My grandmother bought me a Post 64 in 1975 in .308.Shot steenbuck, duikers, springbuck, mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, common reedbuck, blesbuck, bontebok, zebra, bushbuck, fallow deer, warthog, kudu, impala, wild boar, caracal and eland.I have hardly used any other rifle.Never given me a moments trouble. All with open sights, I might add.From South Africa.
I had a push feed Model 70 in 30/06, great rifle never let me down, traded it for the reintroduction of the Pre 64 Model 70 in 30/06 equipped with the BOSS system, always happy with the decision I made
YES!!!! Great video. Nice to see someone give praise to the post 63. Even Jack O'Conner praised it for having a stronger action. He didn't like that they killed production of the previous design but it's still a fantastic rifle and arguable more accurate. And yes, they should have named it something different, a total marketing disaster!!!
"Judged on its own merits....." Well, a friend of mine bought one of those U.S.R.A. Co. push-feed Model 70 Featherweights in .30'06 back in 1991. His was as well-made as you can imagine human hands and machines making such a thing and it was a solid five-shot M.O.A. grouper and easy to shoot well due to a crisp, predictable trigger. I was a bit of a "controlled feed" snob at the time, shooting 1903 Springfield-based sporting rifles and commercial Model 98 Mauser rifles, but I thought that push-feed Featherweight my friend had was a fine, classy rifle that looked and felt like quality. I thought about buying one, but Ruger came out with the M-77 Mk II about that time, and, well, I bought one of those, instead. If I'm honest, it wasn't in the same league as my buddy's Model 70. His three-position safety was "like buttah...." Mine was rough, gritty, and hard to use. His floorplate release worked to flawless perfection. Mine didn't. It didn't keep the cartridges in the magazine when it should have and you couldn't get them out by dropping the floorplate when you wanted to. Then, there was the trigger. Mine was atrocious, making the rifle not so easy to shoot. His, while a tad on the heavy side, was never the less easy to use. Then, there was infamous Ruger M-77 Mk II "accuracy" that was sufficient for big game hunting at reasonable ranges, but not as much fun as my friend's tighter-grouping Model 70. If I needed a new hunting rifle, and saw a clean old push-feed Featherweight Model 70 on the rack, I'd rather have it than pretty much anything from today's "bolt action bargain bin." Nice to see them get some fair commentary.
I have a 1973 model 70, I believe it is a standard weight. It has the black forend tip with the white ( now yellowish patina ) spacer between the tip and the walnut stock. It’s chambered in .30-06. It is one of my favorite rifles. It actually will shoot better than I can. Lol. With all of the interest and hoopla over modern sporting rifles and tacti-cool gadgets, it’s refreshing to hear these history lessons. Thanks Tom!
I'm glad you enjoyed it Robert. There are a lot of great rifles out there but a lot of those great rifles never got credit for being the great rifles they are. I don't know if that was due to marketing or what but those post '63 Winchesters were some of the best rifles produced. I just wanted to make sure they got a little recognition for that.
I just felt like it's been an injustice to the push feeds for them to never get the recognition they deserve. And I do love the pre 64 control feeds but the post 63's push feeds have nothing to ashamed of. They are outstanding rifles.
Being pretty young (30) and not knowing anything about model 70s other than that Hathcock used one, while back I picked up an old Winchester model 70 in 30-06 at my local gun store. The owner of the gun store told me it was made in 74. It wasn’t pretty. The stock is stained in handling marks. The barrel had some wear and minor pitting. The bluing is pure wore off the bolt handle. And it has a huge smear like mark where the bluing is gone next to where it says Winchester on the receiver. But I brought it home, cleaned it up, put a decent scope on it, threw some 150 soft points in that bad boy, and started shooting nickels at 100 just at rest. I was in love. I took a little buck with it soon after. It wasn’t until after all this I started reading and learned that my beloved rifle was so hated by the masses. I couldn’t understand how anyone could hate something so accurate, dependable, long lasting. I mean this thing outshoots all the modern guns I have. So after learning and reading that it was so terrible and how Winchester totally ruined their reputation, and squandered their loyal fan base, and tarnished their name. I turned around last week and ordered another post model!! This one a featherweight XTR in 223 rem. I am just too happy with the -06 and hope to get the same enjoyment and quality out of this new XTR. Looking really forward to picking it up this weekend. I’m glad there are others out there who share appreciation for these old guns. Thanks for the video!!
They are great rifles and at some point I'm hoping to find a nice standard model 70 XTR in .308. I can't say why but I've always thought that would be just about the perfect deer rifle? And I'm sort of jealous of your weather right now. It's the middle of winter of and cold here!
Great video. I, like so many, grew up being told that these post 63 model 70's were junk. Only when I had one did I realize how excellent they were. Almost made me a push feed convert! And like you say, they might be the most underrated bolt action rifle ever.
To say that the pushfeed Model 70 is “junk” because of the change to pushfeed, is to say that nearly all modern bolt action rifles are junk, since nearly all bolt actions are pushfeed.
I just found your chanel a week or so ago and I've been trying to watch all your old videos. Really enjoying them!! My Grandfather hunted everything with a 721 that he rebarreled to 7 mag. We live in Kansas and several guys would make a trip to Colorado to hunt Mule deer and occasionally elk. Grandad loved his old 7 mag but while at a gun shop the glossy finish of a Winchester 7 mag caught his attention! I belive this was in 1973, also the year I was born, ha ha! He couldn't help himself and the New rifle came home. He topped it with a weaver 6 x, just like the 721, and dialed it in. Come the fall of 74 and they packed for Colorado! He brought both 7 mags along, but on oppening morning, when he cralled out of his bunk, an old red stock trailer with boards bailer wired over the air slats, he could not stand to drag that new Winchester ot of it's case! By the end of the hunt, Grandpa had taken his largest Muley buck ever and it was with the old 721! LOL! My Dad also took a nice buck with his Ruger 77 in 30/06. I'm not one to ask folks for things but I did ask grandpa that if he planed on leaving any guns for me that I shure would like to have the old 721 with the hunts under its belt and stories to go with it. By this time I had become part of many of the stories, as I took Grandpa out for several hunts close to home, in his elder years. The 721 was always along! Though Grandpa is waiting for us in Heaven now, I am blessed with his memories and both the Old Rebarreled Remington 721 in 7mag and also the near new, 1973 Winchester model 70 in 7mag. Although I held off for several years, I could not leave it in the cabinet and they both have taken a few whitetail in recent years. Oh, I about forgot, this Post 63 model 70 is a fine rifle with fantastic accuracy! I did have to swap out the Weaver k6 for a scope with a bit more x's to find its real accuracy though! I think Grandpa would approve of the upgraid :-) Keep up the fantastic videos Tom! Thanks, Brian
That's a great story and thanks for sharing it. The Remington 721 and 722 are also some great rifles that never really got the credit they deserved for being as good as they were. They were never the prettiest but they were solid reliable hunting rifles. And '73 was a great year! LOL
I have a model 70 30-06 made in 64 and it's a tack driver. It holds great and functions flawlessly. The stock finish is fair now but the steel is in excellent condition. Killed a pretty good buck with it 3 weeks ago.
And that's why I wanted to do this video. There are a lot of great Model 70's out there just like yours and mine for that matter that just keep getting the job done. I wanted to make sure they got a little credit for being such great rifles.
They are great rifles and very underrated. And truthfully I hope they stay that way because they're still one or two more I want to add to my collection!
I have a post-63 M-70 in .375 H&H that I bought around 1974 or so. No problems with quality, fit & finish, trigger, accuracy, or any other aspect of the rifle. I am very happy with the rifle.
Enjoyed your video Tom. I recently picked up a 1964 Mod 70 and based on the serial number, it’s an early in the year 64 rifle in .243 Win. It is in pristine condition, no scratches or marks on the stock, iron factory sights and the scope mount threads appear to have never been used. The rifle while I can’t be sure if it’s in unfired condition, seems like very few rounds have gone through it. I had been eyeing this rifle for over a year at my local gun shop. It sat in the back of the shops rifle cabinet. It was really dusty like it had sat in a closet for years. I made an offer to the gun shop owner and he accepted it. I gave it a much needed cleaning and took it to the range to sight it in. It is a sweet shooting rifle and far more accurate than I am. I sighted it in with 100grain rounds. I will admit that the press checkering is ugly but I love this rifle. I can take this Deer hunting as it is and I’m on the fence about whether I’ll ever put a scope on it. In New England, I doubt I will ever hunt beyond 100 to 150 yards anyway. I have two pre-64 Winchester 94’s one in .32WS and the other in 30-30 and neither has a scope. I really enjoy your down to earth videos and the knowledge you share about guns and hunting. Thank you Sir.
You got a great rifle there. And I think one day the post 63's are going to be very collectable in their own right. Yeah they weren't the prettiest for a few years but their build and functionality were outstanding.
When I made the video I thought the XTR's came out in '82 after USRAC took over but thanks to comments like yours I'm learning they came out earlier and your 1977 xtr is so far the earliest I've heard of. So I now know they go back to at leas '77. Thank you for commenting and both sound like really nice rifles!
I just picked up an absolutely beautiful model 70 in .300 win mag. 1965 and the icing on the cake is it's the same year I was born! Lol Looks like same stock as the one in your video but with the monte carlo style cheek rest type stock in pristine condition without a dent or scratch in the wood, almost to pretty to shoot! It's sporting a leopold 3 to 9 variable x2. Thanks for the video!
