New Winchester Model 70 Super Grades. Good?

[Hunter270Win]

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.

 

[Igloo]

Sample size of one, but the Portuguese made Super Grade I had in 30-06 was a very nicely made gun, and a good shooter.

 

[Squincher]

Walnut and .270 would be my choice. Iconic rifles, if a bit heavy.

 

[Igloo]

Walnut and .270 would be my choice. Iconic rifles, if a bit heavy.

That would be dang nice.

Not as fancy but really like the way the New Haven made Classic Sporters handle compared to the SGs. Still a heavy enough rifle but nicer to me.

 

[DJL2]

I briefly owned a M70 Supregrade Maple in .30-06 of roughly 2018 vintage. Absolutely beautiful gun, but it didn't shoot worth a damn. The action was also on the rough/sloppy side.

That said, if you guaranteed me I would get one that actually shoots, I'd buy another because they're gorgeous. I'd probably opt for a different cartridge simply because the 3.4" magazine restriction is not to my taste in the -06.

 

[SloppyJ]

I have a 2018ish maple 30-06 supergrade as well beautiful gun but the pickiest barrel I've ever reloaded for. I still don't feel like I have it where I want but I have some stuff left to do. Planning on rebarreling at some point. Other than that, it's a fine gun with some of the nicest bluing I've seen.

 

[Hoopleheader]

Sample size of 2

Not a super grade, but have a 2019 vintage extreme weather in 30-06 that throws patterns vs groups. I like the action and format so much that I’m considering salvaging the action for a new barrel and McMillan stock upgrade. Fit and finish are excellent.

Have a NIB 70 featherweight stainless I bought because it is pretty, but haven’t been able to shoot as headspace was too tight from the factory and their techs sent it back twice saying it was OK. Fit and finish also great.


I’d roll the dice again on a super grade stainless in 30-06 though.

I like that the bottom metals in the super grade line are actual steel. On the above guns it is painted alloy prone to chipping.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a ~ 2017 extreme weather 30-06 that shoots everything really well. The fit and finish on it is great.

 

[Unckebob]

Not a Super Grade, but my featherweight is a shooter. I love the action.

 

[DJL2]

I did rebarrel my M70 (with a Bartlein), changed the trigger to a Timney, and swapped the stock (to a McMillan). I've said elsewhere that it got the gun to shoot, but that killed everything I loved about it.

The bluing was nice, the stock was gorgeous (though the LOP was comically long). The trigger was meh.

I will say, in defense of the action, that I asked Whidden Gun Works to true it during the rebarrel and when they got my M70 on the bench they said "it's already true... we can mess with it and charge you for it if you really want us to though."

I would be down for a custom shop job... a standard caliber built on their magnum length action would be sweet... or a WSM variant built on their standard length action.

 

[Fujicon]

Have a 70 but don't think it's super grade. Still, the walnut is quite fetching, enough so that it's a protected closet queen. (That and because it is a rather impractical 416RM.) The action and balance are excellent, but like Squincher said the 70s tend to run heavy.

 

[Hunter270Win]

Hmm seems like there might be some dice rolling in regards to accuracy.

I can’t help myself though and I think I’ll roll the dice… if I can find one in .270. They are always out of stock of the .270

 

[Hunter270Win]

I briefly owned a M70 Supregrade Maple in .30-06 of roughly 2018 vintage. Absolutely beautiful gun, but it didn't shoot worth a damn. The action was also on the rough/sloppy side.

That said, if you guaranteed me I would get one that actually shoots, I'd buy another because they're gorgeous. I'd probably opt for a different cartridge simply because the 3.4" magazine restriction is not to my taste in the -06.

Would that mean the .270 would also have a magazine restriction of 3.4”? And would struggle to shoot higher BC bullets?

 

[Hoopleheader]

Hmm seems like there might be some dice rolling in regards to accuracy.

I can’t help myself though and I think I’ll roll the dice… if I can find one in .270. They are always out of stock of the .270

Yeah most of their models are scarc le in 270 now. I want to also roll the dice again on an extreme weather 270.

I’m not a tikka fanboy (I dislike the small trigger guard, low capacity dbm, and 1 size fits all action), but outside of them and maybe bergara I think most factory guns involve some dice rolling regarding accuracy.

 

[SloppyJ]

How can you just walk by a supergrade and not want to buy it?

 

[DJL2]

Would that mean the .270 would also have a magazine restriction of 3.4”? And would struggle to shoot higher BC bullets?

I would guess yes - traditional .270 stuff up to 150 grains wouldn't be an issue. If you want to load 170-180 grain stuff, you're gonna end up in the powder. Might matter to you, might not. If you throw a ruler/mic set on it when you get one in hand, you'll be able to check pretty easily.

 

[Hunter270Win]

How can you just walk by a supergrade and not want to buy it?



View attachment 684543

Oh my goodness!! Caliber?

 

[SloppyJ]

Oh my goodness!! Caliber?

30-06.

I think the only thing more classic would be a .270 in a M70. I've got it shooting barely under MOA with handloads although I've printed some 0.5moa groups with it but at very mild powder charges. It seems very copper sensitive and that's not good because it loves to pick up copper in the barrel. I've probably got 250rds through it in the few years I've owned it and it was the first gun I reloaded for. If I did a new load workup for it with my current equipment and knowledge I think I can get it stabilized more. So far the only bullet that I've found that it likes is a 165gr Accubond. It will not shoot the two different 180s I've tried in it as much as I would like it to, but again, I know more about reloading now so maybe I can work with it. However, when I say it didn't like them, I'm meaning like 2 and 3 moa groups.

I replaced the trigger with a Timney and haven't had a chance to shoot it much since then and I also got it chopped and recrowned at 22" for my suppressors. I don't believe I've even shot it suppressed yet since I acquired some more suitable hosts and built a couple bolt guns since that time that I prefer to hunt with. The gun sports a more appropriate Trijicon Credo 3x9 now which suits it much better.

If I rebarrel it, I'm not sure what I will go for. If I could find someone to match the beautiful bluing on it, I'd go with a steel barrel. If not, I'm thinking I'll create some sort of new age oddity with a proof barrel and modify the stock to accept the larger profile. I think that would be pretty unique, especially with the maple stock.

 

[Hunter270Win]

30-06.

I think the only thing more classic would be a .270 in a M70.

.270 and .30-06 are brother cartridges (both come from the .30-03). Just pure classics that WORK.

 

[SloppyJ]

.270 and .30-06 are brother cartridges (both come from the .30-03). Just pure classics that WORK.

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.