New Winchester Model 70 Super Grades. Good?

[DJL2]

30-06.

A sister of the one I owned... and still damn good looking. I ended up dropping a Bartlein CF in mine. It was actually pretty easy to open up the barrel channel for the Sendero profile. To be honest, I just vastly prefer the look of the factory blue... and the maple. Ergonomics aside, the rifle didn't print any tighter moving from a bedded maple stock to a bedded McMillan stock.

 

[Hunter270Win]

Good luck on your hunt for one. Even with my struggles with it, I'm not disappointed that I purchased it one bit. It's a beautiful rifle that I stare at when it's out of the safe. I highly recommend the maple stock too, it's really something special. People that don't know much about guns have even commented that "That one looks like a special one." Every man needs a couple M70s.

Thanks brother. They are extremely coveted right now, especially in .270. It’s going to be a hunt for sure!!

 

[SloppyJ]

A sister of the one I owned... and still damn good looking. I ended up dropping a Bartlein CF in mine. It was actually pretty easy to open up the barrel channel for the Sendero profile. To be honest, I just vastly prefer the look of the factory blue... and the maple. Ergonomics aside, the rifle didn't print any tighter moving from a bedded maple stock to a bedded McMillan stock.

That's surprising! How much did the new barrel help? Like you said earlier, putting a new stock on it takes away 60% of why I like it. I've thought about re-bedding it as well. This was the first nice gun I bought and I've learned a ton since then so I'm hoping that some bedding and if needed, a new barrel will solve it for me. Calling it a skim bed job on mine from the factory is being generous.

Sounds like we have the same issues on groups. If I up the charge must past 54gr, it goes to spraying. I'm not sure what's up with our barrels but there's something to it. I hoped cutting and recrowning would help but it didn't seem to make much difference.

 

[Hunter270Win]

Reading this thread kinda concerns me. I think if you pay $1500 for a rifle that you should receive something that at least shoots MOA consistently

 

[Unclecroc]

Hello gentlemen,

I’m currently looking to get a Model 70 Super Grade in either Black Walnut or Maple. I was wondering the quality of these rifles and if one would recommend them.

FYI, I am planning to get said rifle, God willing, in .270 Win.

The current production Winchesters are some very fine rifles and are at the top of my list when buying a new rifle.
I have experience with 3 new production Winchesters in the past 3 years.
1) model 70 featherweight compact 6.5 creed that shot very well and needed nothing out of the box to shoot sub 1” with minimal load development
2) Winchester sx4 12 gauge. This thing has been flawless for two seasons now and it has cycles everything from 2.75 target loads to 3.5 bb steel shot for geese. I like it enough I’d like to get one in 20 gauge for my wife.
3) is a 1885 6mm creedmoor that with some minor modifications to the forearm to ensure full free float it has shot consistently sub 1” with multiple loads.
Fit and finish on all has been very good. And accuracy has easily met my standards for what I was after. Buy with confidence.

 

[NE Herd Bull]

While I cannot speak directly about the Super Grade, I have purchased 3 current production Mod 70s in the past 2/3 years. 2-Extreme Weather & 1-Featherweight.

The FWT is a safe queen, but I did scope and sight it in. Shoots incredibly well.

The 2 Extreme Weather rifles are in the hands of family members that ranch. Working man's guns. So they spend a lot time in truck/tractor. In a years time they get shot more, and get more real world usage than most hunting rifles do in a lifetime. Each has taken countless coyotes, prairie dogs, and several deer. Flawless performers.

While (admittedly) my decades long love affair with them makes me very biased, I believe the current Mod70 s are some of best all around production hunting guns ever made. Fit, finish, functionality, reliability, handling. They check all of my boxes.

A maple Super Grade in 264 WM would look good in collections. Though they are absolutely too beautiful to hunt with.

 

[Yaremkiv]

I've shot and hunted with my Extreme Weather SS 300 win mag for years, and although the internal box mag restricts bullet depth and forces a .090" jump, the accuracy has been superb, .5-.7 moa, 5-10 shot groups and that's without finishing the load development process. After 3 years of searching I've finally found an Extreme Weather SS in 30-06 for my black bear, caribou and black tail rifle. Haven't even shot it yet. Planning later on to rebarrel to 280 AI. The stocks, recievers and bolts on these rifles are very well machine, and the fit and finish is near perfect. Although sloppy, bolt operation is satisfyingly smooth and I have a few customs built on $1500 actions to compare to. I wouldn't worry about swiping the card.

 

[Mojave]

Quality control on New Haven Super Grades I owned was laughable. Portuguese rifles are awesome. I had a 375 and a 30-06 supergrade. Both were perfect. If I didn't move overseas I would still be using them today.

I even owned late 1990's era Super Grade with the stock designed by gunmaker David Miller. Was inletted with a chainsaw with a 30 inch bar by a drunk if you looked at it closely.

 

[peaches]

I've got a 2008 limited edition FW in 270 from BACO's initial run in SC. It is just gorgeous and shoots well under and inch with a couple different 150g bullets. Its a safe queen and I keep waffling on selling it. It just hard to sell a gorgeous shooter.