I inherited a Winchester 770 which has been hard to find information on but what I have found is it was in production from 69-71 and is an economy/budget model 70. The only difference I can find pointed out is it doesn’t have bottom metal and I think used some of the left over “ugly stocks “
Hey man I liked the cut of your jib controlled easygoing (southern)? Anyway I didn't feel like you were trying to sell me something you were Joe Friday like " just the facts mam) very refreshing and I saw you were knowledgeable on the subject by the way my Model 70 6.8 is on its way as we speak lol keep up the good work
Thank you sir for all that information I didn't know. I thought I knew everything but NOW I do. LOL, Keep making and informing us about different makers and guns (rifles).
I hope to keep doing this because with every video I learn something myself and I have really enjoyed that. There are so many things that we sort of know and a lot that we assume, but doing a video and putting it out there for the world to see really makes you check your facts and I still manage to miss some things. But then I learn something from that too!
Great Video. I love the push feed models of the early eighties through the early nineties. Simply the best looking Model 70 featherweights ever. Even the the newer CRF models made by FN do not have the sharp lines of these rifles. The difference is subtle, but the earlier models were sharper and cleaner in appearance. You would need to line them up next to each other to see the difference. Great stuff, Tom.
I'm really glad you made this video calling attention to these great rifles! I have an XTR from 1979 that is absolutely beautiful in every way even if it's a little heavy. I also have a Featherweight from around 1992 that I just had to buy because of the wood grain. I knew very little about the post 63 M70's before I bought these rifles, but I'll never regret buying either one of them and I'm even looking at another one. I've heard the ones from 64 thru 68 or 69 were pretty bad, though. You have a great caliber there in the Roberts, been kinda looking for one like that. I have a Ruger M77 MkII in the Roberts, but it's not for me, so I'm going to let it find a new home and look more toward M70's. Thanks for the great video!
Thank you Roger for the comment, and I just learned something. I thought they came out with the XTR in '82 but it seems I was mistaken. It's tough to figure out exactly what's what with a lot of the rifles from this time period just because it's so hard to find actual facts. All I can do is research the different forums and there is so little information out there that I just have to sort of guess on some of the specifics like exact dates.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I know what you mean, there are some date gaps with Winchesters. My Featherweight from around 1992 is a bit of a guess because of their records being lost, but everything I find shows my other xtr to be 1979. Search Win. manufacture dates and see if you don't find the same thing I'm finding. G143XXXX.
you all probably dont care at all but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account? I was stupid forgot my login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me!
@Axl Albert I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.
I really enjoyed this. I really didn't appreciate my model 70's until I learned how to adjust the triggers. It made such a huge difference in accuracy and shooting confidence. Looking forward to hunting again! Thanks for a great video!
I own an unfired, brand new 1968 Winchester Model 70. The stock is nicely figured walnut and has the look of a hand-applied satin oil finish. The checkering actually has well-defined lines and formed points like hand checkering. I don't know if these were pressed or machine cut. In comparison, my 1967 Remington 700's pressed-checkering resembles a piece of window screen turned on a 45 angle with nothing but stippled points pushed into the wood. The Winchester's action with the new for 1968 anti-bind bolt redesign you mentioned in your video is just as slick (maybe even better) as the Remington (which honestly was the gold standard in mass produced rifles) and the trigger is better. I enjoy shooting a rifle with iron sights off-hand just to appreciate the balance and design of the rifle. There is something magical about the Model 70 stock design. While I don't shoot 1968, I have others and they just shoulder and place your eye aligned perfectly with the sights on the sights. There are very few rifles I own that do that so perfectly Most require I either raise my head or crowd the cheekpiece to gain a sight line after they are shouldered. The Winchester just comes up and aligns with the target almost instinctively.
Very much enjoyed the video! In my humble opinion, the Model 70/.257 Roberts combo is absolutely perfect...petite yet potent! Thank you for the video Tom, cheers from North Dakota...
I have a 1978 Winchester model 70 xtr in 30-06 and it is my favorite rifle! It is better than most anything that comes off of the shelves today. Plus it shoots half inch groups at 100 yards. I read that the xtr actually came out in 1977. Mine says xtr right on the barrel. Fit and finish and the quality for the rifle is unmatched today in my opinion.
One of the great things about doing these videos is that I continue to learn more and more as I ago. I thought the XTR came out when USRA took over in '81 but I have since learned it came out sooner but no one was sure exactly when and thanks to your comment I now know 1977. So thanks for that info. And I wanted to do this video because they are such great rifles and highly underrated.
Way back in 2000 a friend was selling a few of his guns . I was interested and bought his stainless 6 inch colt Python , new in the box and he also wanted to sell a new in the box Winchester model 70 XTR in 30/06 for 400 bucks. I really did not need another rifle and only, bought it because it was so cheap and it was flawless and really a beautiful rifle. Its exactly like yours except for the caliber. I have never shot it and it is still wrapped up and stored in my gun safe I always read the negative comments about this rifle and i really am happy to have found your very well done You Tube presentation. I just got her out and and it is still as beautiful as when it was made in New Haven now forty years ago Thanks and Well Done Tom I am tickled I found your channel and look forward to watching your other videos
Well Les I think if you liked this one you will really like the video coming out this Sunday, Why Wood Stocks Are Better Than Synthetics? I pulled out all three of my Featherweights including this one and I mentioned how Winchester stepped it up for the XTR's. I explained a bit of the history of the Featherweights and then I explained how stressful it was when my stock warped on my 2013 7x57. My point was that wood is better because I actually cared about my wood stocks but we don't care about synthetic ones. There is just nothing like a gorgeous piece of wood on a rifle, and I bet yours is really gorgeous being in that good of condition! Those really are some fine rifles and they just don't get enough credit for how good they actually are.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Hey Tom thanks for the reply. I have not even shot my XTR as I am not a deer hunter but a bird Hunter mainly ringnecks but I do love the traditional wood and steel firearms . I will eagerly wait to watch your next creation. Its funny how now I am 73 and my most prized firearms are My dads 1954 Sears JC higgins 30/06 blued steel and really pretty wood bolt action FN mauser action Sears model 50 Dad paid 110 bucks new at a sears store in the SF bay area and I still remember him buying the rifle it came with a 4x JCHiggins scope ( Made By Weaver ) Dads been gone right at 30 years now, and it is real easy to get choked up holding that rifle He was really proud of it I have a safe full off newer treasures but they don't mean as much to me as that old deer rifle Thanks for rekindling some really great memories
thankfully, i've got some of these push feeds before they quit making them and they were in the 4-5 hundred dollar range, new. soon to become collectors. liked and subscribed.
About 1994, I purchased a Winchester push-feed in 30-06 24" barrel; it was a slow-poke, plus the stock wasn't finished. I replaced the stock with plastic (black) Model '70 stock then I had the chamber reamed out to 30-06 Improved gaining 225 fps (180 grains bullet) with a little more powder of either IMR/H4350. Fireforming standard 30-06 cases using 110 grains bullets. Three or more shot grouping was always under 1". I did it just to see if it could be done! I had a friend who now decreased, Randy had a Model '70 Winchester rifle that left the factory with NO rifling. That is how far Winchester had fallen in the manufacturing of firearms.
The anti bind rail turned out to be such a good feature they just left it on all of the model 70's even after they went back to the pre64 style action.
My grandfather bought one for all of his grandsons on the day we were born. Mine was made in 1958. Mine will never be sold, as it will be pasted on to my oldest grandson.
im happy with my old Remington model 1917 that was converted to a mod 30 spec and re barreled in 30-06 still but has a med heavy couture in a fancy bishop stock, its an action up custom rifle so its hard to compare to stock factory rigs. i do admire the controlled feed aspect and if i wanted a push feed it would be a sako or a tika or the savage. and i prefer pre war guns made in the 1930s the most! cant beat them! some of the finest firearms ever produced. hand guns from colt and s&W set the standard for fine hand guns for decades to come. well until 1964 came along..both guns and guitars would fall victim to profit margins and corporate greed. turning out the cheapest products possible for quality product prices!
I have a bunch of hunting rifles from .22LR up to .375 H&H. Most are push feeds but several are controlled round feeds ( a few different copies of Mauser 98 actions). I have had zero issues with any of them with regard to chambering and ejecting cartridges. I've read that controlled round feed is 'essential' for a dangerous game rifle but I don't buy that for a minute. All that matters is reliability. If I ever go to Africa for say, Cape Buffalo, I'll take my .375 H&H, which is a Remington Model 700, BDL, Safari Grade, made about early '80's. I bought it to hunt grizzly bears in BC back when that was still legal. I think that qualifies it to be a 'dangerous game' rifle and its push feed action has been and still is flawless. So, with so many push feed actions out there (Remington sold more Model 700s than any other modern hunting rifle in history), why look down on the post '63 Winchester model 70? I don't own one but would never turn one down. It still has the fantastic three position safety, an excellent trigger and great out of the box accuracy. If anyone has an excellent condition .308 Featherweight, Super Grade they no longer want, let me know.
The Pre, and Post 64' M70s today are relics. The number of modern hunting rifles available today would scare the Bejesus out of a buyer in 1965 or 1975. I've used M70s of both variants for many decades in Alaska and both have been extremely reliable. I've killed coastal brown bears with the push feeds and the CRFs, no issues. If a hunter is mostly a day tripper, close to their car, hunting from a stand or lodge or something similar it's not as important but putting a rifle through it's paces in some adverse field conditions sometimes for days on end calls for more weatherproof rifles. And even though the M70 Extreme is good (if you can find one) there are too many others nowadays to consider it anything but Ok for a choice. The M70 bolt is pretty quick to field strip, a definite plus and their safety is excellent but is now copied by many others. The new Weatherby 307s bolt is even quicker to strip.
