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earlyagain
Posts: 7,928 Senior Member
Pre 64' model 70 Featherweight Win 308w revisited.
earlyagain
Posts: 7,928 Senior Member
Since receiving my Grandfather's rifle I've done some refurbishment and preservation, and tried to learn what I could about these rifles.
If I've got anything wrong. Or anyone has anything to add. I'd be grateful to learn about it. They were all made on the full length action. You can see the magazine plug to accommodate the 308win cartridges here.
The bolt has two holes that direct gas in the event of a case rupture down the left side raceway in the receiver. The rear cocking piece has no protective flange. Something to keep in mind for handloaders. It also uses what's called a coned breech that leaves part of the case exposed to the receiver during lock up.
The bolt release requires that space for travel be inletted into the stock.
If used in wet weather the mag release can accumulate moisture and rust. It's easily maintained with a drift pin removal.
None of these are critisizems. This is an excellent rifle in perfect mechanical condition after half a century of hard use. Mostly by my Dad to take several Colorado elk. It seems to put almost any load close to the same POA. These are just some interesting things I've found out about it. And I think could be important to know. I figure its the best firearm I have and well worth learning all I can about it. If anyone else has one or has had one or knows anything at all about these rifles, I'd be pleased to read about it.
Something else I forgot to add. The bolt appears to have been stenciled with the rifles corosponding serial number at the factory. Maybe an important detail for anyone shopping for their own.
If I've got anything wrong. Or anyone has anything to add. I'd be grateful to learn about it. They were all made on the full length action. You can see the magazine plug to accommodate the 308win cartridges here.
The bolt has two holes that direct gas in the event of a case rupture down the left side raceway in the receiver. The rear cocking piece has no protective flange. Something to keep in mind for handloaders. It also uses what's called a coned breech that leaves part of the case exposed to the receiver during lock up.
The bolt release requires that space for travel be inletted into the stock.
If used in wet weather the mag release can accumulate moisture and rust. It's easily maintained with a drift pin removal.
None of these are critisizems. This is an excellent rifle in perfect mechanical condition after half a century of hard use. Mostly by my Dad to take several Colorado elk. It seems to put almost any load close to the same POA. These are just some interesting things I've found out about it. And I think could be important to know. I figure its the best firearm I have and well worth learning all I can about it. If anyone else has one or has had one or knows anything at all about these rifles, I'd be pleased to read about it.
Something else I forgot to add. The bolt appears to have been stenciled with the rifles corosponding serial number at the factory. Maybe an important detail for anyone shopping for their own.
Replies
JAY
It’s a °IIIII° thing 😎
one interesting tidbit I've read, is that the machining was so well done you can swap about any pre-64 barrel with any action and they'll time up perfectly.
Jay is correct, never did the FWT in the H&H cartridges. Those 2 had modified actions internally to accomodate the length of those long cases.
I picked up a pre64 FWT myself recently, a 243 in what I think is a McMillan stock. Looking forward to shooting it (or flipping it, we shall see)
Good view of the breech!
I bet that 243 shoots so good that flipping it will be a hard turn.
JAY
What’s not to love?!?
I have envy.
Thanks JAY.
I'm glad you like Zee. Means a lot from someone that's used the cartridge so successfully.
That's beautiful.
It took awhile to refurbish the stock with a lot of help from folks here.
It’s a °IIIII° thing 😎
. . .plus your finding that they used the '06-length action with a spacer has the potential to drive a stake through the heart of my one major gripe with the .308: the "short action" mag length that was cooked up around the 150 grain military ball loading with no consideration for the length of heavier and/or higher BC match bullets, or the plastic-tipped hunting bullets that came later.
If you can exploit those nuggets of intel to seat long and not intrude on your powder space, you might be playing with the .308 that should have been.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
I'm now 56 yro. Looking at maybe 3 more years before I get to have my own time. For recreational target and occasional hunting with my age imposed limitations. Standard loads should suffice.
In retrospect I realize this thread is about the M-70 FTW and .308 well i have a M-70 never owned or had any use for a .308 but since the 308 & 358 cases are the same I though it could help some of you, one word of caution if you have a pre 64 please dont do anything to alter it that will reduce its value there getting hard to find
JAY