The Winchester Model 70

The Model 70, introduced in 1936 is considered the pinnacle of Mauser’s controlled-feed design. It reigned supreme in the market for bolt action for 27 years until an overhaul to cut costs in 1964 tore it off of the top-of-the-line pedestal.

Pre-’64 Model 70s remain the rifle that hunters prefer to use and collectors. After ’64 guns have their own spot, but.

The History

Winchester Model 70, one of the most famous bolt-action guns. The Model 70 from Winchester was designed as a hunting firearm, but soon became extremely popular with hunter and competition shooters. Model 70s are known for their reliability, efficiency of use and durability. Its reputation for quality helped it be the highest-selling bolt-action firearm for many years. The advancement in technology made manufacturing more efficient However, the Model 70’s market share decreased to guns that cost less money and have buywinchester.com similar designs. Winchester introduced a variety of modifications on its Model 70 in 1964 to maintain its competitiveness. The modifications were made in order to increase the value of the Model 70 more affordable while conserving the features that made it so desirable.

The biggest change was the addition of a push feed method. This mechanism removed the ejector that was on the bolt face, replacing it with a short extractor that rode over the extractor groove in the cartridge. The cartridge was able to be held in place and then removed from the bolt’s face without the requirement of the long extractor like Mauser. The flat breech was introduced to provide the bolt handle, which is easier to grip when cycling through the operation.

In an effort to lower cost, other adjustments were made. The original nickel-steel, milled design of the bolt and receiver became a forged chrome-molybdenum version, and the hand-checkered barrels were replaced with the use of pressed checkering, which saved expenses for labor. The bolt lugs were replaced from the screw-in style of the past in lugs to guide ones which ran on a track inside the receiver.

These cost-cutting measures were met with mixed reviews. People generally preferred the pre-war Model 70s and many people thought that those made after 1964 were not in the same level of quality as their predecessors. Certain improvements were made to the Model 70 in an attempt to change this opinion and include the more secure “anti-bind” feature that was included in the left locking lug. This made the bolt go better and it was a pleasant upgrade to a gun previously known for its sloppy actions.

The Design

The Winchester Model 70 bolt-action is the weapon that’s earned the title “The Rifleman’s Rifle.” Although a variety of centrefire rifles are also branded with this title, the status of an sporting weapon is unmatched. From the forests of North America to big-game areas in Alaska and Africa hunter’s have been able to elevate it to the Model 70 to the top of their arsenals.

The Model 70’s success was in large part from its top-of-the-line adjustable trigger. It also benefited by its Mauser model of two-lug extractors that allowed total control over the rifle once it left the magazine, and even after it was completely out of the chamber. Its breech was flat, and its integrated support for cartridges, offered an easier fitting with the barrel’s rim as well as a more smoother operation as compared to other designs.

After World War II, however, Winchester began to see its position erode as new techniques in manufacturing firearms allowed other makers to decrease their production costs. Winchester decided to adopt several steps to save on material as well as labor expenses. In 1964, the famous Model 70 underwent a redesign and a lot of the features had been removed. The cone breech was replaced by one with a flat surface with a built-in cartridge support. The previous hook extractor was removed favor of an ejector plunger. The receiver and bolt that was forged were replaced by milled aluminum alloy.

Not everyone liked the new appearance. In particular, many hunters were unhappy that the new Model 70 no longer featured an adjustable-round push feed. Some hunters were pleased by the smooth surface of the bolt since it did not need to be re-machined in the barrel’s the buywinchester.com breech. Other hunters preferred the steel ring on the top of the cartridge’s casing, which could prevent uncoordinated firing.

To address the concerns of some clients, Winchester reintroduced the controlled-round push feed action in 1992. It also started using synthetic materials of McMillan Bell and Carlson that are less expensive to make than wood, and are more consistent with time.

The Development

The Winchester designers began work to redesign the Model 54 into a lighter and sleeker bolt-action centrefire rifle. It proved to be a success and for decades, this Model 70 dominated the market. The Rifleman’s Rifle was even named. It’s probably one of the most popular rifle with a bolt action. American rifle.

In the years following World War II after the war, however, the Model 70 started to fall in comparison to modern manufacturing and design strategies. It became much more expensive to manufacture as well, and Winchester was in a bind on Model 70 Model 70 as it struggled to be competitive with modern rifles on the market.

The Winchester engineers started by improving their triggers on Model 70. The engineers at Winchester began by improving the trigger on Model 70, as it had been an issue for customers. The override feature of the Model 52 rimfire was adapted to the Model 70. This improved its function since the sear has been separated from trigger assemblies. The trigger is adjustable in terms of pull weight and travel.

A further important modification they did to The Model 70 was to convert it from a controlled-round feeding action to a push-feed action. The new Model 70 is cheaper to manufacture and requires less machining on the barrel and breech.

A few other minor changes were added to the stock and front end to make it easier to use with scopes, which was a significant issue for many hunters at the time. In particular, they lowered the shape of the bolt handle to make it easier for it to stay out of the scope’s ocular lens housing during the cycle of the action. Additionally, the forend was created to be flatter and wider on the bottom, in order to enable it to be positioned over the support shooting hand while firing.

Winchester included new chambering variants for the Model 70 over the years as well as refined and enhanced older models. In the 60s, it was apparent to Winchester that consumers were not happy with the current style, and demanded more original elements and designs. In the following decade, the manufacturer began to add elements that were originally part of the Model 70.

The Production

In its initial years, the Model 70 took the sporting world by storm. It became a favorite choice with hunters throughout all of the United States and beyond, and a number of rifles broke world records in competition shooting. Despite the high quality it had a few shortcomings. Some examples are a insufficient selection of select-grade walnuts and pressed checkering in lieu of checking by hand, as well as a channel that let a large accumulation of twigs as well as grass during firing. The rifle was still a success despite these issues. Some individual year production numbers were greater than the twelve years of total production for the older Model 54.

In 1964, as a response to increased competition from sporting rifles, such as the Remington Model 700 and rising labor costs, Winchester introduced a new model of its Model 70 with a re-designed bolt and several additional modifications. The cone breech from the original design was substituted with an elongated breech. the old milled nickel-steel receiver/bolt style was replaced with the forged chrome-molybdenum alloy unit. As a substitute for the fully-length extractor, the receiver mounted the ejector was removed. An ejector that was smaller and claw extractor were fitted to the bolt face (similar to Weatherby Mark V).

Although these modifications did not create major issues with the shooting performance of the gun However, many shooters were unsatisfied about them. Additionally, it was common for post-1964 Model 70 to bind during loading, or to not eject completely.

The end result was the Model 70 Classic, a improved action that is the basis of today’s Model 70. Winchester modified its Model 70 action in 1992. It was returned to the full-length extractor, as well as an ejector mounted to the receiver of earlier models, as well as the controlled feeding feature.

The production of the Winchester Model 70 continues at the FN/Browning factory in Columbia, South Carolina. Model 70 is manufactured conforming to ISO 9001 standards. Its iconic control-feed design is still in use. The Model 70 comes with a range of designs, allowing it to meet the requirements of target shooters and hunters. These include lightweight barrels as well as sightless models.