Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors M70 Still made in usa?

I read online that the new M70's are no longer made here in the USA. Is this true or just bad info?

Not sure exactly when the change, but they've been made in the FN factory in Belgium for several years. They moved production to the nSouth Carolina FN factory in 2008, but that is where FN makes military rifles, they just didn't have the room for production as I understand it.

OK, Thanks. I have the ultimate shadow .30-06 that was made in South Carolina. I think I will hang onto it. Not sure if it will gain in value or not being made here in the U.S.

I think you will find they are made in Portugal now. Yes, seriously.

Last one I bought was stamped "Made in Portugal by Browning Viana".

They were never made in Belgium. Where did you come up with that info?

Come on now don’t you remember those Belgium made model 70’s🤪

Uh sure, ok..

I have a Ultimate Shadow stainless M70 made in Utah.

Reads “MADE IN USA *BACO INC MORGAN UTAH” correct?
Will be a made in SC if so. No actual production occurred in UT.

Yep those ones were made at temple square in Salt Lake City 🤪.. model 70 was made at one of 3 places 1- New Haven, CT 1936-2005 2- Columbia, SC 2008-2013 3- Portugal 2014- they were never made anywhere else..

You started off saying they were made in Utah, then three other places. Then said they were only made in the last three places. I'm confused, which is it made in 3 places or 4. Not trying to be smart aleck, just trying to learn.

The Utah part was a joke. They were never made there.

I missed the joke. I have always loved the 94, but never a fan of any of the others. Just trying to learn something.

Temple square was the clue to it being a joke..

Some .35Rems were reportedly made in Shanghai....

No, but don't worry Model 70 is based on Springfield military rifle which was modification of Mauser 98 so is good the guns parts are made someplace in EU and assembled in Portugal. Look, Bergara rifles are made in Spain and many say are superior to current Remington 700s. Think of the World as an island, it's all good. Plenty of used ones from CT out there at affordable prices.

That's why I dont go looking for old Winchesters or Savages. I dont know enough about them to know what I'm looking at.

The last thing I saw was that the actions are made here, then assembled in Portugal, where the stocks have come from since FN took over. I've also read that the current ones are the best in a long time, certainly better than late New Haven ones. If and when it makes sense to move production elsewhere, I expect they will, even back here. Many Browning guns have been put together in Portugal over the years, even A5s for a time.

If that bothers you, buy something else.

That's why the mormons put a big wall around it and dug a ditch.

Fuq dude, i thought they were made by warmsprings indians working under the table or for a jug a day

Bergeras are beter than the remington 700s, but i have no fuc king idea why we are talking about rem 700's when the question was about model 70's in the Winchester collectors forum fo fuqs sake...

Sorry. Winchester.......[img]http://www.jpgbox.com/page/58361_600x400/[/img]
It's the only rifle I own. My new avatar should help smooth things over.

After Winchester closed their doors at New Haven, there was a "no Winchester guns made in the USA" time frame (1-2 years???). Shotguns were made in Japan.

FN-Herstal ( Belgium based management), and Browning Arms corporation ( "BACO", with management based in Utah), resumed production of the model 70 at the FN defense plant in South Carolina. These m70's were made and assembled in the USA (South Carolina). About 2012-2013, the model 70 PARTS continued to be made in the FN-South Carolina plant, then shipped to Portugal for final fitting/ assembly. This began about 2013, and is the current production business model.

The Winchester model 70 was never made in Belgium, FN (Fabrique Nationale) is headquarted in Belgium ( management), not production. They were never made in Utah. That is were BACO/Browning Arms Corporation management is located, not production.

The Winchester model 70 rifles made/assembled at the FN-South Carolina plant (~ 2007-2013) had a barrel stamp; : BACO Morgan Utan, Made in USA" (or something close to that).

The model 70 rifles assembled in Portugal have a barrel stamping "BACO,,,,, Assembled in Portugal".

Purists of the m70 either avoid or hold their noses when it comes to the BACO-era model 70 rifles-mainly due to the new trigger. There seems to be a double avoidance/nose holding when it comes to the "assembeled in Portugal" BACO rifles. Mostly because it is " unAmerican, and it is not a real model 70." ) ( or something like that).

As far as I can tell, the manufacturing standards on either the BACO-South Carolina/made and assembled in the USA m70 rifles, and the "made in USA/assembled in Portugal" models were top notch., with strong fit/finish. Some will state the craftsmanship of the Portuguese gunmakers/assemblers are as good if not better than the USA assemblers.

It is an emotional topic. Facts are facts. Opinions are opinions. The fact is the BACO- made model 70 ( ~2007 to current) is a high quality firearm, whether made/assembled in the USA or Portugal.

