Win 70 in .264 win mag??

[1911crazy]

For some reason i always wanted to get one of these.  I found a used one but what do i look for?  I have heard the barrels wear out quickly because of the speed of the round.  I guess the throats can wear out too.  So what do need to checkout?  Or is it worth doing?

[nomosendero]

For some reason i always wanted to get one of these.  I found a used one but what do i look for?  I have heard the barrels wear out quickly because of the speed of the round.  I guess the throats can wear out too.  So what do need to checkout?  Or is it worth doing?

If it is a 26" M70 Westerner I would look at it real close, if it is a later M70 with a 22", I would buy at action price & get a tube. As you know, we are talking about barrel wear in Mitchell's thread.

[1911crazy]

I'll have to check it out closely but most don't shoot there rifles that much here.

I'm in the process of building a 1,000yd rifle using a Swiss K31 as the platform.  I'd like to play with distance someday.  Since the swiss 7.5mm round is capable of 3/4" groups using GP11 swiss surplus ammo i figured the k31 rifle would be a great choice for a build.

[rdh]

I have one of the model 70 xtr sporter magnum. This is one of the most accurate guns I own fun to shoot. I also have a encore barrel in 264 it has the 26" barrel it shoots pretty good to but dont think it will shoot as good as the winchester good luck

[shot1]

It is the throat that burns out in the barrel not the rest of the barrel. You really need a bore scope to check this out. You can't really see the throat wear with out one unless it has gone waaaaaaaay beyond getting any accuracy out of it. The 264 Win mag does not wear out any faster than a 7 mm Rem mag shot under the same conditions. The reason that the 264 mag got the bad rap as a barrel burner is because it was one of the first smaller bore mag rifles to come out and people went out and shot the heck out of them P-dog hunting etc. If you shoot the barrel hot and keep on shooting it will wear out fast just like a 7 mag will do. You need at least a 26" barrel for the 264 mag. If it is shorter you can do the same thing with a 6.5-06 with less powder. I have a custom 700 Rem with a 27 3/4" (all that could I could get out of a 28" blank) Shilen barrel 264 Win mag and that long barrel makes it a real screamer. I am shooting 130 Nosler Accubonds at average 3350 fps with Retumbo. Talk about flat shooting and hammering deer. 

[Jim n Iowa]

Have the throat checked out. I have a 6.5-284 that has a rep as a barrel burner which is very close to the .264, but I have no desire to shoot over 600 yds and under 2950 fps with 140g bullets. It will go way over the 1200 rd predicted burn out. To put into context it like trying to get a 22-250 to perform like a 220 swift that goes 4000+fps, why?
Jim

[bigswede]

The .264 is a good cartridge.  Most of the problems with the throats being eroded and barrels being shot out were from the earlier rifles.  Todays steel is a lot better and there is no need to worry about those problems.  A 26" barrel is good with any magnum but a 24" will get you a long just fine.  My 264 winnie was built by my great grandfather in the late seventies.  It is a mauser VZ 24 with a 24 " barrel.  I shoot a 140 gr Speer grand slam (unfortunately no longer made) at 3050 for deer and elk, and a 100 gr Hornady sp at 3600 fps for varmints.  Mine seems to really like IMR 4350 and H4831.

[Lloyd Smale]

no worse then any other magnum rifle. Just avoid getting the barrel real hot. Let it cool between shots and for the most part i try to avoid ball powders when loading a small caliber mag rifle as they burn hotter. When the 264 came out there wasnt the selection of slow burning powders there is now and winchester has allways used ball powders in the ammo and thats where the reputation came from. When first introduced it wasnt much more then a 270 but with the newer powders its in a differnt league then a 270 anymore

[jdt48653]

one of the best ever,they tried to kill it off but it won`t die.i just got
my 7th buck with mine.they all fall right where they are standing.
as a hunting rifle you will never wear out the barrel or throat.
always top with a prem.scope.

[tuck2]

Take a look at reloading data for the 264 Win Mag with a 22 inch barrel and a 270 Win with a 24 inch barrel.  The 264 round was developed for the 26 inch barreled rifle.  About all you get with a 22 inch barrel is more muzzle blast than the 270.