Winchesters website shows 22" sporter w/ 12 twist.