Winchester Classic Compact 7mm-08 feedback?

[Zak Smith]

In my quest for a 7mm-08 bolt rifle, one candidate is a Winchester Classic Compact in that caliber.

http://www.winchester-guns.com/prodinfo/catalog/md70/m70_compact.htm

Some questions to anyone who has one:

1. How thin is this barrel? Can it withstand a target-shooting session (multiple 5-shot groups) without getting too hot?

2. How accurate is it? 1" ? Related to #1, does it drift as it heats up?

3. Who makes a quality but not super expensive synthetic stock for this rifle?

4. How much velocity is lost in 7mm-08 going from a 24" to a 20" barrel?

thanks
-z

 

[Brian Williams]

I have this same rifle and it is the top rifle on my list. I have no problem shooting 3 or 4 - 5 shot groups. It does not wander in POA, but it does heat up quite a bit... I am shooting around 1.5 moa with rem corelok factory 140s. My problem is mostly new bifocals not the gun... I have a leupold 3x9 33 compact scope on mine, it makes a lightweight rifle. around 6.75 lbs loaded..

I do not know of a syn stock but really like my standard wood one...

I don't know about vel loss but it does a great job on game. I'm going to roll my own looking for accuracy not velocity.

If sombody said bring your rifle this is the one I would take..