Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Pre 64 70 in 35 Whelan

What do you guys think of this one? Look at Steve Barnetts site. He has listed a M70 in 35 Whelan with supporting documentation from the company that did the work on an original Winchester. Did Winchester chamber the rifle? Can it be considered an original M70 in this chambering?

This is nothing I'm interested in. If I wanted a 35 Whelan (and I think it's a great cartridge) I could have one built for a third of what the asking price is on this. I saw it listed and it peeked my curiosity is all.

Mine is built! Pre-64 Model 70. 23" Shillen Select Match. 1-12" twist.
Cerekoted midnight blue. McMillan Edge stock. Forester action screws.



Shoots 200gr Factory Federal Fusions very well. I'll switch to 200gr TTSX and RL15 after I shoot up the factory ammo.

I love it when they shoot like that... GSP post a link buddy. I don't have steve barnet on speed dial... I doubt anyone else does either..

Winchester did not chamber a pre 64 M70 in 35 Whelen. Personally, I would consider it to be an overpriced custom....

No.

I built my .35 Whelen from a shot out .30-06 standard grade, Randall Redman did the rebore/rechamber more than 20 yrs. ago. It now has a pre'64 Super Grade stock and a Griffin & Howe mount with Lyman All American Perma Center 4x with LEE dot. It is my favorite deer rifle, it likes 225 gr. Sierra or Nosler bullets with IMR 4064 or RL-15 as propellant. When not deer hunting I shoot lots of cast bullet and pistol bullet loads, 15gr. of Unique behind a 200-210-215-225gr. cast bullet is an accurate fun load to shoot. Easy on the rifle, the shooter and his wallet.

It would be simple to send a std. 30-06 to JES and have them rebore it to 35 Whelen for about $250.00. Just a thunk..

I don't see the value here. It's not factory according to the description and invoice shown. Let's see a picture of the barrel markings? IMO it's worth a little more than if you did the conversion today just because it is an old conversion and comes from the Whelen shop. $2000 - $2500 is my thoughts.

I think it's worth what you can pay for a standard grade 30-06 and then the extra work to have JES rebore it for you. For me, that would look something like this:

$675.00
+$250.00

Total: $925.00.... Pretty easy..

BSA you can search Barnetts fine guns and get the web site. I don't have a direct link. I'm of the same opinion as others here. glad I'm not missing something. If I were to have a 35 Whelan I'd just have one made for a third of the asking price of this one. IF it was priced around $2K that would be a different story.

Rather than re bore a 06 wouldn't be easier and about the same cost to just re barrel it?

Cheaper to rebore in my opinion.. Turn around time with JES is very quick too.. I know some of you guys don't live as close as I do to them, but I could take a rifle to them and have it back in less than a week. If I had a smith re-barrel one of my rifles, it would cost a minimum of $150.00 and the barrel itself would cost about $400.00 for a good barrel.. There's also the fact that if you just have the std. wt. barrel rebored, you still have the use of the factory irons. Kind of a win win the way I see it. How much would it cost to buy a barrel, add iron sights and have your smith install it for you, vs. re-bore of about $250.00???

Here's a question, can you rebore a Pre 64 fwt 30-06 to 35 whelen??????? I know where one is for $675.00. It could be up for grabs to anyone here. Pretty good deal. The only negatives I saw with the rifle was an added recoil pad (who would have thunk) and a jeweled bolt...... That would be kind of cool. A 35 whelen fwt.. Hmmm..

I don't know why it couldn't be rebored, the outside diameter of all Featherweights were the same and they made them in 358 Winchester.

I guess if I re barreled it I wouldn't put iron sights on it. I'm having a rifle being built now that will have iron sights just because of what it will be but that's the first one with them.

A 35 Whelan FWT....that would be awesome...at both ends:)
I like my 358 but not so much at the bench.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...70-pre-64-35-whelen.cfm?gun_id=100688396

Gun being discussed.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Just wanted a little confirmation...

I like how you put that, "Awesome at both ends"... Ha ha.. . It would probably make a handy little elk rifle though..

