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winchester mdl70 classic short action in 308
- Thread starter fubsy
- Start date
WalterGAII
Moderator
I have a like-new Win. 70 stainless Classic Synthetic in .243, with BOSS. I'd gladly take $400 for it. I should have bought another Rem. 700, but let a trusted dealer talk me into the Win. Just bought the Rem. 700 VLS in .243 that I originally wanted, so don't have any use for the Win.
BOLTGUNZRUL
Inactive
I looked at the Winchester's after having bought two "bad" Remingtons in a row. I like the design but upon a closer look the Winchesters look like they were machined by a gorilla with a file and a sharp rock. Really, take a look at them, especially the bolt. You will see "pits" or voids in it. This goes for classic actions too. If you want a nice Winchester I would urge you to find a nice Pre-64 action and have it put together by a nice 'smith.
fusby-
$550 seems a little bit steep even for a LNIB Winchester M70 Classic SA in .308.
I recently picked one of these little beauties up for $800 which included a 3x9 Zeiss (USA) and Leupold rings and mounts...
Look the rifle over closely-- remove the bolt and examine it. Look for milling chatter and burrs. Mine had one tiny pin hole sized pit on the bolt handle- could be peened if I cared. The action got considerably smoother as I continued to work it. Barrel is 22" hammer forged 4 groove 1x12" and has potential. This rifle is a rebed candidate and the featherweight barrel might respond favorably to a shim rather than free float. Won't be a 1/4 MOA shooter but might go 1 MOA with the right load-- mine is damned close with Remington 178 gr Extended Range-- it's a hunting rifle. Get a scope with plenty eye relief (read Leupold) as the mounts will put the scope 1/2" to 1" forward relative to other rifles.
Arnold Arms used to have a special accuracy package for stainless rifles for $399 which includes pillar bedding and action squaring among other goodies. I believe this rifle would really respond-- I might go for it myself
Winchester currently lists short actions as Custom Shop items and a chrome moly only short action rifle from the custom shop will cost you $2000, the long action only Extreme Weather is identical to the Stainless Classic save for a match barrel and Pachymar pad and will also cost about $2000...
$550 seems a little bit steep even for a LNIB Winchester M70 Classic SA in .308.
I recently picked one of these little beauties up for $800 which included a 3x9 Zeiss (USA) and Leupold rings and mounts...
Look the rifle over closely-- remove the bolt and examine it. Look for milling chatter and burrs. Mine had one tiny pin hole sized pit on the bolt handle- could be peened if I cared. The action got considerably smoother as I continued to work it. Barrel is 22" hammer forged 4 groove 1x12" and has potential. This rifle is a rebed candidate and the featherweight barrel might respond favorably to a shim rather than free float. Won't be a 1/4 MOA shooter but might go 1 MOA with the right load-- mine is damned close with Remington 178 gr Extended Range-- it's a hunting rifle. Get a scope with plenty eye relief (read Leupold) as the mounts will put the scope 1/2" to 1" forward relative to other rifles.
Arnold Arms used to have a special accuracy package for stainless rifles for $399 which includes pillar bedding and action squaring among other goodies. I believe this rifle would really respond-- I might go for it myself
Winchester currently lists short actions as Custom Shop items and a chrome moly only short action rifle from the custom shop will cost you $2000, the long action only Extreme Weather is identical to the Stainless Classic save for a match barrel and Pachymar pad and will also cost about $2000...
I have a Win. Mod. 70 featherweight push feen in 7x57 that is about the most inaccurate rifle I own. When I complained to Winchester, their attitude was take it to a gunsmith and get it fixed. They had absolutely no interest in helping me out. Nedless to say, that's the last Winchester I buy new. Pre-64's? That's a whole nuther story.
Paul B.
Paul B.
Clint Tickler
New member
DeeBee, You may want to visit the Shooters Gun Talk site and punch in Arnold Arms. I have no first hand knowledge but there were some disgruntled customers. Maybe they are great. Just FWIW
WalterGAII
Moderator
I wasn't trying to sell my Win., just making the point that I have a similar rifle, same short action, etc., with BOSS, in stainless, and I don't think that I'd get $550 for it. I'm pretty sure that a friend of mine is going to buy mine for his son.
The Win. isn't a terrible rifle; I really wanted a .243 in a heavy-barrel rifle when I let the dealer convince me that the BOSS would make the lighter rifle just as accurate as the varmint models. My experience is that it just ain't so. I prefer Remingtons because the VS .223 that I have shoots 1/4 m.o.a., and the new .243 does just about as well. I also like the fact that the factory trigger design is far superior to the Winchester's...fully adjustable and easy to replace with aftermarket parts.
Gunny Hathcock capped a lot of VC with a Mod 70, and that's a pretty good recommendation; his favorite carry piece during his later years was a Glock 21, also a good recommendation. (Wouldn't you have thought that he'd just have loved a 1911!)
The Win. isn't a terrible rifle; I really wanted a .243 in a heavy-barrel rifle when I let the dealer convince me that the BOSS would make the lighter rifle just as accurate as the varmint models. My experience is that it just ain't so. I prefer Remingtons because the VS .223 that I have shoots 1/4 m.o.a., and the new .243 does just about as well. I also like the fact that the factory trigger design is far superior to the Winchester's...fully adjustable and easy to replace with aftermarket parts.
Gunny Hathcock capped a lot of VC with a Mod 70, and that's a pretty good recommendation; his favorite carry piece during his later years was a Glock 21, also a good recommendation. (Wouldn't you have thought that he'd just have loved a 1911!)
Clint Tickler
New member
DeBee, You might want to try Mike Bryant in Wheeler Texas. He's got a web site. Address is, "http://benchrest.com/bryantcustom"
My only experience with him is having a 788 trigger modified to an adjustable but I got a quick turnover and his prices seem fair.
I got his name from happy customers on one of these boards so it might be worth a look see.
My only experience with him is having a 788 trigger modified to an adjustable but I got a quick turnover and his prices seem fair.
I got his name from happy customers on one of these boards so it might be worth a look see.
Brian Carlson
Inactive
I am trying to locate the Shooter's Gun Talk Site to do the search on Arnold Arms mentioned back on 9-8-2000. Can anyone give me that link? Thanks, Brian.
Shooters site is at http://www.shooterstalk.com
However, they've been down a lot over the last week and their search function has been on the blink for even longer. You'd do better to search here or possibly on google.com.
However, they've been down a lot over the last week and their search function has been on the blink for even longer. You'd do better to search here or possibly on google.com.
Brian, if you couldn't find the info at shooters, here is another discussuion on A.A. http://www.huntamerica.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/004731.html (they are all over the place once you start looking)