 

[SloppyJ]

Reading this thread kinda concerns me. I think if you pay $1500 for a rifle that you should receive something that at least shoots MOA consistently

It's not so much that mine won't shoot, it's just super picky. The pickiest gun I've ever loaded for. If I bought another and didn't reload, I would expect to test 5-10 different offerings of premium factory ammo to find what it liked.

I have no doubts I can dial it in and I have but with only one load. I understand where you're coming from because it bummed me out a bit too when it wasn't just stacking them right out of the box. I don't think you'll regret the decision though. I certainly haven't.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My extreme weather 30-06 shoots my nosler partition loads 180 and 200g into solid 1” groups without me really having to try.

Sometimes I think about selling it since I don’t use it all that much but then I pick it up and realize I need to keep it.

 

[DJL2]

That's surprising! How much did the new barrel help? Like you said earlier, putting a new stock on it takes away 60% of why I like it. I've thought about re-bedding it as well. This was the first nice gun I bought and I've learned a ton since then so I'm hoping that some bedding and if needed, a new barrel will solve it for me. Calling it a skim bed job on mine from the factory is being generous.

Sounds like we have the same issues on groups. If I up the charge must past 54gr, it goes to spraying. I'm not sure what's up with our barrels but there's something to it. I hoped cutting and recrowning would help but it didn't seem to make much difference.

The new barrel fixed the issues entirely. It is easy to say in retrospect that it was ALL down to the barrel. I went through the "usual" trouble shooting issues (variety of ammo, lapped lugs, lapped barrel/throat, bedding). The move from the factory barrel to a Bartlein was the only thing that mattered - 2+ MOA for five shots to ~.65 MOA for five shots - not a subtle difference.

I am right there with you - the bedding is "hot glue gun" bedding - they shoot a dollop in there and call it good. Just because of availability, WGW got my barrel on before McM got me my stock. My new Bartlein went right into the maple factory stock. I sanded away until it was free floated. WGW pronounced my bedding job "ugly but serviceable."

My lessons learned were:
- Keep the maple (and just chop down LOP)
- use a steel barrel for aesthetics (probably a light Palma or a heavy sporter)
- rebarrel should have accounted for mag length in cartridge selection

 

[KyleV26]

Good luck finding one. None in the shops by me. Keep an eye on gunbroker.

 

[Parkerpusher]

I have 3 M70s and they are my favorite. After a brief period experimenting with carbon everything ultralight 700 clones in 6.5 creed / prc / 7mm-08 I’ve gravitated back to my old faithful Extreme Weather Stainless. New stuff is fun to play with but this rifle has always shot great and the action is like butter. I won’t ever be parting with it.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

There’s always a few available on midway, I look at them and often think of picking one up. Have not seen a 270win in awhile.

Hello gentlemen,

I’m currently looking to get a Model 70 Super Grade in either Black Walnut or Maple. I was wondering the quality of these rifles and if one would recommend them.

FYI, I am planning to get said rifle, God willing, in .270 Win.

 

[giabbit6]

M70 in .270. Like it!

 

[Hunter270Win]

M70 in .270. Like it!

Super Grade? Got any pics??

 

[giabbit6]

Super Grade? Got any pics??

Featherweight.

 

[entgegnen]

Hello gentlemen,

I’m currently looking to get a Model 70 Super Grade in either Black Walnut or Maple. I was wondering the quality of these rifles and if one would recommend them.

FYI, I am planning to get said rifle, God willing, in .270 Win.

I happened across your post and thought I’d respond, even if many months later. I have an M70 Super Grade French Walnut in 270. I’ve taken it on two big game (Mule
deer and Elk) hunts with my son. And to the range 2-3 times a year for practice. Very, very pleased. And someday, it will be a wonderful heirloom to pass down - full of stories. Classy all around. Traditional. Timeless. I’ve paired it with a 2-12 VX6 and have had excellent results. Anything within 300 yards is “done.”
Hope you were able to find one for yourself and experience the same satisfaction. Just this week at the range I was easily hitting in a 6-inch grouping (6-inch gong) at 300 yards in the rain.

If you hunt big game, would recommend Norma Orxy for White Tail and Mule. But go with a 150 grain A-frame for Elk. At the range I use “reduced recoil” rounds.

Best of luck.

 

[Igloo]

I happened across your post and thought I’d respond, even if many months later. I have an M70 Super Grade French Walnut in 270. I’ve taken it on two big game (Mule
deer and Elk) hunts with my son. And to the range 2-3 times a year for practice. Very, very pleased. And someday, it will be a wonderful heirloom to pass down - full of stories. Classy all around. Traditional. Timeless. I’ve paired it with a 2-12 VX6 and have had excellent results. Anything within 300 yards is “done.”
Hope you were able to find one for yourself and experience the same satisfaction. Just this week at the range I was easily hitting in a 6-inch grouping (6-inch gong) at 300 yards in the rain.

If you hunt big game, would recommend Norma Orxy for White Tail and Mule. But go with a 150 grain A-frame for Elk. At the range I use “reduced recoil” rounds.

Best of luck.

Way to go!

Its weight and balance make it handle the recoil of full power loads pretty smoothly eh? My 30-06 was quite accurate too.