POLL: Best Model 70

[Fixfire]

I collect and “plink” with a dozen or so pre-64’s in multiple calibers. Fit and finish just oozes of quality and nostalgia. The pre-64 in 375hh tends to crack - hard to find one that isn’t cracked. When you do, never shoot off bench with a sled. I have three FN CRF models I hunt with .270, 300Win, 375hh. All are fine quality rifles that I have supreme confidence in.

 

[ldmay375]

I did not vote, due to never owning a pre-64. I have been around a few no issue with them. I was just never bitten by the pre-64 bug.

My interest in M70's is due to the stainless New Haven classics, and the 416 Remington & 458 Winchester. My son has a couple of the BACO MOA trigger types. One from South Carolina and one from Portugal. Both seem to group and function well. I just have a preference the older style triggers.

I have the stainless New Haven types in various cartridges, standard short action, WSM, standard long action, and H&H length. I really have had no reason to complain about their function. The plastic stocks were replaced with fiberglass types. But even the plastic ones were functional. I have one Super Express and one Safari Express and have had others with no complaints that I recall.

 

[WAB]

My favorite M70 is a limited run semi-super grade on 7x57 that I had customized. It is a 1/2 moa shooter, totally reliable, and absolutely stunning. It is the middle rifle. That’s my .375 immediately above it. It began life as a stainless synthetic M70.

 

[Fixfire]

My favorite M70 is a limited run semi-super grade on 7x57 that I had customized. It is a 1/2 moa shooter, totally reliable, and absolutely stunning. It is the middle rifle. That’s my .375 immediately above it. It began life as a stainless synthetic M70.

Gorgeous!!

 

[BeeMaa]

My favorite M70 is a limited run semi-super grade on 7x57 that I had customized. It is a 1/2 moa shooter, totally reliable, and absolutely stunning. It is the middle rifle. That’s my .375 immediately above it. It began life as a stainless synthetic M70.

What's the one on the bottom with the straight bolt handle?

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

What's the one on the bottom with the straight bolt handle?

Highland Stalker I believe

 

[WAB]

Highland Stalker I believe

You are correct. 9.3x62

 

[sestoppelman]

I like them all, if they work. I have a birth year (1953) in .30-06 and we have my dads old pre 64 rebarreled to .284 that is my sons rifle now, flawless.
My late model Portugal 70 Alaskan in .338 Win mag is as good a rifle as I have owned, it too behaves perfectly.
But I also own and enjoy post 64 70's and have 3 of them now. A .308 Win, a Super Grade. .270 Win and a limited run XTR in .300 H&H from the mid 80's and all run and shoot very well.

 

[BeeMaa]

You are correct. 9.3x62

That straight bolt handle does it for me. Very nice.

 

[Vintageguy]

Pre 64. I currently have a Featherweight in 30/06, a standard in 300 H&H and then a modern Safari Express in 375 along with two 54’s, the daddy of the model 70. First of all they have sights! I hate this modern trend of no sights. I like a QD rings set up on my rifles and frankly don’t like a rifle’s looks without sights. The modern Safari Express is a great rifle that Winchester needs to wake up and offer in lighter plains game calibers too.
I see and hear all the time that those “old” rifles just can’t give much better than 2 inch groups. Or another one is they won’t shoot decent unless you remove that barrel screw. Both are BS, my pre 64’s give me one hole groups at 100 and they have their original barrels and that screw.
Just awesome old rifles.

 

[Shifty]

By far my favourite rifle made, I have some some every era and I must say all my new ones are second to none for fit and finish. I’m saying that my mid 70’s push feed .222 is the more accurate rifle I own by a country mile.

 

[sestoppelman]

Pre 64. I currently have a Featherweight in 30/06, a standard in 300 H&H and then a modern Safari Express in 375 along with two 54’s, the daddy of the model 70. First of all they have sights! I hate this modern trend of no sights. I like a QD rings set up on my rifles and frankly don’t like a rifle’s looks without sights. The modern Safari Express is a great rifle that Winchester needs to wake up and offer in lighter plains game calibers too.
I see and hear all the time that those “old” rifles just can’t give much better than 2 inch groups. Or another one is they won’t shoot decent unless you remove that barrel screw. Both are BS, my pre 64’s give me one hole groups at 100 and they have their original barrels and that screw.
Just awesome old rifles.

With you all the way on barrel sights!

