1990s Winchester 70 Better Infield Than Pre1964

[Clodo Ferreira]

Hi Mark,

Agree with you. The newer M70 are noticeable better, safer, at venting gases from a ruptured case or so.

 

[Marc Ret]

I have/collect a boat load of pre 64’s - name a caliber, I probably have it. That being said, I only hunt with new production M70’s. Mechanically they’re excellent and have superb triggers - better than the pre’s.

Fixfire, are you familiar with Shuman's Gun Shop in Newville, PA?

 

[Fixfire]

Better pull, maybe. The original M70 trigger (it’s the same until FN took over production) is the most reliable, simplest, and best trigger ever put in hunting rifle. It can be easily adjusted to be very usable.
The original trigger is the biggest reason I prefer New Haven rifles.

By saying I prefer the new production triggers is in no way an inditement of the original!! They too are excellent. I feel the new models have a slightly crisper pull. Never measured though.

 

[Fixfire]

Fixfire, are you familiar with Shuman's Gun Shop in Newville, PA?

No

 

[John458Lott]

The new Classic CRF Model 70 is a safer design than the Pre-64 with better overpressure gas venting. The parts are also cut with CNC machines to better match the specifications. That means no hand fitting is required. Trouble is there is no hand fitting on the new CRF M70's. There was plenty on the Pre-64 Model 70's. So much so that they function as intended as much as 87 years later.

Now the bad...
The magazine springs of the new Classic M70's can break. No problem, just replace that modern marvel with a surplus M98 Mauser spring.

Secondly, the extractors can break. Ask any gunsmith with 40 years experience how many Classic extractors they've replaced? Chances are a few. Then ask how many Pre-64 M70, M98, and P14/17 extractors they have replaced. Bet it is zero! The Classic extractors can however be upgraded to Pre-64 or even P14/17 and maybe a M98 extractor by a reasonably competent gunsmith.

I have both Pre-64 and new CRF Classic M70's. With a couple old, never do they break parts, and a few hours of carefully smoothing out the actions, the new Classics can function as good and be as reliable as a Pre-64.

That's what I heard too so I replaced the claw extractor with one Williams made which is supposedly from spring steel rather than the cast metal factory part.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Our household will soon have both. My wife’s 1956 .375. We had a donor pre 64 stock modified to shorten LoP, bedded and gone through by a good gunsmith and it’s better than new. (At Marks O’s recommendation)


and a new to me .300 H&H
the .300 should be here any day. A deal made on AH.

This is no fun without pics.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I have three Model 70 Classic rifles, including a Safari Express in .375 H&H. They are excellent. I'd have bought the pre-64s years ago, but I am a left handed shooter. Used one of these rifles in Africa last year and it did not disappoint.

 

[fourfive8]

All Win 70s are similar. Except between 1964 and 1992, corporate bean counters had a brain flatulence and tried both a push feed and a controlled round push feed before coming to their senses and returning to the tried and true CRF action in 1992. From 1992 until selling to FN and the factory moving to South Carolina, all M70s were pretty much similar. In the middle of the push feed years Win engineers did however come up with an often overlooked and IMO excellent improvement to the basic M70 action in 1968. A slot in the right side bolt lug that rode over the right side rail was added, eliminating the bane of many Mauser type bolt actions where the bolt would bind at full rear travel. This improvement was called the anti-bind feature. So the "lost years" of the M70 push feed era (1964-1992) were not a total loss after all. When the company was sold and the factory moved from New Haven Conn to Columbia SC, most everything changed in the production, assembly and parts sourcing of the basic model. CNC machinery took over much of the line and the old, original trigger was replaced with a box type "lawyer" trigger called the MOA.

The old style trigger and sear, top pic, that had served the M70 so well from introduction in 1936 to the closing of the New Haven factory in 2006, IMO is an example of design genius. Simplicity of elegant engineering- robust, reliable and darned near bullet proof under the most severe and dirty field conditions.

bottom pic shows the anti bind slot in the right side bolt lug

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Personally, I wouldn't throw any of them out of my safe.

 

[PAUL_MAUSER]

I put it like this. Just like the newer 'muscle cars" are built to modern standards and are probably faster and safer than the classic 60 and 70's models they will never bring the same money or be as cool. Same with the rifles in question.

 

[cash_tx]

I put it like this. Just like the newer 'muscle cars" are built to modern standards and are probably faster and safer than the classic 60 and 70's models they will never bring the same money or be as cool. Same with the rifles in question.

This never-ending "Form vs. Function" argument also applies to minivans and large women. ;-)

 

[Nevada Mike]

re: the original trigger on M70s, most of mine are fine, but on a Classic Sporter I have in 7mm Mag, the original trigger was faulty... set for any pull weight under about 6.5 lbs it would fir on closing more than 50% of the time. It resisted tinkering and was unsafe. This developed shortly before an African trip, so I went to TZ with a rifle that had a 7 lb. trigger pull. PITA for sure, and when I returned I ordered a Timney which much better and safer than the original that I replaced.