Winchester Mod 70 Featherweight Walnut vs maple

[TimberHunter]

Hey All,

Found a new mod 70 featherweight super grade AAA maple chambered in 30-06 for $1150. They have been discontinued by Winchester for some time now, what a beautiful rifle! At the same store I found a new mod 70 featherweight SS with standard walnut stock for $945.

Is there much advantage to one type of wood over the other in regards to a hunting rifle? I know wood guns can warp and effect accuracy so please refrain for harping on that too much. I have several synthetic stocks and would like a wood stock hunting rifle


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[Montana Slim]

I think any difference in the wood would come down to the quality of the individual piece you end up with... the big difference is the barrels are different contours between the super grade and featherweight, with the super grade being heavier. Both can be awesome rifles - I like the look of the maple myself... can't go wrong!

 

[Tim in Wa.]

Walnut is far more stable than maple.ie less liable to twist or warp.Walnut weighs less as well

 

[bbckfh]

I have the highly figured dark maple on my m70. No question it was the right way to go.



Remember that maple is in general denser, with smaller pores than walnut. So it’s a touch heavier and more moisture resistant.
There may be a touch of a stability edge to maple, but that effect will be dwarfed by whatever finish or oil one applies.

The wood in its natural state is lighter colored than walnut, so for an equivalent color a darker stain must be used.

Best of luck on your choice

 

[Squincher]

I've hunted a lot with maple stocked MZ's and don't see any advantage of one over the other. It's just a matter of which you think looks better.

 

[bbckfh]

Agree with Squincher. The differences are largely negligible and it comes down to appeal. Mine appealed to me.

 

[TimberHunter]

Thanks all. I misspoke in my original post, they are both featherweight models. The maple is the discontinued high grade featherweight not the super grade (high grade featherweight is AAAA grade maple per their website).


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[bbckfh]

As you can see from mine, the Dark Maple version is also a FWT and AAAA. I’d imagine yours is the version they left blonde? I liked that one a lot too!

 

[Newtosavage]

All I can say is that if a rifle is too pretty, I won't take it to all the places I will take an uglier rifle.

 

[wrightjr]

I have no technical data or evidence to share that would be of any substance that would prove one better than the other. I simply picked the maple because it was pretty and different, you don't see those everywhere. Personally, I don't think one offers any advantage over the other besides the fact that the maple would probably get more attention / questions in the hunting camp. Happy hunting.

 

[TimberHunter]

All I can say is that if a rifle is too pretty, I won't take it to all the places I will take an uglier rifle.

Good consideration! I’m going into this knowing the stock will slowly get banged up while elk hunting so I’m not too worried about making it less pretty


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[TimberHunter]

I have no technical data or evidence to share that would be of any substance that would prove one better than the other. I simply picked the maple because it was pretty and different, you don't see those everywhere. Personally, I don't think one offers any advantage over the other besides the fact that the maple would probably get more attention / questions in the hunting camp. Happy hunting.

That’s the exact setup I’m looking at!


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[wrightjr]

That’s the exact setup I’m looking at!


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I love it, I picked it up in March. It's chambered in 308 win. and it is very light and accurate. I'm past ready to get it in the woods. I started out hunting with wood stocked rifles in the 90s, then parked them in the safe for synthetic stocked stuff that I felt better about banging around. Then earlier this year I started jonesing for a nice quality wood / blued rifle that I could pass down to the boys one day and this one fit the bill. My dad has a well used Browning BAR that has killed a mountain of deer since the mid 80s, hopefully this rifle will have a legacy like that.

 

[bbckfh]

That thing is fantastic looking!!!

 

[wrightjr]

Thanks, yours is a looker as well sir!

 

[Tony11214]

Hey All,

Found a new mod 70 featherweight super grade AAA maple chambered in 30-06 for $1150. They have been discontinued by Winchester for some time now, what a beautiful rifle! At the same store I found a new mod 70 featherweight SS with standard walnut stock for $945.

Is there much advantage to one type of wood over the other in regards to a hunting rifle? I know wood guns can warp and effect accuracy so please refrain for harping on that too much. I have several synthetic stocks and would like a wood stock hunting rifle


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Hi, I may be a little late to this party, but here goes. Early American gunsmiths used maple. Their first choice would always be European walnut, but that was hard to get. Their next choice was maple. They considered American black walnut as their absolute last choice. I'm not sure I remember all the reasons for this, but I'm sure one reason was the open grain in the wood. I'm sure there were other reasons as well.

 

[LaGriz]

A fool for a Quality Wood stock,

My "Jewel" a 1955 M70 is FW blessed with a finely checkered French walnut stock. I shortened the LOP, replacing the deteriorated recoil pad with a grind-to-fit item. Previous owner had a small brass compass inserted flush into the base of the pistol grip. I should be flogged for the damage it has sustained in the field. I plead insanity, can't help it as it's my favorite hunting weapon.

The 1949 M70 sporter was in need of some love when I found it in a local shop. A donner action, it began life as a 30-06, only to have it re-bored to a 338-06. I did not feel like I violated anything classic, as the bottom metal was rough (carried a lot) with a few scars on the very plain stock. This one also got the treatment: slightly shortened, metal butt plate replaced with a grind-to-fit pad. My smith put the rifle on a diet, loosing 1/2 a pound in the process. Find the recoil pad a welcome addition with the new hard-hitting chambering. Recoil is quite tolerable. Groups Nosler 200 AccuBond loads near an inch. I find the ammo (pre-COVID) to be very pricey as most all of is of late.

I say go for the Maple stocked Winchester. It's distinctive and makes the rifle unique. The price differences being so slight, it won't matter much in the grand scheme of things.

LaGriz

 

[bbckfh]

A fool for a Quality Wood stock,

My "Jewel" a 1955 M70 is FW blessed with a finely checkered French walnut stock. I shortened the LOP, replacing the deteriorated recoil pad with a grind-to-fit item. Previous owner had a small brass compass inserted flush into the base of the pistol grip. I should be flogged for the damage it has sustained in the field. I plead insanity, can't help it as it's my favorite hunting weapon.

The 1949 M70 sporter was in need of some love when I found it in a local shop. A donner action, it began life as a 30-06, only to have it re-bored to a 338-06. I did not feel like I violated anything classic, as the bottom metal was rough (carried a lot) with a few scars on the very plain stock. This one also got the treatment: slightly shortened, metal butt plate replaced with a grind-to-fit pad. My smith put the rifle on a diet, loosing 1/2 a pound in the process. Find the recoil pad a welcome addition with the new hard-hitting chambering. Recoil is quite tolerable. Groups Nosler 200 AccuBond loads near an inch. I find the ammo (pre-COVID) to be very pricey as most all of is of late.

I say go for the Maple stocked Winchester. It's distinctive and makes the rifle unique. The price differences being so slight, it won't matter much in the grand scheme of things.

LaGriz

Come on! Pics, please?

 

[Blacktail.Tracker]

My Model 70 featherweight has a walnut stock and I love it! It’s been my main hunting gun for over a decade now. I just picked the one on the rack that had the prettiest grain. Never had any issues or seen a loss of accuracy due to warping. There’s a reason it’s such a classic.

 

[LaGriz]

Sorry to bbckhh but I'm not Savey with posting pictures.

LaGriz