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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,024
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,024 |
Yep, it is pretty brittle.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,418
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,418 |
In my expierance the 6 digits do not compare to the five digit classics. All of them are project guns and at a min require a trigger job and bedding. That said i am still a model 70 guy. Add a re-barrel for many of them also. I had a really early production Stainless Classic. I think my dad purchased it in 1993, though I can't remember for sure, and I some way ended up with it a few months later when he got tired of trying to make it shoot. What a piece of junk that gun was, though, unfortunately I bought another one around 1999 that was even worse and for which Winchester eventually refunded my money. I remember reading two or three years after the 1993 gun in Shooting Times or some similar magazine the saga of a gunwriter going through the same issues my gun had and his gun was pretty much identical, including chambering and production time frame. I think the article was about how he finally resolved the problems by having a high-end barrel and McMillan stock installed and turned it into a nice rifle. I sold mine to guy that worked for my dad to partially fund a ring for my soon-to-be wife. I warned him before he bought it that it would only shoot 4"-5" three-shot groups at 100. He took it as a selling point. "Wow! 5" groups. I will definitely take it."
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,049
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,049 |
You all sure 7 digits were after 2000? I have a 6mm that I know for sure my dad bought new(he bought 2) before him and my mother got divorced. They divorced in early 2000.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472 |
In my expierance the 6 digits do not compare to the five digit classics. All of them are project guns and at a min require a trigger job and bedding. That said i am still a model 70 guy. Add a re-barrel for many of them also. I had a really early production Stainless Classic. I think my dad purchased it in 1993, though I can't remember for sure, and I some way ended up with it a few months later when he got tired of trying to make it shoot. What a piece of junk that gun was, though, unfortunately I bought another one around 1999 that was even worse and for which Winchester eventually refunded my money. I remember reading two or three years after the 1993 gun in Shooting Times or some similar magazine the saga of a gunwriter going through the same issues my gun had and his gun was pretty much identical, including chambering and production time frame. I think the article was about how he finally resolved the problems by having a high-end barrel and McMillan stock installed and turned it into a nice rifle. I sold mine to guy that worked for my dad to partially fund a ring for my soon-to-be wife. I warned him before he bought it that it would only shoot 4"-5" three-shot groups at 100. He took it as a selling point. "Wow! 5" groups. I will definitely take it." I never had one that absolutley required a new barrel. Some were scarry accurate. Some took alot of work to onky shoot average. Never had one that woukdnt shoot an inch at 100 with handloads.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472 |
One thing that bugs me about the 6 digit guns are the tool marks. My main hunting rifle is a 6 digit classic in 300 ultra. It has tool marks galore. The ejector slot looks like it was cut with a dull butter knife at way to fast a feed rate. It was also one of the most accurate classics I have had. After I burnt out the first barrel I rebarreled with a #3 Rock and its a .5" gun with many different handloads.
The pther thi g that bugs me is the serial number was stamped crooked.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,988
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,988 |
Bought two of the six digit new quite some time ago- can't remember exactly when but IIRC, in the mid nineties. Mine is a 338 WM and my brother's is a 300 WM and both have been terrific shooters. I handload for both and they have been very responsive to minimum loading recipes. Not particularly picky in what they shoot well and both approach .5" on a regular basis with my handloads. I believe both are in the G111XXX serial number range, which is fairly early with these. Mine now has a McMillan swirly stock on it and my brother has a Mcmillan Model 70 sporter stock with one of Rick's paint jobs. The stocks helped slightly in groups, but made the stock much stiffer and easier to get a consistent grip when shooting- bags or offhand. I've been extremely happy with both of these rifles and would grab another one in a minute if I needed one.
Bob
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472 |
I should add that the 300 ultra I mentioned above was bought for $299 on closeout NIB.Great gun for that money.
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188 |
Wow really suprised at the prices folks throwing out there for an early classic. A 91-92, yeah, but...
I remember when these were still in prodction, all every did was biotch about them; bad trigger, tooling marks, wont shoot, tupperware stocks, project in a box, collared bolt handle, etc. etc. Now that production has stopped they are held in higher regards from a price perspective than a Pre-64! Sequels arent equals fellas, If Im gonna own a sequel, gimme a push feed xtr or SC/FN gun. I dont have to change the MIM extractor and retune hoping it will feed and extract correctly.
Stuck in airports, Terrorized
Sent to meetings, Hypnotized
Over-exposed, Commercialized
Handle me with Care...
-Traveling Wilbury's
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472 |
Prices for 5 digits are still reasonable. I would not pay more than $800 for one unless it was a special chambering. The best bargin in 5 digit guns are the ones with that god awful BOSS system.
Honestly the South Carolina guns are way better.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 901
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 901 |
I know where there is a five digit 270 with the BOSS knob. It's kinda rough but at 500 I need to get it just for a donor action.
Winchester rifles and Swarovski scopes.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,418
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,418 |
Have another one headed this way. I think it's going straight to the gunsmith for a re-barrel to something interesting. I have another .300 that I think is a 6-digit. It shoots OK-- plus or minus an inch for three with select loads but fouls badly, causing accuracy to decrease. I am going to experiment with Dyna Bore Coat on that one.
BWalker, we tried everything short of rebarrel with the 1993 gun. Finally, we took some cast bullets and Veral Smith's fire lapping compound and got it to shoot 3" sometimes. That helped more than anything.
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