Winchester M70 Featherweight

Kinda makes you wonder if JOC had been around in today’s era, what rendition his rifle would be like given all the options and advancements we have in factory/aftermarket offerings.

CF/LW Stock, fluted/spiralled, barrel, mag fed, arca/bi/tripod setup, muzzle brake?
 
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Demonical said:
Just for the curious, the 'Featherweight, with sling on it and 4 loaded rounds, weighs in at a not too slender 8lbs 13ozs.


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Featherweights aren't really "featherweight" anymore, it was always a bit of a knock against it vs the Model 700 Mountain Rifle, but that beauty and class has to weigh something, right? Still, that's tolerable for a regular sporter and it will be more steady in the field anyways especially for an unsupported shot. Unless it's going up mountains or you pack heavy for regular hunts it'll be good.

Whatcha shootin'? Accubonds?
 
Talley Lightweights, Leupold scope and nylon mountain sling will get you to 8lbs.
 

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Demonical said:
^ Yes, 140gr Accubonds.

The loaded rounds in that pic are for my M700 Sendero, I have to work up new loads for the M70.

I'll be hunting whitetails in the timber, from ground or treestands, so a '9 lb' rifle is fine.
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If you are hunting short range in the timber, you might consider slowing the bullet down, going to something like the 160 Partition at moderate speed... this will not affect your trajectory noticeably under 250 yards, but the amount damage on impact can be significantly less... I'm assuming you eat your deer and don't care for jello.
 
My Accubonds caused way less bloodshot than BTs or CoreLoks. That was the lesson I learned with 140 BTs in that 7RM vs ABs. I've used tough bullets since, I think the perfect bullet is the Swift A-frame, if your rifle shoots it well.

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Silverado said:
My Accubonds caused way less bloodshot than BTs or CoreLoks. That was the lesson I learned with 140 BTs in that 7RM vs ABs. I've used tough bullets since, I think the perfect bullet is the Swift A-frame, if your rifle shoots it well.

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I have had problems even with the AB's at high speed/close range... I wouldn't consider the NBT's in that scenario. Partitions seem to be better, but when shooting Partitions I tend to go up in bullet weight and down in velocity.
 
NAA said:
I've owned a number of the post '64 'push feed' Model 70's. We're accurate enough for me.

Current favorite is a 'push feed' FW in 6.5x55mm.

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NAA.
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Nice!

Missed out on a CRF FW in 6.5x55 last year and still kick myself for it. 270 can be loaded so close that I wouldn't mind one either at least.
 
Hoyt ya, I'd like to get some 160's, RN, Part's whatever. But for now go with what's on the shelf... hmm... maybe there's some 160's down there? :unsure:

Well how about that?
And check the price, $51 a box 'way back when' I bought those. :cool:

Oh ya, and I completely agree on the bigger, slower idea. (y)


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Demonical said:
Hoyt ya, I'd like to get some 160's, RN, Part's whatever. But for now go with what's on the shelf... hmm... maybe there's some 160's down there? :unsure:

Well how about that?
And check the price, $51 a box 'way back when' I bought those. :cool:

Oh ya, and I completely agree on the bigger, slower idea. (y)


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Beautiful! Those are perfect... and at $51/box you stole them, compared to the current prices. I would say as a hunting rig for your situation you can't do better than that.
 
For funzies, I ran some rough numbers for that 160 Partition load... zeroed at 220 MPBR with a 2.5" radius, you can hold dead on from 0-260 yards and only be 6" low at 300... I would say that has you covered pretty good.

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Demonical said:
So the thread about the M70 vs the M700 stoked my interest in buying a new model Winchester M70 with CRF, chambered in the classic 270Win cartridge.

I suppose I'm not allowed to say exactly where I bought it, but I stumbled onto a shop in Manitoba, that had a Browning/Winchester promotion, $100 off.
Hey it was enough to cover shipping, and it was the lowest price I saw anywhere in Canada, for a new rifle.

Unboxed it 2 days ago. I just happened to have a Leupold M70A base, plus medium height Leupold rings, which I put on yesterday.

Today I aligned the rings, then lapped them. Darn near a perfect job, if I say so.

Mounted a sweet little Bushnell Elite 3200, 2-7x33 scope.
Perfect for hunting whitetails in the heavy cover.

I have already posted pics of the rifle on that other thread.
Indulge me a to share a few more?



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Congratulations on a nice find. I like your scope choice as well the Bushnell Elites are, from my experience, a very good scope. Please post how it shoots once you get it dialed in. I like what you did with the mounts before mounting the scope.
 
Most of my rifles have lined up pretty nice with whatever rings I had, some lapping if you want to type deal.

I had 1 Ruger 77, the factory rings took me almost 1mm of material to get them lined up. Was perfect afterwards.

I wish I remembered the rings I had for my 70FW. They were blued split rings fitted so perfectly with a cap at the top, they didn't use any screws aside from the bases. They were beautiful, once installed the joints were excellent, you could see them but you had to look.
 
I just did something that's sure to make the hardcore guys cringe.

I'm still waiting to shoot the rifle for the first time, because I'm sick and tired of my old Shooting Chrony, which I'm sure reloading type people will relate to. So I'm going to buy a Garmin Xero C1, (next weekend heading to Edmonton).

In the meantime I've watched a few YT vids on people trying to get these M70's to shoot accurately... as beautiful as the M70 Featherweight is, it's no Tikka T3 or Remington M700 out of the box accurate.

Ok so looking at my M70 there's a huge issue with contact of the fore-end on the barrel. I've been down that road before and I know this damn thing is going to have issues with stringing/accuracy etc...

So here's the cringe worthy part; I just ordered a Bell & Carlson LA stock and I'm going to be swapping out the beautiful Featherweight stock for the functional simplicity of fiberglas.

It will be interesting to see the weight difference, walnut vs fiberglas.

As a benefit(?) this preserves the walnut stock in pristine condition and lets me go hunting now without worrying about banging up that wooden stock.
 
I thought action bedding and forend relief were sort of assumed? I've only owned 1 bolt action that didn't get that prep, b/c it was before I knew how, and 1 that had an aluminium bedding block chassis.
 
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