Winchester Model 70 Models Explained: Every Variant Compared (2026)

Last updated October 12, 2026 · By Nick Hall

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The Winchester Model 70 turns 90 in 2026, and the catalog has never been harder to read. Winchester lists 16 current models. Open the spec tables and you’ll count 133 individual rifles in 20 chamberings, plus 41 more that still show on the pages with a NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION flag beside them. Four Featherweights. Four Super Grades. Five rifles with Extreme in the name.

They sort out faster than you’d think, because every current Model 70 is built on one action: the Pre-’64 style controlled round feed bolt with its long claw extractor, a three-position safety, a hinged floorplate and the M.O.A. trigger. What changes from model to model is the stock, the metal finish, the barrel, and whether there’s a muzzle brake on the end of it.

I went through Winchester’s site model by model and pulled the specs and list price of one representative rifle from each, by item number. This guide covers all 16 Winchester Model 70 models: what each one is, who it suits, and how the ones I’ve shot performed. After that come the buying advice, a scope and mount section (the receiver is drilled and tapped, and you supply the bases and rings), a short guide to the used rifles you’ll meet, and the parts of the design every current rifle shares.

Two models are new for 2026: the Super Grade AAA Claro and the Featherweight AA French. Two others, the Extreme Weather SS and the Super Grade French Walnut, are down to a single chambering each.

Table of Contents

Winchester Model 70 Family at a Glance

Each row shows one representative rifle, named by Winchester’s item number, because every model comes in several chamberings. Specs and list prices are Winchester’s own. The live cards under each rifle show what dealers are charging today.

Street prices are the lead offer on each live card on October 12, 2026, for whichever chambering that dealer has in stock, so expect them to move.

Weights are bare rifles with no scope or mounts. Every rifle in the table has the same receiver design, bolt and trigger, so read it as a choice of stock, finish and barrel.

If you remember one thing from the table, make it this: Featherweight means a slim barrel and a Schnabel fore-end, Super Grade means fancy wood and a pound more steel, and Extreme means a composite stock and a brake. The rest is detail.

1. Winchester Model 70 Featherweight: The One I Recommend Most

• Representative SKU: 535200226
• Caliber: .270 Win
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 42 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 7 lb
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: Grade I black walnut, satin finish, Schnabel fore-end
• Metal: Steel, brushed polish finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,369.99
• Street Price: $1,089.99 at Palmetto State Armory (6.8 Western)

This is the Model 70 most people picture. A slim Grade I black walnut stock with a Schnabel fore-end and cut checkering, a Featherweight-contour barrel and polished steel. Winchester introduced the Featherweight in 1952, and the stock shape hasn’t needed much help since.

Winchester lists 14 current Featherweights in 14 chamberings, from .22-250 Rem to .300 Win Mag. Short-action rifles with 22-inch barrels are listed at 6 lb 12 oz, the long-action .270 and .30-06 at 7 lb, and the 24-inch belted magnums at 7 lb 4 oz. That’s light for walnut and steel. It isn’t light next to a carbon-barreled mountain rifle.

I ran about 180 rounds through a scoped .270 for our Winchester Model 70 review. It never failed to feed or extract, and three-shot groups ran an inch to an inch and a quarter at 100 yards, tightest with Winchester Deer Season XP 130gr. Shoot five in a row without letting the thin barrel cool and the group opens up to nearly two inches. A .243 I shot later put three 95gr Federal Power-Shok into just over an inch, which is why the Featherweight sits in our best .243 Winchester rifles list.

Best For: Deer, antelope and hog hunters who want the classic walnut rifle and don’t need a brake or a thread.

2. Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Compact

• Representative SKU: 535201212
• Caliber: .243 Win
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 20 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 39 1/2 in
• Length of Pull: 13 in
• Weight: 6 lb 8 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: Grade I black walnut, satin finish, 13 in length of pull
• Metal: Steel, brushed polish finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,369.99
• Street Price: $1,104.22 at Shooting Surplus (.308 Win)

Take the Featherweight, cut the barrel to 20 inches and shorten the length of pull from 13 3/4 inches to 13. That’s the Compact. Winchester lists all 7 of them at 6 lb 8 oz and 39 1/2 inches overall, which makes this the lightest and shortest Model 70 in the catalog.

