I would like to know if you have a winchester model 70 XTR featherweight

How do they perform?
bad experiences?
good experiences?
reliability?
Grupings?
anything that makes it unique and different from other rifles

I had one in 270 that performed, and was as reliable as my present std M70s. It did look prettier though with its deeper blue and nicer wood.

I've had several. One 270 was exceptional, it's one I really regret trading. All have shot well and been trouble free.

I've got a .223 that can do 1/2" groups if you do your part, heats up quick but it's a shooter.

Are you asking about the new Feather Weights or a older model. The new models have been getting pretty good reviews.

XTRs are older models -- early 70s vintage. Nothing like the sad imitations that followed.

1B

Thanks 1B I didn't catch that.

that would be early '80's vintage, would it not?

I suppose so, but I do think the XTR began in the 70's. I' pretty sure.. well I'm certain of it. How far it carried into the 80's I'm not sure but when I think XTR I think 70's

I think you are correct about the XTR's but pretty sure the FWT was intorduced in 1980.

WELL I HAVE ONE THAT WAS MADE IN 1982
I WILL POST SOME PICTURES LATER ON
I HAVENT SHOT IT YET ITS CHAMBERED IN 243. WIN
I WAS ASKING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT

I bought the first one I could get my mitts on in 1980, and it was a .243.....It shot well enough to keep and put 4500 rounds through before selling it in 1996. Lots of deer, antelope, a couple elk and a pile of varmints later. Have owned many since and actually prefer that vintage. My all time favorite rifle is one of those in 7x57
Expect good things from your rifle.
Ingwe

what groupings did you get at 100 yards?
what ammo?

I settled on a load of a 100 gr. Hornady Interlock with 39.0 gr. of 4350 IIRC
For varmints I used a variety...tried all sorts of things...
The main load could have a 100 gr. Nosler Partition substituted for the Hornady, and still hit in the same place!Performance differences-even on elk- between the two bullets were indistinguishable. Groups were routinely under an inch... a joy to carry and use!
Love to have it back and run some 85 gr.TSXs through it!
Ingwe

how do the tsx's do in this rifle?
i live in california and i wil be shoothing the tsx since now we have a lead free law
groupings u get in the tsx
i bought some loaded by federal

FTWs were also made in the pre-64 Model 70s and, IIRC, in the immediate post-64 era but that line became the object of scorn. Winchester impoved the line @ 1970 when they introduced the XTRs.

Mine is an early FTW that I got cheap as it had a barrel all corroded by corrosive primers. It is now a custom 7x57 in a Mickie stock with a Krieger barrel. Even nicer than before but costly as hell.

1B

Several.

Nicely
Not yet..
All, to date.
Like the sun rising...
Usually quite good, overall.
Hey, it's a Winchester...

I love the design, the stocks, the 3-pos. safety, the owner-friendly trigger etc..

Sounds like you have an awesome rifle now, in an excellent chambering too.
The more I shoot my 7x57's, the more I appreciate them...

[How do they perform?] - Excellently, in every respect.

[bad experiences?] - This one was found cheap because it was grossly inaccurate due to a botched glas-bedding job, which I had to refit, to correct.

[good experiences?] - Satisyingly small groups w/factory Norma ammo since refitting, and one-shot bags on game since.

[reliability?] - Stone.

[Grupings?]- 6" + @ 100yds B4 fix; 3/4"-1" @ 100yds after - both with Norma 156gr factory ammo (6.5x55).

[anything that makes it unique and different from other rifles] - This 1997 Mod 70FW-XTR Classic is argueably the best-looking factory bolt-action rifle ever made.

.

I never shot the TSXs in my .243 Fwt but I switched to them exclusively in my 7x57
I always shot Noslers in it before and got consistent 1' groups. Mule Deer ( on this forum) gave me some TSXs to try, and groups immediately shrunk to 3/4 and at times...better. I shoot the 160s so they work on everything. Ive posted this pic before...but here goes

Ingwe

I'll tell you that it was a dam shame when I had to sell mine. Was in .308win and was the best production rifle I have owned to date. With a little trigger modification and a free float job, it was a one hole shooter all day, everyday......The good thing is a few months ago I picked one up in .280 Rem..

CLB

ingwe

nice rifle. I don't recall ever seeing a FWT with a forend cap and with iron sights like those. Are those after-market items? thanks

Well built rifles, nice (adjustable) triggers. Had a few over the years, settled on a 7x57.

Worked on a .30-06 (late build) that was problematic, other than that one, the ones I have shot were very good shooters, light weight, decent stocks, and good triggers.

