Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester M70 Classic Prices

I'm seeing prices on these Winchester (USRAC) Featherweight Classic rifles for $900 or so, but they're mostly WSM and WSSM. I don't see many standard calibers - are they bringing more?

I'm wondering if it's time to market 6.5x55, but I'd want more than that...

Jaywalker

IMO a lot more people are going to be interested in a standard like your swede, especially in a FWT. but I don't know that anybody is getting 900+ for wssm's & wsm's...

Just from snooping around & from my natural curiosity about win rifles I took notice of a comment that Matt Williams (triggerguard1) made on the topic of a 338 just yesterday.

"You'll see the value of older Winchesters going down next year and the ability to obtain what you want produced to a higher level of quality for less money.

The last thing I'd do right now is buy an overpriced Winchester model 70 at this timeframe......just wait."

So, with that in mind, I guess maybe it's time to market it if you do intend on selling for a profit.

If Matt is right (and I hope he is), this might be the peek in the climb of win 70 prices following new haven's closing.

If I could get $900 for a $600 rifle I would sell it in a heart beat and laugh all the way to the bank. When I got the news last year I ran down to Sportsmans Wharehouse and picked up a 6.5X55 FWT. I smiled all the home because they had the exact rifle I wanted in stock. When I got to the house and looked the rifle over I had no doubt why they stopped making these rifles and closed the factory. I stuck it on GB and it drew about $850. I think in the future these rifles will hold about as much value as the old push feed M70's.

Terry

I doubt that because they are based on a pre-64 action.Value will stay good.Push feeds are cheap and will stay cheap

There is a lot of regional variation in prices on Model 70 Classics, apparently, and availability as well. In my area, stainless Featherweight Classics, in standard calibers, NIB, go for around $900, with the blued Featherweights going for somewhat less. As far as the WSM's and WSSM's being the only calibers available, that apparently is also a big variable. In my area, STAINLESS Featherweights were primarily available only in standard calibers. I have never seen personally a stainless Featherweight in a WSM caliber! The only WSSM's available in stainless Featherweight Classics in my area were the 25's, and they sold like hotcakes at $800, NIB. Around here, the blued Featherweight Classics never could sell for prices the stainless version could. The stainless models would sell in a heartbeat, while the blued ones would sit around. The only Classics I have EVER seen sell for $1000, were Super Grades and some 270Win. stainless Classic Featherweights. Yeah, I know, 375's and such will get a good price. I am not seeing any softening in prices for these models.

I agree with highridge1, push feed Model 70's are cheap, always were cheap, and will stay cheap. Only Classics have been actually getting a premium, with Super Grades being the hottest, followed by stainless Classic Featherweights, with all other models being less desirable. Certain model/caliber combos are extremely hot, such as, for instance, a 325WSM stainless Classic Featherweight would be highly desirable, if you could even find one. The average Model 70, such as a push feed (to include any varmint grade rifles), even the standard blued/wood Classic Sporters, just don't get much of a premium, if any. I think the press about Model 70's being over-priced, etc., is highly exaggerated. It only applies to certain models and/or caliber/model combinations. It doesn't apply to the majority of them. Yeah, sure, everybody was trying to cash in on the demise of the Model 70, and get as much as they could. But what actual selling prices were is the only thing that counts, not what some unscrupulous seller, trolling for a sucker, is/was asking. Some people, no doubt, caught up in the excitement, paid too much for a less desirable model. Live and learn.

It will be interesting to see what develops for next year. While the new Model 70 may indeed be of higher quality and cheaper. Did I read that right, cheaper?? Cheaper, maybe, than the prices CERTAIN models are getting right now. Not likely, for the run-of-the-mill Model 70, IMHO. With what Remington is wanting for their rifles, I can't see Model 70 Classics being cheaper than a 700. A CDL SF is a $900 rifle in my local money pit. (And they are selling at that price point, I bought one myself.) Is the new stainless Classic Featherweight (if there is going to be such a critter) going to be cheaper? I don't know, but other than the fluted barrel on the CDL SF, I don't see how or why. Personally, I think what we are seeing in the firearms market place, is higher prices in general, and I don't see the new Model 70 bucking this trend. It is a possibility, I suppose, that the initial offerings will be somewhat lower priced, with price increases later.

