I am thinking about buying a M70 in .270 Win.

Winchester offers a Sporter Model at $1000.00 and a Super Grade at $1400.00.

Anyone here done a visual comparison of the two or own one of either model?

Thanks


BH63

They have the stainless featherweights out again. They run about $1050.

I had a Supergrade in that caliber. It was so heavy I sold it.

I have a 30-06 featherweight. Let me recommend the featherweight also.

I have a USA made Supergrade. You can see pics of it in Europe Forum with my Fallow. It is my favorite rifle.

The only thing I did to it was add a older Leopulde VXIII and 140 grain Accubonds.

I have killed two pigs, 3 whitetails, and 1 big Fallow buck see pics in Eruo forum.

My best shot was a doe at 115 yards right between the eyes. Could not have been more dead center than if I had use a chalk line. I was shooting prone.

The Sporters have really plane wood and not as glossy a finish.

I honestly think my Supergrade wood was a late minute reject for the O’Conor rifles. It is spectacular. The best I have. I have not seen a supergrade with wood as nice as it, but on the Bgrade O’Conor rifles.

Most Supergrade wood is a solid C.

PM me and I will send you pics.

^
Thanks. I am going to try and find one to look at tomorrow.

I am leaning towards the Sporter because it is almost a pound lighter.

I appreciate nice looking wood, especially walnut, but at my age lightweight wins over pretty.

Speaking of Tennessee, last month I was on I-24 between Clarksville and Nashville and I saw a roadkilled armadillo.

Never knew they lived in that part of the country.

Cheers,

BH63

I have seen them in out past Land between the Lakes. I thin they are spreading. Far Western KY has cottonmouths. The East side of the state does not. Yet, folks will swear we do. I am on the other side of the state on the I75 corridor.

I hope you get a solid piece. Love mine. Good hunting. Let us know how the search goes.

Mine feeds fired cases just like factory ammo.

I grew up in Madisonville. Cottonmouth snakes were pretty common. As a kid, I would see at least one every time I went frog gigging.

Occasionally really big timber rattlers would be killed around Dawson Springs, but I never saw one in person.


Sportsman Warehouse had a nice one in ‘06 that I looked at today.
Only $849.00. Would have bought it but my heart is set on a .270.


BH63

That is how I got into the 270s. I wa looking for a 30/06, but the rifle was just too nice. That lead to a stainless steel one for bad weather.

This is going to be ugly but you asked...and what I'm about to write is the honest truth.

Get ready for me to get flamed by the fanboys

Ive had 5 of the current BACO super grades. I hand selected them through online pics and they had absolutely spectacular wood. That was all that was good.

I got one that had a headspace problem that was so bad it would not reliably strike a primer with enough force to ignite it. Fixed after a long delay by the folks in Missouri and sold.

*they are part of BACO (browning arms corp and are located in Missouri)

I had another that had the checkering on the forend so badly executed that it looked like it was cut with a stone. They replaced the stock under warranty with one that looked as if it was made from cardboard. I sold it.

I had a another yet that didn't have the face of the bolt polished properly so it had a pebble finish that badly marred brass. The stock was also insetted crooked and could not be properly bedded. I sent it back and they replaced the entire rifle with another plain looking gun. I sold it.

The last two looked great but had barrels that badly fouled after less than 20 or 30 shots to the point they would not group inside 3 inches. The bores on both looked like absolute garbage through my Hawkeye bore scope. I toyed with the idea of re-barreling but ultimately sold them off with full disclosure to budsgunshop.com.

I also had a Safari model in 375 that had to go back...but that's another story.

Each time I sent a gun back the clown i spoke to (always the same idiot)was quick to say that it wasn't a custom gun. Insinuating that my expectations were to high for a gun in the price range. Though I could have purchased any number of guns for less money that would have least functioned as advertised. This gives you an idea of what they think of their products at BACO.

I was also put off by the scroll work...Made in Portugal by Browning Vienna etc etc etc...A real novel of import markings. As American as a Howa.

The super grade guns were ALL polished incorrectly as well with dished out screw holes and rounded edges on the receiver. If you know what your looking at they are clearly very poorly finished.

They are heavy, coming in at almost 10lbs scoped in the short actions but that didn't bother me a bit. I like a little heft. On the plus side they use a very high quality machined Williams extractor vs. the MIM junk they used on the USRAC super grade version before they went tits up last time. The new triggers are complex garbage compared to the original model 70 trigger though...and that can't be retro fitted unfortunately. For those that complain about Remingtons braised on bolt handles you can rest happy knowing BACO does the same thing on the current model 70.

Sorry if I come across as rude and i certainly don't mean to insult anyones rifle choice. No offense intended...just my HONEST experience.

Forgot to add...all but one of mine had feeding issues. They didn't act as a true CRF rifle should as they wouldn't fully grab the case until put fully into battery. If you tried to extract the case before it was fully chambered it would simply drop the cartridge on the floor plate. They were about as CRF as a 700.

