Old vs. New Model 70's?

Originally Posted by enysse

I agree, the push feed rifles Winchestor made are not desirable to own...though I own some Remingtons that are push feed....they are not near as nice as a controlled round feed rifle. Hence, why I like Ruger a lot. My Win Model 70 in the Super Grade Model is a excellent gun...easy to adjust the trigger. I prefer 3 lbs. or less. And 2 lbs. to me is near perfect. I like a nice soft trigger!

A lot of the pre-64 rifles have been redone...to make them more accurate.

Yea, I checked my with the trigger pull scale and all mine are breaking right around 3lbs I personally like it lighter on target rifles but want a hair heavier for guns in the field, although if you are doing it right your safety is never off until you are ready to fire anyway so that might be a bit of redundant thinking.

Unfortunately, when Remington introduced the 700, the Winchester tooling including that for the 70 was old and some badly needed replacement. The decision was made to cut costs by going to push feed and in several other ways (e.g., pressed checkering) that made the new 70s cheaper to manufacture - and they looked it. Winchester, I understand, had new management from Ford Motor, bean-counter proteges of Robert McNamara. Clearly they were not gun people. It was a disaster, and even the gun writers, often sluts for big firm new products, complained.

I have several pre-64s and I always liked their wonderful form and function. For me, the New Haven, CT (actually, North Haven) and SC 70s were even better because LH was available. Now the FN production of 70s is perhaps the best ever, and thus an excellent choice, since made on the latest CNC equipment, but they do not yet serve the left hand market. As far as I know, all the nicest features and of course the unmistakeable design, appearance and handling remain.

Norm Solberg

Originally Posted by TERMINATOR

The big thing about the pre-64's was that they all came standard with controlled round feeding. When they stopped making them with controlled round feeding....THAT is what made the pre-64s so desireable....NOT because they were super special accuraccy wise or something.

Frankly, once Winchester started offering controlled round feeding again (albeit at an upgrade in price too) I think a guy is better off with the newer action/barrel if he wants the controlled round feeding.

Originally Posted by Anjin

Unfortunately, when Remington introduced the 700, the Winchester tooling including that for the 70 was old and some badly needed replacement. The decision was made to cut costs by going to push feed and in several other ways (e.g., pressed checkering) that made the new 70s cheaper to manufacture - and they looked it. Winchester, I understand, had new management from Ford Motor, bean-counter proteges of Robert McNamara. Clearly they were not gun people. It was a disaster, and even the gun writers, often sluts for big firm new products, complained.

I have several pre-64s and I always liked their wonderful form and function. For me, the New Haven, CT (actually, North Haven) and SC 70s were even better because LH was available. Now the FN production of 70s is perhaps the best ever, and thus an excellent choice, since made on the latest CNC equipment, but they do not yet serve the left hand market. As far as I know, all the nicest features and of course the unmistakeable design, appearance and handling remain.

Norm Solberg

Now if they would just have the good sense to make a Super Grade chambered in 300H&H.....well I'd run over small children and their grandmothers walking down the sidewalk if that's what it took to get one in my cabinet!

Originally Posted by PHOENIX PHIL

Now if they would just have the good sense to make a Super Grade chambered in 300H&H.....well I'd run over small children and their grandmothers walking down the sidewalk if that's what it took to get one in my cabinet!

Well, I wouldn't quite do that, but then I would have to wait for a LH one. <g> It is a cartridge and model I would much like to have.

Norm Solberg