Model 70 accuracy...whoever said these rifles won't shoot is behind the times!

[Ridgerunner665]

The rifle...Model 70 (FN made) 30-06 Ultimate Shadow...still wearing the factory stock for now...a genuine 600 yard rifle, skinny barrel and all.

168 grain Ballistic Tip, 58 grains H4350...chrono'd at 2,850 fps...I pulled one out a bit, but you get the idea...this group is .5 MOA, if I had not pulled that one out it would be just like always, which is .3 MOA...this load shoots great in 5 different rifles that I know of, but is not so great in a 22" barrel for some reason (I'm guessing harmonics)


175 grain Berger Hunting VLD, 58.5 grains of H4350...chrono'd at 2,775 fps...loaded to kiss the lands, appx. OAL is 3.36" in my rifle...they feed fine at that length...this group is .442" MOA.


165 grain Nosler Accubond, 58 grains H4350...appx. 2,900 fps, not chrono'd..I expected better from these bullets.


150 grain Hornady SST, 58.5 grains H4350...not chrono'd...just a few strays I had laying around, i don't use these bullets.

 

[jmr40]

Agreed.

One of these targets is from a Kimber. The others are from 30-06 or 300 WSM's in older Winchester Classics @ 100 yards.

http://s1129.beta.photobucket.com/u...t=3&o=32&_suid=134981615604005407097012994255


Here are a few targets @ 200 yards.

http://s1129.beta.photobucket.com/u...t=3&o=33&_suid=134981637767204213530819820186

The 1st 3 shots I took @ 100 yards with my Classic FWT Stainless.

http://s1129.beta.photobucket.com/u...t=3&o=52&_suid=134981615604005407097012994255

A new production FN made Extreme Weather in 308. @100 yrds. This is my go to rifle right now.

http://s1129.beta.photobucket.com/u...t=3&o=52&_suid=134981615604005407097012994255

 

[FiveInADime]

My M70s, all push-feeds, are MOA or better guns. The new FN rifles are the best 70s ever made according to many. People buying Savages and Remingtons several years ago were getting accurate rifles when the Winchesters were at their lowest point. I think that coupled with the fact that many pre-64 Winnies were not tack-drivers shaded over the fact that there are plenty of accurate 70s out there.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

used to be that id argue till i was blue in the face that if you wanted an out of the box moa rifle to head to your remington dealer but in the last 10 years ive had more exceptional shooting winchesters go through my hands then remingtons. As a matter of fact i dont beleive ive come accross one yet that wasnt a moa shooter. IMO fit and finish is a step about what remington is putting out these days too.

 

[dubbleA]

Let's see some 600 yard groups!

 

[Ridgerunner665]

All in due time...so far I haven't had time to shoot it past 300 yards, did that last year when I first got it...with factory ammo...it did good though, with ammo it liked...I do have enough room to stretch it to 600 yards and beyond...but 600 is all I'm asking of this rifle.

Trust me...I'll post the pics when I do.



Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Amen. Here's a five-shot group I fired Monday from my Win M70 EW in .30-06.



This group measured 0.6" ctc. Now I'll be working with several 168gr hunting bullets to find the best loads but I think, for a hunting rifle with no modifications but a scope, this Winny isn't too bad.

FH

 

[BullfrogKen]

I've been using a factory, mid-90's era Winchester Heavy Barrel Varmint in NRA HighPower at 600 yards for the past few months. The only thing I had done to it was cryogenically treat the barrel and action.


All year I've been shooting my competition AR at 600, and my average score is 186. I've broken 190 several times, and a few times not even made 180 in rough wind.

But after Perry I decided to take out my scoped M-70 just for fun.


I just made Expert using it. Now it's certainly not a competition rifle. It's not set up for it. I got it for groundhog hunting. But I just put the sling I use for High Power on it, make it work, and have fun.

I'm shooting mid to high 190's with pretty decent X counts at 600 yards.


I'm a Winchester fan. Always have been. I'm just tickled to see a standard production, beefed-up hunting rifle shoot competitive scores in mid-Range NRA High Power with no modifications at all.

 

[BullfrogKen]

Let's see some 600 yard groups!

It's kind of tough to take a huge, six foot target glued to a 2 x 4 framed piece of cardboard home for a picture. They go back in the target shed after the match is over.


Perhaps after this month's match is over I'll stay at the range, put up a smaller paper target of my own, sandbag the rifle, and group it at 600 yards.