They needed extractor tuning...but were so badly executed otherwise I didn't keep them long enough to bother with it.

Full disclosure...many less expensive CRF guns do this...but that doesn't make it right.

I just ordered the standard M70 Sporter. Supposed to weigh 7 lbs 4 oz.

I’ll let everyone know how it works out.

BH63

Good luck, I have heard mostly good on these. I have had and currently own several New Haven Classic sporters. They seem like a paradox. The stocks are so poorly fit, spaced and finished it is almost funny. BUT. They feed like butter and shoot lights out. The triggers are easily adjustable, and they are cool. And they were cheap relatively.

Old School: I never doubt another man’s report. I do not have any of the assembled in or imported guns. RIP has a Portuguese 375 and SC 375.He is happy with both.

I do not consider myself a fan boy. Thank only own one, this, Winchester. Well, I own a 7mmSTW cobbled together on a USRA Winchester Classic action. My father in law owns a bunch of USRA classics and SC FN Winchesters. Each is a solid example of the catalogue.

I think they all go through dips in quality especially when production is moved. Not an excuse just an observation.


Mine feeds apporratley and as well with empty cases as factory that being superb.

Buffhumter let us know how it goes. I am interested to see how the newest version stacks up.

My buddy just bought a new featherweight version for under $700.

I was impressed with how it felt, was finished and shot, lot of gun for the $$$.

I've bought several BACO m70's and all have been very good. My .375 Safari Express feeds so slick I have to look to see if it picked up a cartridge. It and the others always do - with the rim behind the extractor not pushed in front.

^
I've owned two BACO M70 Safari Expresses, both in .416 Rem Mag (still own one). I have been extremely pleased with mine.

I've seen the M70 Sporter for around $700.00 (one at Bass Pro Shop and one online at Sportsman's Warehouse). The one I saw at Bass Pro Shop had some pretty Plain Jane wood. Might not have been walnut.

As long as your are happy with your gun, that is the most important thing.

BH63

For that kind of money Id sure opt for a Pre 64 Win. mod. 70fwt...I have both a .270 and 30-0-6 in that mode, and they are my go to much of the time, I go for the 06 or 338 for elk..but that's just for myself...to each his own.

I have owned a number of them, both the regular rifles and a couple of the earlier supergrades. They are nice rifles. I agree that they are a bit heavy.

You said you would like light weight. Do what I did and buy yourself a Kimber Montana. Your getting the same type of action and a nice light rifle that you can carry for awhile without it bogging you down. At first you might miss the wood stock, but after you have been out walking all day you will appreciate the weight of the Kimber even more.

Or do what I did, buy the m70 sporter and put into a B&C stock. It took about a pound and a quarter off the weight.

The .270 Win M70 Sporter weighes 7 lb 4 oz according to the specs. So even with scope it shouldn’t be too bad.

BH63

I picked up my new M70 Sporter in .270 Winchester today.

Extremely pleased with the workmanship on the stock. Checkering is clean and sharp with no overruns. The wood itself is black walnut with good straight grain with just a little feathering on the cheek piece but nothing really special.

Looks nicer after I rubbed a little linseed oil on it to give it a little shine.

Bolt action was smooth with no binding.

Got a great deal on the price. $778.50 total.

Now to mount a scope and see if it shoots as good as it looks.

BH63

What scope you putting on it? Can’t go wrong with a 270

quote:

Originally posted by smallfry:
What scope you putting on it? Can’t go wrong with a 270

I have a Ziess Terra 4-12 sitting around. I will just slap that on.

Been raining like crazy this week or I would have already taken it to the range.

Yesterday I picked up 3 boxes of Hornady 130 gr SSTs. If those group well I will use that for mule deer this fall.

Trying to decide if I want to go 3” over at 100 yards and hunt point blank, or zero at 200 yards and use the rangefinder and scope reticle for more exact placement.

Thoughts?

BH63

zero at 25 yards and be close enough out to about 250 no correction. This was how Jack O'Connor recommended in an article he wrote in about 1944 and Weaver scopes made in El Paso had a reprint of his article.

^
I grew up reading JOC and I still have 3 or 4 of his books. I pull them down for reference occasionally.

My first centerfire rifle was a Rem 700 BDL in .270 Win way back in 1972. I used the 3” high at 100 yds to take mule deer and elk, although to be honest most of my kills were under 100 yds.

The range where I shoot has targets out to 600 yds. I always like to shoot my rifles out to at least 300 yds so I know exactly what to expect at those ranges.

The 25yd zero is a quick way to get on paper but remember an inch off at 25 yds is 4” off at 100 and so on.

BH63

Both of mine are sighted 2 inches high at 100 yards.

^
Depending on what your shooting, that should put you pretty close to a 200 yd zero.

The ZEISS scope I mounted on the .270 has a RZ8 reticle with range increments.