Outstanding! Love your passion, and it’s clearly evident in your videos! Great knowledge of the history of the rifles too! 💯💯💯 I have subscribed & will continue to view!
I had an XTR Featherweight push feed in 243 and it's in my top 3 rifles I wish I never sold. It was glass bedded and had a super crisp 3 pound trigger pull, shot great and was a pleasure to shoot as well. It was also a beautiful rifle with good wood and high luster bluing. I put a 2-7 VX-2 on it. Any way, great model 70 video. I'm gonna go look at Gubbroker and see how much more these are worth than what I sold mine for all those years ago.
Right now almost everything on Gunbroker is bringing crazy prices. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've thought about selling almost every rifle I have considering what they are selling for at the moment. I'm just to worried prices aren't going to go back to normal for another 4 to 8 years.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Yeah, gun prices don't usually go back down as much as they went up, so it ain't worth selling them. Unless it's something you decide you dont really care for, probably better to hold on to. I got a couple ARs and I dont really like tactical stuff, but gonna hold onto them in case WWIII starts.
Never did understand why these rifles were so derided. Post 64's were still a great rifle. IMO, a better push feed than any Remington.... Sorry Remington fans.
Be precise ;) post ‘63 or pre 64. I inherited a pre ‘64 300 win mag model 70. 300 win mag debuted in ‘62, . . . so mine is either a ‘62 or ‘63. Sadly, until I search serial numbers, that’s as precise as I can be :(
I am loving the videos. Keep them coming. Also I have a few ideas for future videos. Firearms that got away (either guns you sold or could have bought but didnt that you wish you had now.) Any Firearms you wish you could buy now.
I am with you on the ones that got away. Last year I let a push feed XT are in the light varmint get away from me. It belongs to the neighbor now so I get to see it once in a while but wish it was in my safe. I also had to push feed light featherweight in 257 Roberts that some knucklehead put a reamer in and turned it into a 257 actually improved. Didn’t shoot worth a darn, but it was an awfully pretty rifle. Thanks for the videos
ty i enjoyed that i wanna get a model 70 . looking at the featherweight compact . im short ...idk what caliper yet . idk im just kicking tires lol ty again for your videos !
It is hard to keep up with Winchester....from Conn. to South Carolina to Portugal....but they did go back to control round feed...2013 ? ...added an adjustable trigger. Wish you would follow up this video and talk about the features and mfg in present day.
That's a good idea John. I'm knee deep in other projects and deer season just starting but I will keep that in mind for the near future. And they went back to control round feed in the early to mid 90's when they came out with the Model 70 "Classic".
I have a modest collection of post "64 Model 70's. These rifles are quickly becoming very collectable. I will buy everyone I can find that is unique and priced right. So far I have some pretty interesting examples.
I agree that these are becoming collectable and honestly I sort of hate that! LOL It's getting a lot tougher to find a great deal on what where very underappreciated rifles. And have to ask what are some of the ones you have? And the reason I'm asking is because it's so hard to find much information on the post 64's so I'm always interested when someone has some unique ones.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Agreed, I'm not happy that the prices are on the rise. As for my collection, to name a few, I have an early '80's Super Grade Collectors edition in 257 Roberts, I have a late "90"s Classic - pre 64 control feed in 25-06 with the BOSS tuning system from factory, A early '70's Varmint in 222 Rem, An early '80's XTR in 6.5x55, Same in 243, and 7mm Mag, A Black Shadow in 25WSSM....and a few others. I always try to get the versions that were limited availability or have something unique.
I do not get this love of controlled feed. I have a model 70 xtr and it is great. I also have a sporterized Swedish Mauser m96 with controlled feed, and when hunting they're both accurate. I never thought about this push vs controlled battle before.
It's fun to see that at the date that you made this video, you had no idea that 60 days later your would find a pre-63 Featherweight that would tickle your fancy... They are all good, but some are gooder than others...?
That is irony at it's best. And I agree they're all good, and that some are just a little gooder! But I still love my post 63's and my XTR Featherweight. They all have their place and they all have something special to offer and should be appreciated for what they are and for the time when they were made.
Hi again Tom another great Video , my model 70 is still at the gunsmiths it was a long wait for them to get the adjustable mounts and they are installed he shot the rifle and it is shooting great but he said the bolt is loosing the casing half way out , it has the claw extractor build in 1994 ,any idea what might be the problem with it . The gunsmith said he's gonna take a look at it to see if he can find out whats going on , before I gave it to him I tried the dummy rounds and they worked fine . Thank you and stay safe [ Southern Ontario]
I'm not sure why it would be doing that? The blade extractor could be kicking in a little to soon? But I can't imagine it being anything serious. Part of what makes that action so great is It's simplicity. There just isn't much that can go wrong.
Awwww man now they aren't going to be selling so low when you say "well...its a push feed" anymore! Great video...Have to say I'd take one over any other push feed on the market, including the Weatherby Vanguard, which is in some ways a lot less of a "budget" rifle. One piece bolt etc. But the Winchester 70 PF sure is nice. Always appreciated how even if it was cast, it still has that classic open style Winchester trigger going for it. Never had any trouble from one.
I know this is old video but I have a question. You said at the time Weatherby wasn’t doing controlled feed but Mauser and fn was. Weren’t there pre 1974 Mark V rifles built in Germany with those actions? Thanks
Awesome video, I have a 1980’s win 70 7mm that’s a tack driver. Shoots better than my pre64 featherweight. You are correct about these gems. I have a question and with your knowledge I know you will have the answer..... my win 70 has a light trigger about 2.5 lbs. if I slam the butt of the gun from knee height on FIRE position it goes off (unloaded of course), but it doesn’t on safe. Does the win 70 have a firing pin disengagement internally? Is it totally drop safe when the safety is engaged? How does the drop safety comparison to other rifles like the rem 700? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Love your Chanel!!!
Bob I hate to even comment on safeties because I just don't trust them and don't recomend anyone else trust them either. They are mechanical devices made by people and that means anything could happen. With that said they are good to have and I do believe the Winchester model 70 safeties are the best safeties out there with the exception of Mauser's safety. I've seen a cut away of the Mauser safety and I understand exactly how it works. I know that Winchester safeties block the firing pin and not the sear (which is really good) but I've never been exactly sure how it does that? So until I strip one down and figure exactly how it works I can't say that it's as good as Mauser's. I would think it works the same way but that's an assumption and I'm not about to assume on a safety. I can say one thing for certain though and that is Winchester's three position safety is the most copied safety in the gun industry. Even Ruger replaced their tang safety on the M77 with a Winchester safety in 1991 when they changed to the Mark II. So as far as comparison to everyone else, the Model 70 safety is the industry standard that everyone else looks to. And as far as your rifle goes, I think it's great that you've checked it and know that it can go off (most people just don't realize that) but that is why I keep the triggers on my hunting rifles above 3lbs, and I don't mind a little heavier just for that reason. And as far as drop safe, I've wondered the same thing while sitting way up in a tree? I hope I never find out.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Thank you so much for the quick response! Your answer has helped me with my question.I might adjust that trigger with a little more weight. Look forward to your next videos.
I like control feed actions, now having said that, I see nothing wrong with push feed, there is some reason that most custom receivers are built on a Remington 700 drop in. I lament that Remington has gone the way it has, board rooms and officers valuing the all mighty dollar over quality...hopefully somebody will see what Winchester has done and follow it. For me, still and probably always, the finest action in the world are Mauser 98's and Weatherby Mark 5's.
I prefer the control feed for hunting but I like the push feeds for target rifles and both work great. I just really hated to see many hating the post 63 winchester when it was a really great rifle in its own right.
Those early post 64's were ugly, to clubby thur the wrist, and cheap impressed checkering. But, they actually shot quite well. Later on, the stock lost some clubbiness and got machine cut checkering and they looked better.
Thanks for this video. I have a 1981 XTR featherweight. Aside from needing a new magazine follower spring, it's been a wonderful rifle. I prefer shooting it often to my new production FN M70 FWT. I'm a bit confused though: mine seems to have a free floated barrel. Is it some kind of production anomaly?
That is very interesting! And I have no idea if it was factory or if someone free floated it afterwards? I thought all of the XTR Featherweights were bedded for the entire stock but it's very possible the first years were free floated? And I'm pretty certain yours is the first year when they brought the Featherweight back. If I run across a 1981 Featherweight I'll have to check and see if it's free floated just out of curiosity..
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving thanks for the reply. It might be a little more complicated. When I bought the rifle second hand, it came in a fibreglass stock a camo print with lots of bedding material applied all over. Given the extensive work the previous owner did to it with that stock, I have little doubt he may have also had the walnut stock free floated. The next time I have it apart, I’ll have a close look at the stock for signs of work. I imagine any modified wood won’t have the same stain or finish. Interestingly, I find the rifle just as accurate with the walnut stock as with the fancy synthetic one. So: the fibreglass stock is permanently retired. It doesn’t turn my crank. This old featherweight also shoots just as accurately as my 2020 featherweight. (Very consistent and tight groups)
I enjoyed the video. I found an interesting model 70 rifle in my area that I’m not familiar with. It is a Model 70 Westerner 30.06. Best I can gather is that it is an early 80’s low budget model. Do you have any information or opinions on this particular model?
Winchester actually made a few Westerner's over the years. They had one pre64 and that rifle was for the 264 Win mag when it came out and I believe had a 26in barrel. Then they came out with one in the early 80's which was what you just said a budget rifle. It had a plain stock but still a good rifle. They had some in the late 80's and early 90's that were the same. Then they did a special run in 2013 of Westerner based more on the pre64. I ran into some bore problems with my 2013 Westerner but that can happen with any rifle but other than that a good rifle and I think they all were solid guns.