It wouldn't be that bad on the back end. I have a 358 Featherweight that was re-chambered to 350 Rem Mag (basically a short action 35 Whelen) and a checkered steel butt plate on it. When you fire it you know it's thee but it's not bad at all.

Things that make you go hmmmmm....

Quite a bit of metal would be removed from the barrel. Does JES reproof the gun after the job is completed? Being done in USA I assume no. Doesn't sound like smart idea to me. In Europe gun undergoing such modification would need to be submitted to proof house to make sure it is safe to use. I would use that standard if I were you.

As stated in a previous post, Featherweight rifles were chambered in .358 Win. with no issues that I am aware of. I've never heard of a US rebore firm that reproofs their work, European standards are different. In either case I cannot see the need for reproofing except to meet European regulations.

About 10 years ago, I found an unusual 35 Whelen in a shop in Idaho.
It was a rebored/re-rifled and re-chambered 1950s M-70 with a stock
that was a dead ringer for a Super Grade with ebony forend tip.

The shop owner said it was guaranteed to be accurate, or send it back.
He siled and said: You won't be sending it back." He was right.

Also have an old beat up transition Model 70 in 338-06.
Now that is a cartridge that should have been brought out of wilcat class. Accurate with 338 210 Noslers.

Slavek, why don't you take up golf or some other hobby? Here's an idea. Give JES a call and tell them you think they are stupid...

Good post. There's always that option too. 338-06 has a lot of cool factor, as does the ol Whelen. Hard to go wrong with either one.

I recommend something with even more cool factor. This would be very proven .318 Accelerated Express aka .318 Rimless Nitro Express Westley Richards.

That is my plan when I find the right P64, which that Featherweight sounds like it is.. I have a M700 CDL 35 Whelen. Great shooting rifle, but unless I spend the money to put a 3 pos safety on it and probably a better extractor and likely a trigger, I probably won't ever be 100% happy with the rifle.

JES does great work with his rebores. Rebored a Classic 338 Win Mag to a 35 Newton, it is plenty accurate for a hard hitting .358..

The rifle discussed is sold, but if you look at his other guns, they are all priced at the absolute maximum.

If you sign up for Proxibid, you can find any of them at major auctions for less. (if you a patient)

Given the numbers of faked rare model 70s (and other Winchesters) in circulation, anything "odd" is suspect.

Quality rebores work just fine and the 35 W is a great cast bullet cartridge as are any of the 9.3s.

I have an early Ruger 1B rebored from 06' to 35 W. With full house jacketed bullet loads it is a handful.
Wouldn't even want to think of the later, lighter 1S in this chambering !

Scotty, PM me if you want to check on the fwt I found for $675.00... It's actually a pretty damn good buy..

I recall a Gunsmith (Ray Montgomery in Grand Junction, CO) that had a "blue pill load" listed on his price sheet. For those that are too chicken (or too smart) to intentionally fire an overload in their rifle.

Twenty or so years ago when I built my M/70 Whelen i used a standard grade, were I to do it over I would choose a Featherweight. I recently picked up a pre'64 Featherweight that had been rebarreled in .257 Roberts using a Douglass premium barrel with featherweight contour. Why Winchester never offered the .257 in pre'64 Featherweight is a mystery to me. At least they did in the later Featherweight.

Sure enough. Lets go back in time and kick their azzes...

Instead of barreling Model 70 action I would look for used Remington 700 Classic in .35 Whelen. It is better handling rifle with just about perfectly designed factory stock. All you would need is to throw in Timney trigger. I should mention that bolt movement in Remington action can be made to work a lot smoother than in old Model 70. Why go through all that trouble with Winchester for no gain?

PS. Oops I forgot you would have to replace original solid rubber pad with something useful. The original has consistency of plastic butt place. Ask me how I know.

Sir, have you ran many P64's? Just wondering cause when you say a Classic "handles" better and it it smoother I question how many rounds you've put through either. Nothing against 700's but they aren't even in the same ballpark as a mildly tuned up 70 as a hunting rifle.

Scotty, he has had some off the wall remarks. It often makes me wonder how his golf game is... Just sayin..