The New Winchester Model 70 Feather weight rifle

[Norseman]

I am having "the urge" to buy a new rifle and have been looking at the new Winchester Line made in SC by FN. I ordered the Winchester Catolog and I am intrigued and impressed by the "new Model" 70s and the information provided.  Can anyone that has either the Featherweight or Standard Model 70 give me some insights as to the quality and accuracy of these new rifles?  Also, I can not tell from the pictures in the catolog if the Featherweight has a cheek-piece?  Is the New Winchester worth a try? Help me decide by your expierience!

[One Eye]

Great topic.  I will be watching this one closely.
Dan

[Rangr44]

I would tend to doubt that the FW has a heavier cheeckpiece stock.

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[billy]

I got one last year FWT. in 270 ,all i can say is this is the most awsome rifle i have ever owned .The wood to metal finish is flawless and it is a tack driver. I highly recommend one.

[Tonk]

Well Gents, I have several model 70 Winchesters and some are dated back a few years, some like the model 70 featherweights purchased in 6 or 7 years ago are the "Pre-64 action" in the "Classic" Now since I am a big Winchester fan when it comes to their bolt action rifles (classic pre-64 etc) I will give you my take on the rifles ok. It just doesn't get any better with a model 70 Winchester pre-64 action!!!  

Now in the Classic model, you will have all the "Bells & Whistles" coming straight from the factory. You will not need to put any add-ons like a Big Claw Extractor, 3-Positions Safety and lets not forget that tried and true Control Round Fed Magazine that so many of the professional hunters like in and out of Africa. Yep it is as close to the Mauser Action as one can get. I once knew a Gunny Marine Sgt. that sure liked his 30-06 model 70 bolt action Winchester a whole bunch!!! My wife shoots a model 70 Winchester featherweight in the .243 caliber and a stainless featherweight in the .270 caliber.

Accuracy has always been very good in all of my model 70 Winchesters from the .243 up to the .458 Winchester magnum. All my rifles will shoot 1-MOA or better with my handloads, even my .416 Remington mag will shoot a under 1-inch group for 3 shots at 100 yards off the bench. Now lets bare in mind, that the model 70 Winchester has always been known as "THE RIFLEMANS RIFLE" and just about sums up any model 70 Winchester pre-64 model. The cheaper Shadow is not in the same league nor price as the true model 70 with pre-64 action. It just doesn't get any better in a hunting rifle for a hunter. The new model 70 Winchester has a better trigger than the old models and they were not to shabby by any means.

[03A2]

I hesitate to put my results out in the open because I am not a top-notch marksman, but since you are not getting too much feedback from new owners I will chime in.  I recently bought a new winchester extreme weather in 30-06.  I am very impressed with the quality and as for accuracy, I only shot from prone at ~110 yards.  I had three factory loads and some military surpus on hand and that is what I used.  Best groups were with Federal premium 180 grain nosler solid base (old box), I shot two groups back to back of 1.1" and .83".  Remington 180 corelockts went ~2" and remington 150 cks went ~1.5.  The military surplus I just used to get on paper but I gues you could say I shot a group of 1.5" from sitting at 50 yards.  These are only 3 shot groups and the surplus was LC 66.  I'd rather people not take these numbers and run saying winchesters only average 1.5, as this was not from a bench.  I can tell you that this is about as good as I can do with any field rifle I have ever used, and am very happy with the accuracy potential shown by this rifle's first time out.  I'm putting some loads together and will update in a week or so when I have tried them out.

[Tonk]

Yeah, you know I been hearing for years now, just how sloppy Winchester model 70's shoot compared to the Remington 700 bolt guns. Well lets not ever try to compare a model 700 with a select grade model 70 shall we. However, lets do get back to the issue of accuracy for those who don't really know what the facts truly are concerning the model 70 pre-64 action type rifle.

I have several of the model 70 Winchesters in an assortment of calibers and variation of styles, a total of 22 the last time I bothered to count them. I hunt all my big game animals with model 70 Winchesters, same safety, feel and operation regardless of weight or caliber, so you undertand I don't have to think when the time comes, wheres the safety etc.

Now I do have a model 70 stainless barrel in the 7mm Remington caliber, it is a very very accurate rifle and it capable of placing bullets in a 12 inch target at 800 yards without to much trouble. I also own a wildcat in the .338/.300 Ultra Mag and it too will do the same thing only a little further down range, it just hurts a lot more when I do pull that trigger. However, I used to be able to put 3 shots inside a 4 inch target at 300 yards 24/7 if the sun was shinning and the wind was not up to high.

I once met a Marine Gunny Sgt., (made 500 & 800 yard shots with his)  who told me that a model 70 Winchester 30-06 was a darn good rifle, to hunt critters with far down range, if you had a mind to. I found him to be a man of his word. Hoooo  Rah Gunny!~