Congrats on the new Winchester and I have no doubt they did an outstanding job. They've certainly made a lot of nice Brownings at the FN plant in Portugal. And I'm betting you're going to really be pleased with the accuracy. The FN Winchesters are tack drivers.
I have an FN Featherweight in 280 Rem and it will shoot 3/4” groups with 140 Accubonds that leave the barrel at 2940. I really like it, Muleys and Antelope don’t! 😁
Great video! I just got one, 30-06 made in 1965. It is a project rifle as it is missing the bottom metal and the magazine spring and follower, but I got it for $100. Do you have any tips on replacing these parts or even happen to have some spare parts to sell? I'm thinking of putting a one piece floor plate on instead of two piece. I seem to be having the most trouble finding the right magazine spring and follower. Any information or tips you can give me are greatly appreciated!
The best advice I can give is be patient, and check ebay. Do a search for Winchester model 70 rifle parts on ebay. I just saw a couple of items you might be able to use. And keep checking back often because a lot of parts turn up on ebay you just never can tell when. Good Luck
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I forgot to ask, do you know if any of these parts like the magazine spring and follower are interchangeable with the pre 64 rifles? Thanks again!
@@NCWoodlandRoamer Now that I don't know. The pre64 parts were different but that doesn't mean they won't interchange? I would check mine and see but even if they did interchange on mine it doesn't mean they would on yours just because of variations over the years. But that would be a great question for you to post in a gun forum. I'm sure a lot of people have experimented with that over the years.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Ok thanks for your time! The stock has been sanded on and needs work so I may get a one piece floor plate and use that even if I have to inlet it a little bit.
I agree they should have changed the model and marketing around the changed gun. I didnt have an issue with the push feed, or action or barrels...for me it was that a lot of them had terrible inletting and metal to wood fit. I had one where the fore-end rubbed against the barrel on one side- throwing bullets all over. I had the "lightweight" it actually had a super nice piece of wood but shot like dog-%$&@. I epoxy bedded the action and floated the barrel and got dialed into at least a 2" group.
If you don't mind me asking what year was your Lightweight and was it a carbine model 70 or a Featherweight barrel with a nice standard stock? I'm trying to figure out what I can about the lightweights but there isn't much information out there on them.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving its been a while...and I dont have record of the serial# but if memory serves the post-63 lightweight with standard action and 22" barrel was introduced in 1985 - so mine may have been that year or just after. I know for a fact is was pre-92 when they made some specific changes to the receiver etc .... -I think it would have been called a carbine . It was light and kicked like a mule on steroids. In 30-06, it was by far the least favorite gun to shoot that I have ever had. Oddly they made a lot in 30-06. I would have been sweet in a 243 or similar. I think the lightweight general configuration might have evolved into the "compact" that came out later but not sure. The impression I got was that there was an definite few years maybe '85-92, where they were putting pretty nice wood on many of them....after which the stocks were nothing to write home about.. Here are links to similar ones www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/winchester-rifles---model-70-post-64/winchester---model-70-lightweight----243-win.cfm?gun_id=101342872 www.okshooters.com/threads/item-relisted-fs-ft-winchester-model-70-lightweight-in-30-06.299963/
Thanks for your knowledge of the Model 70. Perhaps you can help me. I recently purchased a Model 70 in 270. The seller tells me it is at least 25 years old. I assume that is correct based on appearance only. It has stamped on it "Lightweight" and is push feed. I am unable to find info on the "lightweight" designation. Can you give me any insight on this designation? Any help would be appreciated. Oh, by the way, new subscriber as of 10 minutes ago.
Hi Steve, I wish I could help you but I have nothing concrete. The term "Lightweight" is a term that I believe Winchester used way way back in the day for a few model 70's. I think that's what they called the original carbines back in the 40's or maybe 50's? Then they used the term again in the 80's for carbines and I'm also thinking they used the term in the late 80's to for essentially a Featherweight barrel and action with a standard stock? I don't know if you've seen me talking about my model 70 Featherweight Super Grade but it was actually listed by Winchester as a Lightweight Super Grade. I call it a Featherweight Super Grade because it is a Featherweight barrel and action with Featherweight engraved on the barrel and a custom Super Grade Stock. And it's funny you asked about the Lightweights because I've been trying to figure that out myself but like you I haven't been able to find hardly anything on that term. Is yours by any chance a carbine or does it have a Featherweight barrel? If it's a Feather weight barrel it will have a very slim profile especially at the muzzle.
I think they have a service center in Utah where they do some warranty repairs, and I'm not certain on that? But all of the new ones are made in Portugal. The last rifles made at the original Winchester plant in Connecticut were made in 2006. They didn't make a model 70 in 2007 and that's when they closed the original plant and moved production to South Carolina. 2013 was the last year they were made completely in the US. 2014 they assembled them in Portugal but with US parts. Those say on the box and I believe the rifles as well "made in US, Assembled in Portugal". Then at some point and I'm not sure when but I think around 2017 they changed it to just "made in Portugal" and that's what all of the new ones say. And the plant in Portugal is where they've made Browning's for years now.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving i didn't know that. Kind of disappointing although FN builds beautiful rifles for sure and I'll take Portugal over China anyday. Good video. Enjoyed it and subscribed
@@RMosher11 Their plant in Portugal makes great rifles. They've been making Browning's there for years. Originally all Brownings were made in Belgium by FN and you'll see made in Belgium on older BARS. But then they moved assembly to Portugal and a lot of BARS said made in Belgium, assembled in Portugal. Then eventually all BARS went to made in Portugal. Production of Browning rifles (A Bolts) was moved to Japan (Miroku) and that's were FN moved production of all the current Winchester lever action rifles and their 1885. If you look on the barrels of all the Model 70's since 2008 they say "BACO Morgantan Utah" BACO stands for Browning Arms Company. And Morgantan Utah is just the address for their corporate headquarters for Browning, which is owned by FN. Eessentially all the Winchesters now are made in the same plants they make all of the Brownings. So the quality is really good, but I still prefer my Winchesters made in USA.
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My grandmother bought me a Post 64 in 1975 in .308.Shot steenbuck, duikers, springbuck, mountain reedbuck, grey rhebuck, common reedbuck, blesbuck, bontebok, zebra, bushbuck, fallow deer, warthog, kudu, impala, wild boar, caracal and eland.I have hardly used any other rifle.Never given me a moments trouble. All with open sights, I might add.From South Africa.
You are one lucky son of a gun, one day I'll make my way over to S.A.
Awesome 👌
I had a push feed Model 70 in 30/06, great rifle never let me down, traded it for the reintroduction of the Pre 64 Model 70 in 30/06 equipped with the BOSS system, always happy with the decision I made
My dad gave me this exact rifle in a 270 over the weekend. Very proud to own it and makes it extra special knowing it came from my dad.
I have a model 70 carbine short action 222 made around the mid 80s it's a beautiful rifle and the most accurate I own.
YES!!!! Great video. Nice to see someone give praise to the post 63. Even Jack O'Conner praised it for having a stronger action. He didn't like that they killed production of the previous design but it's still a fantastic rifle and arguable more accurate. And yes, they should have named it something different, a total marketing disaster!!!
"Judged on its own merits....." Well, a friend of mine bought one of those U.S.R.A. Co. push-feed Model 70 Featherweights in .30'06 back in 1991. His was as well-made as you can imagine human hands and machines making such a thing and it was a solid five-shot M.O.A. grouper and easy to shoot well due to a crisp, predictable trigger. I was a bit of a "controlled feed" snob at the time, shooting 1903 Springfield-based sporting rifles and commercial Model 98 Mauser rifles, but I thought that push-feed Featherweight my friend had was a fine, classy rifle that looked and felt like quality.
I thought about buying one, but Ruger came out with the M-77 Mk II about that time, and, well, I bought one of those, instead. If I'm honest, it wasn't in the same league as my buddy's Model 70.
His three-position safety was "like buttah...." Mine was rough, gritty, and hard to use. His floorplate release worked to flawless perfection. Mine didn't. It didn't keep the cartridges in the magazine when it should have and you couldn't get them out by dropping the floorplate when you wanted to. Then, there was the trigger. Mine was atrocious, making the rifle not so easy to shoot. His, while a tad on the heavy side, was never the less easy to use. Then, there was infamous Ruger M-77 Mk II "accuracy" that was sufficient for big game hunting at reasonable ranges, but not as much fun as my friend's tighter-grouping Model 70.
If I needed a new hunting rifle, and saw a clean old push-feed Featherweight Model 70 on the rack, I'd rather have it than pretty much anything from today's "bolt action bargain bin."
Nice to see them get some fair commentary.
I have a 1973 model 70, I believe it is a standard weight. It has the black forend tip with the white ( now yellowish patina ) spacer between the tip and the walnut stock. It’s chambered in .30-06. It is one of my favorite rifles. It actually will shoot better than I can. Lol. With all of the interest and hoopla over modern sporting rifles and tacti-cool gadgets, it’s refreshing to hear these history lessons. Thanks Tom!
I'm glad you enjoyed it Robert. There are a lot of great rifles out there but a lot of those great rifles never got credit for being the great rifles they are. I don't know if that was due to marketing or what but those post '63 Winchesters were some of the best rifles produced. I just wanted to make sure they got a little recognition for that.
Well said!
I love that someone is talking about how great the Winchester M70 is, regardless of the time period.
