need help with winchester model 70!?

[whitetailwoodsarcher]

ok well I have been doing a little research on this rifle. I think I have decided to get one this fall for moose, elk and deer. I need a little help. im a little confused on the action and all this pre 64 and post 64 crap. I have read that post 64 is junk and its 100 times better to get a pre 64 because its a better investment. how do present day model 70 actions compare to pre 64 models? are they control fed or push fed in present models? any information would help me out. thanks!

 

[tomjones]

ok well I have been doing a little research on this rifle. I think I have decided to get one this fall for moose, elk and deer. I need a little help. im a little confused on the action and all this pre 64 and post 64 crap. I have read that post 64 is junk and its 100 times better to get a pre 64 because its a better investment. how do present day model 70 actions compare to pre 64 models? are they control fed or push fed in present models? any information would help me out. thanks!

New FN built CRF M70s are better then the pre64 hands down. The fit and finish is fantastic and they use modern assembly and construction methods to make a great rifle.
Pre 64 are also CRF and are excellent examples of high quality rifles from that time period. Post 64 cost cutting got involved and some years/decades were better then other, none of which were better then the new FN M70s.

Without doubt the 2009/2010+ FN built M70's are the best M70 that has ever been produced.

My wood is flawless, my action is butter smooth and I have CRF.
Fit and finish is exceptional in a factory rifle. Not to mention that the new MOA trigger is 100% creep free and breaks clean at around 3lbs. It's as perfect a hunting trigger has I've ever come across.

As with everything I suppose this is all subjective but if it was my money I would avoid the post 64 until FN took over. The level of craftsmanship is unparalleled in anything I've held under $1000.

 

[jbmauser]

I have both. I have a 1954 M70 in .30-06 an a 2010 (I think) FN made Featherweight in .308. The FN made Featherweight is one of my favorite hunting rifles by far. The action is just beautiful to work and feeds and ejects so nicely. The stock is one of the best fitting stocks I have and it points and handles perfectly. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. There are a few features on the new FN that aren't as good as the Pre 64 like the bolt handle and bolt not being machined out of a single piece of steel like the old Pre 64, but they are pretty small details and not much of a concern really.

I agree they are one of the best values out there as far as quality and features.

 

[RememberTheSomme]

Post '64 is junk?

Where you reading this? From someone who just landed their first Winchester made by FN, are still on their first #####,.. and wasn't around or didn't realize great M70s have be around for a long, long time.



I have two post 64's right now and owned several more including pre-64's. I wouldn't exactly call anything post'64- pre-2009 junk.

I'm glad the newer rifles are great. The CRF in a non-dangerous game rifle is like bragging Mil-spec features on an AR-15. A nice thought and cool sounding on paper, but really necessary against a Whitetail, caribou or your favorite deer target???

Nice to see the newer Riflemans Rifle living up to it's reputation in a time inundated with so many Eurosexual offering's.

Just don't let your head swell too,too big if you end up buying a newer FN Winnifred. You'll have a great rifle no doubt, worth the grand you spent,.. but remember this,........

Winchester rifles and their owners have been doing just fine in the bush for the last 150 odd years including the period from 1964-2008.

 

[westcoaster]

As another poster said the pre 64 is a good example of a well made Mauser style CRF. Good rifles. I would not necessarily go out of my way to get one unless I was collecting them.

The post 64 was redesigned to be a pushfeed. Some of the earlier ones had fit and finish issues but the ones I've seen and owned have all been shooters. I had a late 70's vintage in 3006 that was a true sub moa shooter off a rest. These are strong, well made, and accurate rifles.

Some Winchester guru's can jump in here but I think it was around 92 or 93 they brought back the CRF design with a few improvements. I have one of these and it is a remarkable rifle.

Then the New Haven plant closed in 2006 and Model 70's and Winchesters were not made for a few years. Then in 2009 or 2010 FN bought the rights and started making the Model 70 again down in the Carolina's. This is also a very well made and accurate rifle. A friend of mine has an extreme weather in 06 that will shoot sub MOA off a rest after we tuned the trigger.

Which brings me to my one complaint with the FN Model 70's - the trigger. It is okay but compared to the old ones is not as good.