No, those are my quasi-custom touches... just wanted to do a couple things to it so I added the ebony forend, sights, barrel band and matte finish..
Ingwe

thanks, looks great!

do the barrels heat up fast?

Thinner barrels on any rifle will heat faster than others.. Also depends on the caliber.. Shoot a few .300WM vs. a .243 and there's a huge difference in the heat factor..

It's always best NOT to let them get hot, no matter what chambering you have....

how many rounds do you think i can get through before it gets too hot in a 243. win
suggestions
time between shots?

A good rule of thumb for a cartridge like a .243 in a FWT is 5 shots, then let cool.. For any magnum, 3 is max, then cool..

If you're shooting in hot sun, you might wanna drop the count by one just to make sure.. Also, make sure you keep your spare ammo out of the sun..

what are some problems that may cause this rifle to give bad accuracy or bad problems?
bedding?
stock?

Possibly, but no more than any other rifle. Me thinks you're worrying too much!

I had two 270's and one 7 x 57. Once I got the 7 x 57 bedded. It shot well enough to kill every thing I pulled a trigger on. Good rifles. I had a standard M-70 XTR in 270 that shot very well right out of the box once the trigger was adjusted to 3 lbs. Seems to me that you are very new to center fire hunting rifles, and you are over thinking things. Look the loads you bought may not group to your liking or what you thing is should do, as long as it groups 3 shots in to 2 inches or so a 100 it will be plenty accurate for big game shooting.

i have hunted very few times
i dont seem to have the time with 6 children to feed and sales down
i have to work atleast 8-10 hours a day
my son is the one that is going to use this rifle mostly
he is going to go hunting with his uncle
my brother in law he is very active in hunting
my son is going to the shooting range tomorow and try out the rifle for himself
i just wanted to mke sur he had a good rifle and what i can do to improve it

Excellent rifle, wish I had one in 243 myself. If it doesnt shoot well with the ammo you have, give the federal fusion or blue box a try, it has done well for me in most calibers. Kudos for getting your son out in the woods with a sweeter rifle than most of us started with

Winchester must have done some special orders. I have a M70 XTR featherweight in 7x57 Mauser. The wood is ordinary but the barrel and action are matte blued. It also has factory iron sights. Apparently it's rare. No one I've asked has seen a similar one. My guess is that a Winchester distributor special ordered it.

You've got a VERY desireable rifle there. I've never heard of one in 7x57 like yours.
Kudos on the acquisition...

DMB: It's a keeper. I've had offers for it. It's staying home in the Safe and out hunting. I just lucked onto it in the used rifles for sale in Reno sporting goods store and got it for a good price. $700 with a 4x Leupold scope.

I have two XTR's and they are both very fine rifles. One is a 270 and the other is a 300 H&H mag. They are both very accurate and made beautifully. They have a higher polish blue than any other Model 70's I own. Even though they are push feed rifles, I think they are among the best rifles Winchester ever made.

I have two Winchester Model 70 Featherweight rifles. One is a push feed in 7x57 the other one is a Classic Model in 6.5x55. Both are excellent rifles that are very accurate and have taken numerous whitetail deer. The fit and finish on both is very nice. These two are my "go-to" hunting rifles.

My son went to the range today
and fell in love witht he rifle
he just got back
he had groupings of 5 shots in 3/4 of an inch
with both the powershok federal ammo and the federal loaded tsx's
the only bad thing is that it needs a better scope but dont seem to have the money
everything was smooth and good
I am definetely a Model 70 fanatic
those grouping got my attention
he also beat my brother in law who has a weatherby mark 5 sporter chambered in 257 weatherby magnum
the 70 is lighter and shorter
doesnt have the same punch as the 257
but has better groupings at 100 yards

Congratulations! In my opinion, your son has arguably the best factory rifle ever produced. I have run an XTR Featherweight 30-06 for the last 15 years. It has never given any problems at all. It is accurate day in and day out, is easy to carry, very smooth action, and simply easy to use.

Your son should count himself fortunate. Tell him to bring in a deer or hog and start feeding the family.

Congratulations! In my opinion, your son has arguably the best factory rifle ever produced. I have run an XTR Featherweight 30-06 for the last 15 years. It has never given any problems at all. It is accurate day in and day out, is easy to carry, very smooth action, and simply easy to use.

Your son should count himself fortunate. Tell him to bring in a deer or hog and start feeding the family.

