Here is interesting post from Gale McMillan
From: Gale McMillan <mcmillan@getnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Long range Accuracy -
Date: 31 Jan 1996 13:09:35 -0500
Bob: We are on opposite sides of a debate again. The only reason that
the mod.70 ever got anywhere in competition was the smoothness of the
action. Since it gets half the closing cam from the bolt lug and half
from the receiver and because it has a weak firing spring it is very
smooth and easy to operate making it easier to shoot rapid fire.
For a long period during the 80s I built all the Marine Corp match
rifles. The first four thousand yard rifles I built them (on Rem
actions) set and reset the National Record 17 times the first year.
I had the opportunity to see the difference between the Win. and Rem.
when I built 6 Rems. and 6 solid bottom Wins at the same time. The
barrels came off the buttoning machine one after the other and all 12
guns were built exactly the same. When we put them on the return to
battery cradle at Quantico all the Rems. shot under 1/2 M.O.A. and
mod.70s shot 3/4 M.O.A. The 2nd string team shot the Wins. I know you
remember that the Marines dominated the long range shooting during that
period. The only thing that the Army had a chance in was the service
rifle. If you would look at the winners of the Leach Cup and the
Wimbledon during the 80s it will prove my point. The major things
against the mod.70 is the weak firing pin spring gives ignition
problems. The lock time is so slow you can almost pull the trigger and
then make a sight correction before it goes off. Only the Mauser is more
limber. You will never see a Win. used in bench rest competion. They
just can't get the accuracy out of them. Rem actions or custom actions
of the Rem. type are the only thing used. This may be a bitter pill for
Win fans to swallow but the record speaks for itself. Did you ever stop
to think why all the sniper rifles used by all branchs of the service
are built on Rem 700 actions? It is because they shoot straighter!!!!
When you think of bedding you must understand the series of events that
take place during firing. As the barrel and action recoil the force is
to the rear and upward. This lifts the action up stretching the screws
in the process. After the impulse the action settles back onto the
bedding. On a square action, if it is bedded tight on the sides it has a
tendency to stick and not settle back the same every time. If you clear
the sides to prevent this then you get what is called chucking. That is
the action slides back and forth side ways. The Rem. is round and has
much less vertical surface to drag on and acts like a vee block
allowing it to settle back the same way after every shot.
Gale McMillan
From: Gale McMillan <mcmillan@getnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Long range Accuracy -
Date: 31 Jan 1996 13:09:35 -0500
Bob: We are on opposite sides of a debate again. The only reason that
the mod.70 ever got anywhere in competition was the smoothness of the
action. Since it gets half the closing cam from the bolt lug and half
from the receiver and because it has a weak firing spring it is very
smooth and easy to operate making it easier to shoot rapid fire.
For a long period during the 80s I built all the Marine Corp match
rifles. The first four thousand yard rifles I built them (on Rem
actions) set and reset the National Record 17 times the first year.
I had the opportunity to see the difference between the Win. and Rem.
when I built 6 Rems. and 6 solid bottom Wins at the same time. The
barrels came off the buttoning machine one after the other and all 12
guns were built exactly the same. When we put them on the return to
battery cradle at Quantico all the Rems. shot under 1/2 M.O.A. and
mod.70s shot 3/4 M.O.A. The 2nd string team shot the Wins. I know you
remember that the Marines dominated the long range shooting during that
period. The only thing that the Army had a chance in was the service
rifle. If you would look at the winners of the Leach Cup and the
Wimbledon during the 80s it will prove my point. The major things
against the mod.70 is the weak firing pin spring gives ignition
problems. The lock time is so slow you can almost pull the trigger and
then make a sight correction before it goes off. Only the Mauser is more
limber. You will never see a Win. used in bench rest competion. They
just can't get the accuracy out of them. Rem actions or custom actions
of the Rem. type are the only thing used. This may be a bitter pill for
Win fans to swallow but the record speaks for itself. Did you ever stop
to think why all the sniper rifles used by all branchs of the service
are built on Rem 700 actions? It is because they shoot straighter!!!!
When you think of bedding you must understand the series of events that
take place during firing. As the barrel and action recoil the force is
to the rear and upward. This lifts the action up stretching the screws
in the process. After the impulse the action settles back onto the
bedding. On a square action, if it is bedded tight on the sides it has a
tendency to stick and not settle back the same every time. If you clear
the sides to prevent this then you get what is called chucking. That is
the action slides back and forth side ways. The Rem. is round and has
much less vertical surface to drag on and acts like a vee block
allowing it to settle back the same way after every shot.
Gale McMillan