20110920

For quite some time I have been wanting to take Cumberland Tactics' Practical Rifle class with Randy Cain.  Beyond whatever practical application there may be (from hunting to the idea that bolt-action rifles are likely the last to be confiscated) I also happen to think that it has the potential to be a true skill-builder and really work the fundamentals in ways that I can then carry over to other platforms.  Every time I learn something new on the Glock I think of how it applies to the AR, and vice versa.  I see no reason that broadening the base would not help improve the pinnacle.

Clearly, the first thing I need, then, is a “practical rifle”.  Discussion abounds as to what this means but in the simplest terms it is a light, compact, bolt-action rifle in .308 that wears a conventionally-mounted and low-power magnified optic.  It can be seen as a takeoff on the Scout Rifle concept, or a more real-world version of the precision rifle, or can simply be a hunting rifle.  Tweaks abound, as with all things males involve themselves in, but the basics are there in the description above.  My take on these criteria, for what they are worth:

• Light Weight.  Heavy things suck.  Of course, heavy guns “kick” more, but then they are also more of a chore to carry.  I like light weight when it comes to things I might need to carry, and in the case of the practical rifle time spent carrying is sure to far outweigh time spent shooting.

• Compact Size.  As above, smaller is easier to carry, and maneuver, and shorter barrels are less likely to wind up jammed in the dirt.  20” appears to be the agreed-upon length, but I may eventually go shorter still.

• .308 caliber.  There are, I am sure, all manner of “better” calibers, but there are not, with perhaps one exception, all that much more “practical”.  Chief among the practicality concerns is ammunition availability both for training and for actual shooting.  The .308 has more loadings available than just about any other commercial rifle round, and can also function with milsurp 7.62x51 for training purposes.  I just so happen to have a case of same collecting dust.

• Magnified Optic. More specifically, a low-powered, variable-powered, magnified optic.  Something that starts in the 1-2x range and goes up to the 5-9x range.  This is not a gun that you’re setting up to make those 1,000 yard hits with that we all hear so much about, but it damn sure could be a gun that you might need to shoot something across the room or at the front bumper of your car while standing at the rear.

To this end, I ordered a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Compact rifle in .308 from Bud’s Gun Shop and did the transfer, as is my usual, through Ben Simonson of Boresight Solutions.  Suggested retail on this model is $900 but judicious web-shopping should get you one in the $700-$750 range including shipping and transfer costs.  Now that name is a hell of a descriptor and long as hell to boot.  Let’s start at the end and work out way back to explain what it means.

• Compact.  This rifle has a barrel length of 20” and a length of pull of 13”, for a total overall length of 39 ½”.  While that may not sound “small” to some, contrast that with the Model 70 Sporter (not available in .308) with a 24” barrel, 13 ¾” length of pull, and 44 ⅛”-46 ¾” overall length (depending on caliber), or the Model 70 Featherweight which (in .308) has a 22” barrel and a 13 ¾” length of pull for an overall length of 42 ¼”.  This means that the compact saves almost 3” OAL at the low end and over 7” at the long.

• Featherweight.  While the Sporter model linked to above does not come in .308, we can compare it and the linked-to Lightweight in 270 for a good comparison.  The Model 70 Sporter in 270 Win weighs 7lbs 4 oz.  The Lightweight in the same caliber weighs 7lbs even.  This is due, in part, to the 2” of shorter barrel length.  The model I purchased, by contrast, weighs 6lbs 8oz., also due in part to another 2” loss in barrel length.

• Winchester Model 70.  Winchester makes only one bolt-action rifle today, the Model 70.  You can read all about the history of the model here.  There is a whole lot of mysticism and romanticism tied up in these guns, but functionally what it comes down to is the controlled-round-feeding (CRF) of the pre-’64 guns and (after dabbling with push-feeding for many years) the post-’91 guns.  At some point they sold models called, I believe, “Classic” to denote current production CRF but it is my understanding that all of the M70s now have eliminated the push-feed.  After watching a shooter make attempts at running a Remington M700, which is a push-feed gun, in a carbine course I decided that I for sure wanted CRF, and that meant a Winchester Model 70.  For more on Controlled Round Feed vs. Push Feed go here.

Whew!  So that gets me to the concept, why I am interested in it, and the gun I bought to explore it and why I chose that make/model.

The rifle, new in box, sitting on the shop floor at Boresight Solutions

Note that the rifle ships with the bolt removed and nestled in it’s own slot in the styrofoam

The rifle, on the scale, at 6lbs 10.3oz, which is 2.3oz heavier than advertised

As of this writing the only other thing I have acquired is a Ching Sling from Andy Langlois at www/shottist.com based on the recommendation of Randy Cain.  The sling came with three swivels, two swivel studs (one long and one short thread) and a drill bit.  Because the rifle comes from the factory with only two sing studs the owner must add a third, just in front of the magazine floorplate, in the stock.  Langlois includes two studs in case one is too long and protrudes into the action, and the drill bit to ensure that the buyer uses the correct size.  The sling package with all hardware retails for $65 from Mr. Langlois.  Cain advised to request the “long” version, which is what I did, as some folks find the standard too short, and being 6’-1” tall I may appreciate the longer length.  No idea if that is what I received, or how to verify if it is, but I trust that Langlois sent me what I requested.

Langlois Ching Sling with swivels attached