Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe: scope suggestions?

Hello Everyone,

I just bought a new in the box Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe in a .270 WSM. It is a 2008 Limited Edition. Now I need to mount a scope on it. I want to stay American, so I was leaning to a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40mm. I like the BDC recitals so this model would be the LR Duplex. Now where I'm at a loss is the base and rings. I have some basic weaver bases (aluminum). Are these crap? Should I buy Leupold base and rings? What size is apropriate for a model 70 short action? Iv'e read both medium and low... dose anyone have a similar rig that would know? Thank you all for your help... here is some pics of my new Model 70

Any suggestions and help would be great. Any thoughts on the rifle altogether would be welcome as well.






[img:left]http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/9917/winchestermodel70feathe.jpg[/img]

I'm running Leupold DD's (dual dovetail mounts) on mine with low rings and a 3-9x40 elite series bushnell. Your idea of the leupy should work out great though. I don't have any good pics of my fwt but the DD's look great and they are strong. Some guys here like to go different routes so you'll find that everyone of us have our preferences. Here's about the best pic I have of it along with my hawkeye (both 308's):

Great looking guns! Since you have low rings you must not have any clearance problems with the bolt.

I like, BSA's suggestion of the Dual Dovetail mounts..

The gun is not really a flyweight rig anyway, so lightweight mounts are not needed..

The Leupold mounts will be a nice compliment to the blued steel and Walnut rifle and the Leupold scope.

Nice rifle! I would suggest a 2.5-8x36 VX 3 as it mounts lower. Skip the BDC reticle as it only works at the highest power in a SFP scope. S&K mounts/rings although not well known are top quality, strong, handsome and have windage adustment in both bases. S&K controls height with the base not the rings. The Leupold I suggested will use low bases.

http://www.scopemounts.com/

No clearance issues at all. It works great with the bushnell.

I habitually use the burris zee rings on all my rifles. My 70 fwt came with a set of millet turn in rings and bases and they are a nice looking pkg and reasonably priced , I just took them off as I prefer the zee rings. By the way nice looking rifle.

VERY NICE rifle there. I've been wanting one of the 2008's for a while now. One of these days, one of these days

Do you all feel the same way about the BDC recitals?

D/D bases and low rings, and your choice of scope is fine. I would seriously consider the Leupold 6X36 matte with LR reticle.

Talley low rings would be my one and only pick and I would go with the Leupold 3-9x40 that you suggested.

Leup DD's or Talley's. Both work. I don't lose any sleep over the weight difference.

These days, recommending a scope is like recommending shoe sizes.......one doesn't fit "all"......ya gotta shoot to answer your questions about works for you.

The dots do work fine...I use them in a 6X.

Since you already have the Weaver bases, get some gloss Burris Zee rings and put a gloss Leupold VX-II 3-9X40 on it.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/burris-1zee-solid-steel-rings.html

I wouldn't buy Leupold bases or rings. They aren't that strong and they are heavy. Talleys LWs would be another great choice.

Talley LWs and 2.5x8x36 Leupold. That's what I have on mine.

I have VXIII 2.5-8 with Weaver bases and their Quad-lock rings on my Featherweight. Light, strong, nice looking set-up. To each his own.

How about some pics of the other side of the Rifle????? Looks sweet so far.

Leupold 2.5x8 would be my pick, in DDs or Talley steel mounts.

The two main things I hunt is Elk and Mule Deer. I usually hunt in the transition zone of the Colorado Plateau (the Prescott national forest if your familiar with AZ). This is a mix of grasslands, Juniper forests and up to Ponderosa pine forests. We usually find our self in 17A - 17B (grassland and junipers). We have several hill tops that we frequent where we usually spot them as far out as a 1000 yrds. We often have shot opportunities from the hill tops of 400-600 yrds. I have passed on everything over 300 due to my substandard equipment. However stocking onto a deer in the Arizona high country isn't the easiest thing to do. Sometimes you'll get a ridge you can sneak up behind and pop over (this works great when I have dad watching the buck from the hill top). However I rate my stalking skills at weekend warrior levels.
That is all going to change I am getting all the right gear and going to put in the practice that is needed. I want to be able to take that hill top shot if I have the opportunity.

I assume that 2.5-8x36 is sufficient for elk (we grow them big here in AZ) but will that be a little week for mule deer?

Here is the other side




Sorry about the funny angel.

I would go with either Talley's or Warne's as for scopes well I would skip the cluttered reditcals and go with a plain duplex. I would go fixed power. I think a 6 x 42 Leupold would work just fine for that 270 WSM. Zero spot on for 200 yards, then keep shooting at targets till you find the range were you hit spot on were the reditcal goes form thin to thick and make note or it. Game dose not stand around while you try to fig. out which like to use! And when most shooting done in low light some of those redicals can be hard to see. I like the Kiss method.