Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum The Passing Of "Mr Model 70"...

Pete Hylenski died last month. I got to know Pete in the late 90's when he was Chief Design Engineer at USRAC. Pete was responsible for the resurrection of the CRF/Pre-64 Model 70 in the early 90's. He also introduced the little "ships bow" into the M70 feedramp, and later, the little gas flange on the bolt shroud. Pete was a South Paw, and was solely responsible for the LH Model 70. Later, when he went to Kimber, he struggled to get a LH Model 84 or 8400 made, but to no avail. He designed it, and it remains on CAD, but he couldn't persuade the owner of Kimber to go ahead with the project.

Pete was a kind gentleman, and we exchanged a lot of emails and spent a fair bit of time on the phone over the years. He monitored various internet forums, including 24hourcampfire, to "fact gather." His handle here was "Headache" and I know there are a number of guys here who knew Pete and his position. Pete was always open to ideas, and I was privileged to have some small input in a few of his projects both at USRAC and later at Kimber.

Bless you Pete...

https://www.guns.com/news/2022/04/11/noted-firearms-engineer-pete-hylenski-passes

https://www.jowdykanefuneralhome.com/obituary/Peter-Hylenski

Brad-

Thanks for posting this about Mr. Hylenski. I was always under the impression that David Miller and Curt Crum had a lot to do with the early re- introduction of the pre -64 M70 rifles. It is good to know about the engineer in New Haven that actually made it happen.

I currently own a sweet Kimber Montana 84L in 3006 that feeds and shoots just as well as my circa 1949 Winchester m70 standard sporter. It would interesting to know exactly what Mr Hylenski's contributions were to the design of my Kimber.

He sounds like he was an interesting fellow and I am sorry about his passing.

JK, Pete didn't design the 84M or 8400. He inherited the designs when he came over to Kimber after his time at USRAC. He and I began talking around 2005 about the possibility of Kimber offering an 84L model. Going through my emails about it, he had designed the action and had begun test-firing by late 2008. I don't believe the 84L made its market appearance until 2010, which is when I got my first IIRC. But yes, Pete designed the 84L.

Thanks for the post and sharing this information Brad. All new information for me. RIP Mr. Hylenski

I'm thankful for the Model 70 classic lefty stainless and have it in 7mm rem mag, 338win mag. Wish I could have one in 270 but that ship is pretty much sailed.