It was suggested that I redrill the rear bridge of my 416M70 to .860" spacing vs. keeping the factory .330" spacing. This would allow the use of the standard M70 LA (.860")rear bases eliminating the ejection port overhang you get using .330" Leupold mounts. I believe that only Talley makes .330" bases that do not overhang, all other makes of bases for the post-64 M70 Express w/ the .330" spacing overhang and partially block the loading port.

I thought about it and began to wonder why Winchester drills the Safari Classic .330" vs. using the standard .860" spacing.

So, does anyone know why this is done?

Thanks,
Gary

Good question. I found out the hard way that Williams' fits-every-model-70 receiver sight doesn't fit .375s and .458s.

I had mine redrilled.e

Les H., There must be a reason that Winchester engineers do this, but I cannot figure out why.

Gary

The Williams sight even states that it fits ALL model 70's which of course it dosn't. I asked them about this and they couldn't tell me why either.

The loading port has been opened to the rear by USRAC effectively removing the front screw hole. Another is drilled at .330.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck, that makes sense. Would you see anything wrong w/ centering a standard .860" base on the rear and drilling the two new holes? I take it that Winchester drills the .330" pattern you describe to cut production cost, not as a safety issue.

Gary

If there is room I see no issue. At all. I personally know a gunsmith that utilizes three holes back there.

Chuck

Winchester has been working very hard to put
themselves out of business since 1965! This
is just one of those things they do to irritate
buyers into looking elewhere.

I mean: Just look at that crappy looking bolt handle. The cheap little bolt stop. Aluminum
bottom metal. Terrible extractors. Three piece bottom metal. They have heard of WILLIAMS!

And worst of all, overly long actions for the
cartridge.

Winchester has the "potential" of making the
best factory action EVER, all they must do is make a few small improvements.

What they did instead was make the WSSM action,
which, along with their designated cartridges,
will go the way of the dodo bird!

Winchester used to be a fine company the keystone was its talented machinest base. Now the machines make parts that need fitting and no one is there but parts changers, not machinest.
The real sadness is the fact that customers often know more about their products than they do. As far as direction goes, they lost out in 1964 and on their last laps now. The short whole spacing for Magnum Actions was from the pre-64 days when the standard action rear receiver bridge was scalloped to accomodate the 300-375 case. the standard hole spacing couldn't work. They carried it on with the new actions on which it is unnecessary.