 

[fourfive8]

I voted pre-FN CRF (Classic, blued models). I specifically like the late New Haven iterations-- about 2000- to end of New Haven production, ca March 2006. The only Win 70 model or variation I never owned was the CR-PF. I never heard anything particularly negative about it but its production life was relatively short and I have no experience with it. IMO, the original style M70 trigger was the best hunting trigger in a bolt gun ever designed. I've never had any problem with the newer FN era MOA trigger but it has no "history" one way or another. And any "box" trigger has potential for problems based on its enclosed nature.

 

[BloodyKnuckles]

I have a Portugal assembled .30-06 super grade and .243 featherweight. Both shoot under an inch MOA.
Fit and finish are amazing.
I’ll likely buy another one. Very nice rifles.

 

[Stompbox]

I currently have a couple dozen model 70's, half are pre 64's and the other half are Classics. Love them all, but have to give the Pre 64's the edge over later models overall, although I do prefer the ones made between 1936 and the early 1950's. The classics are usually great guns unless you get one of the ones made towards the end of New Haven production. Have only had a few FN guns, but they seem to be high quality examples also. The one-piece bottom metal on the newer models is one of the best upgrades done to the model 70, in my opinion. That middle screw can wreak havoc on accuracy if too much tension is used, I personally only screw them in until they just touch the trigger guard. But, no matter which generation of model 70 that you own, you still have the best safety to ever adorn a rifle.

I am currently building two .375 Ruger and three .416 Ruger rifles for myself and two friends and I am using Model 70 Classic actions for all of them and they will all utilize either factory or aftermarket one-piece bottom metal.

when I was attending gunsmith school we had to do a power point presentation on the gun of our choice, I, of course, chose the model 70, I'll place a link to it below. My instructor really liked my comparison between the model 70 and Rem 700 extractors.

Happy Hunting,
Ken

 

[Daggaboy375]

Pre 64's ooze ambiance. By definition they are at least 59 years old.

FN's are as good or better mechanically than a Pre 64.

Pre FN Classics are an honest attempt at a Pre 64.

My money never wanted to spend on a push feed Model 70.

DB

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Hey @Stompbox !

That was the most interesting Power Point brief that I ever laid my eyeballs on!

Semper Fi,
Mark

 

[fourfive8]

The two screw, one piece bottom metal works well and is simpler all around for the Model 70. But there is a work around for solid bedding of any three screw, two piece model. Pillar bedding a three screw, two piece rifle is doable- I’ve done two of mine without issue. The complication is the magazine box gets in the way of the middle pillar. Simply mill one side of the pillar enough to clear the mag box.

As classic as the pre-64 was it had a few shortcomings, that have been corrected in later models. One was the early factory stocks were obviously designed for open sights and had too much drop at comb for best scope use. Another was the dog-knot barrel screw- good in theory but problematic in reality. Another great but often forgotten or unknown improvement happened in 1968- the bolt anti-bind feature. Whoda thunk it, a major improvement to the Model 70 right in the middle of the most hated period of its history That simple but effective improvement corrects an often ignored weakness in the basic (and beloved) Mauser bolt action design where in some rifles the bolt binds due to unsupported mis-alignment at the rear of the throw.

 

[xausa]

My vote goes for a class never mentioned: the pre-WW II model 70's. Back in my competitive shooting days, all of my bolt guns were built on pre-War actions. They were smoother, better finished and as a bonus had a clip slot. The receiver bridge was not drilled and tapped for a scope mount, but since I favor Griffin & Howe side mounts, that was never an issue with me. My plains game rifle in Africa was a pre-War .300 H&H Magnum and it never failed me.

 

[Nevada Mike]

The two screw, one piece bottom metal works well and is simpler all around for the Model 70. ...

I like the one piece bottom metals as well - especially those patterned after the Argentine Mauser with the inside-the-guard floor plate release.

Another great but often forgotten or unknown improvement happened in 1968- the bolt anti-bind feature. Whoda thunk it, a major improvement to the Model 70 right in the middle of the most hated period of its history That simple but effective improvement corrects an often ignored weakness in the basic (and beloved) Mauser bolt action design where in some rifles the bolt binds due to unsupported mis-alignment at the rear of the throw.

I'm a little unclear... do you mean when the bolt is fully withdrawn, or when it is being pushed forward? My GM Mauser 98 has the typical M98 upper bolt guide at the rear of the bolt... smooth as glass and never binds.