Until there are FACTUAL reports that the Portugese-assembled model 70 rifles have quality issues, I will not hold emotional negative reports with much regard. I WILL accept facts and findings if there are legitimate quality issues with the new M70 product, but not until then.

I currently own three FN-South Carolina M70 sporters (one an "Extreme Weather", all 30-06), and had a 30-06 m70 Featherweight BACO /South Carolina made/assembled rifle which I sold, just because I like the sporter configuration better. ALL were exceptionally well-made regarding fit/finish and "bolt feel". Never handled a Portuguese assembled m70.

I am not a M70 expert. I DID own two pre-64 m70 sporters (both 1950's made: one a 220 Swift and the other a 270 Win). Sold them both years ago as I was thinning the herd of calibers (sticking with 30 caliber for reloading inventory issues). They were fine rifles too, but the stock had too much drop at comb for me. The BACO stocks have higher , straighter combs and are wonderful in design and quality, and position my head perfectly for scope use.

The BACO triggers work great. Crisp and adjustable. "Ernie the gunsmith" offers replacement trigger springs for the BACO rifles for $8.00 for a lighter pull, if you so desire to have a different trigger pull adjustment range. My factory stock BACO triggers break at 3.0 lbs. Just fine for me.

This is my view, based on my experience. If I learn more from factual reports to the counter, I will include that in my overall view of these rifles. So far, my BACO-made / assembled in USA/South Carolina m70's have been flawless (and accurate, as in 0.75 MOA accurate), and smooth feeding, yielding pride and joy of owning and using them.

Nice summary, buttstock.

You make some good points. I’ve not handled enough of those to have an opinion, appreciate your info.

DF

Excellent write up my friend. The only discrepancy i see is the time frame of when FN started model 70 production. That happened in 2008. The reason there were 2008 "limited edition" models. Those were first year BACOS. Great write up, otherwise.

Agreed. Very well said buttstock.

I’ll personally stick with the NH Classics as my go to for builds, followed by pre 64’s

Pardon my ignorance.

Is there something wrong with the ones made in South Carolina?

Or anywhere, for that matter.

When you place them under the bell curve, no. With quantity there will always be exceptions on both ends.

If you're good with the MOA trigger, there's nothing wrong with the SC version. If you think a "real" M70 has the original open trigger, then you should stick with CT made.

I prefer the latter. It's my prejudice, and I'm sticking with it...

I own nice model 70s from every era since the 1950s.

Pre 64 Featherweight 270. 1950s.

XTR Model 70 Featherweight 7x57 1970s

Model 70 Extreme Weather 270 WSM and 300 WSM. 2000s South Carolina.

Model 70 Jack O'Connor Commerative. 2010s, Portugal.

These are all fine rifles that shoot very well and feed and function perfectly.

Overall the Portugal rifles Model 70s are as good as any Modl 70s that I have ever owned or handled.

Some even think "real" M70's are only made above the line and before 64. Some even think many of those are forged and fake. Some think a stock refinish makes them less real. These days a "real" Model70 can be an elusive item.

One things for sure...there’s a little variety available, and you really can’t go “wrong” with any of them. Personal preference is the main difference, other than where, when, with which parts it was manufactured.

Anyone with enough mechanical knowledge to drive a screw should be able to simply LOOK at an original M70 trigger and figure out why it's better, a lot better. All mine say New Haven CT. as well.

That would be fully dependent on your definition of “better “

This

I have the Portugal 70 in .300 Featherweight and would buy another in a minute if I had the need...Better than a pre 64 if you just add a Timney...Moa will do if 3 and a half #s suits you...Mine is a 1/2 " shooter

I have 4 of the "new" model 70s. One is a SC Supergrade in 30-06. Another is a fwt 06 made in SC but assembled in Portugal. Those 2 rifles say Made in USA on both the barrel and the left side of the receiver. The fwt has "assembled in Portugal" on the underside of the barrel only visible when out of the stock. The other 2 are a 270 and 308, both Portugal guns and are stamped "made in Portugal by Browning Viana" on the barrel. The nicest one of the bunch is the Portugal 270 with a high gloss stock, as far as fit and finish go. I put Timneys in the 270 and 308. An Ernie spring in the fwt 06, and the supergrade is untouched but has a nice trigger pull. All shoot very well, but the 06 fwt gave me fits until I had the crown recut and pillar bedded. It now shoots "ok" but not as good as my other 3. It also wears Williams steel bottom metal. If I had to do over again, I would have gotten rid of it instead of spending time and money making it shoot. Those are my experiences, and would not hesitate to purchase another shall the need or desire arise.