Posted: 8/6/2016 12:10:23 PM EDT
| Looking for a new deer/big game rifle. I 'm looking at the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight's in 308. I am undecided whether to order the compact featherweight or regular featherweight. I already have a Marlin 30-30 for a brush gun. The short lop rifles fit me better do to my short stature. I do want this to be my go to deer rifle. I have a .06 but I prefer the short action and looking for something with less weight to move around the woods. I'm also considering 308 due to ammo availability and already owning 308 battle rifles. Just wanted to hear some of your opinions. |
|
I'd get the one that fits you better since you will shoot it better. I recently picked up a Ruger Hawkeye compact in 260. I almost got a browning mountain rifle in 308 but wanted a new caliber to add to my half dozen hunting rifles.
I think the compact would work well for you. |
|
I think the 70 compact has a 20" barrel. Thats GOOD. I've shot a Model Seven 20" 308 on deer for over 20 years. Works well. You give up a bit of velocity over a 24", but its not material. Don't buy something like the little ruger compact with a 16" barrel. I've shot that in 7mm08 and its nasty. The 20" still gives you a fireball, but 16" seems like most of the powder is burning about 6 inches off the end of the barrel, and the blast is harsh.
I'd go short. You can always add a little bit of stock buy slipping on a recoil pad. Want it short again? take the slip-on off. Its done. My Model Seven 20" and the compact you are looking at are about the same. Do it. VERY compact, handy little rifles, that carry very well. And they have longer legs than the 30-30 carbines do. My hunting is usually in the woods (20 yard shots) or over small North East fields. Shots are 150-200 yards. The small 308 handles all that VERY well. DO NOT OVER SCOPE IT!!! I've used a small Leupold Vari-X III 1.75-6x since I bought the rifle 20+years ago. Its perfect for the caliber and ranges. Find a small, light 1.5-6x or 1.5-5x and go for it. A trim little 11-12 ounce scope on these carbine length guns makes for a trim, easy to carry. light weight package that covers woods any anything out to an honest 250 yards without an issue. 6x has put a LOT on venison on the field for me at those longer ranges with no issues. Weaver makes a Grandslam 1.5-5X that works well too. One word of advice: Modern super premium bullets like Barnes X and the Nosler Accubond are made for a variety of calibers. Barnes and Nosler don't know if that .308" diameter 150 grainer is going into a 300 Win Short Mag or your .300 Savage. A short barreled 308 simply doesnt have enough speed to really open these hard deep penetrators really well. A 20" 308 simply gives up too much velocity and the end result is these bullets tend to penetrate super deep, but with a relatively narrow wound channel. These short 308's actually do BETTER with a softer, cheaper bullet. Your grand dads old Rem Corelokt or Win PowerPoint usually drops deer FASTER than the Barnes X and the like (AT THESE SPEEDS).. I've used a hand loaded Nosler Ballisitc Tip (which is way to fragile in many calibers) over a modest load of powder. With the short barrel, I'm basically shooting a load that is closer to old .300 Savage levels than true modern 308 Win. It doesnt matter: The speeds are PERFECT for these ballistic tips, and it hammers 200 lb whitetails. more often than not, I get dead-right-there, dropped-in-its-tracks performance with this load. In contrast, I've used Nosler accubonds at the same speeds out of the same gun, and its usually a 150 yard tracking job. The gun simply doesnt push super premium bonders fast enough to really open them with authority. Buy the compact. But a high quality, low magnification 1.5-6X on it, a fill it with regular cup and core or nosler ballistic tip bullets. You'll have the best possible whitetail rifle for woods and meadows hunting. I've bought, sold, traded and otherwise tried a few dozen different rifles for deer over the years. I've been thru .223, .260, .30-06, 350 Rem Mag, 7mm rem mag, 30-30, 375 Win, 35 rem and a bunch more I cannot think of. There isn't a one of them that has been able to top the 20" bolt carbine in 308 with that little Leupold scope for 'perfect deer rifle". Fro |
|
Growing up two of my friends had Winchester model 70 featherweights. One was a dirty aught six and the other was a tree oh eight. They were both really nice looking rifles and carried really nice. Both of my friends brought down mule deer and Elk with their rifles.