Gawd, you guys are really warming the cockles of my heart....I thought I was the only one who REALLY liked some of those push feed M 70s...obviously the Fwt. XTRs....
Ive had a number of them, liked them all, and shot the barrels out of two .223s
I regard it as the slickest action on an American gun and like some of you, as one of the best looking and handling factory rifles available...
Here in MT it is primarily Pre-64 aficianados,so Ive kept my push-feed preference on the Q.T. I feel like I'm coming out of the "push feed closet"!!!
Thanks!
Ingwe

I personnally own a winchester model 94 chambered in 30-30
all my rifles ive had are winchesters
i just never had this featherweight or model 70?
might pick one up for my self in 270

P.S
i also found out the the trigger is at around 2 pounds
so i might get it at 3 for safety
since its my sons

Love my 90's Classic's, but still have 2 push feed FWT's that I will never part with. A very good choice for a young man's first rifle.

i wonder what other ammo works well with the featherweightS?

aNYMORE EXPERIENCES?

Woefully regret getting rid of my XTR in 7-08............... what the hell was I thinking??????

Anyway this is mine since this past Saturday...... Haven't shot it yet, 30-06, 1982DOB, has the Winchester pad........

I have two M70 FWT XTRS, a .257 Roberts and a 7x57. The 7x57 is a tack driver with Winchester factory 145 gr. Power Points and select handloads. The .257 isn't quite that dood with groups running 1.25 to 2.0" so far, but I also admit I just haven't done all that much with that rifle yet.
I also have an XTR, not a FWT in .270 Win. with 24" Barrel and what appears to be a McMillan stock from the factory. It's one of the most accurate rifles I own.
Paul B.

I own 2 older FW XTR rifles; .257 & .243 along with 3 FW Classics .270, .270 WSM & 30-06.

I have had no bad experiences with any but indeed their precision varies between rifles. Nothing terrible though.

I love my 30-06 Classic with 180’s printing sub moa with IMR 4350. It’s the one rifle I don’t tinker with. It’s always ready.

They work just fine

I own several lightweights and a ranger only difference I see is the stock my dad in-law has a featherweight non xtr I see no difference

Have a few - love 'em all... I'm gonna go through Hell when it comes time to sell 'em all and we move out...

I have two push feed featherweights. They are not XTRs bit very nice rifles. The 270 I got first. It wouldn’t shoot so I used mule deers trick of a bread bag plastic under the receiver to float the barrel. Voila , groups 4 shots into an inch or less and as I have said before has never changed it’s point of impact since sighted in in 1993.. the 6.5x55 has been perfect since I bought it.

I had one of these with the same results. Stupid bootlip bastards at ww put a 2.8" short box magazine in the 257 but throated it for a longer oal. Seated to the cannelure 100 grain Hornady SP's were 2.85" seated out to get 1" groups just short of the lands took 2.91". But then the shells were to long to go into the mag . To make it work right would have mandated taking the block out of the mag, modifying the bolt stop, and maybe a follower from a 7x57 model or just shoot piss poor factory ammo. It really pisses me off to buy a new rifle and find out you have to spend time and money to make it work worth a crap.. It went down the road.
Current m77rl has a 3" box and is everything that m70 fwt wasn't....mb

The 7x57 has the same blocked magazine as the .257 Robt. Supposedly, the fix is get a standard magazine box, follower, follower spring and bolt stop and do a switch. Frankly, I haven't seen the need for the 7x57 as accuracy from my rifle is very good. I haven't worked much with the .257 but probably will once it warms up some. I prefer moderately hot days when I do serious load work ups. I'll give seating bullet further out a try.
Paul B.

I've had them in 223 (2), 257 Roberts, 6.5x55 & 7x57. IMO they're a reliable, accurate enough, good looking hunting rifle. Only trouble with any of them was with both 223 stocks, they warped inward on the left side up where the wood starts to get thinner. I've never understood the "problem" with Winchester push feed either. Lots of other bolt action rifles are push feed, Remington 700 for one, they all seem to wok fine just like the Winchester.

Got a .270 XTR featherweight around 1982 was out of the box one of the most accurate rifles I’ve ever owned (factory or custom)…..loves Winchester 785 powder and Speer 130 grain hot-cor boattails. Killed a very big mule deer buck with it when I was going to Trinidad back in the 80s. Brother wanted it and wanted me to add a “mannlicher” stock and cut the barrel😬…. I did it - cut the barrel to 19.75” and added new stock - didn’t expect the accuracy to be there but got pleasantly surprised - it still liked the 785 and Speer bullets!

