On Monday, I was walking upstairs after spending the morning writing, and the Shooting, Hunting and General Gun Nut Gods spoke. Spur of the moment I drove 75 miles to my sporting goods store and purchased a Winchester M 70 300 WSM.

I have pulled it apart. I'm impressed with the fit and finish. It's glass bedded, and unlike the Super Grade I purchased a few months ago, which has a bad glass bedding job, this new rifle had a perfect fit.

I got the feather weight. It had the Schanble forearm, but the barrel has the same demensions as the Super Grade. The grade of wood is surprisingly good. This isn't actually the rifle I have been looking at. On the way to marry that one, I fell in love with this one.

Brass was easy to find, as were dies. (RCBS) The hardest item to find turned out to be a #43 shell holder. I spent a morning on the net before tracking one down.

The brass is in hand. It looks like a 308 on steroids rather than a magnum.

One big plus: Winchetser FINALLY shortend the throat. Every Model 70 I have owned had a long throat with no hope of seating the bullest close to the rifling and improving accuracy to the max. I will be able to seat bullets touching the rifling on this model, if I want.

I've ordered Talley mounts and on Monday will order a Leupold 6 X Multi Coat scope.

I have great hopes for this rifle. I'm not sure what powder I will feed the thing. Bullets will be Barnes x 180 FB and Nosler 180 BT. Mostly because that's what I have on hand. I'm open to suggestions.

In the last year, I have traded a Super Grand with 5000 documented rounds through it for a new Super Grade, had my 270 rebarreled and on Monday, traded my 7mm 08 on the 300 WSM. For the first time in my life, I have three rifles and not one of them has a round through them.

I guess I will have to sell my stock of 500 7mm 08 Federal nickle casings, some with one firing, some new and my dies.

[ 09-14-2002, 19:17: Message edited by: RogerK ]

Seems
like you are ready to treat your self with getting to know your new buddies at the range. It's always fun with new rifles as long as they live up to your expectations

Good Luck and let us know how they work

/ JOHAN

I really like that "featherweight" stock on the M-70's. Alas I do not have one and for some reason, about as good as yours, I ordered a Classic Stainless that is not in yet. They have a plastic stock which will be my first in 40 years.

I would give those X's bullets a rest until after the hunting season is over. I feel that if it won't shoot with Sierras, sell it. So that's where I would start. It just eliminates a variable.

Start with the ballistic tips as most rifles seem to shoot them well.If the 180's don't work try 165's.Try two or three suitable powders.Some rifles are fussy about what they shoot while others will shoot almost anything well.It may take several load combinations and possibly even a different bullet but the rifle will tell you what it likes.Selling a gun because it does not like a certain bullet would be sheer stupidity.

[ 09-15-2002, 01:25: Message edited by: stubblejumper ]

My M70 300 WSM won't group 180 B-Tip's... it will, however, group 180 Hornady Flat-Base's and Failsafe's into sub-moa groups with either H4350 or RL22 with "standard (not magnum) primers.

Brad

An update. I took delivery of Talley rings and bases. I have used Warne rings on everything until now. I am more than impressed with the Talley set. I like the double recoil shoulder on the bases. No shooting yet. Plumbing and a broken patio door keep me from that. I am anxious to punch paer to see what this baby will do.

Have the same rifle. It shoots 165gr B/tips and 180gr Woodleigh PP's really good. I use H4350 and WLR primers.

I have a 6X in excellent condition you may be interested in. Leupold 6X42 AO Tactical with custom Premier reticle, $325. I have an ad in the classifieds.