A couple of updated Winchester M70 223 bolt guns.............

[Michael458]

Over the last several years I have been buying Winchester M70 223 bolt guns, all these have been older push feed guns. Some of these I have made into other cartridges, one 300 BLK that I use to do pressure work and load testing, and a couple of 7/62X40
guns, one of which I had built last year for my Daughter to deer hunt with. Then a few have been kept as 223, but the barrels changed by SSK to 1:8 twists. These guns must have old 1:14 twist rates, my 50 Raptors are sideways in these at 25 yards.......

Two of my guns you may have seen, one is a 22" heavy barrel, the other a 20 inch lighter barrel, both in Winchester Ultimate stocks.

I ended up with two guns last year that I picked up from GunBroker, both wood. One very heavy barrel, that I had a new 1:8 twist 20 inch barrel put on, and the other a super lightweight that I put a 1:8 twist 18 inch barrel on. I kept the same contour as previous, as both had decent wood stocks on them and I planned to keep both in the original wood.

A few months ago I was looking for a inexpensive, but decent scope, that I could use on a couple of 22 lr. By accident I discovered on Amazon, some really reasonable priced Made in China I am sure, Sniper Scopes located in TX. At the prices listed I had to try a couple. Then I figured to try a few more. With these guns just coming in on Friday I decided to top them off with the left over Sniper Scopes I had on hand.... The heavy gun got a 6X24 (way too much glass), but regardless I decided to give it a go and see what happens. If I don't like, or it breaks or whatever, I have a few Nikons I can put on these guns. The lite gun topped off with a "Super Lite" 3X9 Sniper. And it is LITE..... coming in at 7.5 lbs with the scope! The 20" heavy is HEAVY. 11 lbs with scope.......

Here they are......... Just started shooting Saturday so jury is still out on the system, but so far, not too bad...... I think both will shoot better than I can see to shoot.............

Heavy gun up first with 20 inch barrel 1:8 Twist..........

And the LITE rifle...........

 

[MacEntyre]

That Lite one is appealing...

 

[nbkky71]

Love those wood stocks!

 

[Ben W.]

I have a Winchester M70 Coyote (I think); .223 with blued action and stainless bbl. I knew it had a slow twist but haven't measured it; probably the same 1:14 as your rifle. Generally speaking, I prefer to keep my firearms stock but I'm considering doing what you've done with yours; new barrel, same profile, quicker twist. Anyway, it should work for 55gr., perhaps up into the 60 gr. range. Will see... I haven't fired it yet, but hopefully that'll change soon. Anyway, thanks for posting the pics. I do like M70's overall.

 

[Michael458]

I have a Winchester M70 Coyote (I think); .223 with blued action and stainless bbl. I knew it had a slow twist but haven't measured it;

I don't know Ben, I think those later guns might have been some faster, not sure. I have another one, I think it might be similar to yours, gun is probably 12-15 years old now. It will shoot the 50 Raptors extremely good, factory barrel.

The really older guns, have the slow 1:14 or maybe even slower? They will not stabilize 50 Raptors, sideways at 25. I test the guns first, if they won't shoot or stabilize the 50 Raptor, it goes in for a barrel change to the faster twist. It may shoot other bullets fine, but if it does not shoot the Raptors then I have no use for it.

The other two rifles I changed barrels on are here in the Ultimate stocks..........

This heavy gun is a hell of a shooter, shoots everything in a hole at 50 yards and everything nearly to the same POI...........

This lighter gun, with 20 inch barrel shoots the Raptors in a hole at 50, but is a little more finicky with some other bullets...............