Every one is a short action: .22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8 Western, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win and 6.5 PRC. The action, trigger and safety are the full-size rifle’s. Winchester pitches it at smaller-framed shooters, and it fits them, but don’t write it off as a youth gun. A 20-inch rifle is a pleasure in a box blind or thick timber.

You give up some velocity with the short barrel, and that matters most with the 6.5 PRC and 6.8 Western, which get 24 inches in every other Model 70 that chambers them. Stick to the standard short-action rounds and the Compact makes more sense. The 7mm-08 is the one I’d pick, and the cartridge’s other homes are in our best 7mm-08 Remington rifles guide.

Best For: Smaller-framed shooters, and anyone who hunts tight cover and wants the shortest Model 70.

3. Winchester Model 70 Featherweight AA French

• Representative SKU: 535247228
• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 42 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 7 lb
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: AA French walnut, satin finish, Schnabel fore-end
• Metal: Steel, brushed polish finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,899.99
• Street Price: $1,629.99 at Primary Arms (.30-06 Springfield)

New for 2026, and mechanically a Featherweight: same barrel contour, same action, same weights. What you’re paying for is the stock, AA-grade French walnut with a satin finish, the Schnabel fore-end and 20-line cut checkering. Winchester describes the wood as light in color with dark, contrasting grain, and that’s how the ones I’ve handled look.

There are 13 chamberings. Against the standard rifle the list drops the two WSMs and adds 7mm Rem Mag. The .30-06 I list here carries a $1,899.99 list price, $530 more than the Grade I Featherweight in the same chambering. None of that premium makes the rifle shoot better. It buys figure in the wood.

Winchester says every AA French comes in under 7 1/2 pounds, and its own table puts the .30-06 at 7 lb. If a rifle is going to be handed down, this is the Featherweight I’d hand down. If it’s going to ride in a truck, buy the standard one and don’t look back.

Best For: Buyers who want Featherweight weight with wood worth looking at.

4. Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Stainless, Dark Maple

• Representative SKU: 535236289
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:8
• Overall Length: 42 1/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 6 lb 12 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 4 rounds
• Stock: AAAA dark maple, gloss finish, Schnabel fore-end
• Metal: Stainless, matte finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,799.99
• Street Price: $1,549.99 at Primary Arms (6.5 Creedmoor)

A matte stainless barrel and receiver under a AAAA-grade dark maple stock with a gloss finish. It’s the only current Featherweight with stainless metal, and it’s an odd, handsome rifle. The maple reads almost like walnut until the light catches the figure.

Winchester lists 11 chamberings, and the 6.5 PRC and 6.8 Western were added for 2026. The 6.5 Creedmoor I list holds 4 rounds and weighs 6 lb 12 oz, the same as a blued short-action Featherweight. List price is $1,799.99.

The stainless metal is the practical part. The stock is still wood, and a gloss finish shows every scratch, so this isn’t a substitute for the composite Extreme Weather rifles further down. Think of it as a Featherweight you don’t have to wipe down the minute it starts to rain.

Best For: Hunters who want a wood stock and hunt where it rains.

5. Winchester Model 70 Super Grade

• Representative SKU: 535203233
• Caliber: .300 Win Mag
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 26 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 46 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 8 lb 8 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds
• Stock: Grade V/VI black walnut, satin finish, shadowline cheekpiece
• Metal: Steel, high gloss finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,839.99
• Street Price: $1,419.99 at Midway USA (.270 Win)

The dress version. Grade V/VI black walnut with a shadowline cheekpiece and an ebony fore-end tip, one-piece steel bottom metal, a steel crossbolt through the stock, and a high-gloss blue on a sporter-contour barrel.

It’s about a pound heavier than a Featherweight. The .300 Win Mag is listed at 8 lb 8 oz with its 26-inch barrel, and the short-action rifles at 7 lb 12 oz. Winchester lists 14 chamberings from .243 Win to .338 Win Mag, tied with the Featherweight for the longest list of any wood-stocked Model 70, and it’s the only current model offered in .280 Rem. The .300 Win Mag lists at $1,839.99.

Mine in .300 Win Mag put three Federal Premium 180gr Trophy Bonded Tip into just under an inch and a quarter at 100 yards, with a trigger that broke at about 3.5 pounds. A .243 Super Grade did better: a best three-shot group of 0.55 inches with Winchester 100gr Power Point, and right around an inch with Federal 90gr AccuBond. The extra weight makes a magnum pleasant to shoot, and it’s the classic pick in our best .300 Win Mag rifles guide.

