Winchester Model 70 Featherweight
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · In Production · 1952
Also known as: Model 70 Featherweight, M70 Featherweight, Win 70 Featherweight
Overview
The Winchester Model 70 Featherweight is a bolt-action rifle chambered in .270 Winchester, introduced by Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1952 as a lighter, trimmer hunting variant of the classic Model 70. Built around the Pre-'64 style controlled-round-feed action with a Mauser-type claw extractor and three-position safety, it feeds reliably even when the bolt is worked slowly or with the rifle inverted. The slim 22-inch free-floating barrel and lightweight Grade I walnut stock with a Schnabel fore-end keep the rifle around 3175g (7 lb), making it easy to carry over long days afield without sacrificing the accuracy potential of the .270 Winchester cartridge. The tuned M.O.A. trigger system offers a clean, creep-free break, while the jeweled bolt body and cut checkering reflect the traditional craftsmanship the Model 70 is known for. Popularized by writer Jack O'Connor, the Featherweight in .270 Winchester remains one of the most respected all-around North American big-game hunting rifles.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3175 g (112.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1086 mm (42.76") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 16 N (3.6 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 945 m/s (3100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3759 J (2772 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 4000 m (4374 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .270 Winchester · primary — also known as .270 Win
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Three Position Safety, Mauser Claw Extractor
- Features: Controlled Round Feed, Pre 64 Style Action, Claw Extractor, Moa Trigger System, Jeweled Bolt Body, Free Floating Barrel, Hinged Floorplate, Schnabel Forend
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Civilian Hunters · adopted 1952
Production
Production years: 1952-present
Introduced as a lightweight variant in 1952; discontinued alongside the New Haven factory closure in 2006 and reintroduced with Miroku production. Part of the multi-million-unit Model 70 family.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Notes
The Featherweight was first offered in 1952 and helped establish the lightweight sporter niche. The .270 Winchester chambering was made famous by outdoor writer Jack O'Connor, who championed the Model 70 in .270 for decades. Current production rifles are manufactured by Miroku in Japan under the Winchester brand and retain the Pre-'64 style controlled-round-feed action reintroduced with the Classic series.
Background
The Model 70 Featherweight in .270 Winchester is closely tied to gun writer Jack O'Connor, whose lifelong advocacy of the pairing turned it into an icon of American mountain and plains hunting. Light enough to carry all day yet accurate and flat-shooting, it became the archetype of the classic walnut-and-blued-steel sporting rifle.