Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Model 70 stainless classic 243

I just picked up a very clean model 70 stainless classic in 243. I'm thinking about sending in for a rebore to 358 but I haven't seen many of these in 243. If it's a hard to find model I think I'll leave it as is. How common are the 243's in this model? Serial is a G with 5 numbers after it.

Bb

243 and 308 were the most common. All of them in that SN# range are/were Fwt barrel contours regardless which stock they came in, not sure if that leaves enough meat in the bbl for .358 or not? Not a big deal as re-barrel is certainly an option, just not certain that a re-bore is.

I have 2, 2 friends also have them (243's). They all shoot 85gn TSX's/Ramshot hunter really well @ ~3200fps.

5-digit SS Classic Short actions certainly don't grow on trees. If you're interested in re-sale @ some point, re-barrel and save the original 243Win bbl.

The barrel looks like a standard sporter. Definitely enough meat for a rebore. I'll have to take it out and shoot it first. I happen to have some 85g tsx's and hunter.

Thanks,
Bb

horse1 is absolutely correct. If it is a 5 digit stainless it will be a featherweight profile unless rebarreled. Sporter profile for sa stainless were much later ...

45gn of Hunter has been a great combo. It's under book max and nudges 3200fps +/- 30FPS or so from 22" barrels. I've used that load in Winchesters, Remington, Kimbers, Wby Vanguards, and at least 1 Savage.

As horse said, if it's a standard weight, it's a take-off from a later rifle given a G-5digit serial no.

Pretty easy to tell if it's Fwt or not. Look just ahead of the action and the bbl will have a very noticeable radiused quick step-down and then a fairly straight taper to the muzzle.

Disregard the stock, it doesn't tell you diddly.

It's not the feather weight contour. It's just a standard sporter. I'll have to look at the serial again. I think it was G followed by 5 numbers but maybe it was 6. It's got the heavy Tupperware stock. It's in really good shape for what Im guessing is a mid nineties vintage rifle. I'll see how it shoots. I think these were all 10 twist so it probably won't like my 105 loads I have on hand. I've got lots of other bullets to try in it though. I'll try the 85 tax, 90 NAB. and 95 NBT.

Not sure why I want another 358. I got rid of all my mid bore stuff about 5 years ago. I've had 2 358s in the past and mostly just shot rabbits with 140 xtps about 2900.

When I think about going back to Africa I think a 20" 358 would work well where i hunt there. Here in Idaho I generally prefer something with more reach like a 7-08.

I have a hard time living a 243 that isn't an 8 twist but I'll give this one a try.

Bb

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/830970919

Barrel profile look like this?

Profile looks kind of like that but the rifle is not near that new. Serial # is also definitely shorter than that one. Stock is all black.

Bb

Post up some pics if possible. If it is 5 or 6 digit it should be a fw profile. If it is a sporter it *should* be 7 digit.

What is the barrel length?

Still kinda curious what the OP has here........

Just got home from being out of town and took a closer look at the rifle. You guys are right it is a featherweight contour. It has that aggressive taper right after the action. It is a G and 5 numbers. Would be nice to find a clean featherweight wood stock to swap it into. I kind of like the schnable type forend of the featherweight stocks.

Bb

Is the synthetic shaped like a featherweight (checkering and schnabel)?

I have a SS featherweight Classic 243 as well, currently in a mini-carbine youth stock. Think it is 5 digit, maybe 6. Loaded 100 gr partitions for it last summer. I tried Viht N560 and RL-26. RL-26 was better in terms of accuracy and velocity and seemed to have better “manners”. Still didn’t love the accuracy. Was finally going to shoot it again today, but drove 1/2 hour to the range and it was full.

Since RL-26 has been out of stock for months, and no one seems to know when it will be back, I recently picked up some IMR 7977 that I may try as well.

I'm 99% sure Winchester did not make the all terrains in short actions. But I been wrong before, the stainless featherweights short actions are extremely hard to come by. I have seen 1 stainless short action in a 243.. as others said they do not grow on trees...

Slope,
The stock you describe is from the “all terrain” which came in 270 & ‘06 (22” fw bbls) as well as 7 mm and 300 wm (24” sporter profile). Both could also be had with boss. Made ~’96 - ‘98.

The Tupperware that's on it is not a featherweight style. It looks just like the ones I had in 300 RUM but short action. The barrel does have the featherweight step contour at the shank though.

I was unloading a bunch of boxes of bullets that have been taped up since my move last year and found a bunch of 90g NABs, 95g NBTs, 85g partitions, and 6 boxes of 85g tsx's. My main 243 is an 8 twist so those mid weight bullets have been collecting dust. Now I just need to decide which to start with.

Slope, I've always had good luck with H1000 and 100s or 105s in a 243.

Bb

The stainless SA's with tupperware stock only came with the sporter stock profile, not the French Whorehouse stock with ribbon checkering and schnabel forend. However, some were available with the wood "featherweight" stock.

Of course, what makes an M70 a "featherweight" is the barrel contour, not the stock...

There's more than a few folks who never give them a 2nd look for that very reason, not realizing that they were ALL Fwts and all one needs to do is procure the stock of their choice w/Fwt bbl channel.

I find 243's more often than any other chambering in SS Classic Short Actions, but, I don't find any of them very often.

As I said above, if I wanted that action but a different chambering, I'd re-barrel and save the original if I thought re-sale was ever going to be a concern.

If you look closely at the tupperware, you will also notice that the ejection cutout was never modified for the SA. One stock fits all :-)