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Igloo Offline OP
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I know, the only answer is both! But I'm curious to hear what you fellas think of this one.

I have a chance to pick up either a Winchester 70 push feed in 308 Win (looks like a pre XTR rifle) or a Zastava M98 in a hog's back stock in 7x57 or 6.5x55

I'm set up to reload the 308 and 7x57 as it is. Either would be nice. Right now the only things really holding me back on the Mauser are the pain in the ass nature of mounting a scope on it, and the somewhat bulky width/weight dimensions....although I've had worse! That said...its a great action. The simplicity of the Winchester trigger has a lot to offer too.

I dunno, what do y'all think and why?


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I would get the 7x57.


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Originally Posted by elkhunternm
I would get the 7x57.


How come, Ken? Because of the rifles themselves, or the 7x57 caliber?


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Winchester.....every time.. Because you already named two quite important reasons: scope mounting and trigger..

Last edited by Redneck; 07/27/21.

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Originally Posted by Igloo
Originally Posted by elkhunternm
I would get the 7x57.


How come, Ken? Because of the rifles themselves, or the 7x57 caliber?

IIRC the Zastava is the Interarms Mark X action just under a new name. Should not be to hard to mount a scope on it.

Yes, I like the 7x57 cartridge.


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The two rifles would be a pickem based on which one you like the best.

Definitely the 7x57 over the 308.


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Why is it hard to mount a scope on the Zastava? I have 2 scoped with no problems

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Its a pain because they drill the holes so far out of whack, you need windage adjustable bases. And the rear of the action/front ring are of different heights than any Weaver bases seem to be able to equal, so the scopes taking a nose dive.

Basically have to use Leupold rings/bases.


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I'll chime in since I have both (albeit both in 7x57).

I've had zero issues scoping the Zastava: Warne bases and Warne QD rings with a Burris scope. About the only thing I don't like about the rifle is the stock, and that's easily fixed by either a replacement or having someone put the one that's on it on a diet. One of the things you might want to consider is the fact that the barrel twist is 1:866" (1:220mm). If you like long bullets you'll like that twist, although my rifles with the standard 1:9.5" handle 175-grain bullets just fine.

As for the triggers, as long as they break cleanly and can be easily adjusted, I don't particularly care. But neither do I hunt where anything is likely to freeze, so that certainly plays into my comment. Mud, on the other hand, can be a potential problem, so if you're in a place where things can get sloppy the older Winchester trigger wins hands down. So far that hasn't been a problem for me either, but things happen.

In light of all of that, you answered your own question right at the beginning: do what I did and get both.

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The current production Zastava rifles that I've seen have all had very poor checkering, little more than shallow lines scratched into the wood, so I would probably avoid them unless the price was too low to pass on. When quality control is almost non-existent on one part of a unit, I have to wonder what other short cuts were taken during the production process.

I own several push-feed Winchester 70 and think that they are well made, well finished, rifles that exhibit fine quality control, so given those 2 choices, my choice would be the Winchester.

I currently have 9 rifles chambered in 7x57 and 14 chambered in 308, so I don't have any particular cartridge bias one way or the other. That said, my "if I ever get to Africa again" rifles are a matched pair of Interarms Mark X mannlichers in 7x57 and 9.3x62, so maybe I am a wee bit biased toward the 7x57 if it is chambered in the right rifle for me and my intended uses.

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This picture shows how the hog's back stock is difficult to get a good cheek weld (the owner needed a higher comb" and why there's an "American" style stock.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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Thanks for all the feedback, guys!

Dave in WV, there's a rifle in that picture? *grin* Nah I see what you mean. Coupling that with what RevMike and 260Remguy have said, the factory stock would probably go. Some of them have nice wood grain and look like they would really pop with some oil (as they come with nearly none it seems) but yeah. Checkering is dog poop and its kind of a club. Would ditch it for a synthetic as soon as.

I haven't had the same luck with scope mounting (had one where a Leupold ran out of adjustment and used a Bushnell instead) but if I end up with one again I'll give the Warne set a try.

ETA: RevMike, I'd hope to have the 7x57 shooting a 120gr TTSX most of the time.





Last edited by Igloo; 07/27/21.

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As much as I like the 7x57, Winchester rifles are outstanding!


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I've got a couple of Interarms Mark X rifles. Scope mounting was simple with Warne bases.

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Shinbone, there was no massive windage correction for you?

Joe, I love em too, have had pushfeeds, Classic CRF and a few of the newer ones....but also love Mausers. Its a hard life I tell ya


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I'm the odd man out, as usual, but in my experience, the early post '64 push feeds had some crazy accurate hammer forged barrels (I've owned 4 of them in common cartridges) including a .308 that I used in NRA Sporting Rifle High Power, and managed to qualify 'expert'. If accuracy is your thing, be comfortable with the .308 M-70. For a pure hunting rifle, I'd take the Zastava in 6.5 Swede, the 6.5 only because I have around a half century of experience with it. The difference betwixt 6.5, 7x57 and .308 cannot be measured in practicality for hunting purposes, IMO.


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I'm with you on no game animal ever really knowing the difference, flintlocke! And the powder charges and bullet weights that would be involved (for me) make them compare quite equally with each other.


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What are the wear points to watch out for on the Win 70 push feed? Anything that tends to crap out before getting to high mileage use?


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To me it would depend on if I wanted a project or I wanted a using gun with little or no work needed. As the basis for a slightly improved to a full blown custom the Zastava would get the nod. For a using unmodified rifle then the Winchester PF. Caliber I like them all but the 6.5x55, 7x57 and then 308 are my preference in that order. This could easily change if I had a stockpile of components for any of them, which I do for the 6.5x55 and .308 but not currently the 7x57.

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Originally Posted by Igloo
Its a pain because they drill the holes so far out of whack, you need windage adjustable bases. And the rear of the action/front ring are of different heights than any Weaver bases seem to be able to equal, so the scopes taking a nose dive.

Basically have to use Leupold rings/bases.
Exactly... It's one of the main reasons I quit accepting M98s about a dozen+ years ago..


Originally Posted by Igloo
What are the wear points to watch out for on the Win 70 push feed? Anything that tends to crap out before getting to high mileage use?
None really. They're mostly bullet proof..

A couple things to check if buying one used - first, the extractor. Remove it (paying attention to the plunger & spring so it doesn't go BOING, then remove those and clean the recess. Re-install and check for ease of movement. It's the most ignored piece on most PF rifles and if enough dirt/grit/etc gets in the grooves it can hinder ejection and/or insertion.


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