I just felt like it's been an injustice to the push feeds for them to never get the recognition they deserve. And I do love the pre 64 control feeds but the post 63's push feeds have nothing to ashamed of. They are outstanding rifles.
Being pretty young (30) and not knowing anything about model 70s other than that Hathcock used one, while back I picked up an old Winchester model 70 in 30-06 at my local gun store. The owner of the gun store told me it was made in 74. It wasn’t pretty. The stock is stained in handling marks. The barrel had some wear and minor pitting. The bluing is pure wore off the bolt handle. And it has a huge smear like mark where the bluing is gone next to where it says Winchester on the receiver. But I brought it home, cleaned it up, put a decent scope on it, threw some 150 soft points in that bad boy, and started shooting nickels at 100 just at rest. I was in love. I took a little buck with it soon after. It wasn’t until after all this I started reading and learned that my beloved rifle was so hated by the masses. I couldn’t understand how anyone could hate something so accurate, dependable, long lasting. I mean this thing outshoots all the modern guns I have. So after learning and reading that it was so terrible and how Winchester totally ruined their reputation, and squandered their loyal fan base, and tarnished their name. I turned around last week and ordered another post model!! This one a featherweight XTR in 223 rem. I am just too happy with the -06 and hope to get the same enjoyment and quality out of this new XTR. Looking really forward to picking it up this weekend. I’m glad there are others out there who share appreciation for these old guns. Thanks for the video!!
I also own a transition model 70xtr featherweight (in .308). Its the rifle i judge all the rest of my rifles by. Greetings from Australia.
They are great rifles and at some point I'm hoping to find a nice standard model 70 XTR in .308. I can't say why but I've always thought that would be just about the perfect deer rifle?
And I'm sort of jealous of your weather right now. It's the middle of winter of and cold here!
Great video. I, like so many, grew up being told that these post 63 model 70's were junk. Only when I had one did I realize how excellent they were. Almost made me a push feed convert! And like you say, they might be the most underrated bolt action rifle ever.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
To say that the pushfeed Model 70 is “junk” because of the change to pushfeed, is to say that nearly all modern bolt action rifles are junk, since nearly all bolt actions are pushfeed.
I just found your chanel a week or so ago and I've been trying to watch all your old videos. Really enjoying them!!
My Grandfather hunted everything with a 721 that he rebarreled to 7 mag. We live in Kansas and several guys would make a trip to Colorado to hunt Mule deer and occasionally elk. Grandad loved his old 7 mag but while at a gun shop the glossy finish of a Winchester 7 mag caught his attention! I belive this was in 1973, also the year I was born, ha ha! He couldn't help himself and the New rifle came home. He topped it with a weaver 6 x, just like the 721, and dialed it in.
Come the fall of 74 and they packed for Colorado! He brought both 7 mags along, but on oppening morning, when he cralled out of his bunk, an old red stock trailer with boards bailer wired over the air slats, he could not stand to drag that new Winchester ot of it's case! By the end of the hunt, Grandpa had taken his largest Muley buck ever and it was with the old 721! LOL! My Dad also took a nice buck with his Ruger 77 in 30/06.
I'm not one to ask folks for things but I did ask grandpa that if he planed on leaving any guns for me that I shure would like to have the old 721 with the hunts under its belt and stories to go with it. By this time I had become part of many of the stories, as I took Grandpa out for several hunts close to home, in his elder years. The 721 was always along!
Though Grandpa is waiting for us in Heaven now, I am blessed with his memories and both the Old Rebarreled Remington 721 in 7mag and also the near new, 1973 Winchester model 70 in 7mag. Although I held off for several years, I could not leave it in the cabinet and they both have taken a few whitetail in recent years. Oh, I about forgot, this Post 63 model 70 is a fine rifle with fantastic accuracy! I did have to swap out the Weaver k6 for a scope with a bit more x's to find its real accuracy though! I think Grandpa would approve of the upgraid :-)
Keep up the fantastic videos Tom!
Thanks, Brian
That's a great story and thanks for sharing it. The Remington 721 and 722 are also some great rifles that never really got the credit they deserved for being as good as they were. They were never the prettiest but they were solid reliable hunting rifles.
And '73 was a great year! LOL
I have a model 70 30-06 made in 64 and it's a tack driver. It holds great and functions flawlessly. The stock finish is fair now but the steel is in excellent condition. Killed a pretty good buck with it 3 weeks ago.
And that's why I wanted to do this video. There are a lot of great Model 70's out there just like yours and mine for that matter that just keep getting the job done. I wanted to make sure they got a little credit for being such great rifles.
I own the same M70 XTR featherweight in 257 roberts as well. It is the only push feed M70 I own, but definitely my favorite, at least for now...
They are great rifles and very underrated. And truthfully I hope they stay that way because they're still one or two more I want to add to my collection!
I have a post-63 M-70 in .375 H&H that I bought around 1974 or so. No problems with quality, fit & finish, trigger, accuracy, or any other aspect of the rifle. I am very happy with the rifle.
Pa had a '72 safari same
I own a 68 Model 70 in 30-06. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. Every deer season both of my sons covet that rifle.
'68 was a great year for the model 70. That's when they added the anti bind rail and that rail is still on the model 70 even the pre 64 style actions.
I have 2 push feed Model 70 , absolutely love them . Great Video . Thank you .
And thank you.
Enjoyed your video Tom. I recently picked up a 1964 Mod 70 and based on the serial number, it’s an early in the year 64 rifle in .243 Win. It is in pristine condition, no scratches or marks on the stock, iron factory sights and the scope mount threads appear to have never been used. The rifle while I can’t be sure if it’s in unfired condition, seems like very few rounds have gone through it. I had been eyeing this rifle for over a year at my local gun shop. It sat in the back of the shops rifle cabinet. It was really dusty like it had sat in a closet for years. I made an offer to the gun shop owner and he accepted it. I gave it a much needed cleaning and took it to the range to sight it in. It is a sweet shooting rifle and far more accurate than I am. I sighted it in with 100grain rounds. I will admit that the press checkering is ugly but I love this rifle. I can take this Deer hunting as it is and I’m on the fence about whether I’ll ever put a scope on it. In New England, I doubt I will ever hunt beyond 100 to 150 yards anyway. I have two pre-64 Winchester 94’s one in .32WS and the other in 30-30 and neither has a scope. I really enjoy your down to earth videos and the knowledge you share about guns and hunting. Thank you Sir.
You got a great rifle there. And I think one day the post 63's are going to be very collectable in their own right. Yeah they weren't the prettiest for a few years but their build and functionality were outstanding.
Agree sir. Great video. I have 2 post 64 model 70s . A 1977 xtr in 270 and a 1984 30-06. Both are absolutely great rifles and fantastic shooters.
When I made the video I thought the XTR's came out in '82 after USRAC took over but thanks to comments like yours I'm learning they came out earlier and your 1977 xtr is so far the earliest I've heard of. So I now know they go back to at leas '77. Thank you for commenting and both sound like really nice rifles!
I just picked up a 1971 xtr model 70 3006 love it great con
They started making the featherweights in 1980. The XTR's were beautiful rifles.
They started the featherweight models in 1952.
I just picked up an absolutely beautiful model 70 in .300 win mag. 1965 and the icing on the cake is it's the same year I was born! Lol Looks like same stock as the one in your video but with the monte carlo style cheek rest type stock in pristine condition without a dent or scratch in the wood, almost to pretty to shoot! It's sporting a leopold 3 to 9 variable x2. Thanks for the video!
I'm glad you enjoyed it Paul and congrats on getting such a fine rifle!
Great review!
I inherited a Winchester 770 which has been hard to find information on but what I have found is it was in production from 69-71 and is an economy/budget model 70. The only difference I can find pointed out is it doesn’t have bottom metal and I think used some of the left over “ugly stocks “
Hey man I liked the cut of your jib controlled easygoing (southern)? Anyway I didn't feel like you were trying to sell me something you were Joe Friday like " just the facts mam) very refreshing and I saw you were knowledgeable on the subject by the way my Model 70 6.8 is on its way as we speak lol keep up the good work
My most versatile hunting rifle is my push feed 70 in .30-'06. Nice break down.
Thanks, and I'll be talking more about the 06 in the future. It truly is a versatile cartridge.
Just got a 1969 model 70 with a 69 weaver el paso made V7 scope in 30 06 I love it
Thank you sir for all that information I didn't know. I thought I knew everything but NOW I do. LOL, Keep making and informing us about different makers and guns (rifles).
I hope to keep doing this because with every video I learn something myself and I have really enjoyed that. There are so many things that we sort of know and a lot that we assume, but doing a video and putting it out there for the world to see really makes you check your facts and I still manage to miss some things. But then I learn something from that too!
Own one in 6mm Remington custom. My buddy bought one the same day in 257 Roberts. Bought new in the early 90's. Finest gun I own.
Great Video. I love the push feed models of the early eighties through the early nineties. Simply the best looking Model 70 featherweights ever. Even the the newer CRF models made by FN do not have the sharp lines of these rifles. The difference is subtle, but the earlier models were sharper and cleaner in appearance. You would need to line them up next to each other to see the difference. Great stuff, Tom.
Thanks!
The newest version also lack the great trigger. Supposedly the new trigger is nice, but vastly different from the old one.
I have the post-64 in 375 H&H Magnum. Gorgeous rifle. Dead on. Great review thank you!
