cartridge for Model 70

C

Coppershot

New member
Got a Model 70 action made in 1958 and in great shape. I need to choose a cartridge to build a mid-weight sporter (whitetail) with a nice Circassian walnut stock and can't decide what to use. Part of me wants to stay faithful and use a Winchester cartridge but maybe I should not be concerned about that.

I am thinking of 284 Winchester, 264 Win. Mag., or maybe 308. My gunsmith says a 308 will require a spacer and a new spring, etc., and so maybe I should go with a longer length round. What would you folks do; any ideas?
 
Doyle,

I agree with you that a 280 will fill the bill, as long as it is not heresy on a Winchester action. The original gun was a 270 Std. before the prior owner bounced the barrel off a spinning grinder and then set it in the corner, after which his spaniel decided the stock made a nice chew toy.

Thanks for the input. I have considered up to a 35 Whelen, which the Model 70 was at least chambered in at one time.
 
The contrarian: Put a 6.5x55 barrel on it. They made one for, I think, one year when they were still in New Haven. A Classic Featherweight; I got one and it's my primary hunting rifle. Of course, you can't go wrong with a .280 either.
 
I'd stick with something based on 30-06 just to keep things simple. I've gone the 35 Whelen and 338-06 route and wouldn't travel down that path again. The 25-06 just doesn't appeal to me, I can do anything it will do with a 243. The 270 or 30-06 are both classics and good choices, but the 280 does anything either of those will do. Everything the 35 Whelen or 338-06 will do to. With wise bullet choices no game animal will ever know it was hit with a smaller caliber bullet.

The 6.5-06 looks interesting. I'd look at that, but probably go 280 if it were mine. I'd also research the AI version.
 
Ligonierbill,

Great choice in the old Swede. 6.5 sectional densities and match grade accuracy. Those 6.5's keep on driving and the Swede has the velocity with light report / recoil. The only drawback is that it is my favorite cartridge so I have three of them (one on a 1908 Brazil DWM action). Maybe # 4 is in the cards.
 
JMR40,

6.5-06 is a great idea, being a "6.5 sticks" fan. I imagine I can get a set of dies now that it is standardized? I have not seen many 6.5-06 dies for sale.
 
I bought a M70 in .308 in the seventies. Being a handloader, and wanting to seat the bullets further out, I removed the spacer in the back of the magazine. It caused no feeding problems despite the follower being too short for the magazine box...it still fed the cartridges all right.
 
I have a pre '64 M70 target chambered in .280 Rem. Heavy Hart barrel. Fired attached (100 yd. range by the house) groups last week when we had a nice day. I don't believe they're bad for an old guy with tired eyes and an arthritic trigger finger. Stinks getting old. Oh yeah, the flier in the 1 group was me and I called it...
 

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Pre-64s were available in 7X57 (my favorite), as well as .284. Sure, 30-06, 270, etc, the also-rans. If you want something bigger, 9X57 was available around the time your action came about.
 
I like the 30/06 too, first center fire rifle I ever fired!

Jack O'Connor was the Champion of the .270 Winchester which I think is a terrific round, it certainly was well received and popular during the time period he wrote for Outdoor Life, I have two .270's one a Winchester model 70 Featherweight built and shipped prior to 2006.. The 2nd is a Ruger Hawkeye in stainless that hasn't been hunted enough and I may use it to hunt this fall. I have two .280's I like a lot, both have been hunted and both have taken game, neither rifle has failed to put game on the ground. Personally I like the longer round (.280Rem and the .270Win) I have never been disappointed with any of these rifles and none have failed to take the animal I fired at. Most have been in my son's words bang flop, no animal I ever hit with either of these caliber's ever got away. My first love was the .270Win but I have grown to love the .280Rem also, I've never taken an Elk but feel either of these calibers would be adequate up to elk size animals.. Given a choice I will take the longer case of any of these calibers for my hunting needs.. William
 
That 6.5-06 is a good one, with a 1-8" twist, 24" barrel it will handle the heaviest of the .264 cal. bullets easy.
Rcbs makes dies..too bad Forster doesn't at this time.
 
I see Redding makes 6.5-06 dies, as well as RCBS. Thanks all for pointing this out as I could not find any dies in the places I usually look. It looks like 6.5-06 or 280 will be the way to go. I like the 7 x 57 very much, but have one in a re-barreled Rem 700 walnut Mtn. rifle ( I could not deal with the buggy whip barrel).

Thanks to everyone for helping me narrow the field.
 
I didn't want a standard grade M70 new in the 50's when I started buying rifles.

They were too heavy.

The Featherweight M70 in 30-06 or 270 is a classic. It's 22" barrel is plenty for those rounds and the rifles are handy. Put a decent recoil pad on, not those hard plates they came with.

Nothing better for woods hunting than Featherweight .358 Winchester either.

m70358003.jpg
 
WinM70270.jpg


I got a 1956 M70 30-06 in 2005 for $585 and converted to 270.

I got a 1953 M70 308 in 2012 for $400. I have not modified it yet.
 
I've always been a fan of the .270 win. I own both a pre-64 Model 70 featherweight and a more modern Browning A-bolt in .270 and have yet to find another caliber in that range that's better shooting while staying affordable for ammo. I personally would not use a .270 for anything larger than a big white-tail or Mule Deer, not because I doubt my accuracy, but sh*t happens and the last thing I want is to lose an animal or have it get to some place I can't get it out of easily. Packing a deer out is a lot easier than an elk. And that's why I own a .338 Win Mag.
 
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