1977 Model 70 Winchester

[doc1876]

Gentelmen, I have a Model 70, that I can find no info on. It was born in 1977, and is in 270 Winchester, but as to the breed of Model 70, I am at a loss. any info would be helpful
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As you can see, the forearm is similar to a Weatherby, which has me totally befuddled. all Winchesters I am finding have a straight cut for the inlay and end piece.
Thank you

[Gtrubicon]

Kinda funny you post this, my father bought a model 70 in 7mm rem mag, same year. 7mag, gun shoots 24 inch groups at best, my brother and I were just talking about it this evening. Beautiful gun, the gun I’m writing about looks just like yours. We don’t know what to do with it.

[725]

! 24 inch groups ? What the heck? Sumtin ain't right.

[godzilla]

24" groups? Sounds like a re-barrel may be in order

[Texas by God]

You might be able to find a 1977 Winchester catalog on eBay. One of my friends used a m70 25-06 like that in the 1970s but I don’t recall if the forend tip junction was 90 or 45 degrees.

[SweetMk]

My neighbor brought me his sons 300 Win Mag,, it shot 24" groups,,
He said the gun scared them so much when it went off, they could not get it to sight in..

He brought it to me, because I have an accurate 300 Win Mag,, and he knew that shooting the gun did not bother me.
(they were used to 257 Roberts, 243 Winchester,, etc,, NOT a magnum,, like the 300)

I shot it,, about 4 shots,, yep, all over the place,,

I happened to wiggle the scope,, the scope screws were loose,,
my neighbor was a little more than embarrassed,, as he is a "BIG TIME" hunter,, LOL!!

[376Steyr]

I think you have a "XTR" version. Winchester started improving the push-feed Model 70 in the early 1970s, with better finishes, as they slowly recovered from the 1964 switch to more economical designs.
My dad was able to buy a Model 70 in 300 Win Magnum in 1965, on a millworker's wages. He couldn't have done so in 1963. I still have it and carry it occasionally. Believe me, you can understand the shock and horror of the gun-rag community over the drop in aesthetics when you compare that 1965 rifle to a pre-64.

[pietro]

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Your 1977 M-70 is what used to be a Model 70 Deluxe, mfg. 1964-71, which was re-designated in 1972 as the Standard Model 70.

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[Rainier]

Your 1977 M-70 is what used to be a Model 70 Deluxe, mfg. 1964-71, which was re-designated in 1972 as the Standard Model 70.

A lot like that ^^^^

What to do with a Model 70 that shoots 24 inch groups? Send it to me and I'll gladly get it outa your hair

[pietro]

Kinda funny you post this, my father bought a model 70 in 7mm rem mag, same year. 7mag, gun shoots 24 inch groups at best, my brother and I were just talking about it this evening. Beautiful gun, the gun I’m writing about looks just like yours. We don’t know what to do with it.

Once upon a time, I bought a Model 70 Featherweight Classic that was tagged for very little money, compared to it's value.

I soon found out why.......

I took it to my gunclub's range the same day, and was dismayed to find it would only shoot large patterns, and not groups.

Later, @ home, I disassembled it - and noticed something..........

Somebody had glas-bedded the action w/o any clearances at the recoil lug bottom, face, or sides ( a big no-no) ! !

I scrapped out the bedding in those spots, letting the recoil lug contact the bedding at it's rear face only.

The next range trip rewarded me with 3/4" groups, benched @ 100yds (scoped).

Give it a lookey-lookey, and see what you can find with your Dad's rifle...

.

[DCB]

I have the same rifle its a XTR model 70, mine is a 25/06. It shot patterns when I first got it.
Good scope it didn't make much difference whether Factory or reloads nothing seem to work.
I decided to tear it apart and replace the barrel. After I removed it from the stock I noticed a ridge running along the barrel channel. It had some shiny spots where the barrel had been setting. It was so bad that it looked like to barrel channels. I removed the ridge and bedded the action and now its is one of the best shooting rifles I have.

[doc1876]

thank you

[Gtek]

More than a row of them here, funny how that Post 64' thing has lived on. I guess a tube receiver with trigger issues and a stamped spring steel extractor in the bolt face was the way to go looking back . All good advise above if accuracy is lacking, a fresh 11 degree muzzle is never a bad thing either. Enjoy that rifle!

