Model 70 Mount and Ring recommendations...

TNBillyEarl

Beginner
Jan 31, 2021
87
298
needmounts.jpg

This is my first Winchester. I have admired them from afar for 40 years, until last week. This is a 2002 7mmWSM; it was made at that time with a sporter barrel placed into a featherweight stock. I'm not a fan of Leupold Standard or Dovetail setups. What do you suggest? For a scope I'm thinking a 2-7 Leupold, or the 2.5-8. Both have a small bell, something under 40mm. I would prefer low rings. Finally, I'm going to deer hunt with this regularly.

Should I consider Leupold Standards? A Picatinny Rail? Will Talley's hold up? My default would be DNZ Game Reaper 2s. I don't want the mounts to go over top the action unless running a rail. I just don't know anything about these guns and would appreciate all you M70 lovers to weigh in.

Bill
 
Congratulations on your new rifle.
A picatinny rail and low rings for a VX-3 2.5-8x36mm would be a solid setup for deer hunting.

JD338
 
I have no scopes with objectives greater than 43mm. Hence, I mount mine low. I prefer Talley Base/Rings for all my Model 70s. Congratulations on the 7WSM. I've really enjoyed mine. I can attest that it works quite well on mule deer and on elk when loaded with 160 grain ABs.
 
Leupold Back Country is another option if they make them for Mod 70, haven't checked. Bought these for the Rem 700 rebarrel and the new Tikka. Kind of like a Talley. They are holding up well so far. Dan.
This^

I will only ever use backcountries now. They're solid and light and look good.
They make them for the 70 with medium height as the lowest, but medium on my 700 puts the 40mm bell close to the barrel.

 
Color me old fashioned but Most of my rifles still have the Weaver two pice bases and rings. I have been replacing the older style clamp on one side rings with the Weaver 4x4 rings as they're a bit lighter and don't look bad. My point is they've worked for years and I doubt they'll stop working any time soon. Point is, in all the years I've hunted, I have never had one of those Weaver fail in any manner or come loose.
Paul B.
 
Also to answer the OP, give the Leupold PRW mounts and rings a try. They are basically a beefier/improved version of the old Weaver mounts/rings.
 
View attachment 20410

This is my first Winchester. I have admired them from afar for 40 years, until last week. This is a 2002 7mmWSM; it was made at that time with a sporter barrel placed into a featherweight stock. I'm not a fan of Leupold Standard or Dovetail setups. What do you suggest? For a scope I'm thinking a 2-7 Leupold, or the 2.5-8. Both have a small bell, something under 40mm. I would prefer low rings. Finally, I'm going to deer hunt with this regularly.

Should I consider Leupold Standards? A Picatinny Rail? Will Talley's hold up? My default would be DNZ Game Reaper 2s. I don't want the mounts to go over top the action unless running a rail. I just don't know anything about these guns and would appreciate all you M70 lovers to weigh in.

Bill
That's nice and clean, hard to believe it's 21 years old! Love the lines of the Featherweights.
 
My only experience with Winchester was an old 94 when I was a kid. I cannot tell you how much I loved that rifle - but that's neither here, not there.

My only suggestions about scope and rings is that they should be in keeping with what you want to use the rifle for. You said deer, but I don't know if that's whitetail at 40 yards in the trees, or mulies at 300 in south Idaho. Honestly, in most cases I think it comes to user preference. I would suggest against the pic rail, though. They are great for a lot of things, and I have one on a 1894 Marlin as a ring base - but: they add a fair amount of height, they add weight (might not be an issue here), and it's one more point where you have to be sure everything lines up, is level and trued.

That is a sweet looking rifle.
 
View attachment 20410

This is my first Winchester. I have admired them from afar for 40 years, until last week. This is a 2002 7mmWSM; it was made at that time with a sporter barrel placed into a featherweight stock. I'm not a fan of Leupold Standard or Dovetail setups. What do you suggest? For a scope I'm thinking a 2-7 Leupold, or the 2.5-8. Both have a small bell, something under 40mm. I would prefer low rings. Finally, I'm going to deer hunt with this regularly.

Should I consider Leupold Standards? A Picatinny Rail? Will Talley's hold up? My default would be DNZ Game Reaper 2s. I don't want the mounts to go over top the action unless running a rail. I just don't know anything about these guns and would appreciate all you M70 lovers to weigh in.

Bill
I don't know if Warne makes rings/bases for this unit but if so their quality is second to none. They are one solid setup and I've been using them for years. Never had a failure.
 
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