What caliber for M70 build?

[Tra3]

.270 Winchester. I hunted pronghorn for over 20 years with a .270. My friends bought the same caliber. It is very effective on them with a 130 grain bullet. With 150s I’ve taken numerous elk.

The caliber works great for Africa too, my kids have used it to take a few dozen PG.

@Mtn_Infantry makes a very good point, though. It is a common rifle in that action, so just buy a .270 already built! In that case, the .25-06 gets my vote.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I don’t know what all your build will entail, but if it’s just a barrel and stock, go with the 257 Roberts or 25-06. If you want to build something really special, meaning high end custom, go for whatever caliber you want. Basically my point is you can buy push feed M70 for $500, and the others are hard to find.

 

[DG870]

All are good for the game you indicated, but a fast twist .270 that’s able to use some of the new heavier bullets would give you a backup rifle to your .30 in a pinch.

 

[YancyW]

270 win. With Reloader 26 and a 150gr VLD you can easily get 3000fps and it would be a hammer on what you are after.

 

[Graham Hunter]

For Deer size and down you can't beat the 25-06.

 

[skydiver386]

Even more contrarian—.257 STW. . Brass is getting a bit hard to source, but I love mine. .280 or .280 AI are solid as well.

Not sure the STW cartridge will work in this action length. It has a .473 bolt face and the ejection port actually looks more like a short action.

 

[skydiver386]

The gun store owner had a Win70 short action stock that we tried, and this action was at least an inch to long to match the screw spacing, so I'm pretty sure it's a long. Maybe some Winchester fans can chime in and let me know exactly what I have, and what will work through this action. It is push feed, NOT CRF.

 

[skydiver386]

 

[375Ruger416]

Of the OP’s original choices, I’d go 270 Win, but if I were building another M70 LA, it would be a 280AI; super versatile. I had a similar decision to make for a Blaser R8 barrel, had a 280AI barrel made and am thrilled with it.

Who made your barrel and how was your experience?

 

[Neophyte]

I used a 25-06 to take four antelope.
Like the 6.5 calibers it seems to punch above its weight class. The .270 would be my second choice and first choice if you thought you would use one of your selections for elk. If not just stick with the 25-06 and call it golden.

 

[DLSJR]

If I was doing this build, it’d be a .270. It’s such a versatile cartridge. I’ve shot game as small as Klipspringer and Sharps Grysbok, all the way to Zebra and Alaska Yukon Moose with a .270. With quality bullets you can hunt most game with a .270.

 

[Green Chile]

Why build a 270 when you can take your pick of them all over the place? I thought @Mtn_Infantry made a great point with that and he is a collector of these rifles.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Even more contrarian—.257 STW. . Brass is getting a bit hard to source, but I love mine. .280 or .280 AI are solid as well.

.257 Weatherby

 

[TERMINATOR]

I'm a big fan of the quarter bores and voted 25-06 over the 257ROB. It's not the most popular chambering, but deadly on the range of animals you listed. Load up some 100 grain Barnes TTSX and put them in the salt!

Keep us posted on what you decide and how the build goes.

I like the 25-06 a lot

I LOVE the .257 Weatherby

Because whatever .257 bullet you like to shoot…it shoots it faster

I am a fan of Roy’s creations both the Mark V rifles and the .257, .270, 7mm and .300 Wby cartridges