http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=66773&highlight=usrac

I saw this link and did not believe it, but I called the number and was told by customer service that as of March 31 there will not be anymore model 70's produced.

Wow!!!

They will only make an auto rifle (super X). it looks like a BAR and is offered in only 3 calibers.

VERY unlikely....but not impossible I suppose. My bet, IF the U.S. plant is to close, is that Miroku will pick up the Model 70.

John

I hope whoever starts making the Model 70's will pay more attention to their QC than USRAC has been! Meanwhile, I'm totally satisfied with my CZ's!

quote:

Originally posted by JohnTheGreek:
VERY unlikely....but not impossible I suppose. My bet, IF the U.S. plant is to close, is that Miroku will pick up the Model 70.

John

I would agree that Browning would likely pick up the Model 70.

I am on hold with USRAC customer svc right now....I won't believe it till I hear it from the horse's mouth.

I'm glad I got my left handed 375 last year, it looks like no more will be made.

It's true.

Wow, that's amazing. Hopefully someone will make an American new production mauser for a decent price.

Also, see this other AR thread: Winchester's Demise?

D-99

They do. It's called the Ruger M-77, Mark II.

quote:

Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
D-99

They do. It's called the Ruger M-77, Mark II.

That rifle is an Abomination

Williams Firearms where are you !

It's time to step up to the plate.

Hopeful Pat

If Miroku takes up production of the 70, chances are it will be a better finnished rig.Dont see a problem with that.
Wont be long before Toyota buys GM dirt cheap and puts it in its toybox,just for the fun of it. If it wasnt for Reagan, Harley Davidson would have been extinct also.

What is the big news? In my opinion the Mod 70 was discontinued in 1964.

465H&H

I am with 465!

If anybody wants to buy a bolt action rifle not nearly as high priced as a Model 76 - DAKOTA ARMS, that does not need "smithing" right off the bat, WFF HEIN http://www.rifleactions.com is a fine choice, $2,700 to start, synthetic stock, 5 rounds in the gun ALL calibers.

My Winchester didnt need smithing, it just wants to be shot.
What QC problems. I bought it in 2005.
It feeds every time
extracts everytime
I've only tried a couple loads, each time the first load touched bullet holes at 100 yds. and I shot better when I was a teenager than I do now.
Next time I shoot it I will try to figure out how to post pictures so that people dont think im a liar.

Had a model 1300 when I was a tenager, no problems whatsoever with it either.

I've had a few friends that bought winchesters in the last few years and had the same results.

Jarrod makes sense.For 700 bucks who get a hell of a rifle.Possibly better than one that costs 4X the price.

Sad to say but it's true I talked to a friend who is a writer for some gun rags and he had a meeting in reno with some of the winchester reps, they told him they are discontinuing the model 70 model 94 and the 1300, due to a diminishing market, declining sales, rising labor material and manufacturing costs.

His advice to me was "if you want a new model 70 go buy it now as of march there won't be anymore".

I am currently in Canada and just read that news in a local newspaper. I am sure someone will pick up the M70 and carry one with it, as it is a great action (the CRF version). I feel Winchester was trying to make too many models and spread themselves too thin to satisfy a culture of crazy consumption, hence the QC issues stated.
Really, if they offered a sporter, featherweight (awesome rifle!) and a 'long range/varmint type' that would take of it, perhaps a 'safari style' as custom.

I don't want to tread on too many toes but really, the mod 94??? I realise its an american heritage but so is the Springfield 03, the SPRG Trapdoor and the list goes on, SMLE is a shooters heritage worldwide etc etc. The Borwning/Miroku levers are far superior and still retain a classic feel without being too high-tech for those of us who still like wood, leather and blued steel!

There was once an article a few years back in Outdoor Life on a 500yd rifle accuracy test with factory ammunition.A bunch of rifles were tested from various manufactures including custom jobs at 500yd.All rifles were cleaned before etc...The most accurate of the bunch was a factory Winchester model 70 in 270win.I think it grouped three rds in an inch.Other rifles varied from inches to feet.That says something about the potential of a factory winchester.

That was a fluke, I have never owned one that was worth it's weight in dog shit.

They'll be made in Russia.

Russia seems unlikely. Accordingto this article, their union contract prevents them from building them anywhere for a few years.



01/19/2006
USRAC working to sell gun plant, save city jobs
Steve Higgins , Register Business Editor

NEW HAVEN — Following up on a promise to seek a buyer for the Winchester plant at Science Park, U.S. Repeating Arms Co. officials hoped to meet with representatives from another gun manufacturing company Wednesday afternoon.
However, company officials would not confirm the meeting took place.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Belgium-based Herstal Group said it will close the plant at 344 Winchester Ave. March 31, citing global competition and a drop in demand. A total of 186 workers will lose their jobs.