I'm really glad you made this video calling attention to these great rifles! I have an XTR from 1979 that is absolutely beautiful in every way even if it's a little heavy. I also have a Featherweight from around 1992 that I just had to buy because of the wood grain. I knew very little about the post 63 M70's before I bought these rifles, but I'll never regret buying either one of them and I'm even looking at another one. I've heard the ones from 64 thru 68 or 69 were pretty bad, though. You have a great caliber there in the Roberts, been kinda looking for one like that. I have a Ruger M77 MkII in the Roberts, but it's not for me, so I'm going to let it find a new home and look more toward M70's. Thanks for the great video!
Thank you Roger for the comment, and I just learned something. I thought they came out with the XTR in '82 but it seems I was mistaken. It's tough to figure out exactly what's what with a lot of the rifles from this time period just because it's so hard to find actual facts. All I can do is research the different forums and there is so little information out there that I just have to sort of guess on some of the specifics like exact dates.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I know what you mean, there are some date gaps with Winchesters. My Featherweight from around 1992 is a bit of a guess because of their records being lost, but everything I find shows my other xtr to be 1979. Search Win. manufacture dates and see if you don't find the same thing I'm finding. G143XXXX.
you all probably dont care at all but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?
I was stupid forgot my login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me!
@Jaziel Paxton Instablaster =)
@Axl Albert I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and Im in the hacking process now.
Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.
I really enjoyed this. I really didn't appreciate my model 70's until I learned how to adjust the triggers. It made such a huge difference in accuracy and shooting confidence. Looking forward to hunting again! Thanks for a great video!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for a great perspective
I own an unfired, brand new 1968 Winchester Model 70. The stock is nicely figured walnut and has the look of a hand-applied satin oil finish. The checkering actually has well-defined lines and formed points like hand checkering. I don't know if these were pressed or machine cut. In comparison, my 1967 Remington 700's pressed-checkering resembles a piece of window screen turned on a 45 angle with nothing but stippled points pushed into the wood. The Winchester's action with the new for 1968 anti-bind bolt redesign you mentioned in your video is just as slick (maybe even better) as the Remington (which honestly was the gold standard in mass produced rifles) and the trigger is better.
I enjoy shooting a rifle with iron sights off-hand just to appreciate the balance and design of the rifle. There is something magical about the Model 70 stock design. While I don't shoot 1968, I have others and they just shoulder and place your eye aligned perfectly with the sights on the sights. There are very few rifles I own that do that so perfectly Most require I either raise my head or crowd the cheekpiece to gain a sight line after they are shouldered. The Winchester just comes up and aligns with the target almost instinctively.
I bought a new one in 1988 a 7mm Rem feather weight detachable mag beautiful gun and extremely accurate
Very much enjoyed the video! In my humble opinion, the Model 70/.257 Roberts combo is absolutely perfect...petite yet potent! Thank you for the video Tom, cheers from North Dakota...
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and they are a nice combination.
I have a 1978 Winchester model 70 xtr in 30-06 and it is my favorite rifle! It is better than most anything that comes off of the shelves today. Plus it shoots half inch groups at 100 yards. I read that the xtr actually came out in 1977. Mine says xtr right on the barrel. Fit and finish and the quality for the rifle is unmatched today in my opinion.
One of the great things about doing these videos is that I continue to learn more and more as I ago. I thought the XTR came out when USRA took over in '81 but I have since learned it came out sooner but no one was sure exactly when and thanks to your comment I now know 1977. So thanks for that info. And I wanted to do this video because they are such great rifles and highly underrated.
I have a '78 XTR as well in 30-06.
Way back in 2000 a friend was selling a few of his guns . I was interested and bought his stainless 6 inch colt Python , new in the box and he also wanted to sell a new in the box Winchester model 70 XTR in 30/06 for 400 bucks. I really did not need another rifle and only, bought it because it was so cheap and it was flawless and really a beautiful rifle. Its exactly like yours except for the caliber. I have never shot it and it is still wrapped up and stored in my gun safe I always read the negative comments about this rifle and i really am happy to have found your very well done You Tube presentation. I just got her out and and it is still as beautiful as when it was made in New Haven now forty years ago Thanks and Well Done Tom I am tickled I found your channel and look forward to watching your other videos
To add to my Comment It is an early 1982 XTR by the serial number and it has a red shoulder pad with US repeating arms on it not Winchester
Well Les I think if you liked this one you will really like the video coming out this Sunday, Why Wood Stocks Are Better Than Synthetics? I pulled out all three of my Featherweights including this one and I mentioned how Winchester stepped it up for the XTR's. I explained a bit of the history of the Featherweights and then I explained how stressful it was when my stock warped on my 2013 7x57. My point was that wood is better because I actually cared about my wood stocks but we don't care about synthetic ones. There is just nothing like a gorgeous piece of wood on a rifle, and I bet yours is really gorgeous being in that good of condition! Those really are some fine rifles and they just don't get enough credit for how good they actually are.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Hey Tom thanks for the reply. I have not even shot my XTR as I am not a deer hunter but a bird Hunter mainly ringnecks but I do love the traditional wood and steel firearms . I will eagerly wait to watch your next creation. Its funny how now I am 73 and my most prized firearms are My dads 1954 Sears JC higgins 30/06 blued steel and really pretty wood bolt action FN mauser action Sears model 50 Dad paid 110 bucks new at a sears store in the SF bay area and I still remember him buying the rifle it came with a 4x JCHiggins scope ( Made By Weaver ) Dads been gone right at 30 years now, and it is real easy to get choked up holding that rifle He was really proud of it I have a safe full off newer treasures but they don't mean as much to me as that old deer rifle Thanks for rekindling some really great memories
My 1998 win 70 hv 223. Stacks 1/2. 5 shot groups all day long.My 70 280 rem holds 3shots in a cluster and the next to shots a 1/4 in away.
thankfully, i've got some of these push feeds before they quit making them and they were in the 4-5 hundred dollar range, new. soon to become collectors. liked and subscribed.
Thanks, and I agree these will come into their own with collectors at some point.
About 1994, I purchased a Winchester push-feed in 30-06 24" barrel; it was a slow-poke, plus the stock wasn't finished. I replaced the stock with plastic (black) Model '70 stock then I had the chamber reamed out to 30-06 Improved gaining 225 fps (180 grains bullet) with a little more powder of either IMR/H4350. Fireforming standard 30-06 cases using 110 grains bullets. Three or more shot grouping was always under 1". I did it just to see if it could be done!
I had a friend who now decreased, Randy had a Model '70 Winchester rifle that left the factory with NO rifling. That is how far Winchester had fallen in the manufacturing of firearms.
I really enjoyed it. Thanks for all your info. !! 👌
I have a newer Featherweight controlled round feed and it also has the anti-bind rail.
The anti bind rail turned out to be such a good feature they just left it on all of the model 70's even after they went back to the pre64 style action.
I have a 1968 model 70 .270 very smooth bolt
Great video about a legendary rifle. So proud to own one made in USA
My grandfather bought one for all of his grandsons on the day we were born. Mine was made in 1958. Mine will never be sold, as it will be pasted on to my oldest grandson.
im happy with my old Remington model 1917 that was converted to a mod 30 spec and re barreled in 30-06 still but has a med heavy couture in a fancy bishop stock, its an action up custom rifle so its hard to compare to stock factory rigs. i do admire the controlled feed aspect and if i wanted a push feed it would be a sako or a tika or the savage. and i prefer pre war guns made in the 1930s the most! cant beat them! some of the finest firearms ever produced. hand guns from colt and s&W set the standard for fine hand guns for decades to come. well until 1964 came along..both guns and guitars would fall victim to profit margins and corporate greed. turning out the cheapest products possible for quality product prices!
I have a bunch of hunting rifles from .22LR up to .375 H&H. Most are push feeds but several are controlled round feeds ( a few different copies of Mauser 98 actions). I have had zero issues with any of them with regard to chambering and ejecting cartridges. I've read that controlled round feed is 'essential' for a dangerous game rifle but I don't buy that for a minute. All that matters is reliability. If I ever go to Africa for say, Cape Buffalo, I'll take my .375 H&H, which is a Remington Model 700, BDL, Safari Grade, made about early '80's. I bought it to hunt grizzly bears in BC back when that was still legal. I think that qualifies it to be a 'dangerous game' rifle and its push feed action has been and still is flawless.
So, with so many push feed actions out there (Remington sold more Model 700s than any other modern hunting rifle in history), why look down on the post '63 Winchester model 70? I don't own one but would never turn one down. It still has the fantastic three position safety, an excellent trigger and great out of the box accuracy. If anyone has an excellent condition .308 Featherweight, Super Grade they no longer want, let me know.
I am a new subscriber and I really think highly of your videos because you put down real facts. Keep up the good work and videos.
Thanks Ethan I appreciate that.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Yes no problem and than you for making these videos!!
The Pre, and Post 64' M70s today are relics. The number of modern hunting rifles available today would scare the Bejesus out of a buyer in 1965 or 1975. I've used M70s of both variants for many decades in Alaska and both have been extremely reliable. I've killed coastal brown bears with the push feeds and the CRFs, no issues. If a hunter is mostly a day tripper, close to their car, hunting from a stand or lodge or something similar it's not as important but putting a rifle through it's paces in some adverse field conditions sometimes for days on end calls for more weatherproof rifles. And even though the M70 Extreme is good (if you can find one) there are too many others nowadays to consider it anything but Ok for a choice. The M70 bolt is pretty quick to field strip, a definite plus and their safety is excellent but is now copied by many others. The new Weatherby 307s bolt is even quicker to strip.
They are BEAUTIFUL RIFLES .
I have a '68, and a '72 in 30-06. Someday I'll have a pre 64.
Thank you for clearing up what i had sorta suspected all along, cleared up alot for me.
