Winchester Model 70 (post-2008 FN-made models)

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Digger

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
33
Location
NE Ohio
I'm thinking about adding a new rifle to the fold and looking to branch beyond Rugers for my bolt actions (heresy, I know). I love my m77's, and have looked at the Hawkeyes but the new versions of the Model 70 featherweight have caught my eye. Does anyone have any experience with the post-2008 versions (built by FN in South Carolina, I believe). I tried searching the forum before asking, but the search function wasn't playing nicely with me. Internet wanderings seem to show the many have been pleased with them, but most of the reviews I've found are from several years ago.

Thanks, all. Any information is appreciated.
 

south_ridge

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
276
Location
Mid-Missouri
Digger,

I have an extreme weather stainless M70 in .338 Win Mag. I like the B&C Medalist stock and the recoil pad is very nice - it's softer to shoot than the M77 tang safety model my dad has. The the action is very smooth. I've had it for about a year and haven't shot it a lot, so I can't speak to accuracy.

I like it enough to have another one on order - a Featherweight model.

In general, I've been impressed with the new M70s. I would recommend one.

SR
 

RJ556

Buckeye
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
1,070
Location
Focsani, Romania
Digger,
I bought a new M70 SS/walnut Featherweight in 30-06 about 6 months ago. I am very impressed with it. I believe it is the first rifle I have ever bought that all I had to do with it was adjust the trigger down a bit, mount a scope and go shoot it. It is beautiful and well finished. I found no metal particles in it and no finishing defects. Every spec of the wood underneath the barreled action was covered with stock finish, something I have never seen before. The best part about it is that it easily shot under MOA 3 shot groups from the start. Also I think along with the Ruger M77, it is one of the most beautiful rifles made.
 

Digger

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
33
Location
NE Ohio
Thanks, gentlemen. I appreciate the information. Your experiences sound a lot like the others I was able to read from 2008/2009. Looks like a trip to the fun store is in my future.

Cheers,
Digger
 

Sagebrush Burns

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
359
Location
Colorado
I got 270 Featherweight last fall and I'm very happy with. The trigger was very crisp and right at 3 lbs. - no adjusting needed. It shoots right around 1" groups and I'm hoping to kill a pronghorn with it in October.
 

Digger

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
33
Location
NE Ohio
Sagebrush, glad to hear you're happy with your rifle. Pronghorn would be the ulimate goal of this rifle, also. I've been considering a 270, but think I've settled on a .243. I don't shoot at much if anything beyond 300 yards, and the 270 is to close to a host a .30 cals in my safe. So, i don't think i'd be sacrificing much in terms of an antelope rifle. The 270 is such a classic though, its very appealing to me.
 

Tuco Tom

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
Messages
126
Location
Idaho
I bought a Featherweight Model 70 when they were first offered in 2008, with the engraved floorplate. I must admit that I've never shot a game animal as yet but I make a token hunt each year....The rifle is very accurate on paper. I believe the FN production are the best Model 70's ever produced. The barrel rifling looks better than a custom makers barrel and the stock wood on mine is very nice.
I believe that Cliff's Guns in Boise, Idaho still has one of the original rifles from late 2008 in 270 caliber? Not positive......
 

Titleist

Bearcat
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
95
Mine shoots well enough, but it takes a lot of cleaning effort. The barrel is full of tool marks (you should see it through a bore scope!), and it fouls fairly quickly. I had to give up on using Barnes bullets in this rifle and went to Noslers to reduce the copper fouling. Other than that issue it seems to be made fairly well.
 

RJ556

Buckeye
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
1,070
Location
Focsani, Romania
Titleist, it sounds like you drew a bad barrei. The one in my FN -06 is very well finished. After shooting, I wet a fiber brush with copper sovent, brush 8 or 10 strokes, patch it out and I'm done.
 

Sagebrush Burns

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
359
Location
Colorado
Digger said:
Sagebrush, glad to hear you're happy with your rifle. Pronghorn would be the ulimate goal of this rifle, also. I've been considering a 270, but think I've settled on a .243. I don't shoot at much if anything beyond 300 yards, and the 270 is to close to a host a .30 cals in my safe. So, i don't think i'd be sacrificing much in terms of an antelope rifle. The 270 is such a classic though, its very appealing to me.

