Winchester Model 70 Pre 64 .264 featherweight questions

[cgeminski]

Hello... my father has handed down a Winchester Model 70, Pre 64 Featherweight chambered in .264 Win Mag. The Featherweight model has a 22 inch barrel. I am building this gun up for a pronghorn hunt and wanted to see everyones thoughts on this gun, ammo and scope choice. Its a nice small, lightweight rifle... should be easy to carry while putting some miles on my boots in WY.

I have heard that the 22 inch barrel shoots about 100fps slower than the traditional 26 inch barrels. With the speed of the .264 this shouldn't be a problem. What kind of accuracy can I expect out of this gun? I have not shot it yet. If you have some experience with the Winchester Featherweights I would love to hear from you.

I am considering some good Nosler Trophy ammo with 140 grain Accubond bullets. I have access to a reloader, but with young kids I don't get the time to devote to reloading, so thats out. I want to buy the most accurate ammo possible for this gun... Thoughts?

For a scope I am thinking a Leopold VX3 4.5x14 with the CDS (custom dial system). Range the animal, turn the elevation dial to that yardage and shoot. Leopold will make a custom elevation turret based on your ballistics.

Thanks for your responses in advance!

Regards,

Chris

 

[sneakypete]

My partner has a 264 but not a feather weight. He had to replace his barrel, it shot out. He shoots Berger Val hunting 139 gr I believe. Sorry it's all I know about that round! He put a lilga barrel on.

 

[mcseal2]

I have a couple custom 264 rifles I love for deer and antelope. Both mine are heavier, more of my long shot short walk rifles. The scope you have picked would be a good one, I have and have used several on rifles for years.

My lighter 264 that I decorated my house with I currently shoot the 140gr Berger VLD in. It has performed very well for me and held tighter groups at longer ranges. The Accubond shot nearly as well to 400yds where I think the BC advantage of the Berger and the wind I seem to deal with every practice session started making more of a difference. The Accubond performed extremely well for me in the 264 on game. My best muley was shot quartering away hard and the bullet entered at the back of the ribs and ended up in the offside of the neck. I've shot the 140gr accubond in 264, 270 win, and 7mm rifles with good results. My load for this rifle is 60gr of H4831SC with either bullet. It is a slow load for a 25" 264WM, only 2914fps. I have been going to try newer powders for years, but every practice session with this load has good results as has my hunting with it. It should be real easy on the barrel also. I hit my gong from a sandbag on the truck hood out to 600yds very reliably and make a lot of 300-400yd shots from the bipod. The tall grass in my area makes opportunities for a prone shot very rare, but I love them when they arrive. One of my favorite things about hunting out west is I get a prone shot a decent amount of the time. I upgraded to a Leupold VX-6 3-18x50 scope on this rifle with the CDS and TMOA reticle. I have been very happy with it. It's a bit bulky and heavy, but it excels in the low light conditions I seem to find the mature bucks moving in. The last several deer seasons around home have been some of the warmest I've ever hunted and daylight activity is very limited. The field of view is almost double that of a 1" tube 4.5-14x for close shots, and you can really dial it in for long ones. In the field I find I use 8x a lot from kneeling or sitting, only dial it way up for prone or otherwise very well rested shots.

The other 264 I haven't even got to shoot myself yet, the gunsmith is still playing with it. He has a better range than I do to shoot longer distances. It's a heavy rifle built specifically for long range and the handloads he is developing are running a Hornady ELD-X bullet around 3300fps with RL33. Maybe this combo will show me a reason to change my old guns load finally.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have always liked the .264 mag, I remember when it came out along with the .338 Mag. In my opinion you will not get the optimum performance out of it without reloading. I love your choice of scopes, I have 2 of them. You have a great deer and antelope rifle.

 

[Tim McCoy]

That's a very nice gun. Couple other thoughts. I might consider removing the barreled action from the stock and making sure the wood inside the barrel channel is sealed up tight, before I head out hunting. If for some reason accuracy is not what you need, I'd use some old credit card pieces or the like, and put a little pressure on the barrel out on the fore end. If it does not improve, have the bedding checked out by a good gunny and possibly pillar and/or glass bed it with a good free float on the barrel. But before you go too far, you might check it's value, it sounds unique, and if in full factory form could be too pricey to modify.

It's a great set up for western hunting.

 

[ivorytip]

that gun deff has some value. wanna sell it?

 

[Horsenhike]

Bit of a dream rifle you have going there. Maybe post a picture when finished.

 

[cgeminski]

Thanks for the replies. I have a CDS scope on my .300 Win Mag and love it... I am 3 for 3 with the rifle with elk and mulies. No chance I will sell, this one is staying in the family! I am going to explore some loads.... hoping someone has some experience with the accuracy of the featherweight 22 inch barrels? This is my only concern...

 

[Huntinguy0120]

I have a relatively newer featherweight in .25-06 with the 22 inch barrel. Reason I bought it is because my dad has a slightly older .270 that drove tacks consistently at any range with factory ammo. Never had any issues and have nothing but great things to say about the Featherweights.

I see the new .264's come standard with a 24" barrel now. Might be able to get your hands on one if the original doesn't hold up well?

 

[ivorytip]

Thanks for the replies. I have a CDS scope on my .300 Win Mag and love it... I am 3 for 3 with the rifle with elk and mulies. No chance I will sell, this one is staying in the family! I am going to explore some loads.... hoping someone has some experience with the accuracy of the featherweight 22 inch barrels? This is my only concern...

MusketMan is somewhat of a pre 64 guru, I'm sure he will chime in soon. perhaps he is on his lope hunt and stalking a big one with his pre 64.

 

[6mm Remington]

Sounds like a really nice rifle and it does have probably more value left as is then tuned so to speak. If it were mine though I would have it pillar and glass bedded and I would really make sure the wood in the barrel channel is sealed good.

A 140 gr. Accubond will work very well for you.

 

[mcseal2]

I'd have it bedded and floated also, make sure the wood is well sealed. I'd also have the trigger set to my desired weight at the same time. That would give the barrel every chance possible to shoot well.