So I picked up a like new late Model 70 Safari in .375 H&H. I don't think its ever been shot. Put a set of Talley extended bases and the QD rings on it with a Loopy VX3 2.5-8X36 This rifle was made in the USA by FN but assembled in Portugal. I have owned a half dozen M70's over the years including original pre-64s and New Haven made Classic models. This gun is easily the equal of those guns...and in many ways better than the original pre-64 models.

So first things first. Trigger. The new model 70 has a redesigned trigger mechanism called the MOA trigger that is like a Remington trigger or Timiney trigger if you will--the parts are all contained in a small metal case--nothing like the original. Is it superior? Well, mine came from the factory around 5 pounds but very crisp--not an iota of creep or overtravel. Its very easily adjusted with an allen key on the front of the mechanism and with a little trial and error and 5 minutes I had it down to 2.5 pounds but bumped it back up to 3 as I consider that too light on a guns such as this. Is it more robust than the old trigger? No idea. But from the factory the only complaint was that I had to use a small hand torch to heat up the epoxy covering the adjustment screw. The screw was a little stiff as it appeared to have some thread locker on it when i adjusted it. But overall...this is a great factory trigger. You do have to remove the action from the stock to adjust it. But this was WAY easier than an original M70 trigger and I got as good or better results than I have with my other rifles. ...

The stock is straight grained AMerican Black Walnut nicely finished with a low gloss satin and the wood is stained dark brown with a hint of red and has the color of an original 60 year old M70 stock....the action is nicely epoxy bedded at the front recoil lug, rear tang and also the recoil lug on the barrel under the front sight. Its not a real custom bedding job like you would get from a good gunsmith. But its entirely serviceable and the action required me to thump the barrel a couple of times on a bag of shot laid across my bench to loosen the action from the bedding. The barrel is not floated. The machine cut checkering is mediocre but serves its purpose. I'll probably have someone recut the checkering eventually Just go in and clean it up and make it sharp...

The metal is all bead blasted matte and blued. Its very utilitarian. The bottom metal is all one piece which is nice for an M70. The safety functions as it should and is smooth and positive. Not stiff at all like they can be on some M70s. The bolt is smooth as butter--as smooth as my Mark Penrod custom M70...and that's saying a lot!

Lastly how does it shoot? Well I had some old ammo I loaded for my Ruger Safari Magnum that I once owned. WW Brass, IMR 4895 and some 260 gr. Nosler Partitions set in place with a Lee factory crimp die. The Ruger never would feed this ammo. But the Winchester gobbled it up. Took me two shots to get her dialed on at 100 yards and I banged out a couple of 5 chot groups off the hood of my truck about 1.25 inches across... Not bad for a first outing and no real rest...just a rolled up jacket.

So overall I'm impressed with this gun. Its not exactly the same gun as a pre-64 but is made better than most of the old ones from a fit and finish standpoint and in some ways the changes like the trigger and bottom metal make it superior! I'm looking to buy one in .458 WIn Mag now that I've actually played with one.

Look, I get it...assembled in Portugal? Really? Well...the proof is in the pudding...

Glad you like yours.

I've had one in .375 H&H for a few years now. Pretty much everything you found holds true with mine. I like the trigger a lot in fact I think it's better in that respect than the old one. The action again like yours is incredibly smooth. I can't tell its picked up the next round out of the magazine without looking.

My rifle does have some figure in the wood which most I've seen don't seem too. I assumed they hold back the better blanks to go on the Safari Express rifles. Mine is also very accurate in fact it's about the most accurate out of the box factory rifle I've owned.

Good luck with yours and shoot a lot of stuff with it.

I love Portuguese M70's, purist will hate me but I consider them to be the best m70's made.

Ouch, IMO the pre 64 mod 70 trigger is the best trigger every made for a hunting rifle.

Im not exactly a purest, but I would opt for a pre 64 over any bolt action on the market today short of a custom Mauser...NOt saying the Portugese rifle is inferior, but it sure isn't better..

Ray,

Respectfully, have you had an opportunity to play with or shoot one?

I mean only a fool would argue the original pre-64 isn't a tried and true classic that has stood the test of time.

But the manufacturing methods in modern versions often produce far more accurate out of the box rifles than the originals. The barrel making processes now are far more sophisticated and easily produce a more accurate and consistent mass produced product than was available in the past. Look at the cheap Savage and Ruger rifles now that significantly outperform the old rifles...after all rarely did an M70 shoot right out of the box without tweeking and they NEVER came bedded from the factory. The machining was inconsistent because the tolerances couldn't be held as tight as a CNC machine can easily and inexpensively be held to today.