Best For: The hunter who wants one fine rifle to keep for life.

6. Winchester Model 70 Super Grade Maple

• Representative SKU: 535218226
• Caliber: .270 Win
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 44 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 8 lb 2 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: Maple, gloss finish, shadowline cheekpiece
• Metal: Steel, high gloss finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,979.99
• Street Price: $1,699.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse (.270 Win)

The same barreled action and high-gloss blue as the Super Grade, in a gloss-finished maple stock with a shadowline cheekpiece and an ebony tip. The hinged floorplate is engraved Super Grade.

Winchester lists 10 chamberings from .243 Win to .300 Win Mag. Maple comes out a touch lighter: the .270 is listed at 8 lb 2 oz against 8 lb 4 oz for the walnut rifle. It lists at $1,979.99, $190 over the walnut Super Grade in the same chambering.

Blond maple against deep blue steel is a look you love or you don’t. The ones I’ve handled had wood-to-metal fit as clean as the walnut rifles, and nothing about the stock changes how the rifle shoots. This is a rifle for someone who already knows they want it. If you have to ask whether maple is for you, buy the walnut.

Best For: Buyers who already know they want maple.

7. Winchester Model 70 Super Grade AAA Claro

• Representative SKU: 535248228
• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 44 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 8 lb 4 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: AAA Claro walnut, shadowline cheekpiece
• Metal: Steel, high gloss finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $2,339.99
• Street Price: $2,289.99 at Midway USA (.270 Win)

New for 2026. Claro is a walnut with dark brown color and darker mineral streaks, and Winchester uses AAA-grade wood here with a black fore-end cap, a steel grip cap, inletted swivel studs and checkering cut in a fleur-de-lis pattern.

There are 10 chamberings from .243 Win to .300 Win Mag. List prices are $2,339.99 or $2,389.99 depending on chambering, which is $550 above the standard Super Grade. That ties it with the French Walnut as the most expensive Model 70 in the catalog.

What the money buys is wood. The action, barrel and trigger are the standard Super Grade’s, and the .30-06 I list weighs the same 8 lb 4 oz. Expect it to shoot like one. I’d buy it over the standard rifle only if I’d seen the actual stock first, because figure varies from blank to blank and at this price you should get to choose.

Best For: Collectors of good wood who’ll pick the stock in person.

8. Winchester Model 70 Super Grade French Walnut

• Representative SKU: 535239228
• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 44 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 8 lb 4 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: AAA French walnut, satin finish, shadowline cheekpiece
• Metal: Steel, high gloss finish
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $2,339.99
• Street Price: $1,799.99 at Midway USA (6.5 Creedmoor)

Read this one carefully. Winchester’s page still shows 10 chamberings, and 9 of them carry a NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION flag. The only French Walnut Super Grade without the flag is the .30-06: 24-inch barrel, 8 lb 4 oz, $2,339.99 list.

The rifle is a Super Grade in AAA-grade French walnut with a shadowline cheekpiece and a polished steel grip cap. With the Claro arriving for 2026 at the same price and nine of ten chamberings flagged, I’d treat it as a closeout. If you want French walnut on a Super Grade, a .30-06 is what’s left to order new.

Dealers may still have other chamberings in stock. Check the item number on the box against Winchester’s list before you pay a new-rifle price for one. The .30-06 itself needs no defending, and our best .30-06 rifles guide covers what else is chambered for it.

Best For: .30-06 traditionalists who want French walnut while it’s still listed.

9. Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather MB

• Representative SKU: 535242233
• Caliber: .300 Win Mag
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 26 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 46 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 7 lb 4 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, charcoal gray textured finish
• Metal: Stainless, matte finish, fluted barrel
• Muzzle: 9/16-24 thread, muzzle brake fitted
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,989.99
• Street Price: $1,639.99 at Palmetto State Armory (6.5 Creedmoor)

The working rifle of the family. A stainless barreled action with a fluted barrel, a Bell and Carlson hand-laid composite stock with an aluminum bedding block, and a muzzle brake on 9/16-24 threads. Winchester says all the major components are stainless, down to the swivel studs.

There are 13 current chamberings from .243 Win to .300 Win Mag. The .300 Win Mag with its 26-inch barrel is listed at 7 lb 4 oz, more than a pound lighter than a Super Grade in the same chambering, and lists at $1,989.99.

