"Classic" hunting rifles

Steve O

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Feb 29, 2012
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Michigan
I purchased a Winchester model 1894 .30WCF, manufactured in 1899, earlier this past winter and plan to use it moose hunting next month, then plan to take it to Kodiak in Oct. on a goat hunt (hope to use it on deer on Kodiak). I'll definitely be babying it throughout all hunts and doing my best to keep it clean and dry, but I also hope to kill a moose with it, or I won't kill a moose at all this year.


I'm really looking forward to the pictures of the 1899 M94 season. Watching my son crush a black bear this spring with a 45-70 really brought home how effective the old timers are. I'm looking for the right pre 64 M94

I think people are confusing things a little. A new Model 70 in CRF is better in every way than the Pre 64s--excepts for all the hand fitting and polishing that was done on the old timers. Same with the Kimbers. Yes the rifles of today are accurate and high performance machines but many lack SOUL ;-)

This old lever gun and dude always impressed me when I see the rams they have taken. View attachment 56202
 

AXEL

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Jan 2, 2015
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Brit. Col.
No. IME, the "new" Mod. 70s are NOT "better" than the P-64s, but, skilled smithing can make them into very impressive hunting rifles.

1. The Pre-64's machined magazine-feed rails, while less precise than in the Oberndorf and FN sporters, are far more "fool proof" than the bent, stamped top of the CRF post-64 rifles. This, is from many years actual experience with both.

2. The bolt handles of the "old" Mod. 70s, are integral with the bolt bodies and cannot come off, which has happened with later ones, although not as often as with the Remington 700s, 788s, and Sevens, this from experience in gunstores while employed there.

3. The "old" ones were EXTREMELY accurate, among the most accurate rifles I have ever owned or shot, this means sporting rifles and the superb cutrifled barrels lasted forever. I have seen them with badly eroded throats, shooting small groups and killing game when several decades old, worn silver and no checkering left.

I have NEVER, in 49 years and 43 owned P-64s, had a single malfunction from one and some of mine were worn and re-blued as they were "carry
" guns while working in BC forestry. NO mechanical device is flawless,. but, I have seen bobbles with "new" 70s.

I LIKE "new" STS 70s, with the "old" trigger and had a pair built from "spare" and used parts a few years back. They are a .338WM and .308W. MIcky stocks, Fwt pattern, Brockman-Talley mounts-sight and SL_QD rings, with Sourdough fronts. I am just waiting for some more silver Talley rings and am mounting a couple of Leupy VX2 3x9s I recently scored a deal on as these are my "truck guns" for leaving in my Tacoma.

However, these had extensive metal work done at the Martini Gunmakers shop here in BC to improve their functionality and so are not really "new" 70s.

Funny, the most highly regarded riflemakers in North America, seem to all use and prefer these "classic" actions and I gotta wonder WHY that is????



T
 
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Joined
Aug 3, 2015
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Maybe the second prettiest.....
d424e2cd9639e0f75e799e5759dbbbfd.jpg


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Is that a Tulle fusil de chase? I can't see the lock to be sure. I love my rock locks!!! Very pretty gun!!!!!
 

robtattoo

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Mar 22, 2014
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Tullahoma, TN
Yessir, type A.
I had it built with a few, subtle modernization (wedges not pins, rifled not smooth) around a 44" Colerain .62 cal octagon-round tapered barrel.
9fa0b05d91c936e9bca7877052d56f05.jpg


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N2TRKYS

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Apr 17, 2016
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Alabama
When I think classic hunting rifles, I immediately think of a nice wood stocked, blued barreled action Remington M700 chambered in 30-06.

As far as Winchesters go. I never saw the draw to the Pre 64 M70s. I had much rather have a M70 in a push fed action than a control round fed one.
 

LaGriz

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Jun 10, 2014
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493
Location
New Iberia,LA
When I think of a quality classic rifle,
I think of a Mauser 98 or Savage 99 (one with a decent stock and the rotary brass magazine). I do like lite-weight designs and weather resistant finishes on the newer bolt guns and semi-customs. A young guy however, could do much worse than scooping up one of the older Mauser customs that get little attention on many gun show tables. I like to hear the history of ownership, when the seller relates the hunting adventures of a sportsmen and with it the rifle's history. You can often tell that a weapon really meant something to it's one time owner. The weapons manufactures of the era employed some incredible craftsmen before CNC machines were the norm. Like an old guitar, these rifles just ooze quality when handled for the 1st time. One may stand out and strike a cord in the buyer.

I have to agree with AXEL on the quality + feel of the pre-64's. I can't imagine a rifle that fits my hands and tastes better than my 1955 built M70 featherweight in .358 Win. The French walnut stock with it's fine checkering and slim grip are superb in the hand. The rifle's jeweled action is slick as wiped butter. I purchased the weapon at a gun shop in Vermont. I was told the previous owner was an employee of the Springfield Armory, where the custom work was performed. The shop owner knew the man well, claiming he used the .358 equipped with a Lyman peep sight to hunt black bear over bait in New Brunswick. When he passed away, his family placed this rifles including another Winchester featherweight (chambered in .270 Win.) of the same vintage on consignment. One of my regrets is that I did not purchase them both.

LaGriz
 
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