Current Production Winchester Mod 70 Safari Express

[D-Orcutt]

I am thinking about a CRF .375 H&H and am looking at the Winchester Mod 70 Safari Express. Mainly because it is readily available in the US, priced decently and, well, the Winchester legacy.

Thoughts on the current production guns - function, fit/finish, durability, off the shelf accuracy, etc? Anything else I don't know to ask?

Thanks in advance!
Joe

Have you found one for sale I can’t find any?

 

[Idaho Joe]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of great information.

I haven't seen any on the shelf. Partly because I live in a fairly small town and partially because I haven't started looking because I was sure the quality/reputation of the new mod. 70s.

Now that I do I'll start looking around seriously. I may call Winchester and ask who they know of that has them.

Keep the thoughts coming. It helps me know what I am in for. I kind of figured I may need to replace the trigger and would need to bed the stock. Otherwise, This will be my first big [-ger, to me] bore rifle.

 

[Vintageguy]

I have two. One in 375H&H the other in 458 WM. Both love A-frames and Barnes TSX equally. I have no idea how many times I’ve shot my 375 but I recently found a 12”x12”x8” box in my garage full of fired brass I had forgotten about. I only have about 120 rounds through the 458 and haven’t used it hunting yet. The 375 has taken 9 plains game species and two buffalo. Both easily give me sub moa groups. Both have been cycled hard in reloading drills and dry fired hundreds of times. Neither have had any issues nor had any special work done. They are my favorites above even my pre 64s. You won’t regret the purchase and you’ll save money you can use towards safari.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I love my M70's. Have a few of them in the safe. One less now as my son actually took me seriously when I told him the M70 Featherweight I got in 7x57 a few years back was his. Little bugger who now lives in Texas asked me to bring it to him this past Christmas. I could've bought two of them at the time I got it. Wish I had but I had no idea how much I'd come to love the little 7x57 and that rifle.

That's amongst others that includes a South Carolina version Safari Express in .375HH. I bought it as a buff gun, but oddly enough of all the game I've shot with it, I've not taken it for buffalo. A buddy of mine has and he killed a nice Nile buff in Uganda in 2022. Both of ours are just lights out accurate with Barnes TSX, North Fork Softs and Solids, Swift A-Frames. I use the North Forks exclusively as it's my favorite bullet.

The stock does feel a little fat and it's a little forward heavy. But that gun has and as far as I'm concerned will never have the shadow of a gunsmith's door upon it. It has been perfect out of the box. I'm not going to risk letting anyone muck it up.

It only carries three in the magazine. But you can get a fourth partially pushed into the magazine and as long as you keep the bolt head forward of the lower 3, you can then feed the fourth without having to turn the claw extractor over the rim. Takes a little figuring out how to do it, but it's not that tricky. And now you have 4 rounds to shoot.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Quite possibly the only mass produced control round feed big bore magazine rifle left on the market (esp. with the CZ Model 550 being discontinued and the Zastava Model 70 currently not being manufactured). Apart from the Ruger Hawkeye African (which is only chambered in the proprietary .375 Ruger & .416 Ruger). And excellent value for the money.

A couple of thoughts:
@Mark A Ouellette is pinpoint accurate that the magazine springs & extractors can break. I have personally experienced both phenomenons on more than one occasion (strangely enough, always with the variants chambered in .416 Remington Magnum although I’m certain that this could also occur with the variants chambered in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum and .458 Winchester Magnum as well).

The stock should be re-bedded with fiberglass, otherwise it eventually WILL split.

The magazine capacity is 3+1 (which is perfectly adequate for most hunting applications), although the pre-war Winchester Model 70s chambered in .375 Holland & Holland Magnum used to have a 4+1 magazine capacity.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I’ve got three model 70s a .300 H&H a .375 H&H and .416 Taylor

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I’ve got three model 70s a .300 H&H a .375 H&H and .416 Taylor

Is the .300 Holland & Holland Magnum an original pre '64 Winchester Model 70 ? Those are so beautiful !

