Winchester 70 .338 made in the 80's

[daisygordoninc]

Did the model 70's still have "push feed" in the 80's. I'm looking at a .338 made in the
80's, the seller does not say which it is.
Do any of you have one?

[Pete44ru]

.

FWIW

I've had two different .338 Winchester Model 70's: a CRF 1991 Super Grade Classic, I ordered; and an inexpensive push-feed 1988 standard with a beat up stock, that I installed a take-off featherweight stock onto & turned for a nice profit.

They both were very good shooters, and the SG was simply super ( beautiful ).

After 1964, all Model 70's were push-feed until the 1991 introduction of the Model 70 Classic Standard Grade, Classic Super Grade & Classic Featherweights - a re-introduction of the pre-64 Model 70's CRF long claw extractor.

Personal preferences aside, there's no practical difference between the push & controlled feed bolts, the CRF (of course) being preferable for facing DG (like a Grizzly Bear or an Alaskan Brownie) - although a CRF is worth more $$$ to me (YMMV).


.

[daisygordoninc]

Thanks, I did not know what year they went back to make the controlled feed.
Since I'm not hunting grizzlies I think the push feed would be just fine.
Thanks for the info.

[44shooter]

Pete is right. Eighties vintage would be push feed. It's easy to tell. CRF will have a big Mauser type claw extractor attached to the right side of the bolt. Pushers will have a smooth bolt like a Rem 700. Later Winchester made some hybrid actions that are basically their push feed but cut to where the round will slide under the extractor. They are pretty much a 21st century thing.

The Winchester push feed action isn't a bad design. They probably should have renamed the model in 1964 with the redesign. I much prefer the classic actions but might get a pusher if the deal is good enough.

[t.r.]

I have a Winchester model 670 from the early 1970's. It feeds the same as Remington 700 and has no claw extractor either. Started out as a 30-06 but I had it changed to 35 Whelen Ackley Improved with 24 inch barrel featuring Magna Port slots near the muzzle. It's a good reliable shooter and recoil isn't too bad.

TR

[Carlsen Highway]

Its a non issue anyway, my pushfeed 1981 fthwt .30/06 will feed sideways, upside down, anything, never faulted. To be honest just about all the feeding issues I have had on bolt actions have been Mauser action rifles. More important to me on the Winchester is that it has the smoother action with the bolt guide, introduced around same time they started with the G prefix serial no. 1980's Winchester 70's are good rifles in my experience.