I shot the .300 Win Mag from a bipod with Black Hills 212gr ELD-X. The best five-shot group at 100 yards measured 0.59 inches, and it held about an inch and a half at 200. The trigger averaged 3 pounds 7 ounces on my gauge. Winchester says to expect 1 MOA with good ammunition, and this one beat it. The brake takes the sting out of a light magnum, and it’s loud. It’s on my list in our best elk rifles guide.

Best For: Elk, sheep and bear hunters in hard weather who’ll accept a loud brake.

10. Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS

• Representative SKU: 535206289
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:8
• Overall Length: 42 1/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 6 lb 12 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 4 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, charcoal gray textured finish
• Metal: Stainless, matte finish, fluted barrel
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,799.99
• Street Price: $1,470.99 at Palmetto State Armory (6.5 Creedmoor)

The same stainless action and Bell and Carlson stock with no brake and no thread. It’s also almost gone. Winchester’s page shows 14 chamberings and flags 13 of them as no longer in production.

The one left is the 6.5 Creedmoor: 22-inch barrel, 6 lb 12 oz, 4 rounds, $1,799.99 list. That’s $190 less than the braked MB in the same chambering.

For a Creedmoor I’d take that trade. The cartridge doesn’t kick enough to need a brake, and a rifle without one is far kinder to your ears and your hunting partner’s. If you want an unbraked stainless Model 70 in any other chambering, you’re shopping dealer stock or the used rack. See what else chambers the round in our best 6.5 Creedmoor rifles list.

Best For: 6.5 Creedmoor buyers who want stainless and quiet.

11. Winchester Model 70 Extreme Tungsten MB

• Representative SKU: 535238220
• Caliber: .308 Win
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:12
• Overall Length: 42 1/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 6 lb 12 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, charcoal gray textured finish
• Metal: Steel, Tungsten Cerakote
• Muzzle: 9/16-24 thread, muzzle brake fitted
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,879.99
• Street Price: $1,541.79 at Shooting Surplus (6.5 Creedmoor)

From here on the Extreme rifles aren’t stainless. They’re steel with Cerakote over the barrel and receiver. The Tungsten wears a gray Tungsten Cerakote and a charcoal gray textured Bell and Carlson stock with a sculpted cheekpiece, plus the brake on 9/16-24 threads.

Three chamberings remain: 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win and .300 Win Mag. Winchester flags the other 10 on the page as no longer in production, and its own description warns that this rifle could be difficult to find.

The .308 I list has a 22-inch barrel, weighs 6 lb 12 oz, holds 5 rounds and lists at $1,879.99, the lowest list price of any braked Extreme. It’s the same barreled action as the VSX below with a plainer stock. If you like gray more than camo and one of the three chamberings suits you, it’s the value in this group.

Best For: Buyers who want a coated, braked rifle at the lowest list price.

12. Winchester Model 70 Extreme TrueTimber VSX MB

• Representative SKU: 535244289
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 22 in
• Twist Rate: 1:8
• Overall Length: 42 1/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 6 lb 12 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 4 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, TrueTimber VSX finish
• Metal: Steel, Tungsten Cerakote
• Muzzle: 9/16-24 thread, muzzle brake fitted
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,989.99
• Street Price: $1,248.75 at Shooting Surplus (6.5 Creedmoor)

Tungsten Cerakote on the barrel, receiver and bolt handle, with the Bell and Carlson stock finished in TrueTimber VSX camo. It has the healthiest list in the Extreme family: 14 chamberings with none flagged, from .243 Win to .300 Win Mag, including both WSMs and the .264 Win Mag.

The 6.5 Creedmoor I list has a 22-inch barrel, weighs 6 lb 12 oz, holds 4 rounds and lists at $1,989.99.

I tested that chambering on an 87-degree afternoon, five five-shot groups each with two loads. Federal Gold Medal 130gr Berger gave a best group of 1.15 inches and Nosler 140gr AccuBond a best of 1.23. The trigger on that rifle broke at 4 pounds 6 ounces, heavier than I like, and the adjustment screws were sealed with epoxy. From field positions I rang steel out to 500 yards. That’s honest hunting accuracy, and the rifle balances right over the magazine.

Best For: Hunters who want camo, Cerakote and the chambering of their choice.

