The Winchester Model 70

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

The pre-’64 Model 70s remain the rifle that hunters prefer to use and are coveted by collectors. The firearms that came after the year 64 have their own place, however.

The History

Winchester Model 70, one of the most well-known bolt-action firearms. The Winchester Model 70 was created as a hunting weapon, but it quickly became popular among competition and hunter shooters. It is the Model 70 is known for its precision, simplicity to use, and long-lasting. The Model 70’s quality reputation ensured it was the most popular bolt action rifle throughout its history. As technology for manufacturing increased it was evident that its Model 70 lost market share to cheaper rifles with similar designs. Winchester introduced a variety of adjustments to the Model 70 in 1964 to ensure its continued competitiveness. The changes were made primarily to increase the value of it easier to make the Model 70 more affordable while still retaining the features which had been so popular in the first place.

Particularly notable was the addition of the introduction of “push feed” system. This mechanism removed an ejector on the bolt’s face and replaced it with small extractor, which was positioned over the extractor groove in the cartridge. It allowed the cartridge to be positioned in the magazine and ejected from the bolt face without needing the long extractor like Mauser. Also, the flat breech introduced a brand new handle for bolts that made it easier to hold during the cycle of the action.

Several other changes were also created to cut costs. For labor savings, the original nickel-steel bolt and receiver design was substituted by a forged chrome and molybdenum version. The hand-checkered barrels were changed to checkered barrels that are pressed. Bolt lugs went from screw-in style to guide lugs which ran through the receiver’s tracks.

These cost-saving initiatives were met with mixed opinions. The public largely preferred the pre-WWII Model 70s, while a lot of people believed later-model rifles weren’t as good quality as their predecessors. Certain improvements were made to the Model 70 in an attempt to counter this notion, such as the more secure “anti-bind” feature, which was placed on the left locking the lug. This allowed the bolt to move much more fluidly and is a welcomed enhancement to a firearm that had been notorious for its slow actions.

The Design

Winchester’s Model 70 is the bolt-action firearm that has earned the name “The Rifleman’s rifle.” Though many centerfire rifles have earned this designation but the model 70’s standing in the sporting world is unmatched. Hunters have placed this Model 70 at the top of their list for forests across North America, as well large game zones such as Alaska as well as Africa.

The Model 70’s popularity stemmed largely from the rifle’s superior variable trigger system. The Model 70 also had an advantage due to its Mauser-inspired 2-lug extractor bolt with full control over the rifle from the moment it left its magazine, until the time it was ejected from the chamber. A breech flat with built-in cartridge supports gave a better fit to the barrel’s rim, as well as smoother operation than competitor’s designs.

Its standing began to diminish after World War II as other gun makers cut costs of production using new methods of manufacturing. To reduce the material and labor expenses it took few steps. The famous Model 70 was redesigned in 1964, and some aspects of the original model had been eliminated. The cone breech was replaced by one that was flat and included a cartridge support. Meanwhile, the previous hook extractor was removed in favor of a plunger ejector. The receiver and bolt that was forged https://buywinchester.com/ were replaced by a milled aluminum alloy.

Some were not happy about the change. Some hunters, like they were dissatisfied that Model 70 didn’t have a controlled round push feed. Model 70 did not feature the ability to control round feeds. Many hunters were satisfied by the smooth surface of the bolt that didn’t require to be re-machined in the barrel in the breech. Many preferred the metal ring that was placed around the head of the cartridge’s case that would stop an unsteady firing.

Winchester introduced the controlled-round feed action to alleviate the concerns of some customers in 1992. It also started using synthetic wood from McMillan Bell and Carlson that can be produced at a lower cost than wood and remain stable over time.

The Development

Winchester design team began work on a redesign of the Model 54 to create a modern and sleeker bolt-action rifle. The Model 70 was an instant hit and dominated the market for a long time. The Rifleman’s Rifle was even named. It’s probably one of the most popular rifle with a bolt action. American rifle.

Following World War II, the Model 70 started to fall behind improved manufacturing and design methods. It became increasingly expensive to build, and Winchester was losing its way in the market for the Model 70 as it struggled to keep up with the latest rifles that were available.

The Winchester engineers started by improving the trigger of the Model 70, as it was an issue for customers. The feature that allows override on the Model 52 rimfire was adapted to the Model 70. This improved its function since the sear is now better isolated away from the assembly of triggers. It was variable in terms of the weight of pull and its travel.

Another significant change that they came up with was the change of their controlled-round-feeding system into an actual push feed. This allowed them to reduce the amount of machining that was required on the barrel’s front breech, making the new Model 70 cheaper and easier to build.

The stock and the forend was also altered to be more scope-friendly and compatible with scopes, which was a significant aspect. For instance, they flattened, the profile of bolt handles so that they wouldn’t interfere with the ocular housing of the scope in the course of a cycling operation. Additionally, the forend was created to be more compact and wider at the bottom in order to enable it to be used to support the shooting hand while firing.

Winchester included new chambering variants in Model 70, and added chambering variations to Model 70 over the years as well as refined and enhanced the existing models. In the 60s, it was apparent to Winchester that consumers did not like the new design, and they wanted more original features and designs. The company listened to its customers, and started to incorporate elements of the original Model 70 throughout the next few years.

The Production

The first few years of its existence, Model 70 swept the sports world. It became a favorite choice with hunters throughout the United States and beyond, and a number of rifles achieved world records in competition shooting. Even with the top-quality components however, this rifle was not without shortcomings. There are several examples of this, including a absence of walnut that was select grade, pressed checkering instead of hand-checkering, as well as a barrel channel that was able to allow for an excessive accumulation of twigs and grass after firing. Despite these problems, the rifle sold well as well, with certain year-to-year manufacturing figures far exceeding that of the 12-year production of the previous Model 54.

Winchester released a https://buywinchester.com/ revised version of their Model 70 in 1964. This was to counter the increasing number of sporting rifles such as those made by the Remington Model 700, and the growing cost of labor. The cone breech from the old design was replaced by one with a flat breech. the old milled nickel-steel receiver/bolt layout was replaced with a forged chrome-molybdenum steel unit. To replace the large extractor, the receiver mounted ejector had to be removed. A smaller plunger and claw extractor was installed on the face of the bolt (similar to the Weatherby Mark V).

Although these changes did not cause significant issues to the performance of the rifle However, they weren’t well-liked by most gun owners. Additionally, it was common for post-1964 Model 70 to bind during firing or failing to exit completely.

The result was what was created, the Model 70 Classic, a more refined action which is the base of today’s Model 70. The year 1992 saw Winchester had a second time revised their Model 70 action, returning to a fully-length extractor, a receiver mounted ejector along with the controlled feed feature of the older model.

Production of the Winchester Model 70 continues at the FN/Browning factory complex in Columbia, South Carolina. Model 70 is manufactured conforming to ISO 9001 standards. Its classic control-feed mechanism remains unchanged. They come in a variety of styles that meet the requirements of hunters, competitors, and shooters. They include regular grade, super grade, lightweight barrels, blind, and other.