Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sad Day for Winchester Model 70 fans

pennies on the dollar wages are being paid. The workers live in cramped dormitory style housing, eat in large cafeterias and where thousands more are waiting at the "gates" to get a job?

That sounds like part of Obama's economic recovery plan.

They gonna put it to alla them South Carolina Union guys...

It could weigh 20 lbs. and most everything else would still be in second place...

Had a Browning BAR that was made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal. Was very well done and accurate.

Picked up a NIB South Carolina made Model 70 Featherweight in 243 recently. Stamped "Made In USA" on the receiver.

Bluing is decent, wood to metal fit is outstanding and it is showing promise in the accuracy department.

What I don't like is the very poor finish on the very straight grained stock. And the pressed checkering is shallow with rounded points. Also, the "jeweled bolt" is pathetic. It is so faint that it looks to be printed and not actually turned and it is jeweled only on the top of the bolt.

Are these issues common with the South Carolina rigs?

Maybe by moving to Portugal Winchester will be able to afford to spend more time and money on finish details.

Maybe by moving to Portugal Winchester will be prevented from selling us "imported" firearms.

They definitely have faint-looking jeweling compared to the NH models. Overall, though, I am all about these FN Model 70 FW's right now. For the price, and comparing them to other factory rifles in their peer group, I just think they are well put-together hunting rifles.

I've got a .257 bob and a 7x57. There is a pretty distinct difference between the two. The 7x57 has more distinct jeweling AND a much fancier stock. The rifles were purchased within months of each other.

Got that right. Mine weighs 8 pounds "all up". One of my lightest rifles too. I'm in total agreement with Bob and bearstalker. My '56 fwt '06 shoots like this:



With an old rifle like this, I see no need to own a newer FN model 70...

Never saw a pre-64 worth having... The new rifles are very nice; better in every way.

**HA!**

Yup now the feds can "regulate" imports

By that, I assume that you've never owned, shot, nor hunted with,a pre 64 of any type.....not even one......since you seem to have arrived at this conclusion based on no experience,and simply having looked at them..

So I am curious how you would know that a pre 64 is not worth owning....or that the new rifles are better in every way....which ways would those be

Interesting way to arrive at a conclusion like this without the benefit of any experience....but that thought process is not unusual on the Internet.

[quote=BobinNH

Interesting way to arrive at a conclusion like this without the benefit of any experience....but that thought process is not unusual on the Internet.

[/quote]


ZAP, WHAP,DONE!!!!!

Guess I won't argue with this feisty legal type, but, I gotta say and no offence to you, Gary, THAT is SO true and I have experienced many times.

It seems that, especially on sites concerned with guns, hunting or outdoors activites such as backpacking, the above is demonstrated so often and in such obvious terms. Some sites, are SO full of this than just reading them can be almost painful, however, I guess that this is "freedom of speech".....

Aside from a few gun loonies that congregate here and a few other places, the vast majority do not care where their firearm was made, nor what it looks like. I found out years ago ( jockeying nicer firearms to help pay cash as we went, for three daughters college education) that a lot of folks traded guns seasonally. Typical bubba bought a rifle or shotgun for fall, depending on deer or birds as a primary interest, traded for a varminter for spring, then a handgun for summer, then next year do it all over. Variables would be for deer in the fall, scatter gun for spring turkey. His wife stayed off his arse, if he had just one gun-at a time.

Quality. Remington is the poster child. Their 870 express is a classic example. It is made but not finished. That doesn't seem to bother today's buyer. My SIL recently asked me to find him a nice 20 gauge pump, like the 12 that I keep at his ranch. I pretty much turned the DFW market upside down looking for a new 870 with the nice finish. What I found out was that I got weird looks for asking for such a thing. Cost was a +$350 above the ugly one. They would order one if I paid up front. We finally found a nice used one for less than $200 OTD at a friendly pawn shop. The shop keeper said that the ugly one' s pricing had killed the value of the nicer ones, as they were the same to most younger buyers.

I think the Glock is a classic example also. Ugly as hell, but they work!

Where it was made doesn't matter, cost does. Go into any Dicks, Walmart, Academy, or whatever is comparable in you neighborhood. Look at the products. I recently received a couple of gift cards from Academy. Needed a solid scope, not expensive, for a .22. Neither of the two on my side of town had a selection that suited my wants. One had a Conquest. Neither had even one Leupold VX-1, rim fire or otherwise. What they had was one low end Bushnell and dozens of other Chinese junkers. I finally used the cards for exercise and fishing attire, all made elsewhere.

I lament the passing of pre '64, and even the Belgium Brownings, but I have my share and maybe part of yours. Evaluate what is on your want list. Is it a nicely finished firearm, or do you covet a Kimber in a black stock. I know that it takes a while to get a Cooper (how many order wood?) and it takes forever to get a Shiloh, but in the grand scheme of things, these are small shops. May they continue to prosper. Jack

I feel like the odd man out at the rifle range theses days. Not too many other guys there with wood-stocked bolt actions.

Bob - I truly believe your assumptions to be spot on..

I agree. Bob has a nack for cutting thru the all too common internet BS and seeing through the fog of ignornace.

DF

lawdy mercy, I'd love to have a decent shooter-grade pre-64 Fwt ... .308, .30-06, even .270 ... whatever, I'd make it work.

http://beforeitsnews.com/international/2013/04/obama-signs-firearm-and-ammo-killswitch-2456326.html

"President Obama has side-stepped Congress by implementing portions of the UN Small Arms Trade Treaty through an executive order which can be used to ban the import of all firearms, ammunition and related supplies and accessories."

ZAP, WHAP,DONE!!!!!

Guess I won't argue with this feisty legal type, but, I gotta say and no offence to you, Gary, THAT is SO true and I have experienced many times.

It seems that, especially on sites concerned with guns, hunting or outdoors activites such as backpacking, the above is demonstrated so often and in such obvious terms. Some sites, are SO full of this than just reading them can be almost painful, however, I guess that this is "freedom of speech"..... [/quote=kutenay]


Yes, Gary has the freedom to speak out his azz if so inclined...