Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles New Model 70

i'm a fortunate guy. i have 2 sc model 70's, a supergrade and an ew. i've had a gunsmith adjust the triggers to 3 pounds but i haven't seen them out of their respective stocks. they both shoot extremely well with factory ammo. seeing some of these pics makes me want to take the barreled action out of the stock, but i probably won't. if it ain't broke..........

The pictures shown is the notorious "hotglue" bedding used on some New Haven guns. The new FN SC and Portugal guns are NOT bedded in that matter. A gray colored epoxy is used in the recoil lug and tang area and is well done for a production rifle. The stuff they use actually gets hard unlike what is shown in the pictures.

Elkhunter gave sound advice....actually shooting a rifle before mucking around with the bedding is a good idea. I own 5 of these newer FN 70s total. 3 are SC guns and 2 are Portugal. 3 of them shoot just fine as is with the triggers adjusted using an Ernie spring. The other 2 I put Timneys in. The MOA trigger gets a bad rap from some because of its design, but if a fella does not fool with the sear engagement adjustment a nice trigger pull can be had without a trip to the gunsmith with just a little bit of mechanical ability.

I had one rifle, a SC 30-06 featherweight, pillar and glassed because I could not get it to shoot well, and had a Williams steel bottom metal fitted at the same time. The main culprit was a poor factory crown though, and I had it recut and the problems I was having went away.

My gripe about the triggers is purely philosophical; I prefer simple mechanisms. I futzed with three of the old ones and got good pulls that seemed, at least, to be consistent and crisp. That's not always the case apparently. At any rate, it's unlikely I'll ever get any practical experience with the new ones as I'm pretty well rifled up, hunting rifles anyway. "Toys" are another matter entirely.

Those ones I saw on GB are very nice though.......

Have 5 Portugal made model 70's, 1 extreme weather 06, 1 featherweight 06, 1 mod 70 featherweight stainless 06 and 2 compact featherweight 308's for grandkids, all have excellent fit/finish and accuracy. Did change triggers to timney's.

I have had a few of them and they have been accurate and well made rifles. I just get ticked about the triggers, they are completely serviceable but I like the old triggers. Right now I have been working with a Sporter in 325 WSM. So far it has been accurate, but again, the trigger is pretty stiff and if I keep it, it'll get a Timney. But they are well machined and and accurate rifles.

Get an "Ernie the gunsmith" trigger spring for your MOA trigger in the new 70s. I was skeptical. It's pretty good and the installation is pretty easy. Step by step instructions online.

I have a Portugal made Featherweight in .243. I find the fit and finish to be excellent. Nice stick of walnut and deep bluing. Mounted a Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm on Talley lightweight rings. Groups under an inch at 100 yards with Federal blue box 100 gr. I dropped a doe with it the first season out with it. I found the trigger and lug bedding fine. I also own a 1990's M70 Lightweight in .280 Rem and a 2000's (last of the New Haven guns) M70 Heavy Varmint .308 with OEM HS Precision stock. They all shoot an inch or less without any custom work.

Same here with a SC made Featherweight in 7x57. I got some 139 and 145 gr LRX to shoot well with RL 16 in another rifle so maybe the M70 will like that combo. Happy Trails

So far the only thing I've found acceptable in my 7mm-08 is either a 139gr Hornady flatbase or a 140 Nosler BT over IMR 4350. Velocities are a bit on the slow side though. I'm getting 2600fps with the Noslers and 2700 with the Hornadys over the chronograph. I was hoping to reach 2800 but haven't found an accurate load that will do it. Have tried Varget, 4064, and Big Game. Didn't find any magic in my rifle with those 3 powders..still searching. The 139gr Hornady is more than acceptable and will put 3 in an inch, so that may well end up being the load for this rifle. Having lots of those bullets helps too.

+1 to your comments.