Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles winchester extreme weather serial number?

Looking at an extreme weather in 300 wsm. Serial number starts with 35AMN. Is that an fn manufactured serial number? Would $800 be a good deal for one in excellent condition?

Thanks,
Mike

ms, am not positive, but would guess it is an FN #. My FN Fwt. starts with 35 and 3 letters (czy). I believe before BACO started producing, it was a G prefix. And in excellent condition I would think that is a very good price. They run $1100 and change in my neck of the woods IF you can find one. Last one I saw in a shop was on Memorial Day this year in Tampa and if I remember, it was about $1170.
John

Thanks John. I'm torn between this rifle and a tikka t3.

I agree with John843. It should be an FN made rifle. My EW starts with 35AMP. I'd say that is a good buy and would certainly buy it myself for that price if it were a caliber I wanted. Having owned a T3, I much prefer the Winchester and am much happier with it. Just my opinion.

Thanks VA. Any idea what the serial numbers are for the model 70s made in Portugal?

Probably not going to be able to discern the Portugal guns at first glance by the ser.# unless you can determine somehow what the last run of Columbia guns were numbered. The portugal guns will however have that stamped on them somewhere. Also on the box.
John

Maybe give customer service a call? I'd bet it is a SC made rifle though.

Thanks. Anyone have an negative experiences with this rifle? Most reviews are positive. It I've seen some accuracy complaints. I'm fairly confident the tikka will be accurate out of the box but I like the stock much better on the winchester. I figure the 300 wsm should be a good all around caliber

Never owned a mod. 70 that wouldn't shoot. A couple took a small tweak or two, but never anything major. I personally feel the Win. is a several lifetimes heirloom sort of gun that most anyone would be proud to own, while to me at least, while known for inherent accuracy, the Tikka is more of an entry level gun. Just my 2 cents.
John

I called Winchester customer service. The rifle was built in 2009 in South Carolina at FN.

Rifle is unfired and in perfect condition. However, it is $870 out the door, not just the $800 I originally mentioned.

That still a good deal among the various stainless synthetic rifles out there? I'm still wondering if maybe the Tikka for around $700 out the door or maybe even a Sako A7 Roughtech for around $1,100 may be better. Just a bit concerned about some of the accuracy problems I read about the Winchester Extreme Weather.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

I'd be surprised if the M70 won't shoot. Mine is a 270 Winchester and shoots the cheap 130 grain Federal Power Shoks very well. I think if you compare the way the M70 is built to how the T3 is built, you will see the M70 is the better rifle.

Here is a pic I found when I was breaking in the Extreme Weather.

My FN fwt. in .243 is the most accurate out-the-box rifle I've owned in 50 yrs. I've heard a couple of knocks on the EW; stock too thick for some, a little heavy for others, but I can honestly say I have not heard about lack of accuracy as being a concern that's out there to any real degree. No line of firearms is going to be without the occasional lemon or non-shooter but I really think you will lessen the chances of that being the case by going with the Winchester, not increasing it.
John

I read about the complaints on the stock myself before I purchased mine. However, once I handled it I liked how it felt and still do. My only complaint is I wish the 270 was available with a 24" barrel.

My 308 EW, probably made about the same time, is quite accurate. I bought it used about 4 years ago, It is also accurate with pretty much anything I put in the chamber unlike some rifles that will only shoot well with one bullet or load.

I used it as is for one hunting season and liked it, but when a used Edge stock showed up in the classifieds here at a good price I jumped on it. It reduced the weight by almost 1/2 lb, it is much thinner through the grip and balances just right. I now LOVE the rifle and it is the only one I've actually hunted with for the last 3 years.

Some of the last of the Classics made in New Haven prior to 2006 have been know to have some issues. I've heard that some of the last of the SC made guns were less than perfect, but most of the early SC made guns are generally very good. I haven't heard enough about the Portugal assembled 70 to know one way or another. Until I hear differently I'll assume they are building a good rifle.

VAhunter, I agree with you on the EW stock. While I don't have an EW, I put the same stock, available from Stocky's, on a '79 push feed l/a .243. The rifle is an XTR but came in a non-checkered birch, blind magazine stock. It was the definition of slippery and UGLY. I decided to make it more user friendly and swapped the stock for an EW, removed the iron sights, installed a timney, traded the old Armsport heavy scope that came on it for a Leupold and ended up with a rifle that I actually use and really like.
John

I own a FN M70 300 WSM. I bought it the first year they came out and paid $800 for it - which was a really good deal. If its unfired, thats a good price.

Like several here, I like the EW stock. The SA B&C stocks seem to feel different than their LA brethren. I liked the SA EW stock so well I replaced a McM Edge on my M70 7 WSM with the SA EW. I like them and now have a quasi-matched pair of rifles.

Can't opine on the Tikka rifles but many like them. I've not looked because between M77's and M70's I have no need for a Tikka. Nothing against Tikka's but my current rifles do everything I ask them to do and they fit me very well. Can't really ask for much more of a bullet slinger.

BTW my EW shoots like VAhuntr's rifle - at least the 3-shot group over the bullseye.

If you buy it, load 65 gr H4350 under a 180 Partition lit by a WLRM primer seated 0.020" off L&G's. It will get 2950-2975 ft/sec. Load development done!

Looking back I really wished I'd went and hung another target before trying the 140 grain Hornady Superformance. I bought 60 rounds of the stuff at a gun show several years back for $30. Ain't found a 270 yet that shoots the stuff worth a darn and it made my target look like crap!

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to pickup the winchester.

Thanks all.

Great deal as far as I'm concerned. I believe your serial # sounds like a first year manufacture (2008), which is better: I've seen some of the more recent FN's with some QC and accuracy issues... I just sold my EW tubed 2008 limited edition (serial # starting with 35AMP) that was a terrific rifle. I'm sure I'll miss that one, but I realized my pre 64 model 70 30-06 will do everything that rifle will. Passed it on to a great guy here on the fire. I think he'll be pretty damned happy with it too.