 

[Altitude sickness]

No Sir. It’s a 30:06 converted the other two are from the 1950s

 

[Altitude sickness]

My .416 Taylor shown above it will back up my wife on Buffalo and hopefully an eland for me

 

[chashardy]

I own both a pre-64 and 3 modern Model 70's. Fit and finish on the new ones is superior to the pre-64 and all four function flawlessly. The pre-64 is a 30.06, the new ones: 270 Win, 300WinMag and 375H&H Safari Express. If you can find one, buy it.

 

[Fatback]

I have a few New Haven Model 70s and they are all great/accurate rifles. The only issue I’ve ever had with one of them is my 300 win mag got to me with a crooked barrel and I had to get a new barrel installed. I have gotten all of mine in the secondary market since they don’t currently manufacture left handed versions.

 

[swashington]

I wish they still made them in LH!!!

I second that, been using LH Rugers and like them a lot. Have a 308 and 300 WM, 375 Ruger is next.

 

[Tango]

I am thinking about a CRF .375 H&H and am looking at the Winchester Mod 70 Safari Express. Mainly because it is readily available in the US, priced decently and, well, the Winchester legacy.

Thoughts on the current production guns - function, fit/finish, durability, off the shelf accuracy, etc? Anything else I don't know to ask?

Thanks in advance!
Joe

Joe,
A stainless M-70 375 was just posted on the forum for sale. Looks like an excellent set-up with scope, mounts etc done properly. Definitely worth a look

 

[PARA45]

No Sir. It’s a 30:06 converted the other two are from the 1950s View attachment 598822View attachment 598823

Who did the work on your 30-06? Beautiful rifles!

 

[Doyled96]

I own a new Model 70 Safari and it is AMAZING. I have never fire a pre-64 but this gun is great. Fit and finish is there I am aggravated at the flat finish and the stock and barrel but oh well. The MOA trigger system is fantastic there is no take up, or sponge in the trigger. Coming in at right around 9lbs it is balanced really well ad shoulders nicely. Highly recommend for the price.

 

[uplander01]

They are a good rifle for the money, the pillar bedding is a good suggestion. They will get the job done. There is nothing else at that price point that compares.

 

[uplander01]

Or….do yourself a favor and buy the fn 375 that is for sale right now in the classifieds

 

[Altitude sickness]

^^^^ I agree. The Mauser in .375 at the top of the classifieds would cover your needs

 

[62flint]

^^^^ I agree. The Mauser in .375 at the top of the classifieds would cover your needs

I concur , I would be buying that Mauser if I had not already spent my wad on a M70 custom.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I love my M70's. Have a few of them in the safe. One less now as my son actually took me seriously when I told him the M70 Featherweight I got in 7x57 a few years back was his. Little bugger who now lives in Texas asked me to bring it to him this past Christmas. I could've bought two of them at the time I got it. Wish I had but I had no idea how much I'd come to love the little 7x57 and that rifle.

That's amongst others that includes a South Carolina version Safari Express in .375HH. I bought it as a buff gun, but oddly enough of all the game I've shot with it, I've not taken it for buffalo. A buddy of mine has and he killed a nice Nile buff in Uganda in 2022. Both of ours are just lights out accurate with Barnes TSX, North Fork Softs and Solids, Swift A-Frames. I use the North Forks exclusively as it's my favorite bullet.

The stock does feel a little fat and it's a little forward heavy. But that gun has and as far as I'm concerned will never have the shadow of a gunsmith's door upon it. It has been perfect out of the box. I'm not going to risk letting anyone muck it up.

It only carries three in the magazine. But you can get a fourth partially pushed into the magazine and as long as you keep the bolt head forward of the lower 3, you can then feed the fourth without having to turn the claw extractor over the rim. Takes a little figuring out how to do it, but it's not that tricky. And now you have 4 rounds to shoot.

I can start a fourth round under the claw of my Brno vz.24 converted to 404J with bolt retracted fully and close it without picking up the next round in magazine. That fourth round slipped just under the extractor should hold the next round in magazine down far enough for the bolt to clear the rim and close without picking it up. Or maybe the box on your rifle is wider than it should be? Something doesn't sound right. I'm thinking that issue could maybe be fixed by a gunsmith? Just a thought.