Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Factory New: Model 70 EW SS vs Montana Rifle Company X-2

Hello all,

I had been pretty dead-set on a Model 70 Extreme Weather SS by Winchester (current production) in 7mm-08 for my new rifle. It will be my first centerfire rifle - scratch that, besides the Garand my wife is buying me for my birthday this week... - and I plan on using it to build skills at handloading accurate ammunition, shoot at the range, and use as a primary deer rifle.

Stainless and synthetic were not originally either things I wanted, but due to extremely limited time to shoot I would really hate to buy a walnut stocked rifle that I then felt guilty about shooting paper targets with in the rain on a wet summer day for two hours because it was the only day I had free.


The Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS comes in a Bell & Carlson Medalist stock and has seen good reviews throughout the internet. This stock has an aluminum bedding block and apparently the rifle has been factory bedded - apparently a heat-and-pour resin that some refer to as hot glue - although different reviews of the bedding quality abound. However, the majority of the reviews state this is a quality and accurate rifle.

The Montana Rifle Company X-2 is built on a very similar action and David Petzal refers to their new synthetic stainless rifle as one of the best new rifles of 2015.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-gun-nuts/petzal%E2%80%99s-shot-picks-best-new-rifles-of-2015

http://montanarifleco.com/?page_id=180

It weighs a few ounces more than the Model 70 but this is not a concern to me as I do not hunt in the Western mountains but instead mostly sit in a tree stand in the eastern woods and shoot at a square range. In fact, the additional weight will provide that much more recoil attenuation so I am not concerned about that.

The MRC is shipped with aluminum pillars and factory glass bedded. The MRC has a 24" barrel vs the Winchester 22" barrel and has an OAL 2" longer as well at 44 inches.

Both rifles feature a recessed crown.

Both rifles will appear to run me in the approximate $1,000 range. One issue with the Extreme Weather SS in 7mm-08 is that I have not seen one for sale in 3 months of watching GunBroker. I am planning, once I have the cash in hand, to have my local gun store attempt to order me one thinking that may be the way to get it.

Is there any upgrade to the MRC over the current production Winchesters? I don't know much about them but thought they may be considered a high quality small business or maybe the "big name brand" is still a solid factory rifle at this price point and there isn't any advantage to going with MRC?

Thanks for any input!

A few years ago I'd have said grab the Winchester.But today not so sure. The Montana bears a close look.

I have had two EW's....a 300 WSM and a 270. Both very accurate rifles that were good right out of the box in function and accuracy. This was 3-4 years ago or so.

But,(if this stuff is important to you) the Montana has improved breaching,and also (ironically), the old M70 trigger,which the current Winchester no longer has.
To some folks both features are significant.

I have no personal experience with the Montana(but plenty with the Winchesters) other than my smith uses the actions on some rifles he builds;and a friend has a 375 on the action.

FWIW I think either would make a solid rifle but those differences do exist. I am also not certain what barrels Montana uses.

Your call.

I think you have two excellent choices and you can't go wrong with either one. If I was you, at this point, I would handle both of them, side by side, if at all possible.

One of them will almost certainly fit you somewhat better, or just plain feel better in your hands. Working the action will also show subtle differences in "feel".

And...a very warm welcome to the Campfire. I hope you find this a good place to spend some time and share ideas.

Lengthy thread about MRC rifle in case you missed it: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...ntana_Rifle_Company_XWR-SS_-#Post9456940

I think you will find the MRC - X2 to be the superior firearm and is made in the USA instead of Portugal which should be a plus for you American guys.

Thanks for the replies so far. I wish I could find an explanation of the different between the X2 and the XWR-SS linked above. That rifle, in a B&C stock essentially looks like a non-fluted Winchester Model 70 EW SS but comes glass bedded.

It is possible, viewing their website, that only the X2 is available. I emailed them asking about the differences via their website contact form.

As I got to the tail end of that thread I saw the difference in comb height between their new X2 rifle stock and the Winchester M70 EW:






Seems to swing more toward the Winchester in that respect.

The Montana is made with castings as a cost savings measure. If that matters to you?

By Pine Tree Casting, a Ruger subsidiary that casts the Ruger 77's. I do not see that as an issue.

Early U.S. made Weatherby's were cast and I have been told that Sako's are cast although I have been unable to verify this. Regardless there is nothing wrong with a good casting.

drover

Doc7,never used either one,but IMO this is what you could/should do,flip a coin. Then go kill deer with the winner of the coin toss.

Do what any self respecting Rifle Looney should do.


Buy one of each.

Really,a real rifle looney would get several of each.

Then start trading those for something else.

Then when tired of those,a rifle looney will decide that the original ones he traded off in the first place,he would want them back,or as close as he can get to the original.


That's what a rifle looney would do.

Not long ago, I read that Ruger determined that the castings they produced were stronger than bar stock, which is what many other actions, including M70s, I believe, are made from. As long as the castings are well finished, not an issue for me.

The trigger would be an issue, as well as the method of attachment on the M70 bolt handle, which has been known to fail.

The most important factor is which one you like the best.

In favor of the MRC:
--better, safer gas handling
--one piece unbreakable bolt
--open, old-style Winchester trigger

I agree.

Not sure about the new MRC stock, but the EW is chunky.

I do have smaller hands but didn't really feel too badly about the stock on the EW I handled at an LGS. My main concern is the comb height but given that I will likely be either DIY cheek rest or adding an aftermarket kydex saddle type that is adjustable (the screws that loosen and allow you to move it) maybe this doesn't matter so much.

It sounds like this Montana rifle may come with a better bedding job right from the factory. I just want to make sure it isn't "Dura Touch" like the Browning X Bolt and isn't worse than the B&C medalist. Nobody online has shot an X2 yet. We don't know if the new stock is an upgrade or not in terms of accuracy, relative to a glass bedded aluminum block like their previous XWR had and the EW has.

I have two MRC`s.Would buy another in a heartbeat!!

"...and I have no clue how you would make the thing quit, or if that’s even possible. It’s also very accurate…and those are its weak points."

Given that the review is sincere those words about the Montana would do it for me.

Doc,

WELCOME.

As the guys said, you could flip a coin, buy one and go kill critters.

I'm not particularly a purist, so the Winchester name means not a thing to me. And, these days, the nomenclature "M-70" is just a shadow.

Stainless/Synthetic is a very good thing. I have killed a crapload of big game animals with rifles so-built. Wood/blued is pretty, but by going SS/Syn, you are basically insuring reliable function in the field.

I look at my wood stocked/blued steel rifles at home, then go kill sh1t with SS/Syn rifles.

Of the two choices, I'd absolutely choose the MRC, if only because of the traditional (read that; time proved) M-70/Springfield trigger. It is the superior rifle, without a doubt.

Again, welcome to the Campfire,

Steve

My M70 EW is a club, and I admit this being a a M70 guy. I have a few of them, but the Win-Lites in the McMillan stocks are the best shooters hands down. I know, push feed, gasp! I'd call MRC and see if you can get the desired barreled action and talk to McMillan about a stock for it. Don't be scared by having to bed it, provided you can follow simple instruction. Odds are better than good it would shoot very well without any bedding.