Picked up a .257 Roberts on here a few years ago and it shoots good but no where near that .270. Never had any problems and couldn’t recommend highly enough - really the only gun I ever needed but of course I’m a bit of a “looney”😄

PennDog

OK now that I've been reading this thread and seeing some of the manufacturing comments being used to ID something, I'm hoping ya'll can answer some of my DA ?'s

In the late 1970's I got a job with a large Dallas based wholesale Spt Goods distributor as an outside sales rep with about 25% of the state of Texas. Schoellkopf had just been bought out by a Chicago based corporate raider who eventually re sold what was left of the 100+ year old Dallas success story.....We had been cut off or heavily restricted from most of the major Spt Goods Corp's credit lines, but the new startup management team at Winchester in St Louis sent us a "sample" of the new M70 FWT's to help get us started. We got 5 cases of 5 rifles in each case in 5 different calibers, 30'06, 270, 308, 257Rbt's & 243. The street reps who wanted to buy one rifle as a sample got them at the wholesale price. I bought a 257Rbt's, and my closest rep buddy, a former Ithaca factory Rep ,bought a 270. I sold the Sweet Jesus out of these guns in my North Texas territory with my Rbt's sample, and eventually shot the rifling out of the barrel many many years later, and sold the gun to pay for a SAKO I had ordered from Finland after I moved to Stoeger.

Couple years ago a dealer I had helped go into business back in the '70's offered me a steal of a deal on a super clean Fwt 7x57, which was NOT part of the initial startup 5 caliber package , as I was allus asking him if he had had any Fwts traded in.

So my ? is ....what year of mfg is my 7x57 with a SR # of G 157xxxx and a red butt pad. It is in nearly exquisite condition, with a folding leaf rear sight my Rbt's did not have and a hooded front sight same thing again. This gun shoots as good as I can shoot with factory ammo, and I tease the wife it'll go in the casket with me ...a common subject at our age's of 77+ that is kinda like gallows humor...but 3 of the 5 long term deer lease partners have already passed and the 4th one, is retired @ a little past 80, but the ex Ithaca Rep told me he is not able to pull a trigger anymore when I offered a spot for an easy hunt next month for Axis.
Ron

FWIW the Corp Raider in Chicago, the LaSalle Street Small Business Investment Trust had also bought around this same time the Milwaukee Braves and sold them to "some guy" in Atlanta, bought Berns Wholesale in Denver, a 3 location Spt Goods distributor in the Pacific N'West, and Ellett Bros in Chapin South Carolina.
Ron

I had a pair of .257 Roberts M70 XTRs that I bought in a deal. Sold one immediately to pay for the other one.
Later, I sold the other one to finance an elk hunt. One of the most accurate rifles I ever owned, but at the time I had 3 .257 Roberts rifles. Classic looking rifle to boot.

I had one in .257 Roberts. It too struggled to group. I believe the issue is/was the twist rate was a little slow for 100+ gr bullets. There is little data from Winchester, but I think other shooters measured the rate at 1-12. Mine would do 1.5-2 inch 5 shot groups, good enough for deer and caribou, but never tighter. My Ruger M77 would do 1" and under with several loads.

Have 7x57 XTR featherweight. I prefer the CRF rifles, and my favourite of late are the early 2010’s while they where still made in the USA. But that XTR featherweight is a fantastic rifle with excellent fit and finish and it’s more than accurate enough for any hunting I do, and the push feed has never hurt my chances any.

RECORDS AT THE FACTORY INDICATE THE FOLLOWINO SERIAL NUMBERS WERE
ASSIGNED TO GUNS AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

78- G1410000
79 - G1447000
80 - G1490709
81- G1537134
82 - G1632872
83 - G1656883

Yours appears to be '82 production, as is mine S/N G154xxxx

Winchester serial numbers.........

https://www.winchesterguns.com/cont...Dates-by-Year-2012-Scanned-Documents.pdf

If you want to sell it to buy a CRF version, let me know.

A couple years ago I got a good deal on a very lightly used (probably less than 50 rnds), 1985 70 XTR fwt in 7X57. I doubt that it had ever been taken afield. Said "problem" now fixed..... the rifle has the dings to prove it. It is now "honest".

Shortly after getting it home I found the safety did not work. It had never been factory fitted - needed a cut-out on the striker shaft, which had not been done at the factory. I blew another $100 on a Tubb system and installed it, including making the needed cut-out on that. No improvement in accuracy was noted, either. But I'm not done.

Anyone need an as-new factory striker and spring? Still needs that cut-out, tho.

The barrel channel was exerting pressure in several places, not just the speed bump up forward. I removed the side-pressures first, which helped a bit. Then I full -length bedded it, without much change. But that does seal the barrel channel, and stiffen it. That took a LOT of accraglas, and added an ounce or two of weight, maybe. Next I will free-float the channel to see if that tightens up the 1.5- 1.75 groups with factory ammo.

After that I'll mess with reloading, with the dies and supplies that came with the rifle. Maybe.