13. Winchester Model 70 Extreme Hunter TrueTimber Strata MB

• Representative SKU: 535237294
• Caliber: 6.5 PRC
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:8
• Overall Length: 44 1/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 7 lb
• Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, TrueTimber Strata finish
• Metal: Steel, Flat Dark Earth Cerakote
• Muzzle: 9/16-24 thread, muzzle brake fitted
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,949.99
• Street Price: $1,410.99 at GritrSports (.270 Win)

The same rifle in different clothes: Flat Dark Earth Cerakote on the metal and TrueTimber Strata camo on the stock. Brake, 9/16-24 threads, sculpted cheekpiece and hinged floorplate all carry over.

Winchester lists 8 current chamberings and flags 6 more as no longer in production. What’s left is 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8 Western, .308 Win, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag. The 6.5 PRC I list has a 24-inch barrel, weighs 7 lb, holds 3 rounds and lists at $1,949.99.

Choose between this and the VSX by the country you hunt and the chambering you want, because nothing else separates them. The 6.5 PRC is a good match for the 24-inch barrel, and the rifles that compete with it are in our best 6.5 PRC rifles guide.

Best For: The same buyer as the VSX who prefers Flat Dark Earth metal.

14. Winchester Model 70 Long Range MB

• Representative SKU: 535243289
• Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Action: Short Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:8
• Overall Length: 44 in
• Length of Pull: 13 1/2 in
• Weight: 7 lb 8 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 4 rounds
• Stock: Bell and Carlson composite, tan with black spider web, flat vented fore-end
• Metal: Steel, matte blued, fluted Light Varmint barrel
• Muzzle: 5/8-24 thread, muzzle brake fitted
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,909.99
• Street Price: $1,056.99 at GritrSports (6.5 Creedmoor)

A different animal. The Long Range MB has a fluted Light Varmint barrel, 24 inches in every chambering, in a Bell and Carlson stock with a wide, flat, vented fore-end and a tan finish with black web. The metal is matte blued, and the brake sits on 5/8-24 threads (1/2-28 on the .22-250).

There are 7 current chamberings, all short action: .22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8 Western, .308 Win, 6.5 PRC and .300 WSM. Winchester lists every one at 7 lb 8 oz and 44 inches. The 6.5 Creedmoor holds 4 rounds and lists at $1,909.99.

Mine in 6.5 Creedmoor averaged 1.01 inches for five five-shot groups with Winchester USA Ready 125gr Open Tip, with a best of 0.87. Across the three match loads I tried, the average was 1.21 inches. The trigger broke at 3 pounds 15 ounces with no creep. That’s right on Winchester’s 1 MOA claim. A Tikka at the same money will usually shoot smaller groups, and our Tikka T3x models guide covers those. It won’t have this action.

Best For: Shooters who split time between a bench, a bipod and a hunting season.

15. Winchester Model 70 Alaskan

• Representative SKU: 535205136
• Caliber: .338 Win Mag
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 25 in
• Twist Rate: 1:10
• Overall Length: 45 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 8 lb 8 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds
• Stock: Grade I black walnut, satin finish, Monte Carlo comb
• Metal: Steel, brushed polish finish
• Sights: Folding adjustable rear, hooded brass bead front
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,679.99
• Street Price: $1,439.99 at Palmetto State Armory (.30-06 Springfield)

A 25-inch barrel, a satin Monte Carlo walnut stock, and iron sights: a folding adjustable rear and a hooded brass bead front. There are four chamberings, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag and .375 H&H Magnum. All four are listed at 8 lb 8 oz and 45 3/4 inches. The .338 holds 3 rounds and lists at $1,679.99, and the .375 lists at $1,739.99.

I shot the .338 with a fixed 4x scope. Three-shot groups ran 1 to 1.5 inches at 100 yards with Remington 225gr Core-Lokt and Hornady 225gr, with no feeding or ejection trouble. The long barrel was worth 50 to 80 fps over a 23-inch rifle shot beside it, and the Pachmayr pad makes it bearable from the bench. It’s a strong pick in our best .338 Win Mag rifles and best moose rifles guides.

One warning from Winchester’s own page: the .375 H&H Alaskan takes Model 70 Safari scope bases, not standard long-action bases. More on that in the optics section.

Best For: Moose, elk and big-bear hunters who want irons under the scope.

