Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester Model 70 06 question

That's been my "go to" for a while. Shooting good old 165gr interlock.

My EW .308 is accurate and runs very smooth. Good trigger too, though I prefer the old one’s simplicity. Very nicely finished. My sons each had SS Classic .270s that were lesser rifles, with poorly fitted Tupperware®️ stocks. Luck of the draw I suppose.

I also don’t care about where they’re made, as long as they’re well made. Been shooting Brownings from Belgium, then Japan, all my life, with zero complaints. Not sure where the actions are manufactured now, but the stock on my .308 is American, the barrel a Spanish Bergara.

Don’t own any, but I think the 700 might be the most popular hunting rifle, .30/06 or not. My favorites are 98s, but mostly I carry lighter rifles now, chambered for smaller cartridges.

Shade tree, I’m in your camp. I’ve owned several Win model 70’s, the first was a Win M70 Western in 30/06. Didn’t keep it too long as it was heavy and had a long barrel. Found my favorite, 1984 M-70 Carbine push feed in 30/06. Perfect for my type hunting, climbing stand and slowww stalking. Got a second one for my youngest son. The 20” barrel is about perfect and the rifle just suits me. It’s my go to rifle. I love the 30/06 having grown up with the caliber. Was a recon scout way back when we still used M-14s and 30 caliber Browning machine guns. Settled on handloads 4350powder -57 grains and 165 grain bullets. Something about blue steel ,walnut and simplicity of design. A classic like my other rifle, Ruger M-77 RSI in 308 ( didn’t make it in 30/06). The only fault is it’s a flamethrower in lowlight conditions.

Sure thing Carrollco. That's my exact load also with 165 gr bullets. Also like the old load of 52 gr's IMR 4064 with 150's, and I often use 56.2 of IMR 4350 with 180's. That M70 likes them all. All generic loads and there's powders and loads that will get more out of an -06 but they all work.

I like lots of cartridges but it would be hard for me to give up having a good 30-06 around. It's a do all cartridge that's an easy button in rifles that shoot. I believe I'm currently at 5. A little ridiculous really, but such is the life of a rifle looney.

I just have the one now, an FN with a Lyman 57 I lucked into on GI. Made the year I was born, so I couldn’t resist. Nice stock, but short and uncheckered, so I use a slip-on pad. I load 150gr NPs, which I’m well supplied with, over 46gr of H4895, my standard ‘06 load for some time. Used to load 165gr Sierra HPs over 56.5gr of I4350, but that bullet grinds your burger for you……

'USRAC' > .300 Winchester Magnum "Tried and Tested": 'None better' > Long Distance.

Long distance sure but most game is shot under 200 yards. Not comparing but just the question itself; an image of the American hunter toting a rifle. I suggest it is a M70 in 06 guise.

I picked up a left hand model 70 30-06 for what would be considered a good price a couple years ago ($750). I found an old box of Winchester 180 grain silver tip bullets and loaded them up. It took me a couple years to big game hunt but this year I shot my first mule deer in 38 years (actually two). I alway kind of resisted the 30-06 as a kid because everybody had one. But I gotta say I really-really like the rifle and cartridge combo. I just wish I could find another left hand Model 70 for that price

Good price indeed! Mine is smooth as a jeweled ruby.

If you ask professional hunters in various countries about what to bring hunting, you are going to hear 30-06 in a bolt action. And 9 times out of 10 they are talking about a controlled feed bolt action, Mauser or Pre 64 style 70, including the 70 Classic. They are not usually big fans of push feed guns.

I once had a Mod 70 Super Express (African), 375 H&H that did not want to feed right. I sent it off to now long deceased Gary Stiles. He said something wasn't done right at the factory, he welded something up in there, ha, bedded the rifle/floated, adjusted trigger to 3#. When I got it back, it fed so slick/easy and smooth that I often had to check it and see if it fed at all! He was a fine man and a great gunsmith. He also did my first rebarrel job, back around '94. I had a Mod 70 FWT PF in 7x57 that just was not a shooter. He put a blued Match Grade #3 Douglas (even matched the blue action!) 30-06 23" on it. Bedded it right/floated, adjusted trigger down to 2 1/2#. It shot the Hornady Light Magnum 180SP 2910fps. That's old 300 H&H factory speeds. Shot my first cow elk with it too. ( It later shot the Federal High Energy 180 NP at 2970fps! I gave that rifle and 100rds of that ammo to a Missionary friend of mine in South Africa. He has killed gobs of PG, including Cape Eland! I have always liked the Classic Featherweights, has a more open wrist for my big hands, slim/trim, like a good stalking rifle! I love many makes of rifles, but the FWT is my favorite Mod 70. The Classic Sporters are fine rifles too. I even had a beautiful Super Grade 30-06 one time that was too pretty to hunt with ( and too heavy!) just gorgeous.

Thanks for the mention. Gary was a close friend. R.I.P. He was a great gunsmith and made lots of beautiful guns; a member of the American Custom Gunsmiths Guild.

The 30-06 and Model 70 are peas and carrots. The 30-06 is the Every Man's Elk Cartridge, and even more so in a Model 70. Can't see the necessity for that much power on whitetail, but there's no law against it either (other than good manners lol).

Can't argue with any of that.

But in regards to whitetail it also behaves very well tamed down. My whitetail load this yr was 48 gr's of H4895 with a 150. Peach of a load....easy on brass, rifle, and shoulder, and accurate with consistency. Runs around 2825 IIRC in a 22" barrel.

As has been said a few times above. “The Rifleman’s Rifle.” True for me, and others. But then we grew up reading Jack O’Conner. To have one meant you were part of the club. The early Remington 700’s are also a Classic Rifle to me. The early Remington Mountain Rifle is a hard one to beat in looks and feel.

Today’s younger shooters and hunters have grown up with Stainless Steel and black plastic. There’s nothing wrong with that.

However, if you give me the choice of a ‘69 SS Camaro with a 396, or a Subaru WRX, I’m going with the 1969 Camaro. Both are pretty nice, but one is an American classic.

Speaking for myself, yes, my M-70 Classic Super Grade New Haven made .30-06 is my favorite. I do have and also use a Remington M-700 SPS and a Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan in other calibers for other special purposes, but there is just something special about the "Rifleman's Rifle". Like a Peterbilt truck, it just oozes class.

Might want to edit that to Cerakote and black plastic. SS is getting harder to find as gunmakers trim back to save money. Still a few here and there.

Tough luck for them. I'll bring a push feed

Yeah, I wonder for those who have experience with em, what they think of say a Tikka/Sako rifle.


On the topic of the Winchester 70 and 30-06, had a 2005-6 ish made Classic in 30-06. Sold it to my best friend after owning it for years. Cause I'm a dumb [bleep]. I dunno that one just seemed perfect out of the box. It was replaced eventually with a pre-64 but I still miss it

My complaint is the straight stock. I much prefer the general layout of the featherweight Classic stocks.