I say go with a rifle that fits you. If they don't fit then the recoil will be more noticeable due to the position of the gun. Another gun to consider is a Tikka T3. They are light weight, accurate as can be, and reasonably priced. They don't look as nice and the Model 70 but they SHOOT! |
|
Quoted: I think the 70 compact has a 20" barrel. Thats GOOD. I've shot a Model Seven 20" 308 on deer for over 20 years. Works well. You give up a bit of velocity over a 24", but its not material. Don't buy something like the little ruger compact with a 16" barrel. I've shot that in 7mm08 and its nasty. The 20" still gives you a fireball, but 16" seems like most of the powder is burning about 6 inches off the end of the barrel, and the blast is harsh. I'd go short. You can always add a little bit of stock buy slipping on a recoil pad. Want it short again? take the slip-on off. Its done. My Model Seven 20" and the compact you are looking at are about the same. Do it. VERY compact, handy little rifles, that carry very well. And they have longer legs than the 30-30 carbines do. My hunting is usually in the woods (20 yard shots) or over small North East fields. Shots are 150-200 yards. The small 308 handles all that VERY well. DO NOT OVER SCOPE IT!!! I've used a small Leupold Vari-X III 1.75-6x since I bought the rifle 20+years ago. Its perfect for the caliber and ranges. Find a small, light 1.5-6x or 1.5-5x and go for it. A trim little 11-12 ounce scope on these carbine length guns makes for a trim, easy to carry. light weight package that covers woods any anything out to an honest 250 yards without an issue. 6x has put a LOT on venison on the field for me at those longer ranges with no issues. Weaver makes a Grandslam 1.5-5X that works well too. One word of advice: Modern super premium bullets like Barnes X and the Nosler Accubond are made for a variety of calibers. Barnes and Nosler don't know if that .308" diameter 150 grainer is going into a 300 Win Short Mag or your .300 Savage. A short barreled 308 simply doesnt have enough speed to really open these hard deep penetrators really well. A 20" 308 simply gives up too much velocity and the end result is these bullets tend to penetrate super deep, but with a relatively narrow wound channel. These short 308's actually do BETTER with a softer, cheaper bullet. Your grand dads old Rem Corelokt or Win PowerPoint usually drops deer FASTER than the Barnes X and the like (AT THESE SPEEDS).. I've used a hand loaded Nosler Ballisitc Tip (which is way to fragile in many calibers) over a modest load of powder. With the short barrel, I'm basically shooting a load that is closer to old .300 Savage levels than true modern 308 Win. It doesnt matter: The speeds are PERFECT for these ballistic tips, and it hammers 200 lb whitetails. more often than not, I get dead-right-there, dropped-in-its-tracks performance with this load. In contrast, I've used Nosler accubonds at the same speeds out of the same gun, and its usually a 150 yard tracking job. The gun simply doesnt push super premium bonders fast enough to really open them with authority. Buy the compact. But a high quality, low magnification 1.5-6X on it, a fill it with regular cup and core or nosler ballistic tip bullets. You'll have the best possible whitetail rifle for woods and meadows hunting. I've bought, sold, traded and otherwise tried a few dozen different rifles for deer over the years. I've been thru .223, .260, .30-06, 350 Rem Mag, 7mm rem mag, 30-30, 375 Win, 35 rem and a bunch more I cannot think of. There isn't a one of them that has been able to top the 20" bolt carbine in 308 with that little Leupold scope for 'perfect deer rifle". Fro There is tons of truth in this post. (Although I'll stick with my .300H&H :)) |
So I mounted a Leupold VXII 2-7x36mm scope with dovetail rings. I had to have the rear mounting holes re-drilled and tapped for bigger screws by a Smith. The screws from Leupold wouldn't torque down on the rear base they just kept spinning. Now I just got to sight it in. The only thing I don't like is the palm swell to the grip seems a little small for me. Like my hand wants to slide off and its hard to get the tip of my trigger finger on the trigger. (Right now with a natural hold it touches just shy of the top knuckle to my trigger finger)Do you think I may need a spacer to help alleviate this? |
|
My mom had one and it was a pleasure to carry and shoot. I'd like o e in 243. That said folks that knock the 16bbl guns, i hunt with a Asquare 30-06... It has a 16" Bbl.. Yeh, a hell of a boom but it carries nice and great in the brush Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
Quoted: My mom had one and it was a pleasure to carry and shoot. I'd like one in 243. That said folks that knock the 16bbl guns, i hunt with a Asquare 30-06... It has a 16" Bbl.. Yeh, a hell of a boom but it carries nice and great in the brush There's a solution for that.  |