Outstanding! Love your passion, and it’s clearly
evident in your videos! Great knowledge of the history of the rifles too! 💯💯💯 I have subscribed & will continue to view!
I Have Never Had A Problem With The Newer Post Model 70 Push Feed . I've Got Both That's All I Have.
Really appreciate you sharing this with us. This sheds a new light on what i knew about these. Keep up the great videos!
I'm glad you enjoyed it Mike
I have a few push feeds and never have I found a problem.
They work and really don't think the Post 63 Winchesters ever got credit for being as good of a rifle as they are.
my 1964 model 70 in 300 win mag is wonderfull
I had an XTR Featherweight push feed in 243 and it's in my top 3 rifles I wish I never sold. It was glass bedded and had a super crisp 3 pound trigger pull, shot great and was a pleasure to shoot as well. It was also a beautiful rifle with good wood and high luster bluing. I put a 2-7 VX-2 on it. Any way, great model 70 video. I'm gonna go look at Gubbroker and see how much more these are worth than what I sold mine for all those years ago.
Right now almost everything on Gunbroker is bringing crazy prices. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've thought about selling almost every rifle I have considering what they are selling for at the moment. I'm just to worried prices aren't going to go back to normal for another 4 to 8 years.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Yeah, gun prices don't usually go back down as much as they went up, so it ain't worth selling them. Unless it's something you decide you dont really care for, probably better to hold on to. I got a couple ARs and I dont really like tactical stuff, but gonna hold onto them in case WWIII starts.
This is a great video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I’ve learned a lot about my rifle.
Never did understand why these rifles were so derided. Post 64's were still a great rifle. IMO, a better push feed than any Remington.... Sorry Remington fans.
I never understood it either, which is why I wanted to make this video.
push feed -control feed - both are great rifles , win. 70 , and rem .700
Be precise ;) post ‘63 or pre 64. I inherited a pre ‘64 300 win mag model 70. 300 win mag debuted in ‘62, . . . so mine is either a ‘62 or ‘63. Sadly, until I search serial numbers, that’s as precise as I can be :(
Yea, they were great, except for the 2 I owned that wouldn't keep 5 shots at a hundred on a 12" paper plate. 1 257 roberts and 1 22-250, SICK!!!
@@robertsmentkowski312 is it controlled round feed 64 on is push feed
Just put a deposit on a 1981 XTR featherweight in .308 it’s in absolutely top mint condition and hardly ever shot paid £550 which is $680
My 70's era .300 Win M70A was a beautiful tack driver. No complaints whatsoever.
I am loving the videos. Keep them coming. Also I have a few ideas for future videos. Firearms that got away (either guns you sold or could have bought but didnt that you wish you had now.) Any Firearms you wish you could buy now.
I'm glad you like the videos. And as for the suggestions, I think those are some great ideas. A liitle painful to think about but great ideas. Thanks!
I am with you on the ones that got away. Last year I let a push feed XT are in the light varmint get away from me. It belongs to the neighbor now so I get to see it once in a while but wish it was in my safe. I also had to push feed light featherweight in 257 Roberts that some knucklehead put a reamer in and turned it into a 257 actually improved. Didn’t shoot worth a darn, but it was an awfully pretty rifle. Thanks for the videos
ty i enjoyed that i wanna get a model 70 . looking at the featherweight compact . im short ...idk what caliper yet . idk im just kicking tires lol ty again for your videos !
Enjoyed the information Tom!
It is hard to keep up with Winchester....from Conn. to South Carolina to Portugal....but they did go back to control round feed...2013 ? ...added an adjustable trigger. Wish you would follow up this video and talk about the features and mfg in present day.
That's a good idea John. I'm knee deep in other projects and deer season just starting but I will keep that in mind for the near future. And they went back to control round feed in the early to mid 90's when they came out with the Model 70 "Classic".
2008, last year of the Winchester push feed.
The Best Winchester model 70 to Collect !
Well, it's the you can afford !
So very true!
gorgeous !! love the wood on that one.
Thanks, it is one of my favorites.
I have a modest collection of post "64 Model 70's. These rifles are quickly becoming very collectable. I will buy everyone I can find that is unique and priced right. So far I have some pretty interesting examples.
I agree that these are becoming collectable and honestly I sort of hate that! LOL It's getting a lot tougher to find a great deal on what where very underappreciated rifles. And have to ask what are some of the ones you have? And the reason I'm asking is because it's so hard to find much information on the post 64's so I'm always interested when someone has some unique ones.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Agreed, I'm not happy that the prices are on the rise. As for my collection, to name a few, I have an early '80's Super Grade Collectors edition in 257 Roberts, I have a late "90"s Classic - pre 64 control feed in 25-06 with the BOSS tuning system from factory, A early '70's Varmint in 222 Rem, An early '80's XTR in 6.5x55, Same in 243, and 7mm Mag, A Black Shadow in 25WSSM....and a few others. I always try to get the versions that were limited availability or have something unique.
Maybe to get off topic, but Winchester makes great Shotguns, too!
I do not get this love of controlled feed. I have a model 70 xtr and it is great. I also have a sporterized Swedish Mauser m96 with controlled feed, and when hunting they're both accurate. I never thought about this push vs controlled battle before.
I agree Sir
I had one, .270. It shot great but was beyond ugly. I now have three pre 64. One is .5 MOA, one is 1.0 and the other one, does not have a scope. Yet
It's fun to see that at the date that you made this video, you had no idea that 60 days later your would find a pre-63 Featherweight that would tickle your fancy... They are all good, but some are gooder than others...?
That is irony at it's best. And I agree they're all good, and that some are just a little gooder! But I still love my post 63's and my XTR Featherweight. They all have their place and they all have something special to offer and should be appreciated for what they are and for the time when they were made.
ive got 2 a 270, and 30-06 great rifles
Agreed! And you also have them in 2 great cartridges.
Ruger stepped up on their budget rifle. Ruger american Gen 2.
I have a cheap version of this rifle, synthetic stock , no bottom drop plate, mat black powder finish
Hi again Tom another great Video , my model 70 is still at the gunsmiths it was a long wait for them to get the adjustable mounts and they are installed he shot the rifle and it is shooting great but he said the bolt is loosing the casing half way out , it has the claw extractor build in 1994 ,any idea what might be the problem with it . The gunsmith said he's gonna take a look at it to see if he can find out whats going on , before I gave it to him I tried the dummy rounds and they worked fine . Thank you and stay safe [ Southern Ontario]
I'm not sure why it would be doing that? The blade extractor could be kicking in a little to soon? But I can't imagine it being anything serious. Part of what makes that action so great is It's simplicity. There just isn't much that can go wrong.
I’ve always taken the push feed model 70’s to be a Remington. But has a better trigger and a better safety than Remington .
Not a Mauser 96, not a Mauser 98k! Well, it's a damn Remington 700. Buy buddy.
Awwww man now they aren't going to be selling so low when you say "well...its a push feed" anymore!
Great video...Have to say I'd take one over any other push feed on the market, including the Weatherby Vanguard, which is in some ways a lot less of a "budget" rifle. One piece bolt etc. But the Winchester 70 PF sure is nice. Always appreciated how even if it was cast, it still has that classic open style Winchester trigger going for it.
Never had any trouble from one.
I know this is old video but I have a question. You said at the time Weatherby wasn’t doing controlled feed but Mauser and fn was. Weren’t there pre 1974 Mark V rifles built in Germany with those actions? Thanks
They should have called it a Winchester Model 723
Agreed!
Awesome video, I have a 1980’s win 70 7mm that’s a tack driver.
Shoots better than my pre64 featherweight. You are correct about these gems. I have a question and with your knowledge I know you will have the answer..... my win 70 has a light trigger about 2.5 lbs. if I slam the butt of the gun from knee height on FIRE position it goes off (unloaded of course), but it doesn’t on safe. Does the win 70 have a firing pin disengagement internally? Is it totally drop safe when the safety is engaged? How does the drop safety comparison to other rifles like the rem 700? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Love your Chanel!!!
Bob I hate to even comment on safeties because I just don't trust them and don't recomend anyone else trust them either. They are mechanical devices made by people and that means anything could happen. With that said they are good to have and I do believe the Winchester model 70 safeties are the best safeties out there with the exception of Mauser's safety. I've seen a cut away of the Mauser safety and I understand exactly how it works. I know that Winchester safeties block the firing pin and not the sear (which is really good) but I've never been exactly sure how it does that? So until I strip one down and figure exactly how it works I can't say that it's as good as Mauser's. I would think it works the same way but that's an assumption and I'm not about to assume on a safety. I can say one thing for certain though and that is Winchester's three position safety is the most copied safety in the gun industry. Even Ruger replaced their tang safety on the M77 with a Winchester safety in 1991 when they changed to the Mark II. So as far as comparison to everyone else, the Model 70 safety is the industry standard that everyone else looks to. And as far as your rifle goes, I think it's great that you've checked it and know that it can go off (most people just don't realize that) but that is why I keep the triggers on my hunting rifles above 3lbs, and I don't mind a little heavier just for that reason. And as far as drop safe, I've wondered the same thing while sitting way up in a tree? I hope I never find out.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Thank you so much for the quick response! Your answer has helped me with my question.I might adjust that trigger with a little more weight. Look forward to your next videos.
@@bobd8553 I'm glad I could help.
I like control feed actions, now having said that, I see nothing wrong with push feed, there is some reason that most custom receivers are built on a Remington 700 drop in. I lament that Remington has gone the way it has, board rooms and officers valuing the all mighty dollar over quality...hopefully somebody will see what Winchester has done and follow it. For me, still and probably always, the finest action in the world are Mauser 98's and Weatherby Mark 5's.