"We are moving very aggressively to try to sell the business and to preserve these jobs," said USRAC facilities director Paul DeMennato Wednesday. He declined to name the potential buyer.

The city of New Haven is working with USRAC to try and locate a buyer.

DeMennato said if the plant closes down, it will mark the end of Winchester’s most well-known and historic sporting firearms — the Model 70 bolt action centerfire rifle, the Model 94 lever action centerfire rifle (known as "The Gun that Won the West") and the Model 1300 pump-action shotgun.

Herstal Group has no plans to make the New Haven-made models anywhere else, said DeMennato. Under the facility’s union contract, none of the products manufactured at the New Haven plant may be relocated before March 2008, anyway, he said.

Scott Grange, a spokesman for Herstal divisions Browning and Winchester Firearms, both located in Morgan, Utah, confirmed that Herstal has no plans to build the New Haven models anywhere else.

Winchester Firearms will continue to produce some other Winchester lines at plants in Portugal and Japan, he said. The Portugal plant produces a limited number of semi-automatic shotguns and semi-automatic rifles, and the Japan plant makes a limited number of fully functioning replicas of older Winchester models.

DeMenatto said if no buyers are found and the plant closes, the 186 workers will receive severance pay based on years of service, ranging from 430 hours’ pay for workers with more than 25 years to 270 hours’ pay for workers with 5 to 10 years.

The Rapid Response Team of the state Department of Labor contacted the company Wednesday and offered to meet with employees to tell them about resources available through the state — from unemployment insurance payments to workshops on interviewing and resume writing skills.

"Some have been working at the company for a long time. They don’t have a resume, they haven’t gone on interviews recently and they are really out of practice," said labor department spokeswoman Nancy Steffens. "We are trying to give them work force tools to give them a competitive edge."

Laid-off workers may meet with career counselors, use the Connecticut Job Bank

All Winchester had going for it was a name. The last model 70's were built in 1963. Since then quality has been hit and miss at best. It is my hope that if the name is resurrected that quality should be the main goal,not mass production. Nothing fancy just good solid working guns.

Aleko

Kind of sad really. Although the only winchester I have owned(still have it) is a model 94, it brings back a lot of good memories. I have shot plenty of game with my other firearms, but I really just consider them as "tools of the trade". My first two moose were shot with that 30-30 when I was 14 and 15. My father upgraded me to a 30-06 after those two "fire fights" as he called them.
I just don't connect all my other hunts to my firearm like I do that 94 to my first two moose hunts.

D99,I have one on order.I've shot a few different makes in the past.It will be my first Winchester and I will let you know how accuracy turned out.You know when it comes to shooting and accuracy I'am a shooting ballerina.So, the rifle will have to play along.I swear I'll throw it in the can if it doesn't.It will be an interesting buy,as all along I considered my self as a rifleman,and Winchester says their rifle is the rifleman's rifle.But seriously,I remember myself at a young age ,around 11 yrs old,marvelling at their rifles in a catalogue dreaming of the day that I will be old enough to afford to buy one and go hunting.That day has come.

When I was 23 or so and had very little money, I went to Kesselrings Gun Shop in Burlington, WA and paid $1400 for a Winchester Custom Shop M70 Sharpshooter in 7mm STW.

I shot it and it was terrible no group under 3 inches. I glass bedded it, no help. I changed scopes, no help, I talked to a ton of people and ended up trading it at a huge loss to another dealer.

Then when I was 26 or 27 I bought a new Super Grade with the David Miller designed stock in 300 Winchester. I shot it and it was the same, no group with a variety of handloads and factory ammo under 3 inches. So I glass bedded it, screwed with the trigger swapped scopes and eventually traded it off.

These are the top end of Winchester factory and custom rifles and both of them stank.

I had a M700 Custom KS Mountain Rifle stainless in 338 Winchester. It fed perfectly, was a inch gun for five shots even with the thin barrel.

Eventually I will find a pair of M88 lever actions to build into two realy nice rifles in 358 and 6.5-284. And I would like to find an original M71 for a good price. Post 64 is preferred as they made better lever guns after 64.

Any other bolt guns I buy will be M700s or Mausers.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
When I was 23 or so and had very little money, I went to Kesselrings Gun Shop in Burlington, WA and paid $1400 for a Winchester Custom Shop M70 Sharpshooter in 7mm STW. I shot it and it was terrible no group under 3 inches.

So you paid $1400 for a rifle that wouldn't shoot and you tinkered with it BEFORE sending it back to the factory? TRULY AMAZING! I think my first call would be to the Winchester custom shop in such an event. Maybe I have just been lucky but every Winchester I have ever owned shot well right out of the box. This is, frankly true of all bolt rifles I have ever purchased.

JMHO,

John

3 inches is within factory tolerances. No-one will even talk to you.

Thanks for the Monday morning quarterbacking though.