Best score I've shot with it slung in is a 196 - 10X. That ought to tell you a little bit about the groups it's capable of, though. The X ring is a minute of angle.

 

[jmr40]

Let's see some 600 yard groups!

If the RIFLE is capable of shooing 1/2 MOA at 100 yards, that won't suddenly change at 600 yards. At that range the shooters skill becomes more of a factor.

 

[Mike J]

I have never been much on shooting off of a bench but I rezeroed the scope on my old post 64 model 70 recently. It is the Ranger model. It was the most inexpensive rifle Winchester sold when I bought it in 1989. There were a few sub moa groups. There were also a some larger groups but I do not believe that was the rifles fault (I am going to build a better rest). Of course this was at a measly 100 yards but I do have faith in the rifles capabilities.

 

[Cee Zee]

If the RIFLE is capable of shooing 1/2 MOA at 100 yards, that won't suddenly change at 600 yards. At that range the shooters skill becomes more of a factor.

That's true for the most part but I have definitely seen rifles that will shoot great at 100 yards but not shoot great at a quarter mile (the farthest I get to shoot on a regular basis). I guess it's a harmonics thing. I've also seen rifles that will stablize and seem to shoot better at longer distances than they do at shorter distances. There just aren't any absolutes with firearms. They can do some mighty funny things at times. But again what you said is true most of the time.

BTW I have a Savage 110 that will shoot 1" groups at 100 yards and it's a pre-AccuTrigger model. It certainly won't do it all the time but I have some targets saved where it did just that. I'm trying to say that the extra accuracy shown here may not hold true with all rifles just like not all Savages can manage a MOA group except by accident.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

That's true for the most part but I have definitely seen rifles that will shoot great at 100 yards but not shoot great at a quarter mile

Thats not the rifles fault...its either the shooter or the bullets...one or the other (maybe both) wasn't up to the task.

Perhaps after this month's match is over I'll stay at the range, put up a smaller paper target of my own, sandbag the rifle, and group it at 600 yards.

If you could do that...that would be great...it would give me something to compare to.

And you guys that shoot 600 yards with just a sling are way ahead of me...My "unrested" shooting pretty much sux, give me just a decent rest and a rifle and load I'm familiar with and I can keep their heads down at some pretty good distances...but without a rest, a target thats over 200 yards from me is fairly safe...unless I get lucky.

And its my own fault...I've never practiced offhand shooting...something I regret.

 

[Big_E]

I had an FN Featherweight in .308 that was sub-moa with Hornady Match ammo. My 700 SPS would never shoot no matter what improvements I made. I regret selling the Winchestr but I dont hunt very much. The new Winchesters are excellent and I won't hesitate to buy another.

 

[Steve in PA]

I have a Win 70 XTR in .30/06 that I bought around 1980 from the USMC PX at Camp LeJeune, NC when I was in the Corps.

To this day, as long as I do my part that rifle will easily shoot under 1" groups at 100 yards with my 165gr BTSP hunting handloads.

 

[USSR]

I have always bought and built match rifles using the Winchester M70 action.

Don

 

[Kachok]

While my model 70 featherweight is not THE most accurate rifle I own, it will shoot quater sized groups with my Speer handloads, I'll hunt with that anyday.

 

[shaggy430]

I have 3 model 70's. All are very accurate. I have a .243 Youth Ranger that shoots ragged 1 hole groups with 87 grain Hornady's. It doesn't shoot 100 grain bullets as well, but I can live with that. It has killed more deer than probably any gun I own between all of the cousins, brothers, nephews, etc.

I've also got a 7mm Rem Mag from around '99 that shoots excellently with 150 grain Nosler Partitions. The fit and finish of the rifle is not what I would call great, but after I bedded the stock, floated the barrel, and adjusted the trigger it makes an excellent long range rifle.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I got the call from McMillan today...my stock is on its way!

 

[Brian Williams]

USSR that bottom rifle looks sweet, what are the specs on it.

 

[ZBill]

My Model 70

just picked up a used one with black synthetic stock. I look forward to shooting it and accurately from what I read here. I have no idea when it was made - the SN is G21866753. Can anyone estimate when made from that SN?

Thank you, Bill

 

[USSR]

USSR that bottom rifle looks sweet, what are the specs on it.

Brian,

Just your typical, run-of-the-mill Model 70 Target model (circa 1968) in .30-06. Heavy contour 26" barrel, Redfield International sights, Winchester's markman target stock and a clip slotted receiver. Right now it looks a lot different than that old photo. Picture it with a period 16X Unertl scope on it.

Don