Whatever will be, will be, and I am anxiously anticipating the arrival of the new Model 70's. There are a LOT of unanswered questions at this time. Such as, what models and calibers are they going to produce initially, and also down the road? No doubt there may be new models. Are they going to go for the higher grade models and/or Classics first, or are they going to go for the Wally World market first? Or are they going to come out with a full line, first rattle out of the box? What calibers? Are the WSSM's dead? ETC.

I can't wait to find out!

I friend of mine wants to sell me a model 70 classic featherweight stainless and walnut 300wsm,like new with 5 bags of brass for $750,I might have to grab it up..

I just looked at the T/C icon, (the day AFTER using up my discretionary funds on an 1874 sharps), I am thinking that I will put that NIB 7mm-08 classic featherweight (blue) on our local forsale board and see what happens....

Poole

no, it wasn't the day after, it was the same day....

PF, CRF. Makes no difference to me. Junk is junk and a lot of the Classic's are just that. Trigger's that need re-worked, safeties that need re-timed, gaps in the wood to metal finish you could loose things in. It saddens me to say it because I've been a big Winchester fan for a long time. I prefer a CRF even though I know it's not necessary. That said, I've seen a lot of factory M70 Classics that needed attention. If the "new" Classic's are CRF then the old Classic's have nothing that makes them any different except shotty build quality. That's why I think in the end the old Classics will not hold their value very well, especially once the new ones go on sale.

Terry

I just had a M70 Classic Featherweight .270 WSM (CRF) arrive and it was $729 Can. NIB. A few months earlier I picked up a M70 Classic Featherweight .30-06 (CRF) for $700 including shipping and Leupold bases and rings. It was used but in like-new condition. Both rifles are nice examples of fit & finish and feed/eject flawlessly. I also have a older M70 XTR Featherweight .270 Win. (PF) and there's no flies in that ointment either. All my M70's are accurate, reliable and eye pleasing candy that do what they were designed to do...put meat on the table. Which they do exceptionally well, thank you.

When the Classic's first came out I bought a .270 LT I thought was about perfect for a factory gun. About 2 years later I bought a .300win I thought was acceptable, but not the same quailty as the first. It was a good foundation for the .300H&H it got turned into though.

To me it seemed as though each year the quaility threashold went down until they got into the trouble they were in. Remember this, they didn't stop making these rifles because they couldn't build them fast enough.

Terry

The Classic's made from '94 to '02 were top quality in every respect, for the money. I have 5 of them. It was in '03 and after, that something happend, "Winchester Trademark" was replaced by "Trademarks licensed from Olin Corp" on the receiver, serial numbers went from 6 digits to 7, recessed crowns made an appearance, stainless extractors were put on blue guns, stock finish became very dark, and stock checkering became pitiful. Not that any of these specific things had anything to do with low quality, but it was at the time that they happened, that quality took a serious nose dive. These post '02 70's I would and do avoid, as I have seen first hand several examples of poor quality.
However, the Classics made in the 90's are wonderful guns. The 5 I have will be my son's when I'm long gone, because I'll never part with them. They were the best rifle for the money, and the standard by which all others are judged to this day, regardless of caliber, finish, or variation.

Good input, thanks. FWIW, though, I've had five M70s in the last five years, and the actions were all nicely machined and blued (or "matted"), with the stainless recent ones having the smoothest bolt throw. One had a great stock, one pretty good, and the other three okay-basic, and wood-to-metal fit could have been improved on some, I agree. All needed trigger work, but I expect that these days, and all shot into an inch for three shots. I'm okay with the quality of what I've seen. My Featherweight 6.5 Swede's actually interesting, with really high quality bottom metal from Williams as original equipment, something I wouldn't have expected in earlier models. I'll have to take a look at the older ones - if they're better than this, they're probably worth the high asking prices.

Jaywalker