As I get ready for Mn. deer opener I look over my pre 64 M70's.... and like last year I will spend most days with my beat-up .270 fwt, while rainy /snowy days the semi custom model 70 7x57/mcm edge will get used. I'm lucky enough to have/enjoy a bunch of pre 64 M70's, share a picture of your most used M70...my .270 fwt.

Only have two, but this one sees the most use. It rides in the tractor cab or the pickup in the spring/summer, and quite a bit of bear & deer season.

I'm going to be using this one Saturday. However, I don't know if it's my "most" used. It's still fairly new to me. I've been playing with stock color and switching scopes around if that is any consolation:



Yep, its a cheap Zeiss Terra, but I like it a lot better than the Swarovski that didn't track for chit. Got rid of that one...

Now that is weird as hell. The first 3 rifles shown are all wearing Talley lightweights...

The good old 270 Featherwieght

Good weather a 56' target ,06 in sporter stock, bad weather a 53' std with Shilen barrel in 25 -06, Borden stock. I also have an unzeroed mid 50's std .270 in McMillian stock that Im going to work with in next couple of days to see how she shoots. On super bluebird days in a stand that looks out to 350 ,400 yards a 264 win mag! I keep going back to Carlos the target 06, but the plan is to nail a whitetail with every pre 64 mod 70 I own! Photos to follow. My gunsmith is just about finished with my .257 Roberts, target in a sporter stock.My 257Bob Varminter! If it shoots like all the targets Ive owned I will retire 'Carlos' for a while! the very best WinPoor

Deer season is only 15 days and unfortunately I don't have one that gets used more than another. This year I'll be using a 7MM carbine, 300 Savage, 250/3000 in M70's and a custom Ruger #1 7MM-08. IF my reloading component's get here and I have time to whip up something quick I'll take out a Ruger #1 in 450/400 NE.

I love that rifle raybass. I liked it so much, I just had to get one :

I try not to show any favoratism in my M70's as to not have any rifles get hard feelings.

This year and last year my Custom Shop Ultra Grade will be in stand with me on my out of state hunt. Generally I only use a M70 for one season, I will pick one up, work up a load for it, shoot a deer with it and then strip the scope off of it and put it in the safe for years until I remember it's in the back and do it all over again. In years past I've done this with 300H&H, 375H&H (ya it's big for deer but I needed an excuse to take it in the woods) 358Win, 350RemMag (started out as a 358 and someone did a lot of work to make it a 350Mag) 270, 250/3000, 257 Roberts, 243 and maybe a couple I've forgot already.

In all honesty though as much as I like my M70 and other bolt guns if I'm not on a real physical hunt and will be sitting in a tree or a blind it's really hard to beat my FM SCAR17 in 308.

Geez reelman...

Bsa that one you built is a nice one. I have been thinking about a Featherweight 06 to give that treatment too. My standard shoots sooo good though.

Reelman we are cut from the same cloth. The 7MM carbine, 300 Savage and 250-3000 are new to me this year. I have worked up loads for them and when they get bloodied will go back in the safe to await a return to the field. I never got a deer last year with the little Ruger custom #1 so that's getting priority.

I have shot deer with my M70 375 H&H and a custom 416 Taylor. I also used the Taylor on an Elk. For some reason that still escapes me I just bought a Ruger #1 Tropical rifle in 450/400 NE and I'd like to see that used on a deer. I'm waiting on the shell holder to work up some loads. Robert Ruark said it best...."Use enough gun"

I shot a deer with my PreWar 250/3000 Carbine, next up will probably be working up a load and killing something with my Transition 257 SG Carbine.

The 375 I used because I also had a black bear tag that year and you can never have enough gun when you're shooting a 150lb bear over a bait pile LOL!

I have had great success with the 257R in both a M70 and a custom gun built on a Mauser action using the Nosler 110gr Accubond and H414.

Sounds like you have two nice carbines there.

I also have a post War Hornet Carbine. Three years 47, 48 and 49, three calibers 250/3000, 257, and 22 Hornet and three different actions PreWar, Transition and PostWar.

I collect Transition Era guns because when my dad got out of the Army in 47 he ordered a M70 but they were so hard to get that he did't get one till late 49. So when he ordered it he was ordering a PreWar and ended up with a PostWar.

Not the most used yet, but anticipate that to be case for a long time!

I found a nice '55 FWT in 270 locally earlier this year and recently bought a McMillan stock for it from a member here.

This is what she looks like today;









The scope clearances were very close, but acceptable, non the less.

I intend to make this my Most Used M70 for years to come.

It shoots factory Hornady Whitetail, 130 gr Interlocks into less than 1 and a half inch groups, and I will work on some handloads.

donsm70

Reelman I like the carbines and also have a Hornet but I don't recall if it's a transition gun or not. It has the Lyman 48 (I think)peep sight. Two 7x57 carbine one of which will be in the deer blind with me In a couple of weeks. I looked hard at a 300 Savage carbine but the stock had issues and for $10K it just didn't speak to me.

This one is a '52 .270 that came to me a little used; I've shot and hunted it some more since then. Total retro, including the scope (Lyman 4X) and the Redfield '50's era Jr steel base and rings. It carries its battle scars proudly.
Bob

Very nice rifle. I really like how that one shoots too.

