Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Experiences with a winchester model 70 XTR Featherweight

I would like to know if you have a winchester model 70 XTR featherweight

How do they perform?
bad experiences?
good experiences?
reliability?
Grupings?
anything that makes it unique and different from other rifles

I had one in 270 that performed, and was as reliable as my present std M70s. It did look prettier though with its deeper blue and nicer wood.

I've had several. One 270 was exceptional, it's one I really regret trading. All have shot well and been trouble free.

I've got a .223 that can do 1/2" groups if you do your part, heats up quick but it's a shooter.

Are you asking about the new Feather Weights or a older model. The new models have been getting pretty good reviews.

XTRs are older models -- early 70s vintage. Nothing like the sad imitations that followed.

1B

Thanks 1B I didn't catch that.

that would be early '80's vintage, would it not?

I suppose so, but I do think the XTR began in the 70's. I' pretty sure.. well I'm certain of it. How far it carried into the 80's I'm not sure but when I think XTR I think 70's

I think you are correct about the XTR's but pretty sure the FWT was intorduced in 1980.

WELL I HAVE ONE THAT WAS MADE IN 1982
I WILL POST SOME PICTURES LATER ON
I HAVENT SHOT IT YET ITS CHAMBERED IN 243. WIN
I WAS ASKING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT

I bought the first one I could get my mitts on in 1980, and it was a .243.....It shot well enough to keep and put 4500 rounds through before selling it in 1996. Lots of deer, antelope, a couple elk and a pile of varmints later. Have owned many since and actually prefer that vintage. My all time favorite rifle is one of those in 7x57
Expect good things from your rifle.
Ingwe

what groupings did you get at 100 yards?
what ammo?

I settled on a load of a 100 gr. Hornady Interlock with 39.0 gr. of 4350 IIRC
For varmints I used a variety...tried all sorts of things...
The main load could have a 100 gr. Nosler Partition substituted for the Hornady, and still hit in the same place!Performance differences-even on elk- between the two bullets were indistinguishable. Groups were routinely under an inch... a joy to carry and use!
Love to have it back and run some 85 gr.TSXs through it!
Ingwe

how do the tsx's do in this rifle?
i live in california and i wil be shoothing the tsx since now we have a lead free law
groupings u get in the tsx
i bought some loaded by federal

FTWs were also made in the pre-64 Model 70s and, IIRC, in the immediate post-64 era but that line became the object of scorn. Winchester impoved the line @ 1970 when they introduced the XTRs.

Mine is an early FTW that I got cheap as it had a barrel all corroded by corrosive primers. It is now a custom 7x57 in a Mickie stock with a Krieger barrel. Even nicer than before but costly as hell.

1B

Several.

Nicely
Not yet..
All, to date.
Like the sun rising...
Usually quite good, overall.
Hey, it's a Winchester...

I love the design, the stocks, the 3-pos. safety, the owner-friendly trigger etc..

Sounds like you have an awesome rifle now, in an excellent chambering too.
The more I shoot my 7x57's, the more I appreciate them...

[How do they perform?] - Excellently, in every respect.

[bad experiences?] - This one was found cheap because it was grossly inaccurate due to a botched glas-bedding job, which I had to refit, to correct.

[good experiences?] - Satisyingly small groups w/factory Norma ammo since refitting, and one-shot bags on game since.

[reliability?] - Stone.

[Grupings?]- 6" + @ 100yds B4 fix; 3/4"-1" @ 100yds after - both with Norma 156gr factory ammo (6.5x55).

[anything that makes it unique and different from other rifles] - This 1997 Mod 70FW-XTR Classic is argueably the best-looking factory bolt-action rifle ever made.

.

I never shot the TSXs in my .243 Fwt but I switched to them exclusively in my 7x57
I always shot Noslers in it before and got consistent 1' groups. Mule Deer ( on this forum) gave me some TSXs to try, and groups immediately shrunk to 3/4 and at times...better. I shoot the 160s so they work on everything. Ive posted this pic before...but here goes

Ingwe