You use their ballistic software to input the data for the cartridge you are shooting and it calculates which power setting to use that calibrates the reticle to your bullets drop.

You can then shoot at say 300 yds and fine tune by adjusting the power (scope magnification).

Kind of slick.

BH63

That is slick. It is like have one of those external elevation turrets. But it forgoes the turret and movers it to the magnification ring.

I always believed the old maximum, Up and down is the easy part. It is the wind that gets you.

I have not shot anything to this day past 150 yards. That could change with our deer lease out in W Ky. I practice to 325. That is all I got.


If my wife did not have a damn pool with pool house in the way, then I could stretch to 400.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
That is slick.

I always believed the old maximum, Up and down is the easy part. It is the wind that gets you.

I agree wind can put the M in Murphy’s Law when it comes to long range shots.

I’ve killed several muleys at 200+ yds. I was using a very accurate 308 with a heavy barrel and a Springfield Armory Government Model 2 scope. All but one were one shot bangflops.

I’ve also shot antelope at 200+ yds using a 7mm Wby. Those were the hardest long shots for me because the antelope always spotted me first and were either running or getting ready to which means you have to rush your shot.

I guess it is all part of the fun and games.

Cheers,

BH63

Yeah I passed on the Super Grade due to weight. I don’t care for the fore end of the Featherweight, but to each their own.

BH63

If I were to buy another big game rifle, weight would be a prominent criterion.

^
I went that route and bought a Tikka T3 Lite in .300 Win Mag. Darn thing slapped my face something horrible. Actual recoil wasn't so bad, and it was a joy to carry.

Finally got to the range with my new .270 Win M70 Sporter.

After a hasty bore sight though the barrel, my first shot at 100 yds was perfect for elevation but about 18" to the left.

After 50 odd clicks, next shot was just a little high.

After two clicks down, it hit 1 and 1/2 inches high.

3 more shots verified the zero. Groups about 1 inch as wind was starting to gust a tad.

A fellow shooter let me chronograph the cartridge I was shooting (Hornady 130gr Interlocks).

I got 3052 and box stated 3060 MV.

I couldn't be more happy with the performance of the rifle.

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
^
I went that route and bought a Tikka T3 Lite in .300 Win Mag. Darn thing slapped my face something horrible. Actual recoil wasn't so bad, and it was a joy to carry.

Finally got to the range with my new .270 Win M70 Sporter.

After a hasty bore sight though the barrel, my first shot at 100 yds was perfect for elevation but about 18" to the left.

After 50 odd clicks, next shot was just a little high.

After two clicks down, it hit 1 and 1/2 inches high.

3 more shots verified the zero. Groups about 1 inch as wind was starting to gust a tad.

A fellow shooter let me chronograph the cartridge I was shooting (Hornady 130gr Interlocks).

I got 3052 and box stated 3060 MV.

I couldn't be more happy with the performance of the rifle.

BH63

That’s awesome! You can’t go wrong with Ibterlocks and that’s at a respectable speed!

I hope to stay youngish a little longer. A 9 pound rifle does not bother me. I do notice my 12 pound double after a long trek hunt.

Love the good news about your rifle. What and when will you take your new 270 Win Hunting?

The Supergrade set in my gun room for multiple years as the “Wife’s Rifle.” I got fed up with such a beautiful rifle not being hunted with it. I was more than biased against the 270 WCF. I have hunted with it for the past 2 years bringing a Big Fallow home from Austria, two does, a 2 1/2 year old 9 pointer, two young boars, and a coyote.

When we bought it, I wanted to upgrade my 30/06. It was just to damn beautiful, the Wife went crazy for it only to hunt with it once. Now, the 270 is my light caliber.

As for accuracy, we would fill those tiny stir-foam Dixie cups with tiernite (sp) stick the up at 100 yards, hold 2 inches below the base, and watch them go boom.

That Supergrade was the first rifle I ever had that would feed fired/spent rounds. Do not know why I would want to load a fired round, but it is cool.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
I hope to stay youngish a little longer. A 9 pound rifle does not bother me. I do notice my 12 pound double after a long trek hunt.

Love the good news about your rifle. What and when will you take your new 270 Win Hunting?.

I used to deer hunt with a Rem 700 Police in .308. Weighed around 11 lbs with Harris bipod and scope. Deadly accurate on deer at 200+ yards, but I just got tired of lunking it around.

I have a deer tag this year (Colorado) so I hope I can use the new rifle to bag a deer.

Cheers,

BH63

How does your Sportsr with control round feed stand up to the heavy, push feed rifle accuracy wise?

I have never owned or played with a “dedicated” or what I think we call today hybrid type target type rifle.

The heavy barreled .308 I have has a very good 4-14x power scope with an internal bubble level. On a good day I can put 3 shots at 100yds into a group the size of a fingernail.

I haven’t shot the .270 enough to see just how accurate I can get with it, but I think the superior scope and aluminum bedding block on the .308 will be the deciding factor.

BH63