In the Flatlands of NW Ohio My most used Winchester is a Win 70 in 225 win. It is deadly on woodchucks

1957 .243 FWT. My Grandfather gave to my father who gave it to me and I have since given it to my nephew who has killed his first deer with it. 4 generations of family.

It was the only centerfire until I owned until I ran into the campfire loonies so my first 20 deer were killed with it.

Nice rifles guys, and hate to say it because my most used M-70 isn't in a big game cartridge, my 1948 year model Hornet super grade would have to get the nod, I bought 500 of the 45 gr TSX bullets and shoot that damn thing more than any other M-70 I have.

Winchester 70 classic featherweight, .280 Remington, in a McMillan Edge.

7lb 5oz with Talley lightweights and a 2.5-8 Zeiss Conquest.

This 358 Win.

Yes, I know, it needs a stock.1957 Featherweight in 270. As funky as it is, it got the job done this year on a 4x3 buck!

Ahhhhh my eyes my eye it burns it burns. Yes, restock stat. That metal deserves better!

I packed my 375 H&H today. Wasn't too bad... Balance is damn near perfect, but it's not my most used model 70... Still trying to figure that one out.. I guess the one that used to be my "most used" was my classic sporter 30-06 that I had cerakoted sniper grey. I used that rifle for deer, elk and always took it to the range. It's a joy to shoot and damn accurate. Packs pretty easily too, but not as light as a fwt. In the end, I always grabbed for that one first. After elk season, when I get more time, I am going to send it to 79s for him to enjoy... It's in the safe right now, waiting to be packaged up:

... Sweated front sight off and the compass in the stock too I bet...

Beautiful rifle. Awesome you are keeping it in the family.. Good on you..

My most used, is actually a sears model 53 in 30-06.

Followed by my Super grade in 7-08

I have killed deer with a truckload of different rifles. But if I was to go out tomorrow and take a rifle to hunt deer seriously, it would be the latest Model 70 I just got.

Bigwhoop posted a sightless featherweight in 270 a couple weeks ago, I bought it, put a nice older Leupold Vari X-II that I got from Whitebird, and after shooting it, I fell in love.

What a great gun in a great cartridge and it shoots as good as it looks. I have only gotten a doe with it, but it was lights out with a 130 grain ballistic tip to the brain...

My most used pre-64 is my only pre-64 in 30-06. It started life as a standard grade in 1955. I replaced the stock with the Monte Carlo design stock and replaced the barrel with a Featherweight barrel that was literally like new when I bought it at a gunshow for $40. It weighs right at 8 lbs. with sling and 3-9 VX-2. It is my favorite rifle and the one I would take with me if I could. Seen below in its natural habitat with a couple of our little Socal bucks.

"Bigwhoop posted a sightless featherweight in 270 a couple weeks ago, I bought it, put a nice older Leupold Vari X-II that I got from Whitebird, and after shooting it, I fell in love.

What a great gun in a great cartridge and it shoots as good as it looks. I have only gotten a doe with it, but it was lights out with a 130 grain ballistic tip to the brain..."

Shrapnel, I looked at that rifle within a couple minutes of its posting and didn't pull the trigger on it. I've done the palm to the forehead thing several times since. Oh well, at least it found a good home where it's loved and has company.
yooper

I only own 4 pre 64 model 70s. My most used until 2008 was this '61 30-06.



Since 2008 I have mostly used a 270 Fwt.

Nice rifles there...

Not my most-used, but I intend to change that. Standard 70 in .30-06; Lyman 4X in Redfield steel Jr mount and rings.
Bob

You can only shoot so many game animals in a year. When it comes to varmints, you can shoot hundreds. This pre-war Hornet is just right for doing that...

As strange as it may sound and I think they are hard to improve on just like the pre 64's left factory, that kind of gun grows on me! I have a 270, C ring, step barrel FN delux, 50's Mauser that an American general brought back from Europe, an Austrian carved weasel and fox on it! It has Ziess quick release mounts on a Heninsholt Wetzler (sp?) 6X or 4X scope and I love it, it grows on me, I stare at it in stand just thinking! v best WP

My favorite and most used Model 70 is not as "old" as y'all's.

It's an early 1980's XTR Featherweight Model 70 in 7x57 with Factory rifle sights, and wears a Leupold VXII 2.5 X 8

But it does shoot 1/2" groups with the Barnes 130 gr TSX and 3/4" groups with a 140 gr Nosler Partition.

I like the scope/mount set-up on that one.
Bob

Handwerk, I always thought that pic was of your '06 Fwt.
If I'm remembering correctly You shot a nice buck with a '06 Fwt a few years ago. I seem to recall the load was one I really want to try with a 165 grain Nosler Accubond

This one so far is my most used. 30-06 in McMillan Hunter stock. Sporter barrel. Settled in on deer really well!

My "go to" is a 1951 30-06 standard grade, that I bought from BSA a few years back. It wears a Zeiss HD5 3-15x42, and favors the Barnes 150 gr TTSX. It's a shooter grade rifle that loves to work, and is very consistent and dependable.

Here are a couple pronghorn taken in WY a few years back from 150-300 yards. I took 2 of the 4. Killertraylor took the other 2.

Eric

Nice shooting rifle there buddy...

The 30-06 is back out... A little elevated sit this evening.