HELP ME PICK!!!! Winchester EW FWT or SAKO A7

Which one? SAKO A7 (.308) or Winchester EW .30-06

  • Winchester Extreme Weather FWT .30-06 spfd

    Votes: 70 82.4%
  • Sako A7 stainless .308win

    Votes: 15 17.6%

  • Total voters
    85
  • Poll closed .
I have been following this thread from the beginning, I own a couple of stainless A7s one in 270 the other in 300WM as well as a blued model 70 in 338wm, I have had the 338 for sale, but reading this got me thinking so I put a scope back on the 338 took it out today and the last three shot group I could cover with my fat thumb. So enjoy your new rifle I will continue to enjoy my old one, I hope yours is a shooter, but I am also keeping the A7s.
 
Hey Milt, I have no malice towards the Sako as that was on my SUPERSHORT list. In the end , the detachable mag, fluted barrel, lighter weight, better stock and USA made was what won me over.......................plus the fact that there was a near landslide in opinion towards the Winny making me think that second guessing myself was the right thing to do.
I cannot stress it enough just how SMOOTH "flowing" this bolt is. Other than a custom gun I owned (funnily enough a Tikka) this bolt feels like it is on ball bearings. And the Fit/Finish is second to none. I can't believe how lucky I am to snag this. It has been sitting there for a year and it never occured to me to buy it. Then , when I completely decide to buy the Sako, I get that last minute "whoa". Glad my spidey-sense tingled.
 
Hey Milt, I have no malice towards the Sako as that was on my SUPERSHORT list. In the end , the detachable mag, fluted barrel, lighter weight, better stock and USA made was what won me over.......................plus the fact that there was a near landslide in opinion towards the Winny making me think that second guessing myself was the right thing to do.
I cannot stress it enough just how SMOOTH "flowing" this bolt is. Other than a custom gun I owned (funnily enough a Tikka) this bolt feels like it is on ball bearings. And the Fit/Finish is second to none. I can't believe how lucky I am to snag this. It has been sitting there for a year and it never occured to me to buy it. Then , when I completely decide to buy the Sako, I get that last minute "whoa". Glad my spidey-sense tingled.

The new Portugal assembled ones are better put together then the usa made ones of a few years ago. There are 3 m70's in my house and the 2 Portugal ones are in a different class for bluing and smoothness. Gf's fwt has bluing that is very similar to my supergrade(also Portugal) and the usa fwt I bought 4 years ago has slightly glossier then matte and isn't close to as smooth.

Take the 70 fwt it will kick you into next week on the he bench LOL

I have 3 m70's in the house 2 30-06 and 1 7mm-08 none of them recoil any harder then any other rifle I have shot.
 
The new Portugal assembled ones are better put together then the usa made ones of a few years ago. There are 3 m70's in my house and the 2 Portugal ones are in a different class for bluing and smoothness. Gf's fwt has bluing that is very similar to my supergrade(also Portugal) and the usa fwt I bought 4 years ago has slightly glossier then matte and isn't close to as smooth.

I'm going to have to disagree,

Both Portugal built ones I've owned (SG in 308, FWT in 30/06) were no better made or finished than the US models I've had (EW in 30/06, FWT in 30/06, SS FWT in 243, SPT in 7mmRM). Plus they don't say "Portugal" or "Browning" on them. ;)

But regardless, both mfg'd rifles were/are very nice.
 
Hey Milt, I have no malice towards the Sako as that was on my SUPERSHORT list. In the end , the detachable mag, fluted barrel, lighter weight, better stock and USA made was what won me over.......................plus the fact that there was a near landslide in opinion towards the Winny making me think that second guessing myself was the right thing to do.
I cannot stress it enough just how SMOOTH "flowing" this bolt is. Other than a custom gun I owned (funnily enough a Tikka) this bolt feels like it is on ball bearings. And the Fit/Finish is second to none. I can't believe how lucky I am to snag this. It has been sitting there for a year and it never occured to me to buy it. Then , when I completely decide to buy the Sako, I get that last minute "whoa". Glad my spidey-sense tingled.

Detachable mag on an M70? Is that what you're saying?

Don't get me wrong: I *hope* that's what you're saying, but I don't think it's the case
 
Just had my EW out this morning. Neede to re sight it in again along with testing out a new load for it. I think it went pretty well, first two rounds are adjustments and last three are my grouping.

 
I like the idea of the extreme weather however the stock design is thick through the forend and grip. Also the safety makes more noise than necessary when operated.
Mine is in 25-06, and shoots very well.
 
I helped buy a friend a Winchester 70 EW .30-06 as a surprise gift for his 50th a couple years ago. It's the most accurate sporter I've shot. It only took one round of load development to find a fast, accurate load with TTSX 150's. I have been looking for one for myself since. I'd go for 1pc Talley's myself.
OP, good choice.
 
And a big thanks to GMC403 for QUICKLY sending out my rail. I struck out locally for bases, and he came voluntarily came through for me. Anyone who says they don't love CGN needs a kick in the arse with a steel toe boot!!
Three cheers!!
 



Just a couple of pics now that I finally got her scoped. Gonna have to wait until Wednesday to shoot it, I just can't wait!! The scope is a Minox 2-10x40 ZA5 scope. Second pic is of the "business end" and catches my other hobby/obsession................drumming. Been drumming for 32 years. Half-deaf before I ever picked up a gun!!!
That is a 1971 Ludwig Classic set in sizes 26"x14 bass drum, 15"x12" , 16"x16" , 18x16", 6.5"x14" supraphonic snare. All Paiste 2002 cymbals. Have about 25 different cymbals that I mix and match according to the venue or music type. Just thought I'd share for the MAYBE 1 or 2 drummers that frequent this site.
 
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Looks well balanced with that scope, I run a VX-3 3.5-10 on mine.

That rail actually looks pretty good, I just ended up using the DNZ mount.

Looking forward to the range report.......

 
I have the identical rifle but from befor the assembly was sent to Portugal. If it shoot anything like mine it will not be load sensitive. Federal blue box 150, federal fusions 165 and my accubond 165 reloads all hit the same POI at 100yards and are all accurate. Makes load selection easy when you are running low on one particular load or cannot find something in stock.

Enjoy the new rifle!
 
Good to hear the consensus that the hammered rifling is not too sensitive or picky. Gonna start reloading for this on the weekend hopefully, but have to fire off a box or two of factory ammo in the mean time. Probably try 2 different weights of bullets just to start.
 
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