Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Another FN M70 reaction

I finally saw my first FN M70 this past weekend. I'm not sure if distribution to CO has been slow or just that I've been avoiding the gun shops due to my own personal economic downturn.

Anyways, it was a 2008 production (engraved floorplate) M70 Featherweight in 270 WCF. The stock wasn't bad, but wasn't good either. Not much figure in the wood and some weird lack of color at the edge of the checkering. Almost like it had been rubbed at these locations and the wood had taken on a paler (white color) hue. The safety did not work very smoothly and seemed to be much tougher to engage than the Classics when new. The safety lever also didn't stay fully engaged when it was fully back, but wanted to spring forward a little. In this condition, it still kept the bolt from opening and the trigger from firing, so it seemed operational. I just didn't like it doing that. It had one peice bottom metal, but I didn't like what I saw when I looked through the stock opening where the trigger passes through. There seemed to be a peice of wire, maybe from a spring that was exposed along the bottom edge of the trigger group. It looked like it was where it should be, so I don't think this was a problem. It just made me think about how easy it might be to get water, ice, what have you, up in there and possibly prevent the trigger from working under adverse conditions. When I dry fired it, the trigger did seem very nice, much better than how the Classics usually came from the factory. The barrel was very thin, thinner than I remember on the Classic FW, but I don't think this is that big a deal, just an observation. The relief of the stock around the barrel was pretty uniform, although a bit more than I would like, but not terrible for a production rifle. However, at the forend tip, the left side of the stock was touching the barrel and I had to put significant force on the tip to move it off the barrel. This told me that the stock was warping and that you might have to remove a significant amount of wood to get it to quit touching the barrel. With a 5% off sale at the closing SW, it was selling for $759.

Anyways, I guess my question to this group is: Does this rifle sound like the rest of the new ones out there or does it sound like this particular rifle just has more issues than most of the new FN M70's out there. I know BobinNH has said his is performing very nicely with very good accuracy. However, I can't remember which model he has. What do you guys think? Based on just this one example, I think if I was going to spend the money, I'd just buy a used Classic with the trigger that I like.

Oh yeah, the SW counter guy told me that this rifle was made in Utah since the factory out in SC couldn't get acceptable quality so they had to have the action barreled out in Utah. I hadn't heard of this previously, so I thought the guy must be highly uninformed, but maybe not? Any truth to this?

Test

All the latest M70s I have seen have "Morgan, Utah" stamped on the barrel. I don't know what this means. Were the guns made in Utah, or in SC? Maybe just the barrels were made in Utah?

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I've handled 8 new FN 70's.

Wood, metal, finish, function were excellent.

I'm impressed with them. Better than ever.

i've handled 3 of the new featherweights. looked outstanding to my eyes. i prefer a 24" barrel and a few other things, so i'm waiting for the super grades to make their appearance.

i thought they were all being made in south carolina, but things change. it really doesn't matter to me where they are made, as i would think the quality control, particularly on the sg, would not be an issue. we'll see.

Not to start a rumor or a fight or anything else, but if the barrels are stamped Morgan Utah, it makes me wonder if they are actually made in Japan and shipped there. I wouldn't care, given the accuracy of my new x-bolt.

The 2 M70 FWT's I handled both were nice. The wood to metal fit was impressive and the bluing was nice and even. None of the visable parts looked over polished like I see on so many factory guns. As far as the wood goes I thought the 2 I looked at had nice figure, one was much better than the other but hey, that's wood. I thumbed the safety and trigger on one and liked it.

All in all I was very impressed with the new M70's. I thought it was a fine factory gun.

Terry

hey Test1328 I picked up the same rifle and the stock was not that great and it did seem a little warped. I did not notice the wire but I could have missed it.That rifle seems to be a one off because the other 2(270 and 3006) that I have seen in town had some nice wood and seem to be fitted well in the stock.

For what it is worth, I just got a new Model 70 Sporter in 270 wsm. It's color and quality and fit seem excellent. I wish I was going to keep it. (Need to downsize)

It is listed in the classifieds...(shameless plug)

COelkhunter,

Glad to know I wasn't the only one who noticed this. I was hoping to be very impressed with the new M70s, but was not with this example. However, it sounds like this might have been one that was sub-par. Where have you seen the other M70's in town?

Yeah, there were sure a lot of people in that SW looking for deals. I didn't really find any myself. Heard today that SW filed for bankruptcy, so we might not have any of these stores around much longer.

Test

I just got a new featherweight dlx 300 win mag the wood is beautiful and its seem to be really well made.I didn't got a change to shoot it yet cause the range is close because there is to much snow around here.But I'll keep you update as soon as I try it

Test: I have seen a good many of them now,and have seen some of the problems,and potential flaws you discussse,like the warping forend(pretty slight in the one's I have looked at. Some ARE worse than others and I just "waited until I found one pretty dead center in the wood,and bought it.

Mine is the engraved floorplate,2008 Model.

I have not experiemced the problem with the safety you discuss. Yes, the safety is "harder to operate,but I think that is a function of breaking it in.OTOH,it seems more "positive" to me than the Classics which could be "mushy",and on some,you could barely see the firing pin being cammed back.

I have noticed the spring on the trigger as well.....I really don't know what to say about the trigger grouping, except that only time and hunting will tell how reliable it turns out to be.
BUT, it is very shootable out of the box,crisp,and not heavy ,without any creep,or overtravel.

Accuracy-wise,mine continues to impress.A few days ago,it put 3 130 Swift Aframes and 60.5 H4831 under an inch...then I switched to 130 Sierra's and 61 -H4831,and it shot three of those into a half inch.This is with a 4X Conquest.I have 100 rounds on the bench being loaded. I will get it to 300-400 yards ASAP.

Like anything else, I don't expect perfection for the cost of the rifle,but will say mine is pretty darn good.If it continues to "behave" it may go to BC in September for elk and mule deer with the 130 Swift Aframe.....we will see.

Test1328,
The SW in Thornton had one and the Gander in Thornton had a couple. I also just heard the SW filed Chapter 11 from one of there employee's today. I also didn't find any real deals at the Aurora store as well.

My cousin just bought a FW in 270 Winchester and we went to the range yesterday. He mounted a VX-II 3-9 on it and punched 3/4" group with federal softpoints, 3/4" with remington core-locts and an amazing 1/4" with Hornady BTSP interlock. His gun looks real clean with a nice piece of wood but winchester could improve on the bluing.

I am thinking these BACO model 70's are distributed by Browning Arms Company, and they usually put that "Morgan Utah" on their products.

I have not yet had an opportunity to handle one. From the photos I have seen the new stocks in no way are close to the colors used in the pre '64 versions, but photos can be tricky regarding color. When you have them in your hands does the wood appear as
sort of a light strawberry blonde?

I think that would be a good description of the appearance of the wood.

The .270 that I handled today at Gander had the BACO - Morgan, Utah on it. I am not sure how I would describe the color of the wood. It is definitely different than the previous stocks.

Guys: I just got back from the 300 yard line. My wood is straight grained, light colored,not terribly attractive,just "plain". But the rifle just drilled a 3 shot group of about 3" from a field prone position,and the rifle has not shifted at all since I zeroed it.Load was 61 H4831-130 Sierra,and it shoots better than me.

I don't know if it's made in Utah or SC,and don't care because it is proving to be a consistently reliable rifle,accurate and easy to shoot.....sorta "push button".

Thought I'd let you know.....

We won't talk about the 7mmDakota with 120 gr TTSX...whew!!

Jeez, the "Morgan Utah" logo just means that's where they are based (Browning). jorge

jorge: That's what I thought...