Digger

The 243 is a very fine pronghorn cartridge. My two longest pronghorn shots (both 400 yds) were with the 243 and both were one-shot down right now kills. The 270 is a better choice if you're also going to hunt larger game such as elk, but for deer and smaller the 243 is all you need. It is also reasonable for prairie dogs and rock chucks and for my money about the largest cartridge that is. Since you've already got 30 cals might as well go with the 243.
 

Titleist

Bearcat
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
95
RJ556 said:
Titleist, it sounds like you drew a bad barrei. The one in my FN -06 is very well finished. After shooting, I wet a fiber brush with copper sovent, brush 8 or 10 strokes, patch it out and I'm done.

Luck of the draw I guess. Most guys (including me) would probably be better off not using a bore scope - sometimes what you don't know won't hurt you. It still shoots well, as do the others that I have scoped, in spite of the roughness. I am happy with the rifle. For the price it is a well made hunting rifle.
 

Digger

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 22, 2007
Messages
33
Location
NE Ohio
Sagebrush, that's pretty much what I was thinking. I've needed a smaller caliber for awhile, so the .243 seems perfect.

Titleist, glad to know that you're rifle is still performing, in spite of the tool marks.
 

firecaptain

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
240
Location
WI. USA
My father just took delivery of a limited edition 257 Roberts in a featherweight. He hasn't even scoped it yet. Handling it, the fit and finish is very nice. Dark stock with some figure in it. Blueing is very nice. I do believe these "new" featherweights feel a little "thicker" in the stock (pistol grip) area than the pre 2008 models. It has a claw extractor. Working the bolt with the safety in the middle position feels like glass. I do not think you will go wrong with a M70.
 

south_ridge

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
276
Location
Mid-Missouri
Firecaptain,

Now you're killing me...I've had one of the special edition Featherweights in .257 Roberts on order since January. Yours is the first I've heard of that actually made it out of the factory. Hopefully that means I see mine soon.

SR
 

south_ridge

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
276
Location
Mid-Missouri
Firecaptain,

I have to ask...was your dad's M70 Roberts one of the standard grade featherweights, or one of the Cabela's ones (fancier, about 2x the price)? The one I have on order is the standard grade.

Thanks,

SR
 

firecaptain

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
240
Location
WI. USA
south_ridge
It is one of the standard ones, not the Cabelas model. I believe they are special "shot show" models/specials. Dealers/distributors had to have placed the order at the shot show. How ever many orders were placed at shot is how many guns were made. I called Winchester earlier this year and they told me the number of M70 FTWTs that were being made and I cannot remember without looking at my notes. When I get home I will try to find the notes and let you know. I ordered a 1886 Short Rifle with a 20" bbl and was originally told they would ship in August. I spoke with Winchester yesterday and am now told they will not ship til the end of Nov and Dec.
 

south_ridge

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Messages
276
Location
Mid-Missouri
Firecaptain,

Thanks for the information. I am glad to hear they are shipping. Hopefully I am not too far down on the list. I've had a scope sitting here waiting on it for a while, but I refuse to buy bases and rings until I have the gun in my hand. The scope can always be used for something else.

The featherweights are very nice. I like my extreme weather in .338 WM. However of the 15-20 FN model 70s I've handled, I think mine had the stiffest trigger. It was easy to adjust once I removed the excessive amounts of epoxy from the front of the trigger. Hopefully my trigger luck is better with the Roberts, assuming it ever shows up.

SR
 

firecaptain

Single-Sixer
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
240
Location
WI. USA
SR

Looking at my notes yesterday, Winchester told me they were going to make 650 of the M70s in 257 Robt. for the Shot Show special.
 

mrbumps

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
634
Location
Sutton, VT
firecaptain said:
SR

Looking at my notes yesterday, Winchester told me they were going to make 650 of the M70s in 257 Robt. for the Shot Show special.

Bud's had some listed yesterday, so I grabbed one. Can't wait for it to get here. I've been wanting a M70 Featherweight in 257 Robt for a long time, but the used ones I ran into were always priced too high for me. I am hoping these new ones will be good shooters.
 

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