Winchester 70 Extreme Weather

VAhuntr

New member
What is the general consensus on the FN made Winchester 70 rifles? Had my eyes on an Extreme Weather in 270. Anyone got any accuracy reports?
 
I have the Shadow in 300WSM. Action is very smooth. Barrel is free, I can fit a business card between the barrel and forened all the way up. The MOA trigger is pretty good. I don't have any complaints about it. I don't believe it is adjustable. Safety is a bit stiff, depends how you feel about that. I've shot several brands of factory loads through it before I began handloading. Fusion, Federal Nosler Partitions, Winchester SuperX Power Max Bonded and Soft Point. All would shoot near or below MOA at 100. My only complaint with the rifle is the rubber grip that is laminated on the stock has begun to wear off. Not sure if this is to be expected with the Extreme's stock.
 
Originally Posted By: ShoesI have the Shadow in 300WSM. Action is very smooth. Barrel is free, I can fit a business card between the barrel and forened all the way up. The MOA trigger is pretty good. I don't have any complaints about it. I don't believe it is adjustable. Safety is a bit stiff, depends how you feel about that. I've shot several brands of factory loads through it before I began handloading. Fusion, Federal Nosler Partitions, Winchester SuperX Power Max Bonded and Soft Point. All would shoot near or below MOA at 100. My only complaint with the rifle is the rubber grip that is laminated on the stock has begun to wear off. Not sure if this is to be expected with the Extreme's stock.

Interesting that you mention the safety being stiff. I noticed that on one of the M70 EW's in the local gun store. To me it felt stiff and gritty. Surprised the gun store owner too.
 
I have the Extreme in 300WM. Great carry rifle, very light and good handling. Use it as my back-up elk rifle.

Accuracy is solid. Can hold 1" at 100yds, but barrel gets hot quickly due to taper and starts to throw some flyers. Trigger is excellent, but is not the AccuTrigger.

Also have a Winchester .338 70 stainless. Also a good shooter. The trigger in the Extreme is much better than the earlier model.

Both are classic Winchester quality. Wouldn't rank them with tactical rifles, but great hunting rifles.

PS - can't beat stainless in the northwest
 
I have an extreme in .300 winchester magnum, I absolutely love it. During sight in and initial load development, it woud consistantly shoot inch or less 3 shot groups at 100. Ditto on the barrel heating up an dthrowing fliers. The stock is much better than any injection-molded plastic stock. The trigger is adjustable (fairly certain), but I haven't messed with it, it is crisp, with no creep of overtravel, and i would guess breaks around 3 lbs or so. Overall, a great hunting rifle.
 
Were all referencing magnum calibers on what is a pretty thin barrel to keep weight down. I don't think this should be a huge knock on the rifle, sure it sucks when you're volume shooting to zero or work up loads but this shouldn't play while hunting. If you need more than 3 shots to bring down an animal, you probably shouldn't have taken the shot in the first place.
 
Originally Posted By: VAhuntrOriginally Posted By: ShoesI have the Shadow in 300WSM. Action is very smooth. Barrel is free, I can fit a business card between the barrel and forened all the way up. The MOA trigger is pretty good. I don't have any complaints about it. I don't believe it is adjustable. Safety is a bit stiff, depends how you feel about that. I've shot several brands of factory loads through it before I began handloading. Fusion, Federal Nosler Partitions, Winchester SuperX Power Max Bonded and Soft Point. All would shoot near or below MOA at 100. My only complaint with the rifle is the rubber grip that is laminated on the stock has begun to wear off. Not sure if this is to be expected with the Extreme's stock.

Interesting that you mention the safety being stiff. I noticed that on one of the M70 EW's in the local gun store. To me it felt stiff and gritty. Surprised the gun store owner too.

Mine has loosened up a bit. It's most sticky going from full safe to 'middle' safe. From there to fire is reasonable to work.
 
Not knocking the Extreme mags. It is a great hunting rifle and "one" solid shot (not three) is what you need when hunting. The Extreme does thatvery well.

Just trying to give an honest accuracy answer.
 
Originally Posted By: IdahoDogNot knocking the Extreme mags. It is a great hunting rifle and "one" solid shot (not three) is what you need when hunting. The Extreme does thatvery well.

