Curious...not sure why but I am.

[Monty Montana]

How and why did the Winchester Model 70 action fall out of favor with custom gun builders, is it just the magazine?
Vietnam era snipers had a number of M70 action guns to use...I know I used 3 at times, 308 and 300 Win Mag.

Monty Montana

 

[DukeDuke]

I don't see John Whidden having a problem with it.

 

[Tommie]

For hunting rifles, nothing tops the Model 70 or other Mauser-style actions.

 

[bench]

Very good question cant wait to see the response to this question

 

[watercam]

I have two match rifles on Winchester 70 actions. Nothing wrong with them. Shoot just as well as my Barnard at 1000 yds. if I can keep up with the wind. Not as cool as a custom action but they work.

 

[jonbearman]

Not a thing wrong with them but there way more parts for the Remington style action and that is one reason it seems people gravitate towards a slightly less expensive action that can be transformed into something decent along with more trigger choice's.

 

[wapiti25]

the Remington round "tube" action fits in a lathe easier for truing.

 

[boltman223]

How do the triggers compare between Remington and Winchester?

 

[XBBR Shooter]

How do the triggers compare between Remington and Winchester?

You can get Jewells for both of them, and factory triggers for both are decent.

 

[Toolbreaker]

How and why did the Winchester Model 70 action fall out of favor with custom gun builders, is it just the magazine?
Vietnam era snipers had a number of M70 action guns to use...I know I used 3 at times, 308 and 300 Win Mag.

Monty Montana

Some of it is probably the military's current use of Remington rifles. The public seems to gravitate towards whatever the services are using at the time. The huge popularity of 7.62 and 5.56 are prime examples.

 

[jr600yd]

It's my understanding their were several reasons the Winchester fell from favor.
1. Cost, Winchester made some design changes and the "pre 64" was no longer in production. Good bad or indifferent the mind set of the American shooter was screwed with and Winchester never fully recovered.
2. Trigger and lock time, other manufacturers (Remington) played this up to their advantage and was well received by the shooting community.
3. After market options. Let's face it, over the years there is just a lot more "stuff" out there for other rifles.
4. Some gunsmiths believe round actions like the 700 are easier to work on.
Just my .02 cents

 

[ab_bentley]

Most smith's have a lathe but not a mill. That CRF cut is a big scare factor or the stumbling block for the unfamiliar.

Adam

 

[DCRYDER]

The ones I've messed with had a ton of clearance between bolt and receiver.

The machining on the receiver is crude and rough. It's a lot harder and labor intensive to do a good bedding job.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Go back to pre 64 ! the cost to machine that style action did not pay off.
The post 64 was used by many target shooters. One of the best ever was Boots obermeyer the barrel makers.
The Remington took off for better triggers and Clone copies of it.
Today almost every after market action is a brother of Remington is some way.

 

[XBBR Shooter]

Most smith's have a lathe but not a mill. That CRF cut is a big scare factor or the stumbling block for the unfamiliar.

Adam

But the push feed M-70 actions were in production for nearly 1/2 a century, and the Winchester extraction system was (is) better than the M-700's extractor.

 

[Monty Montana]

Just as I supposed...thank you all for the information...now to mess with the minds (some small I might add, of my local rifle experts) I'm off to build one to compete with...keep you updated.
Monty Montana

 

[Jammer Six]

Most smith's have a lathe but not a mill.

I don't know about that, it could be.

But it seems to me that if a "smith" isn't properly equipped, that would be a valid reason to find a different smith.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Most smith's have a lathe but not a mill. That CRF cut is a big scare factor or the stumbling block for the unfamiliar.

Adam

Yes. It's been a deeply guarded secret process for years. LOL!

 

[ab_bentley]

I don't know about that, it could be.

But it seems to me that if a "smith" isn't properly equipped, that would be a valid reason to find a different smith.

Amen.

 

[wapiti25]

I have used the post-64 push feed and it is good. CFR is over rated for most applications. Remington extraction is terrible.