Pre-64 Model 70 .270 Range Day

[Rigbymauser]

Hej Jens -
What a beautiful rifle! Does it shoot MOA or better? What year did Winchester go from a tange safety to the 3-position safety? My 257 AI was built in '57 and that has the 3-position.

To ride straight and speak the truth I do not know when they changes to old safety. I have actually seen Pre-64 made earlier than mine that had the new type. I think Winchester went through a transition period for about two years.
Does it shoot?..Does it shoot MOA?...or better?. This rifle is scary that defies any theory that heavy barrels are more accurate. When this said it´s very particular regarding bullets and OAL. The barrel hates Hornadys, Speer, Nosler BT + AB but loves the Nosler Par 150grain. When this said again when shooting the 150Grain Noslers the OAL. must be 83,2mm. Any longer or shorter means deviating inches @200meters. A full load of 73grain Norma MRP push the bullet out with 3280 ft/sec. I have been as high as 3360 ft/sec but here overflat primers(Fed 215), clearly print of the bolthead in the casing, and black casenecks which all indicates too high pressure. However no real sticky boltlift. That load wasn´t accurate. The gun group perfect with factory ammo btw. It´s a rifle I never heat up with more than 3 shots and then let it cool. I baby the barrel after a shootingsession or hunting. Oh yes..One of my first shots on game with this rifle was shooting a jackel with a mexican heartshot at 35 paces witnessed by Andrew McLaren of McLaren Safaris!. oH I almost forgot..benchrested this rifle will do less than1-2" at 200 meters if I do my part. I have experienced 1"groups with factory ammo made by Norma. Hornady bullets does about 3" or more.

 

[SJB358]

AWESOME rifle RM! That is an awesome stock on that rifle and an excellent cartridge! Not much a 150 PT at 3200 won't handle either! Awesome, I just love to see those old Model 70's worked over! What caliber was it when you got it?

 

[hubcap]

Joe, I think that IMR 7828 may be too slow for your rifle's chamber. I shoot 130 grain Partitions with 55.0 grs of IMR 4350 and for the 140 grains, would use 58.0 grs of IMR 4831. You should be able to get to 2900+ fps with the right load and by not straining your action.

I get the best velocity with IMR-4831 using 140 PT,s or AB,s. 57 grains gives me an honest John 2990 with either bullet. Even with IMR-4350 and 130,s I pretty much max out 3065 where as IMR-4831,58 gr. will hit 3100 and still is not be maxed out. I have worked with 7828 and reloader 22 as well. The velocity was subpar in my rifle also. The slowest powder I use these days is H-4831sc which does deliver accuracy and decent velocity. I,ve found over the years that IMR-4831 will do any thing H4831 will with approx. three grains less powder. My sears-53 is nothing more than a post 64 mod 70 that came with a cheaper stock and shorter 22 inch barrel. Mine was brand new in 1967. It always did shoot them 130 core lokt.s under moa from day one. Dang rifle shoots 130 power points at 2930 almost as good as the remmy loads. Betcha the pre-64,270 win. with the 24 inch barrel would smoke with a little IMR-4831.

 

[EOD Diver]

Merry Christmas Everyone!
Greetings from Dubai. Thanks to everyone for posting some awesome pics and load info on this thread. Now that we're inport, we've got a little extra bandwidth that we don't typically have while underway, so thought I'd say hello and thanks. Rigbymauser, I about fell out of my seat when I saw some of the pics of your rig. She is absolutely beautiful and looks like she's seen a hunt or two. I love to see a beautiful rifle in the field where it belongs.
Joe

 

[DrMike]

Merry Christmas, Joe. It's always good to hear from you.

 

[SJB358]

Merry Christmas Joe. Hope it's a good port call mate.

 

[Rigbymauser]

AWESOME rifle RM! That is an awesome stock on that rifle and an excellent cartridge! Not much a 150 PT at 3200 won't handle either! Awesome, I just love to see those old Model 70's worked over! What caliber was it when you got it?

Thanks to you all.

The rifle was originally in .270win. The rifle was found here in Denmark.

One day I must bring it to the prairielands of Montana for a pronghorn and muledeer. Always wanted go up there. I have a little interest Custer, Greasy grass, Black Hills etc.

 

[Palouser]

AWESOME rifle RM! That is an awesome stock on that rifle and an excellent cartridge! Not much a 150 PT at 3200 won't handle either! Awesome, I just love to see those old Model 70's worked over! What caliber was it when you got it?

Thanks to you all.

The rifle was originally in .270win. The rifle was found here in Denmark.

One day I must bring it to the prairielands of Montana for a pronghorn and muledeer. Always wanted go up there. I have a little interest Custer, Greasy grass, Black Hills etc.

That is too funny. I lived in Montana and hunted all over....also have seen the Custer battlefield and the black hills. They are pretty neat but I dream about one day traveling to Denmark! Shall I say the grass is always greener on the other side!

 

[Rigbymauser]

I have been going through my book collection here to find some clear statements made by Jack O`Conner regarding the .270 winchester.

From Gun Digest 1958 page 49 from an artical called "The sheep rifle".

" I long ago found out that when it comes to to long range shooting the less figuring I have to do more apt I am to hit. I therefore take all the advantage I can of the trajectory of the rifle cartridge I am using.
With the .270 and the 130grain spitzer at 3140 f.p.s I like to sight in to put 3 inches above line of scope sight at 100yards. The bullet is then about 4 inches high at 200yards, on the button at 275yards, and a couple of inches low at 300 yards. At 350 yards the bullets strike about 7inches low and at 400 from 12-15 low depending on the shape of the point. A good sharp pointed 150grain like the Sierra loaded to about 3000 f.p.s with 58grains of No.4831 or 54 grain of No. 4350 gives substantially the same trajectory".

Page 48

" I would not want a rifle for mountain hunting with a barrel over 22 inches in length nor would I I want with a barrel less than 20 inches. Cartridges loaded with slower burning powders lose their velocity very rapidly if the barrel is cut to less than 22 inches, and the more potent of them have a disagreeable muzzle blast".

When he was hunting in Persia with Prins Abdorreza

"I was using the 130gr. Speer bullet with 60gr. No.4831, and in this paticular rifle which was by Apex and had a 1-13 twist, the velocity was about 3225".

 

[SJB358]

RM, cool readings right there. Thank you for posting them. A 1/13 on a 270 isn't something I have ever heard much about. Sounds like it worked fine though.