Just trying to give an honest accuracy answer.

Good point!
 
I have a feather weight 270 and it is a good accurate rifle. The trigger will adjust to 3lbs and mine will shoot 1/2 inch 3 shot groups regularly. It is in my opinion a better rifle than my New Haven winchesters and just as good as my pre 64's.
 
Just bought a model 70 exteme weather in 300 win mag. IT IS NOT VERY ACCURATE!!! It shoots 2 1/2 to 4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards with factory ammo. I've tried Remington Premier, Winchester, Federal Premium, Federal Fusion, Barnes Vor-Tx and Hornady in 150, 165 and 180 grain bullets. I've checked the scope base and rings. I shoot off of a led sled. I've had someone else shoot it with similar results. I've tried a Zies and a Nikon scope. Winchester's website says it should shoot 1 inch with factory ammo. I SQUEEZE the trigger.
 
I recently bought one of the Featherweights in .243 Win. Seems to be well made and shoots OK, but then mine is barely broken in.

Being honest I've never had a problem with any model 70 I owned other then the wooden stocked ones that weren't free floated.

Would I buy another model 70? I prefer them over Remington and Savage hands down.
 
Try re-torquing your action screws. Front one tight to spec, rear one snug, and play with tightness on the middle one. Many folks have found improvements on the CRF guns with 3 screws in doing this.
 
FN model 70s only have two screws. I have an extreme weather 7mm-08 that is nothing to write home to mother about in the accuracy dept, especially with any factory ammo I tried, except Barnes Vor-TX. I tried Remington Core lokt, Hornady Superformance, Fed Power shok, Federal premium 140 gr. ballistic tip, all produced groups in the 2.5-3" range. It was insanely frustrating because this was the most expensive, best put together, just plane nicest rifle I own. I wasn't until I tried the 120 gr Vor-TX that it showed it would potentially shoot something. With this ammo, it is pretty consistently a 1 to 1.5" inch rifle. It this rifle that made me start reloading. I now have a 120 gr.Barnes TTSX handload and Sierra 140 grain Pro Hunter handload that both consistently turn in sub 1.5" groups and in a big game rifle, I'm OK with that all day long.
 
Interesting - didn't know that they changed the screw layout around. Shame that thing isn't better in the accuracy dept for ya - I like the CRF actions.
 
Its adequate for its purpose, and it's just plain a nice rifle. Just kind of makes you wonder though when the TC Venture 300 win mag that cost a third of what the Winchester does will shoot right around one inch with both of the factory loads I've tried in it. Now if someone would just come out with a decent upgrade stock for a venture, then we'd have something.
 
I have a Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather in 270 Win. I was nervous about buying it because I sold a good shooting Savage stainless 270 to hel raise the money to buy the Winchester. I am very happy with the way it turned out. My new Winchester 270 Extreme Weather turned out to be more accurate than the Savage, and really better than the Savage in every way. It was worth the $ and effort IMO.
 
Mat N. did the exact same thing in a 243 Savage Model 16..sold and bought a Win. 70 Extreme stainless and have never looked back. Have owned 70's all my hunting life and was never satisfied with the Savage--and it would shoot 3 shot at .430 groups with handloads. Just did not have the feel and pride of ownership as a Model 70. Have a New Haven 70 Classic in 308 that bought in the mid 90's when they had brought it back up to the pre-64 guns. Well, it is even better than the older pre-64's and these FN models out of S.C. are even better than that. Believe me, I have owned them for a long time and with these computer machines today and all the works that go into making them better, well you have to own one and shoot one to believe it. The MOA trigger on my 243 is set at 3.7 lbs and breaks like glass--no creep right out of box. Perfect for a hunting rig. Will group 3 shot on a dime every time you take it our with 60 to 87 grain Sierra handloads. Use for coyotes and deer. If it will not shoot as some have said you contact FN and they will take care of you, they stand behind them 100%. I have only 100 rounds or so down mine and will drop 3 in a tiny group all day long. A 243 is a perfect cal. for the kids or wife and that 87 grain will put the smack down on deer a way out there. Have been using this past year over the 308 and I have shot that caliber for 30 some years for deer hunting. You won't go wrong with this one--believe me. God bless. Sorry for the long wind, but hope have helped convert another to a Model 70.
 
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