M70 Action vs. Remington 700 action (Anyone know the weight difference?).

[Mule3006Elk]

I'm building a custom 30-06 AI. Bartlein barrel, #4, SS, fluted, which will weigh 2.86 lbs. HS Precision stock, #09, slight LOP adjustment, should weight ~ 2.1 lbs. Can anyone shed some light on how much weight the action, trigger guard, action screws, etc will add to the build. I'm looking at a M70 action or the Remington 700 action (can't decide). I like the controlled feed and safety on the M70 but it's clear the Remington 700 action has a lot of fans. After extensive research, I really can't find any good information on the weight of each action from the manufacturer or from those who are selling the actions. I don't have the cash to buy a 1K custom action and I don't think I need one since I'm not using this for long range competition or bench rest competition. It's strictly a hunting rifle. I would be satisfied with a 0.5-0.75" group and extremely pleased with a 0.25-0.5" group at 100 yards. Ideal weight would be between 8-8.5 lbs fully dressed.

 

[Musket Man]

IMO the Model 70 controlled round feed action is the finest action even made! Its very reliable and very safe and the safety that locks the hammer is much more reliable. I had a 700 go off on me once and I been kinda gun shy of them ever since.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

IMO the Model 70 controlled round feed action is the finest action even made! Its very reliable and very safe and the safety that locks the hammer is much more reliable. I had a 700 go off on me once and I been kinda gun shy of them ever since.

Thanks for your response. I've heard of a few similar stories and I just read about the Remington Model 700 and Model 7 recall due to the X-Mark Pro trigger which could unintentionally discharge. M70 is looking more attractive. My gunsmith prefers the M70 over the Remington 700 as we'll.

 

[Musket Man]

The one that went off on me was older. Im told if you use a good trigger like a timney it will fix it but I still prefer the Winchester action. But Im pretty bias too! LOL

As far as weight Im sure the Winchester is the heavier of the 2 but I dont know how much difference there is.

 

[SansSouci]

Hi Mule3006Elk,

I have 40 year-old Model 700 in .270 Win. I have never had a single problem with it: none, zip-zero-zilch, nada, goose eggs, nope, nothing, end of story! I have never had it fire when I didn't want it to fire. Most importantly, it's 100% reliable and extremely accurate. It will be my primary rifle on what is a de facto once-in-a-lifetime trophy elk hunt. Too many bonus points are required to hunt the area to expect another shot at it. I ain't about to waste an elk tag of a lifetime on anything but a 100% reliable rifle.

One of the most accurate rifles I have ever fired was my friend's stock Model 700 ADL 7MM Rem Mag. He never so much as altered its trigger. That rifle would shoot .5 MOA all day along. I often wondered what the rifle would have done had he had it bedded and tried match bullets. But that rifle was made to hunt, and that's what he did with it.

I have a CRF Model 70. It is an excellent rifle. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

We all have preferences. My favorite action is a Sako AV. I have a Sako Classic in 7MM Rem Mag. It's every bit as accurate as my friend's Model 700, maybe more so. But I've had my Sako bedded and it's trigger adjusted to just under 3 pounds. It has a beautiful walnut stock. The fly in the ointment of what would otherwise be a perfect rifle is that it weighs every ounce of 10 pounds. I've carried that rifle up and down the Star Valley enough times to know that my Model 700 .270 Win makes a lot more sense when Rocky Mountain climbing.

Slightly off topic: when I was oh so much smarter than I am now I had it figured that I needed an armory to hunt North America. Were I accorded a do-over, I'd buy a Sako in .280 Rem and never look back and never need another rifle. In my estimation, my Model 700 in .270 Win ain't a half-bad contender for my idea of a perfect rifle for North America big game hunting. But I do love .284 caliber projectiles. They have a legacy of going a long way and penetrating deeper than an Einstein thought. How many elephants did that fella in Africa kill with a 7x57?

http://www.chuckhawks.com/bell_elephants.htm

BTW, I wouldn't hesitate building a custom rifle using a Model 700 action.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I'm building a custom 30-06 AI. Bartlein barrel, #4, SS, fluted, which will weigh 2.86 lbs. HS Precision stock, #09, slight LOP adjustment, should weight ~ 2.1 lbs. Can anyone shed some light on how much weight the action, trigger guard, action screws, etc will add to the build. I'm looking at a M70 action or the Remington 700 action (can't decide). I like the controlled feed and safety on the M70 but it's clear the Remington 700 action has a lot of fans. After extensive research, I really can't find any good information on the weight of each action from the manufacturer or from those who are selling the actions. I don't have the cash to buy a 1K custom action and I don't think I need one since I'm not using this for long range competition or bench rest competition. It's strictly a hunting rifle. I would be satisfied with a 0.5-0.75" group and extremely pleased with a 0.25-0.5" group at 100 yards. Ideal weight would be between 8-8.5 lbs fully dressed.