16. Winchester Model 70 Safari Express

• Representative SKU: 535204139
• Caliber: .416 Rem Mag
• Action: Long Action
• Barrel Length: 24 in
• Twist Rate: 1:14
• Overall Length: 44 3/4 in
• Length of Pull: 13 3/4 in
• Weight: 9 lb
• Magazine Capacity: 3 rounds
• Stock: Grade I black walnut, satin finish, cheekpiece, two steel crossbolts
• Metal: Steel, matte finish
• Sights: Adjustable rear, hooded brass bead front
• Optic Mount: Receiver drilled and tapped for scope bases
• MSRP: $1,879.99
• Street Price: $1,879.99 at Midway USA (.375 H&H Magnum)

The dangerous-game rifle. Three chamberings, .375 H&H Magnum, .416 Rem Mag and .458 Win Mag, each with a 24-inch barrel, 9 lb on Winchester’s scale, 3 rounds in the magazine and a $1,879.99 list price. It’s the heaviest Model 70 in the catalog, and it should be.

The build is different from the other walnut rifles: double integral recoil lugs, two steel crossbolts through the stock, a one-piece steel trigger guard, a barrel-mounted front swivel, matte metal, and an adjustable rear sight with a hooded brass bead front.

I shot the .416 from a weighted sled and standing. Off the sled most groups were an inch or better at 100 yards. Standing, it’s a shove you remember, and noticeably more of one than the .375. It chambered and ejected every round, and the bolt didn’t hitch picking cartridges out of the magazine. For buffalo and plains game on one rifle, get the .375 H&H. The field is in our best dangerous game rifles and best .375 H&H rifles guides.

Best For: Buffalo, big bears and anything else that can hurt you.

Which Winchester Model 70 Should You Buy?

Sixteen models is a lot, so here’s how I’d cut it down.

Buying one walnut deer rifle? Get the Featherweight in .270 Win, .308 Win or .30-06. It has the lowest list price of any Model 70 and it’s the rifle the whole family is measured against. It’s in our best deer hunting rifles and best .270 Winchester rifles guides for that reason. If the shooter is small or the cover is thick, make it the Compact.

Want wood you’ll show people? The Super Grade, if you don’t mind carrying another pound. If you do mind, the Featherweight AA French. Pick the Maple, Claro or French Walnut on looks alone, because they shoot the same.

Hunting in rain, snow or salt air? The Extreme Weather MB is the only current model that’s stainless and composite in more than one chambering. For a 6.5 Creedmoor, the unbraked Extreme Weather SS is cheaper and quieter. If you want camo and Cerakote, the VSX has the most chamberings.

Shooting from a bench or bipod as much as you hunt? The Long Range MB. It has a heavier fluted barrel, a flat fore-end and the only common muzzle thread in the family.

Going north, or to Africa? The Alaskan in .338 Win Mag or .375 H&H for moose and big bears. The Safari Express for anything that bites back.

On chambering, most Featherweight and Super Grade buyers end up between two old rivals, and our .270 vs .30-06 comparison settles it. Winchester’s own 6.8 Western is offered in 11 current Model 70 rifles, more than the .270, and our best 6.8 Western rifles guide explains what it’s for.

Two Rivals Worth Pricing First

The Remington 700 is the Model 70’s oldest rival. It’s a push feed action that costs less and has the biggest aftermarket of any bolt rifle, and the Model 70 answers with controlled round feed and the three-position safety. Our Remington 700 review has the long version.

The Browning X-Bolt is the modern alternative: a 60-degree bolt lift, a detachable rotary magazine and a tang safety. Read our Browning X-Bolt review before you decide.

Who Should NOT Buy a Winchester Model 70

• Buyers on a tight budget. Winchester’s list prices start at $1,369.99. The Ruger American Gen II will take the same deer for a good deal less, and Winchester’s own XPR uses the same M.O.A. trigger, as our Winchester XPR review explains.
• Hunters counting every ounce. The lightest Model 70 is listed at 6 lb 8 oz, and most are 7 lb or more. A carbon rifle like the Christensen Arms Ridgeline is built for that job.
• Left-handed shooters. There’s no left-hand rifle among the 16 current models. Tikka makes the T3x left-handed in most of its lines.
• Shooters who want the smallest groups for the money. A Model 70 is a one-inch rifle with good ammunition. The Bergara B-14 HMR is built to do better than that from a bench.
• Tinkerers who swap stocks and triggers for fun. The Remington 700 pattern has far more parts made for it. Buy a 700 and you can change everything.

