Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Not impressed with the new Model 70's

Because the new SC Model 70's, as good as they are (and that's quite good by the way) are Pre-64 Winchester want-to-be's.

I don't think anyone is saying that the new Model 70's aren't good rifles and in many ways maybe a bit "better" than the originals, but they are NOT and never will be the LEGENDS that the original rifles are. It doesn't matter how well made they are......no one in the year 2080 is going to be saying "Damn, I sure wish I had one a them South Carolina Model 70's". Nope, they are still going to want the original, legendary Pre-64's.

Probably a generational thing. I (like many here) can remember when the Remington 700 was introduced and the Savage 110 was "brand new". I remember the first Ruger 77 (bought one that first year of production) and I also remember the Post-64 Model 70's. Until that time the Model 70 WAS head and shoulders above any other American-made production rifle.......and we still remember those days.

The SC rifles, on the other hand are just another example of the "me too" attitude. Nothing revolutionary and nothing special or different (or "better") than a half a dozen other rifles available today.

It's the same thing in all "modern" machines.

A brand new "crotch rocket" is probably faster, better engineered and more reliable than anything made by Harley Davidson in the 1950's and 60's. But a "real" motorcycle shakes the windows on both sides of the street when you cruise through town......and when you accelerate.....WOW!!! It rumbles and shakes and ROARS.....it DOESN"T sound like an angry bumble bee.....and you don't have to lay on your belly across the gas tank to drive it. Maybe the new bikes are "better".....but which one does everyone want to see, own and ride? Some may "want" a Yama-honda-suki because it's cheaper......but very few "dream" of someday owning one.

I don't care if your rice-burner Car (and they are ALL Chinkonese even if they "say" Ford or Chevey or Dodge on the side)will go 0-60 in three heartbeats.

A "real" car engine is measured in cubic inches (preferably more than 400 of them), not liters. It RUMBLES when it idles and ROARS when it goes.

It DOESN"T "whine". It DOESN"T look like a bar of soap that was left in the shower (all the corners melted off) and it doesn't look like all the other cars on the road. A "real" car can be identified at 100 yards just from it's unique shape....which is all about power and macho. I don't care if your modern "super car" gets 30 MPG......a "real" car does just fine burning 8 MPG (of 65 cent gasoline) and looks good doing it.

My sister-in-law has a 2008 Camero that she is soooooo proud of, while my son-in-law drives a 1968 Camero. The newer car is better engineered, gets better gas milage and supposedly is faster (I'd sure like to see that proved on a 1/4 mile track).....but guess which one draws a crowd when they are parked side-by-side???

THAT is what the Pre-64 Model 70 is all about.