Winchester Model 70 Accuracy Issues - Help Needed

ndczerwinski

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Dec 31, 2017
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I have a newer Model 70 Extreme Wether SS that I bought new last year that I am having accuracy issues with. I have already done the following work to it.

-New Timney Trigger installed
-Had gun smith glass bed the action
-Had gun smith recrown barrel

The gun will shoot Winchester 180 gr Ballistic silver tips at 1 MOA at 100 yards. All other ammo shoots terrible. It seems to throw all other bullets about 6" low. I am also having problems getting the gun to hold its accuracy at longer ranges.

I have tried the following ammo without success. I am talking 4" or larger groups at 100 yds that are 6" below my zero with the above mentioned ammo.

-Hornady Precision Hunter - 200 gr ELDX
-Federal - 180 gr Trophy Tip Bonded
-Winchester - 190 gr ABLR
-Nosler Trophy Grade - 190 ABLR
-Federal - 200 gr Edge TLR

Also with my scope zeroed for the 180 gr Ballistic Silver Tips I have about half a turn left on my knob for elevation adjustment. The scope is a Swarovski Z8i 2-16x50mm and it is mounted with Talley lightweight aluminum rings. Everything torqued to factory specs for rings and scope and the rings were lapped. I have the scope mounted as close to the bore as I can while still clearing the ocular with the bolt handle.

I am looking for advice on what I should do. This is the first Winchester I have owned that is not a shooter. I am wondering if there are any other measures I should take short of re-barrelling or selling the gun and starting over. Hand loading is not an option for me right now because I do not have the time for it.

Thanks for any constructive advice.
 
Had a gun do the very same thing. I'd measure the freebore. If your bullet is jumping a ton, mostly likely accuracy will suffer greatly.
Try Barnes bullets and see if it makes a difference.
In my case, handload the bullets long, made all the difference. Good luck.
 
I have a newer Model 70 Extreme Wether SS that I bought new last year that I am having accuracy issues with. I have already done the following work to it.

-New Timney Trigger installed
-Had gun smith glass bed the action
-Had gun smith recrown barrel

The gun will shoot Winchester 180 gr Ballistic silver tips at 1 MOA at 100 yards. All other ammo shoots terrible. It seems to throw all other bullets about 6" low. I am also having problems getting the gun to hold its accuracy at longer ranges.

I have tried the following ammo without success. I am talking 4" or larger groups at 100 yds that are 6" below my zero with the above mentioned ammo.

-Hornady Precision Hunter - 200 gr ELDX
-Federal - 180 gr Trophy Tip Bonded
-Winchester - 190 gr ABLR
-Nosler Trophy Grade - 190 ABLR
-Federal - 200 gr Edge TLR

Also with my scope zeroed for the 180 gr Ballistic Silver Tips I have about half a turn left on my knob for elevation adjustment. The scope is a Swarovski Z8i 2-16x50mm and it is mounted with Talley lightweight aluminum rings. Everything torqued to factory specs for rings and scope and the rings were lapped. I have the scope mounted as close to the bore as I can while still clearing the ocular with the bolt handle.

I am looking for advice on what I should do. This is the first Winchester I have owned that is not a shooter. I am wondering if there are any other measures I should take short of re-barrelling or selling the gun and starting over. Hand loading is not an option for me right now because I do not have the time for it.

Thanks for any constructive advice.
If you get a Winchester model 70 that doesn't shoot use it for a tent stake. I have had 2 that didn't shoot, one of which has been rebarreled 3x by 2 different smiths and still is a nightmare. Only wish I had trashed it before getting so wrapped up in it.
 
My M70 XTR 338 Win Mag has the same mods but I also had a muzzle brake added. It only likes Remington 225 gr PSP Core-Lokt. I've tried just about every commercial ammo out there. I thought it might be the brake but it is starting to look like an M70 problem.
IMG_2469_zpszknmokdl.jpg
 
I have a few model 70's. Each one of them shoots just fine.....




......if I load the bullet so far out of the case that I can no longer use the magazine. To be fair, I have some remingtons with the exact same issue.
 
I have only bought one Winchester model 70 (used) that wouldn't shoot under 1 moa and it was a 300wsm from the ct plant . I sent it to hill country rifles in Texas and it was the best 595.00 I could spend . The rifle came back shooting .217 and I'm not sure what was wrong with it . Good luck
 
Is the scope touching the barrel? Are you sure the scope is in good working order? The other thing that gives me pause is that you stated you lapped the rings. I have seen lapped rings that will not hold the scope. I don't think there is a single ring manufacture that is ok with you lapping their rings. Also check all the action and scope screws to make sure they are torqued to spec.

I still think you have an optics issue with the statement that you only have half a turn left on the elevation turret.

Good luck.

Steve
 
Try 155 to 168 gr bullets. I have a newer m70 ultimate shadow 1in12 twist first tried 178 eldx factory an168 fgmm neither would shoot. Tried 155 a max, the new 155 Browning stuff and 168 a max. Shoots all 3 lights out. Although I was hoping to run the heavier bullets
 
Is the scope touching the barrel? Are you sure the scope is in good working order? The other thing that gives me pause is that you stated you lapped the rings. I have seen lapped rings that will not hold the scope. I don't think there is a single ring manufacture that is ok with you lapping their rings. Also check all the action and scope screws to make sure they are torqued to spec.

I still think you have an optics issue with the statement that you only have half a turn left on the elevation turret.

Good luck.

Steve
The Scope is definitely not touching the barrel. Its a brand new Z8i, so I would hope there is no mechanical issues. For whatever reason all ammo other than the Ballistic Silvertip seems to fly low, so I am not surprised that I am running out of adjustment. The rings are Talley LW alloy mounts. Talley doesn't have a problem lapping horizontally split rings. I have been debating remounting the scope with a rail to see if the mounting really was the problem, but I am hesitant to stick another $250 in rail and rings into the gun.
 
Try 155 to 168 gr bullets. I have a newer m70 ultimate shadow 1in12 twist first tried 178 eldx factory an168 fgmm neither would shoot. Tried 155 a max, the new 155 Browning stuff and 168 a max. Shoots all 3 lights out. Although I was hoping to run the heavier bullets

Is it a 300 win mag? That twist seems a bit slow for 300 win mag?
 
What twist rate do you have? Steve at Hammer enlitend me on that awhile ago. My 300 rum is a 12 and it only shoots short 180s. He said I should use his 155 and it would be a laser to 500.
 
What twist rate do you have? Steve at Hammer enlitend me on that awhile ago. My 300 rum is a 12 and it only shoots short 180s. He said I should use his 155 and it would be a laser to 500.

1 in 10 which should be good to about 200 or so based on my research.
 
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