The Winchester Model 70

Model 70 Model 70, introduced in 1936 is widely regarded as the top model of Mauser’s designed-for-controlled feed. It reigned supreme in the market for bolt action for 27 years before a 1964 cost-cutting redesign knocked it off of the top-of-the-line pedestal.

Pre-’64 Model 70s remain the rifle preferred by many hunters and are coveted by collectors. Nevertheless, post-’64 guns serve their purpose as well.

The History

Winchester Model 70, one of the most renowned bolt-action guns. It was intended for use as a hunting gun, and it quickly gained the attention of hunters as well as competition shooters. Buywinchester.com The Model 70 is renowned for their reliability, efficiency in use, and long-lasting. Its reputation for high-end quality has helped it be the highest-selling bolt-action rifle for decades. With the advancement of technology in manufacturing However, the market share of the Model 70 fell to other rifles that cost less money and have similar features. Winchester implemented a series of improvements on the Model 70 in 1964 to keep it competitive. These modifications were targeted at making the rifle more economical to manufacture, but maintaining the characteristics that had made such a popular Model 70 so desirable.

Most notable was the addition of an “push feed” system. The system was able to remove the ejector out of the face of the bolt replacing it with a short extractor that rode over the extraction groove on the cartridge. The cartridge was able to be supported in the magazine and then ejected from the bolt’s face without the requirement of an extended extractor of the type used by Mauser. This breech design was flat and also included a new bolt handle design which was more comfortable to grip when cycling the action.

In an effort to cut cost, various other improvements have been made. The initial milled nickel-steel receiver and bolt layout became a forged chrome-molybdenum variant, and hand-checkered barrels were replaced with pressed checkering to save on expenses for labor. The bolt lugs were changed from the old-style screw-in in lugs to guide ones which was a part of a track within the receiver.

The budget-slashing initiatives were met with mixed opinions. People generally preferred the models prior to WWI, and many people thought that later-model rifles weren’t in the same level of quality like their predecessors. To change this perception, some changes were made to Model 70. Model 70 to try to reduce the perception. One example is a reliable “antibind” feature was added to right locking lug. The bolt was now smoother, and this improvement made an enormous difference in the gun’s reputation of being sloppy in its action.

The style

The Winchester Model 70 bolt-action is the model that earned its name “The Rifleman’s Rifle.” While many other centerfire rifles have the same title, the status of a sporting rifle is unparalleled. From forest areas across North America to big-game areas in Alaska and Africa hunting, the hunters have put it to the Model 70 to the top of their list.

The Model 70’s success stemmed in large part from its top-of-the-line adjustment of the trigger. The Model 70 also had the benefit of its Mauser-inspired two-lug extractor bolt with full control over the rifle as soon as it was removed from to the gun until it was completely expelled out of the chamber. Also, its breech that was flat featuring a built-in support for cartridges provided a more comfortable fit with the barrel rim as well as a more smoother operation than competitors’ designs.

After World War II, however, Winchester began to see its position erode as new techniques for manufacturing firearms helped other manufacturers to reduce their production costs. The company decided to take several steps to save on material and labor costs. The iconic Model 70 was redesigned in 1964. Some elements of its design were dropped. The cone breech was replaced with one that was flat and came with a built-in cart support. Meanwhile, the previous hook extractor was eliminated in favour of a plunger ejector. The forged nickel-molybdenum receiver and bolt was replaced by one that was milled from cast aluminum alloy for costs Buywinchester.com savings.

However, not all were pleased with the new design. Some hunters were disappointed that the new Model 70 no longer featured one-way push feed that could be controlled. While some users were pleased with the bolt’s flat face, which didn’t require any work on the barrel’s breech, some prefer a steel ring surrounding the head of the bolt to prevent erratic ignition.

Winchester introduced the control-round feed action to address concerns from some customers in 1992. Additionally, the company started using synthetic wood from McMillan Bell and Carlson that are less expensive to make than wood and remain in a more constant fashion over time.

Development

Winchester’s designers set to work to redesign their Model 54 into a lighter and sleeker bolt-action centrefire rifle. It was a hit, and for decades it was the Model 70 dominated the market. It was even dubbed “The Rifleman’s Sifle” which is the most popular American bolt-action firearm ever produced.

Following the Second World War, however after the war, however, the Model 70 started to fall behind improved manufacturing and design techniques. It became increasingly expensive to make as well, and Winchester was at a loss in the market for its Model 70 as it struggled to compete with new rifles that were available.

The first change Winchester engineers implemented on their Model 70 was to improve its trigger, which had long been a sore point with customers. They took the override trigger of their Model 52, a rimfire Model 52 and fitted it onto the Model 70, improving its effectiveness by better distancing the sear from the trigger assembly. They also made the new trigger adjustable to the weight of the pull and for overtravel.

The other important improvement that they came up with was the change to a controlled round-feeding operation a push feed. This allowed them to lower the amount of machining work that required to be made on the barrel’s breech face which made the Model 70 cheaper and easier to build.

Small changes were also implemented to the barrel and forend in order to make the rifle much more suited to scopes. This was a major issue for numerous hunters of the day. The rifle was reshaped, for instance the shape of the bolt handle to ensure that it did not interfere with Ocular housings of the scope during the cycling process. Additionally, the forend was created to be wider and more rounded at the bottom in order to enable it to be placed across the support hands of shooters while firing.

Winchester continued to add different variations and chambering adjustments to Model 70. Winchester continued to add chambering modifications and variations to Model 70 throughout the decades and also make improvements and refinements to existing models. By the late 1960s, but it became evident that people were not happy with some of the changes and desired the original look and features return. They listened to their clients and began to add back aspects of the initial Model 70 throughout the next several years.

The Production

At its beginning, the Model 70 took the sporting world by storm. The Model 70 was extremely popular with many hunters in the United States, as well as in the rest of the world. Numerous rifles broke records in competition shooting. While the performance of the firearm was excellent, it was not with no flaws. A few examples include a lack of select-grade walnut, pressed checkering instead of hand-checkering, and a barrel channel that was able to allow for an excessive accumulation of twigs and grass during firing. The rifle was still impressive despite the issues. Certain year-to-year production numbers exceeded the 12 years that were produced for the Winchester Model 54.

In 1964, due to increasing competition from sporting rifles, such as Remington Model 700, in response to the increasing competition from sporting rifles like Remington Model 700 and rising expenses for labour, Winchester introduced a new version of its Model 70 with a re-designed bolt as well as other modifications. The old cone-breech style of the Model 70 was replaced into a flat-breech version. The older nickel-steel receiver/bolt device also became a part of a one new, forged-chrome molybdenum design. The long-length extractor as well as the an ejector mounted to the receiver of the older design were dismantled, and a smaller extraction claw and ejector plunger situated on the bolt’s face was used (similar as those used in that of the Weatherby Mark V).

Although these modifications did not cause major problems with the operation of the rifle however, a lot of shooters were dissatisfied with them. Also, it wasn’t unusual to see Model 70s made in 1964 and later to stop loading, or to fail in ejecting fully.

The end result was The result was the Model 70 Classic, a more refined action which is the foundation of today’s Model 70. It was in 1992 that Winchester once again revised the Model 70 action, returning to a full length extractor as well as a receiver-mounted ejector along with the controlled feed function of the original model.

Winchester Model 70s continue being produced at FN/Browning’s complex located in Columbia, South Carolina. Model 70’s are built conforming to ISO 9001 quality standards, and the traditional control-feed mechanism remains unchanged. The Model 70 is available in various styles, designed so that it can meet the demands of hunters and target shooters. These include lightweight barrels and models that are sightless.