Optics for the Winchester Model 70: What Fits and What to Buy

Every current Model 70 is listed as drilled and tapped for a scope, and none is listed with bases or rings. Winchester’s manual is plain about it: the top of the receiver is drilled and tapped for scope bases, each base is held by two screws, and the holes usually come fitted with filler screws. You supply a one-piece or two-piece base, four screws of the right length, and rings.

Three things to get right. First, action length. Bases are made for short-action and long-action Model 70s, and the table shows which each model is. Second, the big bores. Winchester says the .375 H&H Alaskan needs bases made for the Model 70 Safari, because its screw holes won’t line up with standard long-action bases. Third, torque. Winchester’s manual says 25 inch-pounds on the base screws, and Leupold prints 22 for its own bases. Use the base maker’s figure for its hardware, then look inside the receiver to confirm no screw is long enough to touch the bolt.

Once the scope is on, our guide on how to sight in a rifle scope walks through the zero. These are the four pieces I’d buy, and the full fields are in our best rifle scopes and best scope rings and mounts guides.

Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 CDS-ZL: The Scope for a Featherweight or Super Grade

• Magnification: 3.5-10x
• Objective: 40 mm
• Tube: 1 inch
• Weight: 13.1 oz
• Eye Relief: 4.4 to 3.6 in
• Reticle: Duplex, second focal plane
• MSRP: $599.99
• Street Price: $499.99 at Sportsman’s Guide

A seven-pound walnut rifle wants a scope that doesn’t undo its balance, and this one weighs 13.1 ounces. Ten power is enough for any shot a sporter-barreled Model 70 should take, and the 40mm objective sits low enough in medium rings that your cheek stays on the comb. The .243 Super Grade I shot wore a Leupold 3.5-10x40 on two-piece bases, and it suited the rifle. Fitment is simple: the 1-inch tube drops into Leupold’s 1-inch BackCountry ringmounts for the Winchester 70, which bolt straight to the receiver. The generous eye relief matters on the magnums. If you dial, the CDS-ZL turret takes a custom dial cut for your load.

Vortex Viper HD 3-15x44: For the Long Range MB and the Extreme Rifles

• Magnification: 3-15x
• Objective: 44 mm
• Tube: 30 mm
• Weight: 22.5 oz
• Eye Relief: 3.4 in
• Reticle: VMR-3 (MOA), second focal plane
• MSRP: $1,049.99
• Street Price: $749.00 at GritrSports (VMR-3 MOA reticle)

The Long Range MB and the braked Extreme rifles can use more scope, and this is where I’d stop spending. Fifteen power, a side parallax knob that focuses down to 20 yards, an exposed elevation turret with a zero stop and a capped windage turret. It has 102 MOA of elevation travel, which is more than a 6.5 Creedmoor needs from a hunting rifle. It’s a 30mm tube, so it needs 30mm rings: either Leupold’s 30mm BackCountry ringmounts, or a cross-slot base matched to your action length with any Picatinny rings. Every Long Range MB is a short action. At 22.5 ounces it’s too much scope for a Featherweight. Mind the 3.4 inches of eye relief on a .300 Win Mag.

Leupold VX-3HD 1.5-5x20 CDS-ZL: For the Alaskan and Safari Express

• Magnification: 1.5-5x
• Objective: 20 mm
• Tube: 1 inch
• Weight: 10.1 oz
• Eye Relief: 4.4 to 3.6 in
• Reticle: Duplex, second focal plane
• MSRP: $499.99
• Street Price: $499.99 at Brownells.com

Big-bore rifles need low power, a wide view and room behind the eyepiece. At 1.5x this scope shows 67.6 feet of ground at 100 yards, it weighs 10.1 ounces, and it gives you 4.4 inches of eye relief at the bottom of the range. With a straight 20mm objective it mounts low, which keeps the iron sights on an Alaskan or Safari Express usable if you fit detachable rings. The tube is 1 inch. The fitment catch is the base, not the scope: a .375 H&H Alaskan or a Safari Express takes Safari-pattern bases, so tell the mount maker exactly which rifle you have before you order. The standard long-action Alaskans take ordinary long-action bases.

