Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester Model 70 Super Grade .300 maggie

Here a while back I asked some questions about a Winchester 70 Super Grade, and decided to go ahead and buy it. Got to shoot it twice so far, the first time I tried 165 grain Hornady's and it didn't like that at all, couldn't get them under two inches at 100 yards. Then I tried Winchester Power Point 180's and got three shot groups of 1.3''/1.3''/1.5'', so I'm fairly happy with that. If it hadn't been so blazing hot and I'd had a better bench setup, I might could've gotten it down to 1 moa. The BOSS brake really does cut the recoil, even after many years of not shooting a big centerfire it didn't really bother me at all. I think I'll really like this big solid rifle.

I had an earlier M70 super grade in 300Win, bought it in 1991 shortly after they were introduced. It shot extremely well but only after it was glass bedded.

With 165 grain Hornady flat bases it would cut clover leafs at 100 yards and often go under 1" at 300 yards providing I used IMR4350. In it's case 73-74 grains clocked a flat 3200 fps in the 24" barrel.

That was also the best powder with 180's, 72 grains clocked 3050 with fine accuracy as well. I tried a bunch of powders in it and nothing came close to IMR4350.

I was flipping through a magazine the other day and noticed a Winchester ad that talked about a free floated barrel, i think that's new for the Model 70, is yours free floated?

You should be able to tune the BOSS to find the sweet spot for accuracy. Did yours come with the nonported part for the BOSS too? Even when you hunt with it, I strongly suggest you don't fire it with out hearing protection in the ported mode.
John

Yep, it's free floated all the way to the front edge of the receiver. The bedding is done with some sort of urethane compound I was reading about on Browning's website. On Winchesters website, the recommended starting point with 180 grain bullets on the BOSS brake was 0.2. I shot groups with it set at 0.2, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8. Best groups were at 1.2 so I locked it there and left it. The trigger was pretty heavy as it came, so I tried adjusting it down. The OEM spring was short and heavy, so any time I tried to get it under four and a half pounds, the spring was unloaded from the trigger, mucho unsafely. I dug around in my junk gun parts and found a longer spring of smaller diameter wire, that would keep pressure on the trigger so sear engagement would stay corrrect, but still pull lighter. It breaks at about 2.5 pounds now, much better. I'm used to shooting rimfire rifles with one pound triggers, not cannons with anvil weight pulls! I was flinching like mad for the first two or three groups the first time I shot this rifle because I was afraid of the recoil. I had visions of scope eyebrow and purple shoulder. Didn't happen at all, this rifle kicks less than my 12 gauge double barrel with 1-1/4 ounce loads. The muzzle blast is ferocious though, the first shot I took I had screwdrivers, ammo, binocular case, and spare targets lying on the bench beside the rifle, and it blew them all off on the ground! Fortunately I was alone at the range at Swan Creek wildlife management area, so it wasn't too embarrassing. Winchester sure is loading some stinky burning gunpowder in their ammo, had an acrid ammoniated scent to it, PHEWEE. Now I gotta learn more about deer hunting, fortunately again I have good places like this for advice.

That wasn't the powder you smelled. That was your hair burning.

JimF

NOOOOOOOOOOO! Hey, I don't have much to spare these days! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Really nice rifle. I sold mine and wish I hade it back. My .338 Super Grade is some consolation however.

I have one, a 2000 model, with the decelerator on it. Brand new with box unfired with Leupold rings/bases. Can't decide if I want to shoot it or sell it. Or just look at it, she sure looks perty--2MG

I've seen some Super Grades with eye poping wood, and then some with only ok grade walnut... I didn't have the $ when I saw the oh my gosh grade ones...
John

Yeah, they seem to have gone through a small period of mediocrity there for a while. Most of the ones from the last 10yrs have been above average wood though, and even better it seems recently. Those new RMEF 300wsm's look damn nice IMHO--2MG

Although my 300 is not a supergrade....it's a shotshow limited edition. I like it all the same.