G
Gary O
Guest
Would you folks that own the newly manufactured Winchester Model 70 Sporters offer up an opinion about how happy you have been with your results? Thanks...
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Not sporters but featherweights which are the same except for stock configuration and 22" barrel. Have 2 of of the SC manufactured model 70's, a 7-08 blued/walnut featherweight and a .270 win stainless/walnut. The inletting on the 7-08 left plenty to be desired, large gaps all around the action. It shot ok for hunting but is not a tack driver. 480 rounds of various handloads mostly with 140 gr. ballistic tips, hornady interlocks, berger vld's, some 120 ballistic tips and some 160 accubonds. Powders used were Varget, RL-15 and H-4895. Most groups were between 1"- 2". After 50 rounds I re bedded the rifle, no improvement. Borescoping it showed a very rough barrel, reaming marks the entire length though it does not copper foul much. It is not chambered or throated well, the beginning of the lands do not all start in the same place in the throat, jamming a bullet into the lands will leave one long rifling mark , with two faint ones on either side of it and none showing on the opposite side, this was also plainly visible with the borescope.
Have only had the .270 for 2 weeks, fired 75 rounds. Wood to receiver fit is much better on this rifle and it has decent figure in the wood. I had to file down the magazine box as it was pinched severly between the bottom metal and receiver, bottom metal inletting on the stock is cut too deep. Borescope shows this rifle also has a rough bore with bore reaming marks the entire length though it does not appear to copper foul much. Crown looks good and the chamber appears to be cut well as the lands are all evenly placed around the circumference of the throat leade. If I jam a bullet into the lands it will leave land impressions evenly engraved around the circumference on the slug. So far haven't got a group smaller than an inch, most between 1 and 3 inches averaging around 2".
I have hope for this one as it will cluster a few shots together but throws fliers every few shots. I will bed it and see if that helps.
Lots of guys complain about the New Haven model 70's, I had one in 270WSM, the metal work was better finished with nicer blueing than on the SC ones, better wood to metal inletting, smoother action and the thing was a tack driver with just about anything you loaded into it. As with all factory rifles it is in the luck of the draw I guess. My experience with the SC guns with only a sample of these two hasn't been that impressive for me though most guys say they are having very good results with them.
PS forgot to add that i prefer the old style trigger, while the new ones are fairly crisp and clean I am not able to get the pull weight down to where I could with the traditional model 70 trigger.
Have only had the .270 for 2 weeks, fired 75 rounds. Wood to receiver fit is much better on this rifle and it has decent figure in the wood. I had to file down the magazine box as it was pinched severly between the bottom metal and receiver, bottom metal inletting on the stock is cut too deep. Borescope shows this rifle also has a rough bore with bore reaming marks the entire length though it does not appear to copper foul much. Crown looks good and the chamber appears to be cut well as the lands are all evenly placed around the circumference of the throat leade. If I jam a bullet into the lands it will leave land impressions evenly engraved around the circumference on the slug. So far haven't got a group smaller than an inch, most between 1 and 3 inches averaging around 2".
I have hope for this one as it will cluster a few shots together but throws fliers every few shots. I will bed it and see if that helps.
Lots of guys complain about the New Haven model 70's, I had one in 270WSM, the metal work was better finished with nicer blueing than on the SC ones, better wood to metal inletting, smoother action and the thing was a tack driver with just about anything you loaded into it. As with all factory rifles it is in the luck of the draw I guess. My experience with the SC guns with only a sample of these two hasn't been that impressive for me though most guys say they are having very good results with them.
PS forgot to add that i prefer the old style trigger, while the new ones are fairly crisp and clean I am not able to get the pull weight down to where I could with the traditional model 70 trigger.
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