I hope you have a GREAT (I said great, not good!) smith picked out. No matter what action, barrel, stock, etc you pick, its the gunsmith that will make it all come together. The best components in the world cannot overcome a less than topnotch smithing job!

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Hi Mule3006Elk,

I have 40 year-old Model 700 in .270 Win. I have never had a single problem with it: none, zip-zero-zilch, nada, goose eggs, nope, nothing, end of story! I have never had it fire when I didn't want it to fire. Most importantly, it's 100% reliable and extremely accurate. It will be my primary rifle on what is a de facto once-in-a-lifetime trophy elk hunt. Too many bonus points are required to hunt the area to expect another shot at it. I ain't about to waste an elk tag of a lifetime on anything but a 100% reliable rifle.

One of the most accurate rifles I have ever fired was my friend's stock Model 700 ADL 7MM Rem Mag. He never so much as altered its trigger. That rifle would shoot .5 MOA all day along. I often wondered what the rifle would have done had he had it bedded and tried match bullets. But that rifle was made to hunt, and that's what he did with it.

I have a CRF Model 70. It is an excellent rifle. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

We all have preferences. My favorite action is a Sako AV. I have a Sako Classic in 7MM Rem Mag. It's every bit as accurate as my friend's Model 700, maybe more so. But I've had my Sako bedded and it's trigger adjusted to just under 3 pounds. It has a beautiful walnut stock. The fly in the ointment of what would otherwise be a perfect rifle is that it weighs every ounce of 10 pounds. I've carried that rifle up and down the Star Valley enough times to know that my Model 700 .270 Win makes a lot more sense when Rocky Mountain climbing.

Slightly off topic: when I was oh so much smarter than I am now I had it figured that I needed an armory to hunt North America. Were I accorded a do-over, I'd buy a Sako in .280 Rem and never look back and never need another rifle. In my estimation, my Model 700 in .270 Win ain't a half-bad contender for my idea of a perfect rifle for North America big game hunting. But I do love .284 caliber projectiles. They have a legacy of going a long way and penetrating deeper than an Einstein thought. How many elephants did that fella in Africa kill with a 7x57?

http://www.chuckhawks.com/bell_elephants.htm

BTW, I wouldn't hesitate building a custom rifle using a Model 700 action.

I agree the 280 or 280 AI is a great round. In fact, I strongly considered a 280 AI for my build. When I did the ballistics for my bullet of choice, Barnes TTSX, 168 grain (TTSX for the 30-06 and the LRX for the 280 AI), I realized they are ballistic twins out to 400 yards (max I'll shoot at big game assuming conditions are IDEAL) even with the 280 AI having the BC advantage with the LRX, +/- 1% in velocity/ft-lbs/drop/wind drift. Therefore, I decided to stay with the 30 cal due to a little bigger hole and the ability to push heavier bullets if I choose to do so. I only have one rifle (given to me by my father) currently which will be handed down to my son. So I need a rifle for myself. I hunt ELK/Mule Deer specifically.

My father is going to give me his 30-06 Winchester M70 30-06, purchased ~ 1986, although I'm in NO hurry to inherit it. The rifle is literally brand new with ~ 50 rounds down the tube and VERY clean.

Per my research, it's much easier to find a Remington 700 action vs. a M70 action and the cost favors the Remington 700 action. I guess I could always switch the trigger.

 

[xtreme]

I got my M70 gone as fast as possible because of the noise of the safety.

 

[xtreme]

I DID have a 700 go off. The gun was dirty but still not excuse enough. I have one of the new Timmey triggers on the way.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

I hope you have a GREAT (I said great, not good!) smith picked out. No matter what action, barrel, stock, etc you pick, its the gunsmith that will make it all come together. The best components in the world cannot overcome a less than topnotch smithing job!

I agree. I believe I have a good Smith, he takes his time, he's not pushy, and I've personally seen his work. He took my 30-06 Savage 110E (manufactured ~1982) which was shooting 4-6" (literally) groups from the bench at 100 yards with 5 different types of factory ammo, worked on the crown (1st), worked on the action and trigger (2nd), worked on the bedding (3rd), and now the gun consistently shoots 0.8-0.9 MOA at 100 yards with my reloads. Not a tack driver but a significant improvement and more than adequate for hunting. We did the step approach because I didn't want to drop a ton of money into a gun that had no potential to shoot. I really liked how he took his time and ruled out one thing at a time. I'm sure he would have done everything at once, per my request, but he understood where I was coming from. Why did I work on this rifle? Well, my father gave me the rifle as my first hunting gun, he took 3 Mule deer with this rifle, and that means something to me. My son will get this rifle when he's ready to hunt and I can't wait to tell him a few stories about where the scratches came from

 

[SansSouci]

Hi Mule3006Elk,

Colorado Cowboy gave you excellent advice. A good gunsmith is as required as a good physician. The best components in the world won't be worth a darn if they're not fitted together properly.

