In the early part of the 20th century, Winchester was working on a problem: Its Model 54 rifle, while in wide use, was equally widely criticized for its "'canoe-paddle' forestock, the high-angle bolt handle and vertical safety, the sear bolt-stop, the much-criticized trigger, the solid floor plate and poor trigger guard." By 1937, the classic arms manufacturer was phasing out the 54 to make room for a new innovation, the Model 70. The very first review of the Winchester Model 70 was penned by American Rifleman editor F.C. Ness in 1936, and Ness was impressed:
"The firing mechanism is a new development. The trigger is machined out of a single forging and is so designed with the sear that, together, they give a very short, crisp let-off with no military take-up and with scarcely any movement of the trigger," wrote Ness. Of course, he took it to the range to give it a workout, noting, "At 200 yards my first five shots from bench rest went into less than 2 inches with F.A. 1933 Service ammunition. I tried five from prone with sling which position changed the impact 3 inches low and an inch to the right. Five more from sitting with sling did not affect the impact except to lower it less than ½ inch. The two groups measured 4.32 and 5.15 inches, respectively, at 200 yards."
What's truly remarkable about the Model 70 is that, although Winchester continues to innovate with features that the modern consumer demands, the bones of the firearm's action have continued to stand up to the stratospheric standards of American Rifleman editors and hard-core hunters alike. In this terrific video review, we introduce the Model 70 Long Range MB, a rifle maximized for precision shooting at distances way beyond Ness' 200-yard test. Find out why the Model 70 has been dubbed "the rifleman's rifle," and is poised to hold that honor for decades to come!
