Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Tell me about Featherweight vs. not

Looking to purchase a 7mm RM. I have always stuck to 'classic sporter' because I want a full length barrel. I assumed all were cut down for weight, hence, featherweight. However, All the 7mm Rem I see, be it classic sporter or featherweight seem to have 24" barrels. Is that the norm or is there something else I need to know. Is the featherweight designation purely a stop swap option on the new 90's G serial rifles?

They never made a true fwt 7mm rem mag. Also, I don't know where you are looking, but most model 70 7mm rem mags have 26" tubes. I personally don't like the 26" long barrels and cut them down to 23". You don't lose as much velocity as you'd think, but it makes them much more nimble feeling. To each their own on that though.

Featherweight barrel contour has always been just that. I'm thinking someone else may have also told you about the barrel contour in another one of your threads??? The fwt barrel has a 1/4" flat at the receiver, then it steps down to a lighter tapered contour. Like these for example:


The stock barrel channel typically follows those lines:


Here's a standard weight (sporter) for comparison:



A classic stainless fwt barrel:


If they called it a featherweight, it is one they threw a sporter model into a featherweight schnabel forend tip stock. Those have the barrel channel opened up to accept the bigger barrel profile. However, they are not a "true" featherweight. A sleight of hand or misrepresentation of the true meaning of the "featherweight" rifle.

I am looking across most sites like this one and Guns International. Thanks for the info. I also had a buddy wanting to sell a .270 WBY MAG 7 digit G gun, push feed, but it had a muzzle brake installed. The end of the brake measured 25.5 and where it met the barrel was 23". I didn't like the idea of push feed, or the fact it had been cut down.

I know you've been searching for just the right rifle. Eventually you'll run across it. It's good to ask these questions. One thing I'll add about the pushfeed you mention, those rifles are very good and reliable. Generally having very smooth actions, good oldstyle trigger, excellent out of the box accuracy, good extractor (much more robust than the Rem 700). They are generally a little less money than a comparable CRF classic or pre 64.

You also seem to be jumping around on what you want for cartridges. From what I've seen, it seems like I've been seeing more 7mm rem mags lately on the used rifle racks. A classic CRF chambered for that cartridge makes sense, if you are truly wanting one. It's a great cartridge housed in a great rifle. I have a couple right now and like them.

Yes, I am jumping around a bit on caliber. The fact is that I'm not all that picky. I am open to .270 as well. I am mostly trying to learn a lot as I go too. I like the Model 70 and I think that's the one I want to focus on. I am focused on the CRF Post 64 due to pricing, and the fact that I cannot just buy them all. So, I want to focus on a subset of the model I want. Thanks for the pics. Those make sense to me.

This is the one that prompted my question. It illustrates your point that you made about contours. At that price, I'm not even going to inquire. I find it overpriced by a fair bit.

I think BSA pretty much addressed it above, but yes, the featherweight and all-terrain mags had 24 inch barrels – but of the same contour. Also, the early supergrades had a 24 inch barrel.

Brazos, if you tell us exactly what you are looking for, maybe one of us here would be willing to let one go.

Or... For the bit chambering flexible as "discrimination folk..." Winchester offered the late pre '64 era Model 70 Featherweight in .264 (6.5mm) Win Mag chambering. Some peculiarities for hand-loaders I understand, but decent chambering. Mine from '62 vintage, pix below. Red "Winchester" branded pad as original/furnished on this Model. 24" inch factory barrel as opposed to Standard Model 26".
I prefer the 7mm series, of factory ammo available inference: -08, x57 & Rem Mag!

Good Luck!
Best!
John

John,

I need to go measure but I believe that the 264 featherweights were 22” - perhaps worth a check?

The standard 264 win mag westerner had a 26" long barrel, where as the 264 fwt had a 22" barrel.

I found a nice .270 stainless in another forum, but the seller wasn’t willing to let me contact his FFL to verify that he actually Had the gun and the seller wouldn’t return my calls or provide any useful contact info. I wouldn’t send money before I at least knew he had the gun to ship and he said it was too much work for him to take the product to the ffl before I had paid in full. So I’m going to be honest, probably buying guns from people online from strangers isn’t my thing. I will buy a scope for 300 in good faith, but I can’t do that for a 1000 gun, so I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. There is a supergrade in the classifieds right now in 7mm RM. It has a 24” barrel not 26” so that confused me. It’s more than I can afford but that’s the idea. I just am looking for a lightly used model 70 in excellent condition. I see them pretty often for 700-900 bucks. .270, 7mm RM…classic sporter walnut. Has to have walnut. I have two BNIB Tikka T3 forests in 7mm RM and 300 win mag I may be trying to sell.

For what it’s worth, this site and board is far more….refined….if you will. Seems like a lot of folks who like to help and are friendly. That’s nice. This is a good place. My one purchase here has been great.

Totally understandable. I'd hold out for just the right one. As you probably know, the blued walnut versions are much less expensive and easier to find than the stainless walnut. Doesn't someone have a nice stainless walnut 7mm rem mag for sale in the classifieds here right now? I believe it's couesdeer. The price is right on that one, if it is not sold yet. Every once in a while you'll run across one locally, if you look around. They don't come up for sale often though. Have you inquired about the one couesdeer is selling?

It’s not couesdeer’s.

Is a stainless walnut in .270 better or worse than a blued one? Does it matter or personal preference or what?

Personal preference in my book. The SS is worth a bit more though on average.

I was just out in the shop, cleaning some rifles and a pistol from the other days outing. Thinking about the OP's question. For me, the stainless rifles are easier to care for. And where I hunt, they are nice to have because it rains a lot or snows during elk season. Also, if you are away from home, hunting, and your rifle is getting all wet, you have less worries with a stainless model 70. They don't seem to rust up like some other stainless rifles I've had. I've seen stainless Tikka's on the used rifle racks with rust specks on them. Obviously very poorly taken care of rifles. Most times you can wipe them down with an oily rag and be good, if away from home. But I always worry about my blued rifles out in the crap weather. Probably why I hunt my m1917 sporters most times and leave the pre 64's at home. Also, if you get a scratch in the finish of a stainless rifle, you can generally buff it out. A nicely blued rifle, not so much. There are benefits and advantages in having a stainless model 70. Where you hunt and how you take care of your rifles may be a consideration or deciding factor.

To be honest, if I were looking for a nice stainless walnut 7mm rem mag, I'd contact couesdeer about his rifle. The only real question I'd have about that rifle is the finish on the floorplate. It looks off, and may be one of the reasons it has not sold yet.

But to be clear, the sporter classics, NON featherweights in 7mm Rem Mag should have a 26” barrel?

I did see that rifle early on, it was a hair more than I wanted to pay and the hinge plate bugged me. Lol. I’m more comfortable with the price now and I might do it.

Yes; except the early classic supergrades which had 24” barrels.

We will leave the BOSS for another thread. 😬

I’ve seen some fine rifles on some other sites. They are so fine I’ve been asking myself “is a .338 Win Mag REALLY too big for whitetail or can we make it work.” Lol.

Ha ha. Don’t ask Beretz’s

Couesdeer rifle would fit beautifully in my safe. Love the look of that rifle and serial number range I like to keep under 150,000 no real issues with higher but that is what I like. Stainless and walnut my all time favorite look. All my model 70’s if not pre 64 are stainless.