[Gtrubicon]

My father purchased it brand new with a scope installed, he bought it for his father, my grandfather. They picked it up and headed to Utah for their hunt. Along the way they tried to sight it in, without any success. My father is a great shot, not sure about my grandpa. My dad put it away for near 40 years when my brother and I found it and asked him about it. My brother has shot it, he’s a shooter. I have not shot it. This rifle has less than 25 rounds since it left the factory. It has a red field scope. My father is going to bring it to me at Christmas, I’d like to try to figure it out. I’m thinking the scope is the culprit, my dad will be bringing a partial box of spent brass from the rifle for me to examine.

[RC46]

I am a big M70 Fan. Why do you think it was made in 1977? I ask because the lg. shroud on the back of the bolt covering the cocking piece on the firing pin was only used for a couple of years after the switch over from pre 64's. 1965 and 66 as I remember was the only years, I will post a pic tomorrow of the difference. FYI, I have had several 1965 USRA 70's and they all shot great, all 06 - I kept a 1965 30-06 and it groups sub moa with 150-168 gr bullets - likes 168's the best. The later M-70's I have had, I either sold or rebarrelled because of accuracy issues.

[Lloyd Smale]

I think you have a "XTR" version. Winchester started improving the push-feed Model 70 in the early 1970s, with better finishes, as they slowly recovered from the 1964 switch to more economical designs.
My dad was able to buy a Model 70 in 300 Win Magnum in 1965, on a millworker's wages. He couldn't have done so in 1963. I still have it and carry it occasionally. Believe me, you can understand the shock and horror of the gun-rag community over the drop in aesthetics when you compare that 1965 rifle to a pre-64.

defineately what id call an xrt. Dont know if win called them that in 77 but i believe they did. It was there top end rifle then short of the custom shop. some stick there nose up in the air at those push feed 70s but ive owned probably a dozen of them and have never had a single one that didnt shoot exceptionaly. Me? I think the 70s today put the pre 64s to shame. To me that was probably the homeliest 70 made but they were fit and finished better then the guns of the mid 70s- early 80s. Even some of the later push feeds were fit and finished every bit as well as a pre 64. Easily outshoot them and were better looking by far. never did see all the hoopla over the pre 64s. I had two of them a 243 and an 06 and both were 1 1/2 to 2 inch guns with there best loads an were rather homely in my eyes. Now the first of the post 64s with the pressed checkering were the low point but they didnt last many years. Id bet your 270 is a fine shooting good looking un. I dont like the monte carlo stock but that was the thing back then. But some still like them and swoon over bdls and weatherby's

[txbirdman]

I’ve got one just like yours except for the bolt shroud. It’s in .225 Winchester and has the nicest wood of any rifle I’ve owned. It’s a good shooter also. Thankfully I stocked up on brass for it whenI bought it back in the 90’s.

[RC46]

pic 1&2 are the 1965 bolt, 3&4 are from a 1980s rifle

[Thin Man]

To the OP - my experience with post-64 M70's may be different from yours. Somewhere in the 1980's I was looking for a compact rifle for deer hunting, something less than the '06 I had inherited. I found a dealer who was closing out their stock of M70's that were chambered for 250 Savage. The ballistics looked good so I bought one of these rifles. It produced basketball size patterns at 100 yards with factory ammo. I wanted to load 100-120 grain bullets but none of my loads would group. I sent the rifle to a 'smith in Georgia and had the action bedded. No help. I wrote to Elmer Keith (still have that letter) and he suggested a new barrel. I still wonder how he thought to make that recommendation. I was not excited about his suggestion on my new rifle and kept searching for answers. I called Winchester, then sent the rifle to them for testing. They sent it back with no corrections made and a polite letter explaining it fired well for them. They made no mention on the group sizes they got when firing it. So I'm in the dumps and wondering what to try next. A short time later I was looking at the original factory packaging box the rifle was in when I bought it. While staring at the end flap I read "Rate of Twist 1:14". I shouted so loud I could be heard 2 zip codes away. This was the answer I needed to hear. This rifle was going to demand short (meaning light-for-caliber) bullets. I researched many available bullets in 85 grain weight and settled on the Nosler Ballistic Tip (polymer tip). My first test load with that bullet grouped 1 1/4 " (5 shots @ 100 yards). I experimented with various powders and charges and settled that question but still use the 85 grain Ballistic Tip bullet. The deer are not very fond of it. This was my first experience with a barrel that performed well with light bullets only and have repeated this challenge with a few other rifles. Perhaps you might sample a few light-for-caliber bullets in your rifle. You never known what will work for you.

[Larry Gibson]

I have a M70 like that also. It is a "XTR" as stamped on the barrel. Mine also has a shround pinned over the back of the bolt. Apparently this was necessary for export back then to some country (Australia?).

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