Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Post 64 Winchester M70 FWT

So been a bit since I bought another rifle and I'm starting to get itchy. Looking at the featherweights as I've never owned 1.

Looking at 3 different ones currently. All red pad New Haven CT rifles. All either very good or excellent condition. All the darker red stained rifles, not the more satin or matte, duller finish on the new ones.

1 is an 82 push feed XTR. 1 is a 91 push feed, just says featherweight on the right side of the barrel, not xtr.

The third is a CRF that says classic featherweight on the right side of barrel. Do not know the yr of this one as it's after 1992.

Anything to look for in older push feed verses later CRF at the New Haven plant? Good, bad?

I only have one push feed XTR, a 7x57. The finish and quality of the wood is a bit better it seems then the newer New Haven CRF rifles. I have several of those too and none are a disappointment.

The price tag. That is always the first thing I look at. ha ha..

Ha! Well as you can figure, in today's world there isn't any of them that I'd call cheap. One is a 7x57, one a 6.5x55, and one a 7mm-08.

Cool factor would probably go to the first 2. The 6.5x55 has the nicest wood, although all of them look nice. The 7mm-08 is the most reasonably priced and for whatever reason if I had to pick today, that's the one I'm drawn to. I do like that cartridge.

A little more info on which one is which. Does it go like this:

1. 6.5x55
2. 7x57
3. 7mm-08

Also, on the CRF classic, how many digits in the serial #?

1) 82 xtr pf 7x57
2) 91 pf 6.5x55
3) crf classic 7/08

I would jump on 3 if it’s pre mid 2000’s made but only because that is what I have been trying to find for several years.


Other than that close your eyes as you hold each and figure out which one “speaks to you”

The classic is 7mm-08. Listed as G,5digits.

If you don’t get it I would be interested. The 5 digits are a bit more desirable, whether that translates to better rifles I can’t say.

I'd jump on that one, if it's reasonably priced. Excellent cartridge housed in a great rifle. The other 2 are nice, and also desirable.

Interesting, as they did have XTR's chambered in 6.5x55. Not sure if they had the 7x57 in the post XTR variant though. That 5 digit 7mm-08 would be the one I'd get. Personally. Or the XTR fwt. Both pretty intriguing.

Good to come back on here and get some confirmation. I called about the one that my gut told me I was drawn to and after talking to the gent, I quit dickering around in my mind and got the 7mm-08. He knocked $100 off the price. They are all expensive today, but $1150 shipped. Leupold bases and rings. Good looking rifle.

Always follow your gut. Sounds like a reasonable deal, on a fairly hard to find and desirable model. If you have or have ever had the 7mm-08, you'll know that cartridge punches above it's weight class. Hopefully it is a shooter too!!! Congrats.

Thank You. That's the one I would've picked over the other 2 without knowing a thing more other than it was still the older style darker red wood that I like over the newer ones. Just for info in my memory bank for down the road........what makes it hard to find or desirable? The chambering for those yrs, or the 5 digit serial number?

Thank You. That's the one I would've picked over the other 2 without knowing a thing more other than it was still the older style darker red wood that I like over the newer ones. Just for info in my memory bank for down the road........what makes it hard to find or desirable? The chambering for those yrs, or the 5 digit serial number?[/quote]

The five digit versions, and early 6 digit ones, are claimed to be of better quality (fit and finish) than the later 7 digit classics. I can’t speak to chambering rarity.

Yep, but ‘86 was the first run. They did do a late run in ‘91.

Good question. You rarely see a 7mm-08 chambered in the 5 digit classic. They are very hard to come by, which makes them very desirable for those 2 reasons. I had a 7 digit classic 7mm-08, but I prefer the 5 and 6 digit classics because they were made better than the last of the classics. QC and overall quality went downhill on the 7 digits. Don't get me wrong, they were not all bad. I've had a few of them, and they were nice rifles, but some things you need to watch out for on them. One being scope mount holes drilled and tapped off center of the receiver. My 7mm-08 was like that, but it was easily adjusted for, with a slight modification of the scope base. That was one of the common issues with the 7 digit classic. I'd be happy as hell if I ran across a 5 digit classic 7mm-08. That would be a score, hence the reason I said you also did well on the price. You could have paid a little less, or you could have paid a little more, but either way, I'm sure it's going to be a sweet azzed rifle. Let us know how it shoots for you. Thanks..

Thanks AK. Those were imported from the European market, or something like that?

Thanks for the info Red Spruce and BSA.

I generally try to buy rifles a couple $100 to the good on the buy, but one thing I've learned when going to gun auctions around here, or seeing sale bills from local auctions with the prices written down, is that if you even buy good rifles at fair current price you're way ahead of the game in a few yrs. At least that's been the trend ever since Obama got in and it hasn't changed yet. I shake my head every time I'm dumb enough to go to a good auction and think I can buy something.

I don't sell rifles, or have only ever sold a few, but I try to keep spending my money wisely if in the future it's ever needed.

That is a good way to be. If you ever decided you want to sell that rifle, you will know that you will always be able to get your money back. Just keep it in very good condition and you'll be set. That doesn't mean you can't use it, just be careful with it. Condition is everything, when it comes to value...

1985 special order XTR Featherweight 25-06