I prefer the control feed for hunting but I like the push feeds for target rifles and both work great. I just really hated to see many hating the post 63 winchester when it was a really great rifle in its own right.
Those early post 64's were ugly, to clubby thur the wrist, and cheap impressed checkering. But, they actually shot quite well. Later on, the stock lost some clubbiness and got machine cut checkering and they looked better.
I just hated that they never got credit for as being as good as they were, even if they started on the ugly side.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I no longer hunt, but I'm really thinking hard on buying one of the new Supergrades with curly maple stock. Beautiful rifles.
@@kentowens2179 you might not hunt any more but you can still enjoy some trips to the range. And I agree those are some gorgeous rifles.
By the way I never had a jam or a problem with mine in all the years I have owned it.
Thanks for this video. I have a 1981 XTR featherweight. Aside from needing a new magazine follower spring, it's been a wonderful rifle. I prefer shooting it often to my new production FN M70 FWT. I'm a bit confused though: mine seems to have a free floated barrel. Is it some kind of production anomaly?
That is very interesting! And I have no idea if it was factory or if someone free floated it afterwards? I thought all of the XTR Featherweights were bedded for the entire stock but it's very possible the first years were free floated? And I'm pretty certain yours is the first year when they brought the Featherweight back. If I run across a 1981 Featherweight I'll have to check and see if it's free floated just out of curiosity..
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving thanks for the reply. It might be a little more complicated. When I bought the rifle second hand, it came in a fibreglass stock a camo print with lots of bedding material applied all over. Given the extensive work the previous owner did to it with that stock, I have little doubt he may have also had the walnut stock free floated. The next time I have it apart, I’ll have a close look at the stock for signs of work. I imagine any modified wood won’t have the same stain or finish.
Interestingly, I find the rifle just as accurate with the walnut stock as with the fancy synthetic one. So: the fibreglass stock is permanently retired. It doesn’t turn my crank. This old featherweight also shoots just as accurately as my 2020 featherweight. (Very consistent and tight groups)
I enjoyed the video. I found an interesting model 70 rifle in my area that I’m not familiar with. It is a Model 70 Westerner 30.06. Best I can gather is that it is an early 80’s low budget model. Do you have any information or opinions on this particular model?
Winchester actually made a few Westerner's over the years. They had one pre64 and that rifle was for the 264 Win mag when it came out and I believe had a 26in barrel. Then they came out with one in the early 80's which was what you just said a budget rifle. It had a plain stock but still a good rifle. They had some in the late 80's and early 90's that were the same. Then they did a special run in 2013 of Westerner based more on the pre64. I ran into some bore problems with my 2013 Westerner but that can happen with any rifle but other than that a good rifle and I think they all were solid guns.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving thank you for your reply. I appreciate the information
and thats the way it is
Or at least how it looks anyway. LOL
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving
i ordered a model 70 in 6.5 creedmoor with the french walnut stock. Hope Portugal did a good job on it
Congrats on the new Winchester and I have no doubt they did an outstanding job. They've certainly made a lot of nice Brownings at the FN plant in Portugal. And I'm betting you're going to really be pleased with the accuracy. The FN Winchesters are tack drivers.
I have an FN Featherweight in 280 Rem and it will shoot 3/4” groups with 140 Accubonds that leave the barrel at 2940. I really like it, Muleys and Antelope don’t! 😁
@@nmelkhunter1 My friend has an FN Super Grade in .280 and he absolutely loves that rifle. And similar to yours, the deer don't care for it very much.
Great video! I just got one, 30-06 made in 1965. It is a project rifle as it is missing the bottom metal and the magazine spring and follower, but I got it for $100. Do you have any tips on replacing these parts or even happen to have some spare parts to sell? I'm thinking of putting a one piece floor plate on instead of two piece. I seem to be having the most trouble finding the right magazine spring and follower. Any information or tips you can give me are greatly appreciated!
The best advice I can give is be patient, and check ebay. Do a search for Winchester model 70 rifle parts on ebay. I just saw a couple of items you might be able to use. And keep checking back often because a lot of parts turn up on ebay you just never can tell when. Good Luck
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Ok thank your, I will start watching eBay!
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I forgot to ask, do you know if any of these parts like the magazine spring and follower are interchangeable with the pre 64 rifles? Thanks again!
@@NCWoodlandRoamer Now that I don't know. The pre64 parts were different but that doesn't mean they won't interchange? I would check mine and see but even if they did interchange on mine it doesn't mean they would on yours just because of variations over the years. But that would be a great question for you to post in a gun forum. I'm sure a lot of people have experimented with that over the years.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Ok thanks for your time! The stock has been sanded on and needs work so I may get a one piece floor plate and use that even if I have to inlet it a little bit.
I agree they should have changed the model and marketing around the changed gun. I didnt have an issue with the push feed, or action or barrels...for me it was that a lot of them had terrible inletting and metal to wood fit. I had one where the fore-end rubbed against the barrel on one side- throwing bullets all over. I had the "lightweight" it actually had a super nice piece of wood but shot like dog-%$&@. I epoxy bedded the action and floated the barrel and got dialed into at least a 2" group.
If you don't mind me asking what year was your Lightweight and was it a carbine model 70 or a Featherweight barrel with a nice standard stock? I'm trying to figure out what I can about the lightweights but there isn't much information out there on them.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving its been a while...and I dont have record of the serial# but if memory serves the post-63 lightweight with standard action and 22" barrel was introduced in 1985 - so mine may have been that year or just after. I know for a fact is was pre-92 when they made some specific changes to the receiver etc .... -I think it would have been called a carbine . It was light and kicked like a mule on steroids. In 30-06, it was by far the least favorite gun to shoot that I have ever had. Oddly they made a lot in 30-06. I would have been sweet in a 243 or similar. I think the lightweight general configuration might have evolved into the "compact" that came out later but not sure.
The impression I got was that there was an definite few years maybe '85-92, where they were putting pretty nice wood on many of them....after which the stocks were nothing to write home about.. Here are links to similar ones
www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/winchester-rifles---model-70-post-64/winchester---model-70-lightweight----243-win.cfm?gun_id=101342872
www.okshooters.com/threads/item-relisted-fs-ft-winchester-model-70-lightweight-in-30-06.299963/
Thanks for your knowledge of the Model 70. Perhaps you can help me. I recently purchased a Model 70 in 270. The seller tells me it is at least 25 years old. I assume that is correct based on appearance only. It has stamped on it "Lightweight" and is push feed. I am unable to find info on the "lightweight" designation. Can you give me any insight on this designation? Any help would be appreciated. Oh, by the way, new subscriber as of 10 minutes ago.
Hi Steve, I wish I could help you but I have nothing concrete. The term "Lightweight" is a term that I believe Winchester used way way back in the day for a few model 70's. I think that's what they called the original carbines back in the 40's or maybe 50's? Then they used the term again in the 80's for carbines and I'm also thinking they used the term in the late 80's to for essentially a Featherweight barrel and action with a standard stock? I don't know if you've seen me talking about my model 70 Featherweight Super Grade but it was actually listed by Winchester as a Lightweight Super Grade. I call it a Featherweight Super Grade because it is a Featherweight barrel and action with Featherweight engraved on the barrel and a custom Super Grade Stock. And it's funny you asked about the Lightweights because I've been trying to figure that out myself but like you I haven't been able to find hardly anything on that term. Is yours by any chance a carbine or does it have a Featherweight barrel? If it's a Feather weight barrel it will have a very slim profile especially at the muzzle.
UE has a 30-06
I'm pretty sure FN has some factories here in the US where the new model 70s are made
I think they have a service center in Utah where they do some warranty repairs, and I'm not certain on that? But all of the new ones are made in Portugal. The last rifles made at the original Winchester plant in Connecticut were made in 2006. They didn't make a model 70 in 2007 and that's when they closed the original plant and moved production to South Carolina. 2013 was the last year they were made completely in the US. 2014 they assembled them in Portugal but with US parts. Those say on the box and I believe the rifles as well "made in US, Assembled in Portugal". Then at some point and I'm not sure when but I think around 2017 they changed it to just "made in Portugal" and that's what all of the new ones say. And the plant in Portugal is where they've made Browning's for years now.
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving i didn't know that. Kind of disappointing although FN builds beautiful rifles for sure and I'll take Portugal over China anyday. Good video. Enjoyed it and subscribed
@@RMosher11 Their plant in Portugal makes great rifles. They've been making Browning's there for years. Originally all Brownings were made in Belgium by FN and you'll see made in Belgium on older BARS. But then they moved assembly to Portugal and a lot of BARS said made in Belgium, assembled in Portugal. Then eventually all BARS went to made in Portugal. Production of Browning rifles (A Bolts) was moved to Japan (Miroku) and that's were FN moved production of all the current Winchester lever action rifles and their 1885. If you look on the barrels of all the Model 70's since 2008 they say "BACO Morgantan Utah" BACO stands for Browning Arms Company. And Morgantan Utah is just the address for their corporate headquarters for Browning, which is owned by FN. Eessentially all the Winchesters now are made in the same plants they make all of the Brownings. So the quality is really good, but I still prefer my Winchesters made in USA.
Is the rifle you are showing a pre 64 ??? With the black dot for near bolt ??? I enjoyed the video having a 70 Winchester I am interested great gun..
No, it was made in 1982. And there are a lot of differences between it and a pre 64 but it is still a great rifle.
Great video. What do you put on the stock to get it to shine like that?
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