Have shot silhouette hunter class with a 700 synthetic, but am looking for another gun preferring American and in a wood stock (mostly for looks/nostalgia). The gun will most likely be used, maybe I will bed it, probably in .243 or .260.

I don't know much about the Winchesters, but had previously thought all 70 featherweights to be controlled feed (claw extracted), but I see one on the web advertised as an XTR Featherweight 70 and it appears to be a pushfeed. Other than the extractor, are there any other differences in the different 70 actions I should be made aware of?

What is the lowdown on the 700 vs the controlled feed and pushfeed 70's?

Deke.

I'm not up to speed on the last decade or so of M70's...but until about the 90's (this applies to the Pre-64's as well), the M70's Short Action and Long Action were both the same length. The "Short Action" was achieved by blocking the magazine well and using a longer bolt stop to limit the bolt travel. Somewhere around the 90's, they introduced a true short action.

Would highly suggest you stick with the Rem. 700 short action, as in 243, 260, 308 range of cartridges. As for wooden/walnut stock, many choices available via Richards Microfit, Great American Gunstocks, etc. at reasonable pricing.
Always some fine used Remington stocks offered on this site as others almost every day.

As mentioned earlier, Win. did not mfg. but one length of stock for many a year and did other things to permit use of short or longer rounds. New WSSM (super short.....) are actually shorter in action body length for those rounds. Would avoid and stick with the 700 which offers endless aftermarket options, stocks, sights, bases, triggers, etc. Think of it like the Chevy 350 block in that you can take it to whatever level of performance you want depending on imagination and funds.