I know it hurts to say what I said about Portuguese made rifles but the truth is they really are made better than the old guns...unless nostalgia is your primary consideration. I've got pre-64s. I've got New Haven classic M70s. They were never made this well.

I have one of the Portugese M70s in .375 H&H and am very satisfied with it. It is not my most accurate rifle, but is still very accurate, and maintains it's zero well. When I was working up loads I shot 7 3-shot groups from the bench at one sitting that ranged from 0.34" to 0.90", and averaged 0.65" To me that shows the rifle is consistently accurate shooting 7 good groups in a row. It have taken several African animals with it, up to hippo, all with one shot. I have had excellent results with both 270 and 300 gr. Barnes TSX bullets.

My impression of the FN built M70 is similarly positive. Better fit and finish than other M70s I've owned, inc. several Pre-64s, a couple of push feed New Haven from the 70s, several of the controlled feed New Haven models. I like the MOA trigger. I don't see why it would be any more problematic than a Timney. Very similar. My FN M70 is quite accurate.

yessir Ray you really should give them a lookover.
I had my ast rifle purchase narrowed down to one of the FN Winchesters and the Bergara I ultimately bought.

price point, weight, and the fact that I actually do carry my rifle through mud and muck at times, as well as beat down brush occasionally made the synthetic stocked Bergara the better choice for me.

I don't regret the choice one bit, but that Winchester was easily as good as any pre-64 I ever messed with.

I have a New Haven 375 and a FN 416 REM. Both are good accurate rifles but the FN is significantly better made in fit and finish. At this price point I don’t think you can beat a Model 70.

How do you identify these rifles if no box is available?

quote:

Originally posted by kda55:
How do you identify these rifles if no box is available?

New Haven rifles have serial number that start with a "G". The FN rifles have bolt shrouds that are flat on the right sight instead of rounded like the New Haven guns. If you're able to look at the bottom metal, the trigger guard/magazine base is one piece. Of course there's the MOA trigger on the FN guns, but that's hard to spot without seeing it out of the stock.

Yes, they are better than anything made in eons past; of course there will always be people who think old stuff is better because they used it as a teen ager. And they don't make them any more, and can be expensive, which lends to the exclusivity; see I have something you can't buy.
Drive some 1960s muscle cars and you will quickly see that they are very primitive beasts.
All of which is why I like the old stuff too.
You can also tell by the barrel threads; Portuguese ones are 32 TPI, very fine. All others were/are 16.

I believe all M70s are great rifles, but some greater than others. I'm an older guy and I guess that older folks sometimes are reluctant to try or believe newer is better. I admit that I'm in the pre-64 camp. I fully realize that the stocks of the new ones look superior and maybe the barrels are better as well, or maybe more consistently good. I have 7 different pre-64s that I have or still do hunt with in various calibers. Some are factory barrels, some custom. With a little tuning, and bedding, the 2 factory models, a .270 standard grade and .375 shoot really, really well by my standards. The new style triggers may be totally reliable. However, us old guys still believe the old style triggers for a hunting rifle are tops as far as reliability. I'm completely happy with a 3 1/2# trigger and that where mine are at. I frequently hunt with my son in Alaska, and I can tell you that when you're in the wilderness, you want reliability. So you wonder about little things like a trigger malfunction, or a bolt handle coming apart. I guess those are a couple of the reasons I stay with the pre-64s. Call me nuts but that's my thinking. But maybe I'll have a new model some day. No doubt they are great rifles. Just my 2 cents worth.

Thank you for the information. Looking to purchase for a gift, afraid I am in the pre 64 camp myself- showing my age.

So the BACO ones are Carolina also?

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
So the BACO ones are Carolina also?

They are all BACO (Browning Arms Co) after US Repeating Arms (New Haven) gave up the ghost.

Are they all marked BACO. Mine is marked BACO Morgan,Ut on the barrel

When you all buy the new ones I’ll buy your old new haven guns from you

I have gone through two Portuguese Winchesters. A Model 70 .308 that was OK and certainly adequate enough to use as a hunting rifle. On the other hand, I purchased a XPR that was an absolute cull. I sent it back to Winchester and they did not do much to resolve the horrible accuracy issues I encountered with this rifle. Both of these Portuguese built rifles are gone and my life is better without them. I still have multiples of South Carolina, Classics and New Haven Model 70s that I intend to keep to the end of my days.