Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester M70 Extreme Weather Caliber Choice

I haven't seen one yet in person, not even sure if they're being shipped yet, but I believe that I would like to buy one of the new Win M70 Extreme Weather rifles. I am trying to decide which caliber makes the most sense.

I would like to have a lighter weight, more compact, all-weather SS backup to my primary hunting rifle, a custom pre-64 M70 walnut/blued in 30-06.

I'm inclined to go with either the .270, .308, or .30-06. All of these have a 22" barrel.

My thinking is that the .270 with the 22" barrel would make a nice backpacking rifle, a good mountain rifle, probably make a nice flat shooting deer and sheep rifle. It can also serve as a backup to the 30-06 in most cases.

My thinking about the .308 is that it seems to work well with the 22" barrel. I don't own a short action rifle, but its a military round. Accurate, plentiful ammo, etc.

My thinking about the 30-06 is that I already have plenty of ammo for it. I like the round. I also think that if I would get just as flat shooting as the .270 if I went with a 150gr bullet. Its a perfect backup, no need for 2 types of ammo. Probably a little more versatile than the .270 (but I have nothing against the .270).

My only question is how the 30-06 will do with the shorter 22" barrel and will it shoot as flat as the .270 with a 150gr bullet?

I've ordered one in .308, no word yet.

If you shoot 165 grainers in the .30-06 you should be able to safely reach 2900 fps with H4350 which will shoot as flat as the 150 grains out of the .270.

Two rifles in .30-06 is never a bad place to be!

With a rangefinder and a scope equipped with either turrets, dots, B&C, or some other ballistic plex type reticle it's honestly moot.

M70 SS FWT converted to ADL and dropped in a McMillan EDGE would be the cats meow.

[quote=TomSmith]
I would like to have a lighter weight, more compact, all-weather SS backup to my primary hunting rifle, a custom pre-64 M70 walnut/blued in 30-06.

Based on your lighter weight, more compact statement I would go with the .308. Saves you 4 oz. and the short action will be a little more compact. Shoot the same bullets you're using in your .30-06 with about the same effect.

So many great choices. ATM I'm thinking 270Win or 270WSM.

Here's another Model 70 link. A few new ones added.
http://dealers.winchesterguns.com/prodinfo/catalog/category.asp?cat=001C

To bad they don't offer one in the .375H&H. It would have a following here in Alaska. Even at the 1200.00 mark. I'd buy one just to make and even dozen. Cheaper than doing a scratch build on and old pre-64. long action. I would not pick a Bell&Carson stock however. I'd stay with McMillan.

I like the .308 choice, but if both rifles have 22" barrels how much more compact can the .308 be? The action would maybe be an inch shorter and there are a few ounces of difference in the weight. I don't reload, so I like the idea of keeping the ammo the same. I'm thinking that another 30-06 might be the best choice.

A M70/375H&H EW with some half decent iron sights(like Ruger 375 HE) would be so welcomed. Please, we need one.

Kimber Montana .308W meets all the requirments as it comes. If your stuck on the Model 70 then the Edge suggestion would be perfect. By the time you scope the all weather your pushing 8lbs. Not light or compact.

your only questions were:
1. how well will an 06' do w/a 22" barrel? it will do just fine. you will never notice the difference between a 22 and a 24 in the field.
2. will a 06' shoot a 150 as flat as a 270 w/a 150? if there is a difference out to 3-400 yards, it would easily be covered by the thickness of your scope reticle, so no worries.

i's get another 06'

I have a 270 WSM on order probably be next year but it is something to look forword to. I have a kimber 308 for the brush and a 270 wsm will be a great match for mule deer and antelope...

hey tom...

when i bought my rifles, the winchester trigger was the only thing between me and kimber...

in my eyes the kimber has been a little better winchester than what winchester sold for some time...

when winchester abandoned the m70 trigger they put their new rifles in direct competition with stuff that they'll be hard put to keep up with... price difference notwithstanding..... john w

270 win.

308 would get my vote - a little shorter, lighter and handier and it's all the gun you'd need.

270 win for me as well

Dont see how you could loose with either of those choices. I like 24" barrels for -06 sized cases, seems you dont have to lean on them as much to equal factory velocities and still have good accuracy. Just a personal preference I guess. I would probably base my choice off of the country I was more apt to use the rifle in.

While the calibers options are fine, the new M70 Extreme certainly is no lightweight. You will be lucky to get "all up" much under 8 1/4 pounds. That is too bad as I too would be looking at the new MOdel 70. Kimber 84M's and WSM's beat the new 70's - hands down. Even the perch bellied 8400's are at 6#'s 6 oz. without rings and glass.

Well said. Bad move from Winchester IMO. It sure has me thinking about a Kimber now.

A new Winchester M70 Extreme Weather SS in 375 H&H with a slighly heavier barrel would be great...provided the action could handle the long .375 H&H round. If not, chamber it in .375 Ruger. That, too, would be quite a bear rifle.

What I think what also be cool would be a new Model 70 Featherweight in 35 Whelen. Classic rifle in an especially classic cartridge. I'd buy one tomorrow.

22 inch .308 Win. stainless in an Edge. It will end up about 7.5 lbs with steel Talleys and a Leupold 2.5-8 optic.