I picked up a 1985 xtr fwt. 2nd hand in 7mm a couple years back. Good deal on it, too. Just not as good as I first thought. I haven't reloaded for it yet, but it had hunting rifle accuracy with factory- nothing approaching MOA very closely, but good enough for out to 300 yards. 1.5 to 2 or so... and it's not that light- and maybe now a few ounces heavier. My first Win 70 and 7mm Mauser, both.
I had to file the safety notch into the striker shaft to make the safety work - it came from the factory, apparently, with the striker shaft not worked - at all! (still isn't - anyone want a virtually new, un-machined steel striker?) - for the safety to cam into. I went whole hog and put in an Tubbs aluminum striker (which also had to have the safety cam notch "machined" (hand filed) for the safety as well, and the double spring kit that comes with it. Accuracy (which that was supposed to improve) remained the same - a "wasted" $100, if you don't count the education....
. So far.
The metal to wood fit was pretty good, outwardly. The barrel channel was deeply inletted, tho fitting well at the top edge. A rather soft finish on the wood- thin, too. On the list for refinish... The barrel channel was very whiskered down in, with pressure points in several places along the sides, now removed. well, removed and redone.. It took a lot of epoxy to fill that thing up! It is now full length bedded - accuracy only slightly improved. I've yet to relieve the bedding in the barrel channel to see if free-floating improves accuracy - I'll try a tab under the forward screw first - when I get around to it.
Meanwhile- it hunts. In it's turn. I've a couple other rifles that have not been hunted for so long they are pouting. The xtr has killed 3 caribou so far.
I have a Rem 725 SA, and a 700, as well. I've no preference between the 700 and the 70 as rifles, tho I've never cottoned much to the .243 caliber (700). I like the 725 (now a .260)better than either.
The 70 action is danged hard to beat, unless with the M98 (which I also have one of).
