M70 Builds

So, I had 2 Extreme Weather M70's collecting dust in the safe and decided to give both a big make-over. My builder, Matt, at Ridge Rifles finished the first one (7mm WSM) and fixing to ship it back to me. The other one is a 325 WSM. Both actions were trued and bead blasted. Both were given new Timney's and both will be dressed in new McMillan Game Hunters. The 7wsm has an 8 twist 24" Proof and the 325 wsm has a 10 twist 25" CarbonSix. Would love your thoughts and opinions on these two builds and reasons why you don't see more builds using the M70. Thanks
Hill Country Rifles built me an exceptional rifle on a M70 receiver, Lilja bbl in 7STW, Timney trigger...was a .340" rifle in 1999 when I got it and is a .387" rifle today. Shoots way better than I can.
 
Mod 70 Winchester , The Rifleman's Rifle , if the pre 64 had stayed the same and not changed the designed and changed too the post 64 , the mod 70 might have been just as popular as the Rem 700 is today.
Why the jackass change? Seriously! What made win change their m70? With a pre '64 I have that was my dad's and 2,500 rounds later it still shoots moa. I borescoped it and the throat looks like southern Arizona pavement on a hot day after a few years. 1 person suggested having win change out the barrel, but win stated they would only if accuracy is over 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 moa (don't remember which) with factory ammo. This pre '64 still shoots better than that on a bad day. If it wasn't for cutting out for the extractor I would build m70's all day!
 
Win M70 CRF is one of my favorite rifles. However, I doubt they would ever reach the Rem 700 popularity due the the reasons mentioned by others before. Also, changing a barrel requires a machine shop to cut the extractor cut, where else on a Rem 700 you just need a vice and wrench.
The real reason is that Winchester snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Carlos Hathcock loved his M70 and wanted winchester to build accurized M70's for the military. Winchester said no, remington jumped at the chance and the rest is history.
 
Why the jackass change? Seriously! What made win change their m70? With a pre '64 I have that was my dad's and 2,500 rounds later it still shoots moa. I borescoped it and the throat looks like southern Arizona pavement on a hot day after a few years. 1 person suggested having win change out the barrel, but win stated they would only if accuracy is over 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 moa (don't remember which) with factory ammo. This pre '64 still shoots better than that on a bad day. If it wasn't for cutting out for the extractor I would build m70's all day!
Cost. Winchester wanted to compete with the "just as gUd " 700 so they incorporated features more conducive to mass production. The die hard M70 owners didn't want anything to do with it and it wasn't enough to draw anyone from team remington. Browning/Winchester is currently at it again with their XPR.
 
Cost. Winchester wanted to compete with the "just as gUd " 700 so they incorporated features more conducive to mass production. The die hard M70 owners didn't want anything to do with it and it wasn't enough to draw anyone from team remington. Browning/Winchester is currently at it again with their XPR.
I have New Haven and S Carolina M70's all with CRF. All below MOA. A better shooter would get less than 0.5MOA.
 
Model 70's are my guns. Built a 6.5 PRC on a Shadow with the controlled rnd push feed action. Bartein barrel, timney trigger, and put it in the laminated coyote lite stock. Not the bug shooter I had hoped for but it does shoot well. Will do 1/2" to 3/4" groups all day long. Just a very nice using rifle. I like it!!
Same here rebarreled a pre 64 mod 70 300 win mag too 6.5 prc Bartlien 5 r cut rifle 7.5 twist same super grade contour one of my favorites.
 
So, I had 2 Extreme Weather M70's collecting dust in the safe and decided to give both a big make-over. My builder, Matt, at Ridge Rifles finished the first one (7mm WSM) and fixing to ship it back to me. The other one is a 325 WSM. Both actions were trued and bead blasted. Both were given new Timney's and both will be dressed in new McMillan Game Hunters. The 7wsm has an 8 twist 24" Proof and the 325 wsm has a 10 twist 25" CarbonSix. Would love your thoughts and opinions on these two builds and reasons why you don't see more builds using the M70. Thanks
I like the 70s. I built a 6mm prc on a 70 action. The only draw back is that the action itself is heavier than a 700 or 700 clone. It is a more robust receiver.
 
Why the jackass change? Seriously! What made win change their m70? With a pre '64 I have that was my dad's and 2,500 rounds later it still shoots moa. I borescoped it and the throat looks like southern Arizona pavement on a hot day after a few years. 1 person suggested having win change out the barrel, but win stated they would only if accuracy is over 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 moa (don't remember which) with factory ammo. This pre '64 still shoots better than that on a bad day. If it wasn't for cutting out for the extractor I would build m70's all day!
There it is! Many "gunsmiths" don't want to make the extractor cut, they see it as 'too much trouble", and there are easier actions to fit barrels to. Why did Winchester make the change in design from CRF Pre64 to push feed Post64? Simple answer, money. The CRF costs more to manufacture.
 
There it is! Many "gunsmiths" don't want to make the extractor cut, they see it as 'too much trouble", and there are easier actions to fit barrels to. Why did Winchester make the change in design from CRF Pre64 to push feed Post64? Simple answer, money. The CRF costs more to manufacture.
Yep! Gotta mount the barrel, mark the cut, remove the barrel, make the cut, mount the barrel again and make sure cut is right!
 
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There it is! Many "gunsmiths" don't want to make the extractor cut, they see it as 'too much trouble", and there are easier actions to fit barrels to. Why did Winchester make the change in design from CRF Pre64 to push feed Post64? Simple answer, money. The CRF costs more to manufacture.
Yes and that cost savings wound up costing them more in profits than it would have in manufacturing . That post 64 win gun making in rifles shotguns etc put a bad taste in the mouths of die hard win gun owners .
 

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