Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow .270

[jc89]

Anyone here have a Winchester Black Shadow? How well does yours shoot with factory ammo, and have you made any modifications to it?

 

[marineman]

Shoots great. You will be able to get groups around 1" at 100 yds. with the cheapest Remington or Winchester ammo you can find at Wally World. I have one in .270 WSM. There have been no modifications to the rifle. I got the rifle at Walmart when they still sold guns at my local store. It cost $400 and had a Simmons 8-Point 3-9X40 scope mounted on it. It works wonders on deer.

 

[dakotasin]

i have one in 300 wsm, and it does ok.

i have had trouble with the action screws backing out on their own sometimes, and have heard others with similiar rifles say the same thing. not a real big deal, but something to be aware of before you go hunting.

 

[jc89]

I see. The rifle itself actually came in a package called the "Winchester Model 70 PF Sporter 3-9x40," (has a Simmons 8-Point 3-9x40) but I've never been able to find specifics on just the "70PF". I think it's a Black Shadow based on how it looks, and the previous owner bought it in a gunshop in 2005, it's just weird how I can't figure out the exact model on this.

 

[IndianaBoy]

I have a Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow. 30-06.


Basically a good gun. Good accuracy, great trigger... surprisingly.

The push feed action leaves a lot to be desired over controlled round feed, but I don't hunt dangerous game with it, so that is not critical.

Those Simmons scopes that come on them, in my experience, aren't worth anything more than a paperweight.

The one that came on mine wouldn't hold zero. I thought it was recoil knocking it off..so I stuck it on a 17HMR. No dice. It was junk.

 

[Cougfan2]

Those Simmons scopes that come on them, in my experience, aren't worth anything more than a paperweight.

The cheap Simmons scopes are about the same quality as the cheap Bushnell scopes. I have 3 of the older Simmons Aetecs and they are great scopes for the money. Have on on my Win M70 sporter in 30-06.

Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the Black Shawdow a push feed action? I know my M70 Sporter is controlled feed.

 

[jc89]

That's the thing about this rifle, I can't figure out what model it is. I called Winchester Repeating Arms about the 70PF Sporter Composite package and they said it was made for Walmart, which is funny because it came from the Gun Room store in Elk Grove CA. Does anyone know if these rifles are made to be lower quality, or if they are just the same rifles distributed to Walmart for sale?

 

[jc89]

Bump. anyone else have this rifle?

 

[HuntAndFish]

I have a Black Shadow in 30-06 as well. I agree, check the action screws. Otherwise, a good gun. Bought mine new in a local gun store (not wal-mart) in '06 to celebrate the 100th year of that cartridge.

 

[don]

I have one .270W Shoots fair. OK for deer. I put a simmons scope on it - yeah I know, big mistake. Could I expect much improvement with a Nikon Monarch scope? I detest the polycarbonate stock. I floated the barrel and bedded the action which helped some. I am thinking about getting a wood stock for it.

 

[jc89]

Hey Don, how well did your rifle shoot at 100 yards? Also, did you free-float and bed the factory stock?

 

[mj30wilson]

I think the rifle you guys are refering to is the super shadow not the black shadow. Winchester made the ultimate shadow with rubberized inserts for better gripping surfaces. The Super shadow did not have those but everything else was the same. I do not see any black shadows in the winchester liturature for the years these gun were made.

 

[Vinslet]

I bought my Winchester Ultimate Shadow from Walmart six or seven years back in a .270 that cost me I think $350 or $400.
First thing I did was swap out the synthetic stock for a wood featherweight version, changed out the Simmons 3x8x40 for a Nikon Monarch 4x10x50.
If you get a wooden stock for it beware of one thing without the added weight that the synthetic brought the recoil hits harder, so much so that I had to have a muzzle break put on mine to go with a recoil pad on the butt stock.
For me I was shooting 1/2" groups at 500 yards after getting the optics zeroed in.
I've also taken it to the ranges that have 1000+ yards and was shooting about 1-1 1/2" groups with factory ammo.
The first shot I took at a deer with this was almost 700 yards, it is a very good rifle to use for sport if you got the fluted barrel and a good rifle to hunt with.

 

[mudstud]

Vinslet, give me a break. You were shooting 1/2" groups at 500 yards! : I bet there are some stool shooters that would love to get their hands on that rifle! : And 1-1/2" groups at 1000 yards! : Lord have mercy, the BS is REALLY getting deep around here!

For what it's worth, the "Ultimate Shadow" had the rubberized inserts in the synthetic stock. It was a "Classic" action CRF, with the Mauser style extractor and with a floorplate. These were available in both blued and stainless steel, both of these available with either the standard black stock, or the camo "MOBU" stock.

The "Super Shadows", commonly sold at WalMart complete with a scope (Simmons) for about $400, did not have the rubberized panels, but an "oval dot" surface on the pistol grip and forearm. They were CRPF actions, which means "controlled round push feed". This is a modification of the push feed action to enable it to function like a controlled round feed, but much different than the true CRF Classic actions. These "Super Shadows" had a blind magazine, with no floor plate.

If Vinslet changed out the "Super Shadow" stock for a Featherweight stock, he must of also had to install new bottom metal, ie: trigger guard and floor plate assembly, as I've NEVER seen a factory Featherweight stock that wasn't inletted for bottom metal.

I post this clarification, because this is a common error, and also because an actual "Ultimate Shadow" is worth about twice as much as a "Super Shadow"! However, this has no relation to how the rifles will shoot! Is that rifle for sale, Vinslet! :

 

[mudstud]

P.S. Neither the "Ultimate Shadow" or the "Super Shadow" ever had a fluted barrel.

 

[JimKirk]

For me I was shooting 1/2" groups at 50 yards after getting the optics zeroed in.
I've also taken it to the ranges that have 100+ yards and was shooting about 1-1 1/2" groups with factory ammo.
The first shot I took at a deer with this was almost 70 yards, it is a very good rifle to use for sport if you got the fluted barrel and a good rifle to hunt with.

Fixed it ....

 

[BrocLuno]

That makes more sense