If I was looking at getting one I would look for a 1992 to 2006 Model 70 in the cartridge I wanted. Put a Pachmeir decelerator pad on it and go out and fill an ark or two.

 

[yomomma]

My M70 post '64 shoots better then I can.

If I ever got a pre '64 I would treat it like a '65 Mustang....it would be parked 95% of the time.

 

[mrgoat]

Bought my first M-70 30-06 standard grade in the very early seventies (72). Push feed and all decked out with a monty carlo stock and white line spacers at all points. The pride of the Winchester fleet at the time. That rifle went through a lot of rough country and weather without fault, and very accurate with my handloads. Had her reblued once and I refinished the stock and recut the checkering on several occasions.

Got it in my mind I should have a new rifle several years back. So the old fella got sold and now lives in southern Alberta, (hope it made it through the floods okay) and I bought a new Kimber 8400 in classic select because the new M-70 were scarcer than hens teeth at the time coming out of South Carolina. The Kimber is a very nice rifle. But it is not a M-70. So I have expanded the herd with three M-70's, 243 in featherweight, 30-06 in Super Grade 75th anniversary, and 375 Alaskan.

In my humble opinion all the production years of M-70's were good in the sense they were good solid rifles. Some production years were definitely better as far as fit and finish. My opinion is the latest ones out of SC are the best of the lot for over all quality and value for the money. But what ever period of production you own I am sure it will serve you well.

 

[BigUglyMan]

I have 2 pre-64s and a Classic. Anyone that says that the newer ones feed smoother than a pre-64 have been sitting too close to the dryer vent. My Pre-64 300 H&H feeds and ejects smoother than it cycles empty. I have no doubt that the new FN examples are very well built (non-union labour tends to crank out quite nice work) but the Pre-64 trigger is unparalleled and has not been improved by the new trigger system.

 

[Eagleye]

In 1965, I bought a then, brand new, M70 Pushfeed chambered in 300 Win Mag, also a relative newcomer on the block.
I mounted an El Paso Weaver 4X with a 3 minute dot in it, and took it to the range with some Winchester factory ammo.

I had 150 grain Power points, 180 grain Power points and 180 grain Silvertips.
I was elated to find that the ammo was generally quite accurate, with the 180 Powerpoints nudging MOA.

I was just into handloading at the time, so set out to work up a few loads....which this rifle also digested with aplomb.
One thing I DO remember on the negative side.....it kicked like a mule!! I had to learn to handle the beast, lol.

Over the next two seasons, I shot everything with that rifle, right from pests like coyotes up to ole Grizz.
Accurate and effective it was, but my near new M700 [1963 purchase] wooed me back to the fold.

Since then I have owned several M70's, both CRF and pushfeed, and all have done very well.
I even built a 6.5/06 on a 70 pushfeed action. Another gunnut on here owns that one now.

But alas, I have none at present, and none in the forseeable future, since I am a 700 "slut", and that probably will not change.
The new FN built ones seem very good, except for the triggers, but time will tell.

Regards, Eagleye.

 

[gtrussell]

I have 2 pre-64s and a Classic. Anyone that says that the newer ones feed smoother than a pre-64 have been sitting too close to the dryer vent. My Pre-64 300 H&H feeds and ejects smoother than it cycles empty. I have no doubt that the new FN examples are very well built (non-union labour tends to crank out quite nice work) but the Pre-64 trigger is unparalleled and has not been improved by the new trigger system.

Iam assuming you do not wash cloths!

 

[mrgoat]

I have heard many fella's say they don't like the newer M-70 trigger group. I am the opposite, all three of mine are very good. Since they come set a little heavy I spent the time and dug the gunk out of the adjustment screws and have each set at 3 Ib. with no creep or over travel. Each breaks very crisp, clean and consistant. I didn't have many complaints about the old style either once one had it adjusted to your liking.

 

[Mike Webb]

I had a post 64 production Model 70 Featherweight in 7x57 made around 1981. Far from junk, I had no complaints with the rifle. Three whitetails and a bear with four shots. The only complaint I had was vertical stringing at the range when the barrel warmed up. Turns out that wasn't a problem in the woods.