Leupold BackCountry Winchester 70 Mounts: Rings and Bases

• Ringmount, 1 inch medium (part 171106): 2-piece, 0.97 in ring height, 3.2 oz, aluminum, MSRP $89.99
• Ringmount, 30 mm medium (part 171120): 2-piece, 0.97 in ring height, 3 oz, aluminum, MSRP $89.99
• Cross-slot base, short action (part 171340): 1-piece, 5.9 in long, 1.75 oz, aluminum, MSRP $49.99
• Cross-slot base, long action (part 171342): 1-piece, 6.7 in long, 2 oz, aluminum, MSRP $49.99
• Torque: 22 in-lb base to receiver, 28 in-lb ring tops
• Street Price: $49.99 at Sportsman’s Warehouse (the one-piece long-action base)

Leupold makes two kinds of BackCountry mount for this rifle, and between them they cover every scope above. The ringmounts are a base and ring in one piece of aluminum. Leupold says they attach directly to a Winchester 70, and they come for 1-inch and 30mm tubes at about three ounces a pair. The cross-slot bases are one-piece rails that take Picatinny or Weaver-style rings, listed separately for the short action and the long action, with a 20 MOA short-action version for the Long Range MB. Leupold prints its torque figures, which too few makers do. The .375 H&H Alaskan and the Safari Express are the exceptions to all of this, and Leupold lists a separate base pattern for them.

Buying a Used Model 70: Pre-64, Push Feed, Classic and Current

Ninety years of production means most Model 70s for sale aren’t new. I’m not pricing them here. This is how to tell which rifle you’re looking at, using Winchester’s own dates.

Look at the bolt, not the date. Winchester’s manual for rifles made from 1992 onward says a Model 70 may have a controlled round feed bolt, a controlled round push feed bolt or a push feed bolt. So a 1990s rifle isn’t automatically a claw gun. Pull the bolt and check. The serial number is on the right side of the receiver, just forward of the ejection port. To put a year on a rifle made through 1992, run that number through our Winchester serial number lookup.

Don’t dismiss the push feeds. They’re the least loved Model 70s and usually the cheapest, and they hunt fine. Winchester sold most of its firearm business to U.S. Repeating Arms in 1981 and offered the Kevlar-reinforced WinLite stock in 1986, so the era covers a lot of different rifles. A Model 70 match rifle from the mid-1960s went to Vietnam with Carlos Hathcock, a story we tell in Carlos Hathcock’s guns.

Recently dropped models. Winchester’s discontinued list includes the Sporter, the Ultimate Shadow, the Coyote Light, the Extreme Sporter MB and the Featherweight Left-Hand. They turn up used and as dealer leftovers, and Winchester’s pages for them stay online with full specs. Our used guns page tracks what’s for sale now.

What Every Current Model 70 Shares

Sixteen models, one action. Here’s what you get no matter which stock is wrapped around it.

Controlled round feed. The claw extractor takes hold of about a quarter of the case rim as the cartridge leaves the magazine and keeps it until the fixed blade ejector kicks it out. Two things follow. You can pull a round back out before it’s fully chambered, and how hard the case ejects depends on how hard you work the bolt. Draw it back slowly and the empty drops into your hand.

The three-position safety. Forward fires. All the way back locks both the firing pin and the bolt. The middle position keeps the firing pin locked and frees the bolt, so you can unload the chamber with the rifle on safe.

The M.O.A. trigger. Winchester’s manual says it’s set at about 3 1/2 pounds at the factory and adjusts from 3 to 5. The rifles I’ve measured ran from about 3.5 pounds to 4 pounds 6 ounces, so not every one leaves the factory at the stated figure. There’s no creep on any of them. If you take the action out of the stock to adjust it, the manual’s figure for the two action screws is 35 inch-pounds.

Receiver and barrel. The receiver is forged steel with the recoil lug machined as part of it, and it’s bedded front and rear. Barrels are button rifled and free-floated with a recessed crown. Winchester’s break-in advice is to clean the copper out after each of the first ten shots.

That thread row matters if a suppressor is in your plans. 5/8-24 is the thread most .30-caliber suppressors and brakes are cut for, so the Long Range MB is ready to go. The 9/16-24 on the Extreme rifles is an uncommon pitch, and you should plan on a thread adapter or a mount cut for it. Our best suppressors guide is the place to start.

FAQ: Winchester Model 70 Models