The Winchester Model 70

It was first introduced in 1936. Model 70 is regarded as the final refinement in Mauser’s control-feed design. It ruled the bolt-action market for 27 years, until a 1964 cost-cutting redesign knocked it off the best-of-the-best pedestal.

Pre-’64 Model 70s remain the rifle that hunters prefer to use and collectors. However, guns made post-’64 have their place as well.

History

It is the Winchester Model 70 is one of the most famous bolt-action rifles that have ever been made. The Winchester Model 70 was created to serve as a hunter rifle, but was quickly popular among competition and hunter shooters. The Model 70 is known for its precision, simplicity of use, and durability. The Model 70’s quality reputation made it the top-selling bolt action firearm throughout its history. The advancement in technology made manufacturing more efficient However, the Model 70’s market share was lost to rifles which were less expensive and with similar styles. When it was 1964, Winchester took the decision to implement a few changes in order to make its Model 70 competitive. The main reason for the changes was to improve it easier to make the Model 70 more affordable while keeping the features that had made it so desirable.

The most notable change was the introduction of the introduction of “push feed” system. The ejector rod was removed from the bolt, and replaced by an extractor that was mounted on top of the cartridge extraction groove buywinchester.com. The cartridge could be put in the magazine, and it was then released by it without the need to use the use of a Mauser kind of extraction. This new breech with a flat surface introduced the bolt handle, which is easy to handle when cycling through the operation.

A variety of other modifications were created to reduce costs. The original milled nickel-steel model of bolts and receivers changed to a forged chrome-molybdenum version, and the hand-checkered barrels were substituted with checked by pressing to reduce the cost of labor. Bolt lugs also went from screw-in style to guide lugs that run through the receiver’s tracks.

The cost-cutting initiatives were received by a mixed reaction. A majority of the public preferred models prior to WWI, while a lot of people believed they were just not as good quality than their pre-war counterparts. There were some improvements made in Model 70 Model 70 in an attempt to alter this view for instance, a more reliable “anti-bind” option that was placed on the left locking lever. This helped the bolt run smoother and was a welcome improvement to a rifle which was notorious for its slow actions.

The look

The Winchester Model 70 bolt-action is the weapon that’s earned the nickname “The Rifleman’s rifle.” Although a variety of centerfire rifles also have this name, its status as a sporting rifle is unparalleled. The hunters have put this Model 70 at the top of the list in forests across North America, as well large game zones such as Alaska and Africa.

Model 70 was a huge hit due to its superior trigger mechanism. It also had an advantage due to its Mauser-inspired two lug extractor bolt design, which exerted full control over the cartridge from the moment it left its magazine, until the time it had been completely eliminated out of the chamber. The breech’s flat design with integrated cartridge supports provided better fit to the barrel’s rim, as well as easier operation than competitors’ designs.

Following World War II, however, Winchester began to see its place diminish as innovative techniques for manufacturing firearms helped other companies to lower their production costs. In order to reduce material as well as labor costs The company took number of steps. In 1964, the famous Model 70 underwent a redesign and many of its features were removed. The cone breech was replaced one that was straight and came with a built-in cart support. The previous hook extractor was removed favor of a plunger ejector. Bolt and receiver forged were substituted by a milled aluminum alloy version.

Many people did not like the new design. For instance, many hunters are unhappy because they couldn’t use the Model 70 did not feature uncontrolled round push feed. Many hunters were satisfied with the flat-surfaced bolt since it did not need to be made again by the barrel the breech. Other hunters preferred the metal ring that was placed buywinchester.com around the head of the cartridge, to prevent erratic firing.

Winchester introduced their controlled-round feed action to alleviate the concerns of certain customers in the year 1992. They also introduced synthetic stocks that included McMillan, Bell and Carlson, that were cheaper to produce than wood, and more consistent with time.

Development

The Winchester designers began work to revamp their Model 54 into a lighter and sleeker bolt-action centrefire rifle. The Model 70 was an instant hit and for many years in the past, the Model 70 dominated the market. The Rifleman’s Rifle was even given the name. It’s probably one of the most popular Bolt-action American rifle.

During the post-war years The Model 70 began to lose its ground due to better design and manufacturing techniques. Winchester had a difficult time with its Model 70 because it was growing more costly to produce.

The initial change Winchester engineers implemented on their Model 70 was to improve the trigger. It has been for a long time a nagging problem for customers. They took their override trigger of their model 52 rimfire Model 52 and fitted it on the Model 70, improving its functionality by better separating the sear from the trigger. They also made their new trigger adjustable to draw weight and the overtravel.

Another important change they introduced in the Model 70 was to convert it from a controlled-round feeding movement to a push-feed operation. The updated Model 70 is cheaper to fabricate and has less work on the barrel’s front Breech.

A few other minor changes were implemented to the barrel and forend to make the rifle more scope friendly, which was a major issue for many hunters at the time. For instance, they flattened the shape of the bolt handle so that it wouldn’t interfere with the ocular housing of the scope while cycling action. The forend was also modified in order to be more spacious and smoother at the bottom, so that it is able to be positioned across the support hand of the shooter while shooting.

Winchester introduced new variations of chambering to its Model 70 over the years, and refined and improved existing ones. In the 1960s it became evident to the company that its customers were not happy with the current style, and demanded more original features and designs. In the following decade, the firm began adding features from the original Model 70.

It’s an Production

In its first years, Model 70 swept the sports world. The Model 70 was extremely popular among many hunters throughout the United States, as well as in the rest of the world. A number of rifles broke records in competition shooting. Although it was of high quality it had a few imperfections. Some examples are a absence of walnut that was select grade the use of pressed checkering as opposed to hand-checkering, and a barrel channel that was able to allow for an excessive accumulation of grass and twigs during firing. Even with these flaws however, the gun was well-loved and some year-to-year production numbers exceeding the 12 year total of the earlier Model 54.

Winchester released a revised version of the Model 70 in 1964. The reason for this was the increasing number of sporting rifles, such as the Remington Model 700, and the cost of labour that was rising. In 1964, the old cone-breech design used in the Model 70 was replaced to a flat-breech model. The old nickel-steel based receiver and bolt unit also gave way for the new molybdenum-forged chrome model. The full-length extractor and receiver mounted ejector of the original design were eliminated, and a smaller claw extractor as well as a plunger ejector situated on the bolt’s face were utilized (similar to those of the Weatherby Mark V).

While these changes did not result in major difficulties with operating the rifle, many shooters were unhappy about them. Also, it was not uncommon for the post-1964 Model 70 to bind during loading or fail to eject completely.

It was this that led to the introduction of the sleeker Model 70 Classic action that forms the foundation of the contemporary Model 70 line. Winchester revised its Model 70 action in 1992. It was back to the full-length extractor and Ejector that was mounted on the receiver from the original model along with the regulated feeding feature.

Winchester Model 70s continue being manufactured by FN/Browning’s facility located in Columbia, South Carolina. Model 70 is manufactured conforming to ISO 9001 standards. Its classic control-feed mechanism remains unchanged. The Model 70 is available with a range of designs, allowing it to meet the requirements for hunters and shooters who target. The models include light barrels and models that are sightless.