M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by MalleeFarmer » 16 Jul 2015, 8:41 pm

tom604 wrote:you have probably tried all this but, pop it out of the stock (after running a bit of paper down it to check that its free floating) and have a look to see if its touching where it shouldn't and check that the screws are not screwing in too much, the bedding is nice and smooth and is doing its job, if you even think that its touching in the stock give it a light sand (dont go crazy) or put a bit of white board marker on it and have another look, go out and buy/beg or borrow a range of factory ammo,different weight's ect and try them,front and rear bags so no wobble, nice day(no wind) and last but not least make sure its clean,take a rod and patches with you to the range :thumbsup: and the really last thing..as the gun was new, did you clean it before firing it the first time ?
sorry for the long winded reply :thumbsup:

Cheers Tom I definately cleaned it before first firing it. And I ran a note between the barrel and stock and also checked Te bedding it is as firm and neat of a fit as I've seen. Though I think I may get a few different brands of factory ammo to try and get a good starting spot for a hand load.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Mick280 » 18 Jul 2015, 10:40 am

I bought my M 70 Featherweight in .308 brand new and had exactly the same issues with it's groupings.
Two boxes of 150g factory for break in and sighting in,Sprayed them all over the place ( No better than about 3.5 - 4" groups)
Two full ladder tests later using 150gn Nosler B/Tips and ADI 2208,The results were no better.
Took the rifle of to my gunsmith and this is what he found!!
Bedding job was so tight,The action had to be levered out of the stock.
Rear action screw hole in the stock was bored out of line.
Finish on the crown was very ordinary.
The action was so bound up in the stock,It couldn't shoot.
A realignment of the action screw holes,Pillar bedding job and the crown tidied up and it will now shoot half inch at 100 all day.
Pretty ordinary for a new rifle though,And I do love my Winchesters!!!
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Oldbloke » 18 Jul 2015, 11:48 am

Oldbloke wrote:The rifle is capable of shooting ok. 1" is not bad. What weight projectiles are you loading? The twist rate may not be suitable for the weight u are leading. 2208 is very versitile, should be ok.

Do u weigh each charge?


See above again & mick280 comments.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by MalleeFarmer » 18 Jul 2015, 5:36 pm

Mick280 wrote:I bought my M 70 Featherweight in .308 brand new and had exactly the same issues with it's groupings.
Two boxes of 150g factory for break in and sighting in,Sprayed them all over the place ( No better than about 3.5 - 4" groups)
Two full ladder tests later using 150gn Nosler B/Tips and ADI 2208,The results were no better.
Took the rifle of to my gunsmith and this is what he found!!
Bedding job was so tight,The action had to be levered out of the stock.
Rear action screw hole in the stock was bored out of line.
Finish on the crown was very ordinary.
The action was so bound up in the stock,It couldn't shoot.
A realignment of the action screw holes,Pillar bedding job and the crown tidied up and it will now shoot half inch at 100 all day.
Pretty ordinary for a new rifle though,And I do love my Winchesters!!!
Mick

Mick. This is all very familiar my rifle also was extremely tight in the stock at first I almost thought they were glued together. Also since reading your post I had a thorough look at my crown and it seems to be ok but I'm no expert I'm picking up another rifle from my gunsmith in the next few weeks I might take it up to him and let him have a squiz.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by newsteadvic » 18 Jul 2015, 5:55 pm

Seems like a real shame two of you have had difficulty with the new M70's. They are not cheap (in price anyway). I have a 1980's m70 Featherweight in 243 and it is very accurate, particularly with heavier projectiles 95-100grains.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Oldbloke » 18 Jul 2015, 9:47 pm

Cant be much wrong, you did get some 1" groups. My $500 223 marlin will do 3/4" groups.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Gwion » 19 Jul 2015, 11:07 am

Definitely sounds like the bedding is binding and not allowing free battery. This would explain the very specific harmonics. The action is hanging up to a slightly different point in the bedding with each shot.

It needs re-bedding. Good idea to ask your smith.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Mick280 » 19 Jul 2015, 11:46 am

Definitely worth a look!!!
I have a few mates who have M70 Supergrades and have had no similar issues.
May be just a Featherweight thing.
The work cost me about 180 - 200 bucks from memory,with the result being a beautiful little hunting rifle that I can't see myself parting with!!!
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by MalleeFarmer » 20 Jul 2015, 8:30 am

It is very dissapointing especially since it's not a cheap rifle. The action is as smooth as any factory action I've used and I'm sure it will only get better. It's also a very Pretty rifle. Hopefully my smith can give me an idea on what is wrong. And fix it.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Herdsman » 20 Jul 2015, 11:53 am

Mick280 wrote:A realignment of the action screw holes,Pillar bedding job and the crown tidied up and it will now shoot half inch at 100 all day.
Pretty ordinary for a new rifle though,And I do love my Winchesters!!!


I guess that wasn't done under warranty for you right?
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Mick280 » 20 Jul 2015, 12:56 pm

No mate,it wasn't sorted out under warranty!!
To tell you the truth,I couldn't be bothered stuffing around with it.
Add in the fact that I had put 50 odd rounds of non-factory ammo through it,If push come to shove,This would void the warranty in any case.
Had complete confidence my man could sort it out,He did and I had my rifle back within 3 days!!
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Oldbloke » 20 Jul 2015, 6:58 pm

If the bedding is that bad, sounds like warrenty to me. Perhaps ph the vic consumer affairs? Could write a letter to winchester stating u do not believe it is up to the quality standards you expected. The consumer act states goods need to be up to a feasonable standard. Perhaps worth a try if u are up for about $200 to have the bedding rectified.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by Gwion » 21 Jul 2015, 8:44 am

MalleeFarmer wrote:The Stock is bedded on the recoil lugs around the action screws and the barrel is free floated from the factory. FNH did a very nice job of them .....


If by the the above you mean to say that it is point bedded rather than fully bedded; and if (by your other posts) it is also very tight in that point bedding; it is sounding more and more like classic bedding issues caused from, a/ action 'hanging up' during battery, &/or, b/ stress in the action from not being correctly set into the bedding in the first place.

Find someone who can rebed it properly for you, or learn to do it yourself:
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowled ... tions.html
Read the page linked above (all the way down) and watch the vids. The goo costs about $30 posted and to do it properly takes 2-3 sessions of 2-3 hours at a time. I have bedded my rifle into two stocks now. It shoots 0.5MOA on average. All i did was follow instructions.

Hope you get it sorted soon.
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Re: M70 featherweight .22-250 won't shoot under 2" group

Post by rummer » 27 Jul 2015, 10:46 am

Oldbloke wrote:If the bedding is that bad, sounds like warrenty to me. Perhaps ph the vic consumer affairs? Could write a letter to winchester stating u do not believe it is up to the quality standards you expected. The consumer act states goods need to be up to a feasonable standard. Perhaps worth a try if u are up for about $200 to have the bedding rectified.


It would have to be repaired under warranty anyway I'm pretty sure.

Now that it's been paid for for a third party to fix I think he's out of luck.

How many hours wasted does it cost you at consumer affairs too :(
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