The reason I have deep respect for the .280 Rem is not just because it fires .284 caliber bullets. I like handy rifles that are powerful. For me, I prefer 22" barrels and rifles cambered for cartridges that won't loosen fillings. I have fired big guns. I prefer to shoot rifles with manageable recoil. A hunting equation that I learned a long time goes something like this: Big gun + big recoil = big miss. For me, the .280 would do everything I need done. On the other side, I know a hunter who has killed just about everything in North America, including griz, with 26" Weatherby chambered for .300 Wby. BTW, another hunting buddy who hasn't achieved neophyte status once told me that my 7MM Rem Mag is not an elk gun. When I told that to my Weatherby hunting buddy, he looked confused and responded, "What is he? Nuts?"

I think that the 11th commandment of hunting is that we should hold other hunters in high regard and never speak ill of them. So far, I've never condemned another hunter for his rifle or cartridge preference. Of course, I might violate that commandment were I to run across a neophyte hunting elk with a .22 Hornet. As long as a hunter matches cartridges & bullets to game and is proficient with his rifles, I'll wish him hunting success.

As we all know, within reason, hunting cartridges are personal preference. Truth be told, for all practical hunting conditions, the '06 might just be better than the .280 Rem. Even that elephant hunter said something to the effect that a Model 70 in .308 Win would have been a better choice than his 7X57. Heck, no cartridge would be a hunting cartridge if it couldn't kill game. I guess that the best we as hunters can hope for is to send a bullet that will penetrate and destroy into areas that will permanently interrupt an animal's ability to pump oxygenated blood to its brain. What cartridge we use to accomplish that boils down to preference.

 

[Musket Man]

I got my M70 gone as fast as possible because of the noise of the safety.

700 makes alot more noise when it goes off when you dont want it too! The reliability of the M70 safety is 1 of the biggest reasons I am such a big fan of it.

 

[mcseal2]

I like to switch shoulders when carrying my rifle on a sling. I found that the safety on a 700 or the Colt light rifle I had with the same type safety would rub into the fire position against my pack on occasion when carrying the right handed bolt gun on my left shoulder. I sold them all, went to only tang (Savage, Browning) or 3 position (Winchester, Ruger) safetys. My buddy had the same problem, he put a PT&G 3 position on his 700. There are options.

 

[woodtick]

I've built several customs on 700's and I doubt I'd change. I do like the model 70 looks but can't argue with all the after market stuff for the 700!

 

[6mm Remington]

I just had a Winchester Model 70 classic sporter built into a Nosler 280 AI with a 24" standard contour barrel. I just weighed it and without optics it tips the scales at just a touch over 7.5 pounds. I'm really happy with how it turned out and cannot wait to get it scoped up. Been wanting a controlled round feed Model 70, and a 280 or 280AI for a long long time.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I am using a Rem 700 action for the 280 I am having built. Already had the action ergo my choice. That said, the main advantage to the Rem. is it's popularity and known techniques to improve it. Nearly every aftermarket company will make parts. I have a wide selection of stocks, firing pin/spring, etc., choices. M70 not nearly as popular, not that this would make it a bad choice. If your gunny likes the M70 and knows his stuff, perfect. The secret sauce to make a 700 action very accurate is widely known, I am going to add a new trigger to avoid any Rem trigger discharge issues, have it squared/lapped/blueprinted, bush the bolt and screw it into a nice Brux barrel by a gunny who loves 700's. For me the weight difference, if any would not matter, nor would CRF for the hunting
my 280 will do.

 

[Multi-SpeciesHunter]

Pre 64 Model 70. Thats what I'm always told is one of the best actions ever created.

 

[xphunter]

700 for me all the way.
Get a Timney trigger and any concerns are gone, and you get a awesome trigger

 

[Musket Man]

Pre 64 Model 70. Thats what I'm always told is one of the best actions ever created.

The newer Model 70 controlled round feed action is nearly identical to the pre 64 and just as good. Its the post 64 push feeds that are not so well liked. Not that they are really a bad action, they just dont compare to the CRF action.

 

[stevevan]

Can't go wrong with either one as the base to build up a rifle. I do like the big, visible wing safety of the M70. I even had the safety of a couple Rem700's converted with a couple aftermarket side swings. Triggers, my vote is in agreement with others as I swap out to a Timney set at a clean, crisp, 48oz. no matter what action is used. This thread is timely as I recently completed a rifle project which is chambered in .280 Rem. I wanted a lighter wt. carrying rifle as opposed to the long shooters which seem to be in vogue. Project met my expectations as the complete rifle with scope bases installed is right at six pounds. I figure I should be able to have a combined weight at just a little under eight pounds after the set-up is complete with scope, sling, ammo which is my goal. I looking to develop a handload with the Nosler 140 Accubond. Had an itch that needed scratching for a long time to put together a .280. Seems like an under appreciated cartridge that will take care of most everything I intend to hunt.