Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters pre 64' model 70 accuracy

I would agree with reelman. Unless it is really beat I would keep as is. One thing not commopnly known today is the use of the foreend screw. Jack OConner One wrote something to this effect, that this was a bedding devise that could exert more or less pressure on the barrel depending on the snugness. His advise was to check accuracy at varing degress of snugness. I have tried it and it works. I have been shooting Pre 64s since 1961 and have never had one that with a little load fiddling that would not shoot one inch or less. Initially I tried the bed and free float routine trying for perfection. They seldom shot any better, but i sure did destroy any collector value.

Well, your sticking your neck out when you predict the accuracy of any rifle, as some will shoot well and others will not..but my experience with a pre 64 Mod. 70 and I have literally owned hundreds of them over the years and don't recall but one bad one that I had when I was about 13 years old, and it shot 4 inch groups on average, and I killed a ton of deer with it, some at very long range. come to think of it maybe the 4 inch groups were caused by the loose nut behind the recoil pad.

Most can use a little tweeking in the bedding has been my experience, but then that could apply to all rifles.

Hello,

My only M70 Pre-64 is a .375 H&H made in 1953. I bought it from a Southafrican who came to Patagonia for a few years and left the rifle, sold to me, with Weaver bases and two yellow boxes of Winchester 300 grs Silvertips. From the begining, shooting the rifle with cold barrel, the first shoot went high, around 2 to 3 inches. Once dismounted the rifle I see two cracks: one behind the first stop of the stock forward of the magazine opening and the other in the little bridge in front of the trigger opening. Studying the situation I realized that there was a light of around 1 mm between the front stop of the action and the wood! I fill the gap with several metal sheets until the contact was firm. And I put two cross bolts throught the front and rear cracks. And all went right! The first shoot throught a cold barrel was in the same group as the followings 2 or 4 shoots! The rifle is a 1 to 1,5", depending of the sooter, me, with all bullets, from 235 Speer and Barnes X to 300 grs Nosler P, Sierra and Hornady. I have absolute confidence in my .375 H&H Winchester Pre-64.

Regards

PH

Patagonia, I have yet to see a Pre-64 375 H&H that has been shot that does not have it's stock cracked between the trigger and magazine!

Generally, yes but I like the 60's guns just fine...reason is I am not a collector; I hunt with mine,they work just great and shoot very well,and can be had somewhat cheaper.So I don't ever hesitate to buy one and use it to hunt

Here is my main dislike of of 1959 and later M70's. I absolutely hate that oversize, drilled sear hole. I much prefer the nice broach cut sear opening on 1958 and earlier.

It requires about 26 inch pounds of torque.

Shameless, I suspect you may be correct.But I have had some that shot splendidly with the front screw completely removed.

sbr:Earlier actions were likely more nicely made and there is nothing like a fine pre war IMHO....not that I don't appreciate the finer points of the variations in their construction(I can sit and just read Rule's book for shear entertainmnet).But my primary interest in them is as hunting rifles, so I sorta look past these types of issues for my purposes.

Bob, I agree with you on the Pre-Wars being much nicer but for a hunting rifle the problem is they are not easilly scoped. But there is an option - the Transition Era M70's made from 47-49, all the quality of the Pre-War but D&T'd and the bolt is bent for scope mounting. And they still retain the great looking IMHO cloverleaf rear tang!

reelman agreed......I saw one the other day,5 digits in 30/06 and about passed out..I just knew it would shoot,even with the Lyman48 on board.

But I cannot bring myself any longer to touch a prewar or alter it in any material way to make it better for hunting from a modern perspective....they are now paragons of the past just as they came from the factory and it is high treason to mess with them

I heard recently of some Philistine who insists on pre war actions to build Tactical rifles.......few things are more uncouth.

I dearly love my P/64's,but can't temp myself with another pre-war.All of mine are hunted with,early 50's for the most part and I don't and have not had a need to do any tricks to them.Find a load and go huntin'..take care of them..enjoy

There are guns that have been built,post-war,with a lot of pride and care. From the late 40's and 50's,the Winchesters,Brno's,Mannlichers and even Weatherbys are the finest factory rifles ever built,then the 60's came and brought us the Sako's.Over the years,I've owned over 40 P/64 70's,and never had one that didn't shoot and feed,I'm down to 10,after trading up for condition,what's in the safe now are the keepers for the grandkids to sort out....

Hi reelman,

I was surprised by the wide gap between the action lug and the stock. Both vertical and horizontal! I think this is the main cause of the cracking.

Regards

PH

No doubt at all,but if you do torque the front stock screw,26 inch lbs.are about as tight as you should go.

I've shot M70's with the barrel screw in and out and haven't noticed much of a difference in groups. My 300H&H shoots like a champ without the screw in.

I have had a few pre 64's and unlike most people on this thread have not found them to be exceptionally accurate. Although I have not experimented with their bedding which most probably would have improved their accuracy. The worst was a pre 64 .264 mag. I had it rebarreled with a shilen chrome moly barrel in 7 RM and it shot well, although I sold it to a guy who wanted it more than I did.

I have kept two push feed 70's that have great accuracy, as good as my M700's or Tikka lite.

I have used pre-64 M 70s for going on 45 years now and presently own 5 ...264 Westerner, 270 Featherweight, 30-06 standard, 338 Alaskan and 375 standard...I use these classics for what they were designed for ..hunting......and have carried these classics all over North America.. I load max loads and all 5 will shoot a minimum of 1- 1 1/2 inches...which works fine for me..all 5 are Winchester originals nothing has been done to alter them...of the pre 64s I have owned the only one I was disappointed with was the 264 Featherweight...the 358 Featherweight is one I wish I had back...

OU: I don't understand how you killed all those bears with those old rifles.....

Never ever had a problem with mine(pre '64 270 Win) right out of the box..It shoots better than I do with a 50's Weaver scope.

Jayco

yep Bob...those ol' Winchester have killed 19 NA bears...that ol' 375 has taken it's share with 15......I have always used an
off the wall bullet called Bitterroot...seems to work just fine in the old rifles...