Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Thoughts on this Pre-64 .300 Win?

I was hoping for some answers on this one.

I have what I consider to be a collector in 300 Win Mag and it has a similar S/N. (560,XXX).

I had always accepted the "earlier action on the '63 Barrel" version of the story.

I would really like to know the truth.

donsm70

Cliff's rifle sure was a beauty and in very good honest condition... He had a great price on it too.

Not original obviously, but tempting.

http://www.hallowellco.com/custom_winchester_model_70%20echols.htm

Tempted to send this one to Goudy with a nice stick of walnut.

That would be the epitome of sweetness: The rifle and the girlfriend .. You did good.. The only supergrade's I'm going to find that I can afford are the one's gunner mentioned: "bubbad".. The last one I had in my hands was a beautiful little 220swift. The basic bubba'd part of the rifle was the barrel. Not sure if it's an original supergrade barrel and it was glass bedded. That part doesn't bother me as much as not knowing if it is an original sg barrel. Everything else looked great. It had an old steel tube weaver and reloading components for $1,100.00.... I should have bought the damn thing. Now I have to wait till June and hope he still has it. If so, it's going home with me.... Bubba'd or not, I'd love to have a nice shooting 220 Swift, that I can afford...

That is a beautiful rifle. Looks to be a good price too. A full on custom by D'Arcy Echol's, with documentation. What's not to like? Well, I still don't like those Leupold 2 piece mounts that hang over the ejection port. A fine rifle like that needs some conetrol's or S/K's... Those are easy enough to change though...

Agreed, those mounts need to go.

Don, what's not to know about your rifle? The receiver was made the latter part of 1962 (Actually the end of 1962, around November). The 300WM was given the go ahead (factory authorization) in September of 1962 and not all 300WM rifles had receivers with a 1963 serial #. The first 300WM rifles were shipped in February of 1963... I'd expect to see more than a few 300WM rifles with 1962 receivers...

BSA, not to hi-jack Buddy, but were you able to see that 300 gr solid bullet strike nestled in there with those 300 gr SAF's, I gotta take a less than 1.5" two different bullets four shot group at 100 WITH a 45 degree right cross wind.

Your old 375 is a shooting sombitch Buddy.

Man, I like that rifle a bunch. Looks perfect to my eyes.

Gunner, seeing how yours shoots its hard to not want one of them...

10-4 Beretz, thank you my friend, I can't complain about that with those mild bc bullets in that kind of wind, bet the group would have been cut in half without the 13 mph variable winds.

A 300 gr SAF at 2600 along with a 300 gr BBW #13 solid at 2700 fps should cover the world.

Yep, I saw that yesterday when you texted me. However, it's very hard to see on my old outdated flip phone... . Looked great to me my friend. I'm very glad you are happy with that rifle. I wouldn't have sold it to anyone if I knew it wasn't a shooter... Just how I rock and roll.....:





That's just one of the things I like about pre 64 model 70's (their excellent accuracy). Their other main attribute is their reliability: They may be old and, to some, "outdated", but damn if they are ever going to give you fits like some of the newer POS rifles out there now days... . Give me an old rifle like yours that I can depend on and I'm happy as hell. Give me a POS that doesn't extract half the time or the bolt handle has a tendency to fall off, or comes out of the receiver (when you don't want it to) because the bolt stop design is highly flawed and thank god the barrel has no sights on it because I'm doing a tomato stake throw to see what kind of distance I can achieve with said POS......

There she is in all her shooting glory, and LOL on the tomato stake guns, I couldn't begin to fathom having a rifle for dangerous game or even trouble free operation alone, a pre-64 M-70 or 98 Mauser stand alone.

I get pissed when a rifle gives me fits at the range, let alone while hunting. I burn up a lot of bullets at the range, putting holes in paper , not just to make sure the rifle is on, but to make sure it is 100% reliable all the time. There's reason I believe in using reliable weapons. Some guys just don't get that...

Agreed on all points, and too add, a buddy was giving me chit about 'hand running' my bullets for self defense through my semi auto pistols and AR's.

I said 'look dweeb' if you have to yank one of these guns you will up to that point have not needed anything more in your damn life.

His reply: [goofy stare]

I fuggin give up Brudda.

Ha ha....

I'm with you there Gunner. I just bought two safe queens that I'll turn over, a Pre64 338 that I believe to be unfired and a M42 solid rib skeet gun I know is unfired. I have no use for something I CAN'T USE and a new (or old for that matter) 300 WM is one of them.

If I remember correctly Winpoor has/had a nice 300Wm he was going to sell.

Thanks BSA,

I read through all the other posts and was starting to second guess myself.

Don