Deciding between a Winchester Featherweight wood/blued 7mm-08 or a Browning X bolt CM Stalker synthetic black/blued 7mm-08. Which would you choose? Both are within 30 dollars of each other. I would like a one piece mount on whichever I go with? I didn't know if they made a one piece scope mount for the browning? I like my hunting triggers in the 2.5lb range is this doable with either of these.

I much prefer the features on the M70 action to that of the current Brownings. E

Winchester, for sure.

Not busting your chops here, but why set on the one piece mount? I've used both the one piece and two piece mounts on Winchester, Remington, etc... and never seen an ounce of difference in how the scope mounts and functions as long as they are mounted properly.

And the original question- I prefer the Winchesters. If you can't get the trigger just the way you want you can always spring for a Timney or similar trigger- however, most of the Winchesters and Remingtons I have used can be adjusted to 2.5 lbs by a competent gunsmith no problem. While they are in there, have them stone the sear and other trigger surfaces. You will be amazed at the difference in the clean break.

Bob

My luck hasn't been as good. Starting with a Savage 110 that I had it damaged a scope luckily it wasn't a super expensive scope but I have always shot remingtons the lower end ones and used the leupold one piece mount with no issues! Don't fix what isn't broken type of deal. So yes I am slightly more anal with small things like that, maybe I shouldn't be but.............

If you were anal about it then you'd use two piece mounts, they're stronger than one piece. The screws are the weak link, four screws vice three makes for a stronger mounting system.

Esox,

DNZ Game Reapers work on both the new FN Winchesters and the Browning X-Bolt. I have both rifles and use the DNZ on them. Great mounting system.

The Winchester M70 is made in the USA by Americans!

I also prefer the CRF and overall design of the M70.

Thanks guys, I will give the game reapers a try if I go Browning.

i prefer the win m70, but either one (winchester or browning) will give you years of reliable service.

Model 70 for me

I have both. M70 in .270 and X-Bolt in .243.

The M70 shoots better groups and i like it better except I love the 60-degree bolt throw on the Xbolt.

If you get the chance, shoulder both and see what feels better. Can't go wrong with either one. I have the X-bolt as it shouldered better for me. I like the detachable mag and the 60 degree bolt throw. Never been a big fan of the three position safety. Another nice feature is that Weaver makes bases for the X-Bolt so you can use any weaver style rings. My 7/08 easily shoots sub MOA even with factory fodder. If you want a real shooter, go Tikka....just my .02.....

The Browning feels great, my Extreme Weather is a little long for me (LOP) It also took a lot of work to get it to shoot great. I would look hard at the X Bolt, Already bedded, great trigger, great fitting stock.. I'm shopping for a left handed Micro Midas 7mm-08 for my daughter

I have had the Browning Xbolt, a Featherweight model 70 and the EW model 70. I only have the EW model 70 left. The Xbolt was accurate enough and carried well but it just lacked any real soul. It also didn't feed as smoothly as it should and if you short stroked it at all you got an empty chamber. I sold my Feathweight to a friend as his son used it to shoot a buck of a lifetime. I really like my EW model 70 and it has become my new lucky rifle.(one bear and one 9 pt buck so far this year) Both are great guns but my model 70 is hunting accurate (under 1 inch with NP 180 grains) enough for me and I really like the way it feeds and carries in the field.

I have a M70 Extreme Weather that I really like and prefer it over the X-Bolt that I had. I will admit to the X-Bolt being less fussy about the ammo it liked. I ran the DNZ mounts on the X-Bolt and currently running them on my M70 EW and muzzleloader.

Winchester M70.

I would certainly recomment the Model 70. They are great guns and are made in South Carolina. I guess it is out of style to support our own, so I guess you ought to by the Browning so you can support those that we have opressed.

No love for brownings...

Wow you guys make this difficult, next someone will say to buy both I was leaning towards the Browning but the Winchester is calling me. I will be happy if I can get 1 inch with the Winchester. Now to take the risk?

Both good rifles, but I'd go with the Browning because it fits me better, I like the shorter bolt throw and I prefer their magazine configurtion over the Model 70's.

I've owned and shot both. Handle each and pick the one that fits you best. You can't go wrong with either.

Hard to pass on this Browning though.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=316769806

If you get a sticky round, for whatever reason, the 60� bolt lift is not an advantage.

Winchester - by miles..

Winchester by far!!!

Brownings are great guns, but the mod 70 is one of the best bolt action designs of all time IMHO

Either would work, I prefer the Winchester.

this

I'm going with the Winchester. Thanks guys.

Smart man... congrats!!

Esox - in your Custom thread you mentioned an interest in Wood and stainless - the Win Mod 70 Featherweight is available in that configuration. And just as an aside - I currently own an FN Mod 70 Featherweight and a Browning X-bolt. The Browning is more accurate with factory ammo than the Winchester by far. Different features on each as you know and I would rate the fit/finish/quality as equal.

I cant think of anyone I dislike enough to recommend a Browning bolt action rifle to.

Thanks 7mm-08 I will keep an eye out for that configuration. I do handload so factory ammo isn't an issue. Just want a gun that doesn't need a bunch of tweaking, accurate and will last. Still looking for a custom now also.

Handle the Winchester and the Browning. Decide which one feels / fits you the best. While there seem to be a lot of Browning bashers here, I've owned A-bolts, A-bolt II's and now the X-bolt. Since the introduction of the adjustable trigger on the A-B II - all I've ever done is set the trigger to the lowest weight possible, mounted a scope and went shooting. Have never had any kind of problem with the rifles, always able to get at least 2 or 3 factory loads to deliver MOA at 100 yds. I've bought and sold more rifles than I can remember but will always have a Browning in the safe and use it regularly. The only other rifles I've had that deliver the same out of the box accuracy have been Sako and Tikka.

I've owned several Winchester M70's in the past, with one still left. Great rifles, to be sure.

More recently, I bought a Browning X-Bolt, in .30-06, with the idea of taking it to Africa for medium-small plains game. Put a Leupold 3.5-10 CDS scope on it, with Talley LW mounts. Overall weight all up is 7.5 pounds even. Fit and balance are very good.

The accuracy of this rifle out of the box has just blown me away! Better than any M70 I have ever owned, for sure, except for a custom built on a pre-64 M70 action. I like the short bolt throw, similar to the two Wby MkV's I own.
The trigger is very good, with no creep whatsoever. Browning's trigger is very similar to Winchester's MOA trigger.

I own a number of Browning shotguns, and every one of them is a quality firearm. If buying another rifle, I would probably choose another Browning X-Bolt over a Win 70.

I've owned over a dozen. Accurate as hell and dependable. Better shooters than the newer and older M70's I've owned or shot.

Not knocking the M70, just stating my experience with Browning Bolt rifles for the past 30 years.

Instead of finding out for themselves, many get led around by the nose on these boards - and their opinions are seldom based on any meaningful experience.