1964 Model 70 in .243?

[ORsouthpaw]

I recently acquired a 1964 Model 70 in .243 for a very good price and it's in exceptional condition. After spending some time cruising around the net it seems that there are many people that strongly dislike these early post 64's. Is this due to the fact that the love for the pre 64's was so great and changes in manufacturing angered many Winchester fans at the time? In terms of "hunting" accuracy are these early 64's really that bad. I know that the rifle is not collectible  but I didn't get it for that anyway. I picked it up to hand over to my son to use as his first deer rifle.

Any suggestions on factory ammo for the early 64' Model 70's in .243?

[jlchucker]

The biggest complaints people had with those Winnies were cosmetic.  The barrels were good.  The action was no longer the old controlled feed type, but push feed  (much like Remingtons and some others).  They work just fine.  The safety's pretty much the same, and so's the trigger.  The wood is as ugly as the wierd marketing people at Winchester at the time could make it, and the impressed checkering made it even uglier.  If the stocks on that version of Model 70 hadn't been so ugly they'd have been a lot more acceptable to those wanting a bolt gun.  I suspect that this gun will shoot pretty darn well, and will serve the purpose for which you bought it just fine.  I doubt if it will ever be a collector's item, but if you bought it right and want pretty, there's lots of aftermarket wood and synthetic stocks out there that will fit.

[LONGTOM]

Don't be supprised about the collector part.
Winchesters of about any type are bringing some pretty high prices.
There is nothing wrong with the early post 64s.
They shoot fine, at least the ones I have and that is quite a few.
I love the early XTR model 70s with the black forearm tip.
Makes for a pretty good looking gun.



LONGTOM

[jlchucker]

Don't be supprised about the collector part.
Winchesters of about any type are bringing some pretty high prices.
There is nothing wrong with the early post 64s.
They shoot fine, at least the ones I have and that is quite a few.
I love the early XTR model 70s with the black forearm tip.
Makes for a pretty good looking gun.



LONGTOM

I agree that the XTR Model 70's looked nice.  But those came out 8 or 9 years after 1964.  When the new Model 70 Featherweight  was put on the market, its early success became, IMO, a benchmark that led to the improved appearance of the Model 70, followed by a return to the
styling that was dubbed by the company as "Classic"--complete with a return to the controlled feed bolt.  The rifles made in the XTR era and the later Classics are, indeed, collectors items and most likely would have been even if Winchester had not gone under. 

[ORsouthpaw]

Thanks for the replies, I picked the rifle up for 250.00 with a lower end scope on it. I'm going to mount an older vari-x II on it and we will see what it can do. I'm not expecting sub moa but i can hope.   

[saddlebum]

If it does have one of the ugly stocks with the montie carlo hump and you want to dress it up for your son, look at ebay. I have seen alot of nice featherweight and sporter stocks auctioned off there. I bought one heck of a nice factory sporter stock on ebay for 165.00. A little more than I wanted to pay but it is a pretty piece of wood. I've seen alot of featherweights go for less. Not sure but you may have a long action in that old rifle eventhough it is a .243.

Example,
http://cgi.ebay.com/Winchester-Model-70-Sporter-SA-Rifle-Stock-FACTORY-Gun-/400200737401?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2dd2a279

http://cgi.ebay.com/Winchester-Model-70-Sporter-SA-Rifle-Stock-FACTORY-Gun-/380318583570?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588cc10b12

The first three shots out of my Featherweight when I bought it new went into 3/4'' at 100yds. Bullets were from a free box of Hornadys, thrown in with the rifle. Hard to say what will work in your gun. I have reloaded for it ever since.