Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 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

Thanks for posting that update Brad...

RIP Mr Hylenski. and thanks for your contribution to my favorite rifle brand....and model.

Rest in peace Sir.

Ron

Sorry to hear about your friend. Sounds like he was also a friend to all of us even though we didn't know it.

RIP, sir. And thanks for bringing back the claw.

Okie John

Sorry he is gone, RIP

Thanks for posting Brad.
RIP Pete.

RIP Mr. Model 70 . Thank you for your contributions to "The Rifleman's Rifle".

+1!

RIP Sir.

Sounds like he would have been an interesting man to sit and talk Model 70's, Kimbers and firearms in general with.

In helping design those rifles we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Thank you for your contributions to the hunting/shooting community.
RIP Mr. Model 70.

RIP Pete

Amen. Thanks for the info Brad

Thanks Brad, seemed like a talented guy.

I am saddened to hear this. I corresponded with Pete a few times over the years. Mainly as a lefty enamoured with the Model 70. Hopefully another bear falls to a LH Model 70 this spring in his honour.

I wonder if he was the guy my dad spoke with years ago. After trying unsuccessfully to source a left handed .375 he started calling Winchester about it, and was finally put through to a guy who knew all about them. This guy, whoever he was, said they only made 150 left handed .375 every couple years.

Regardless, Mr. Hylenski made my favorite rifles what they were and for that I'm grateful. They've killed literally tons of game meat for me, saved me from bear maulings, and proven reliable from the arctic circle to the coastal rainforests. RIP sir.

RIP sir! Your contributions to the shooting world will likely never be repeated! memtb

RIP...

Sorry to hear of his passing. Never heard of the fella but as a M70 guy to fault I am glad to hear of the work he did.

My thoughts as well. Our world is diminished by the passing of guys like him.

Except for the promotion of Jack O'Connor, in my opinion Pete did more for Model 70 fan's than anyone since its introduction in the 1930's - and he definitely put Kimber on a better trajectory than it was on before he got on board. Of course, Pete's contribution's were behind the scene, and un-heralded.

Brad thank you for posting this. I knew ‘of‘ Pete but never corresponded. Folks like him are truly unique in our beloved pursuit. I’ll pray for his family.

Sincerely appreciated the personal touch you added to your post.

Cheers

Tim

One of his creations on a walk last night. Thanks Pete! :-)

Hopefully whoever finds that rifle knows can sort out using a wronghanded bolt.

I’d be p’issed off to find a LH 70…. Just my damn luck

Lol!

Brad, thanks for the heads up, Being a lefty and my all time fav being a SS LH ‘70 I’d like to thank Pete for his time,

This could also be posted in the Lefty section just as well.

LH ‘70’s are coveted by many.

I own'd 1 m64 left hand 30/06 biggest piece of junk I've ever bought ,I sold it a week after I bought it
I'll never buy another one

I see another brainiac has decided to grace the campfire…

Yea and from your post count you have been here quite a while
Dont like what I post then put me on ignore trulely that simple
Have a good evening 👍

My thinking is how classless it is to post smack about a mans work on his obituary post, while offering no specifics to back it up other than the vague "biggest piece of junk I've ever bought ,I sold it a week after I bought it." HOW was it the biggest piece of junk you ever bought?

Obviously a week with a rifle is a vast amount of time, allowing one to test a variety of handloads and factory loads, so maybe there was a mechanical issue rather than an accuracy issue you discovered in your extensive week's work with the rifle?

Brad's post count has given reason to value his opinion. You on the other hand.....

Post count besides the point, I haven't seen many LH M64s in 30-06 myself

I know Pathfinder76 has a few LH'ed M70 gems that are mighty fine shooters.

And then there's that... brainiac indeed lol.

The model 64 I own is ambidextrous. Trying to figure out how you would make one left handed..😉

Or chamber it in 30-06.

I refuse to part with the two LH M70s I have. One an 06 I have used quite a bit and the other 300 Win Mag I have never even fired. However, both are smooth as polished rubies and feed as one would expect.

Ha! I’m on the hill right now sitting next to one. This one is a 30-06. But is also a Model 70. :-)

Love it!

Thanks again Pete!