Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Tell me about this Winchester…

I think it was a 30-06 Featherweight based on barrel contour and length. It also appears to possibly
have a recoil pad of some make-unless my eyes are tricking me. I have an 06 Featherweight and it looks identical.
Many bear and moose have been shot very dead with the 30-06 in Alaska. It still remains popular
along with the 270. Featherweights originated in the 1950s, Super Grades but no magnum calibers AFAIK.

It's a factory aluminum butt plate. Low comb stock. Second picture clearly shows it as a FWT barrel contour. No way to guess the barrel length in the picture. But assume it is a factory 22" with factory front sight. The only fwt it could be would me made from 1952-1957. In 1952-1954, the only fwt available was the 308 winchester. Like I said, the rifle appears to have been used for a couple years. This is noted by the missing front sight hood. Although, some guys removed them before a hunt. Most guys I know left them on, until brush or the like ripped them off. BTDT. In 1955 winchester brought out the 243, 270, 30-06, 358win, fwt's.

As for "magnums": Of course there were magnums back then. 375H&H, 300H&H, and 458wm to name a few. However, that is clearly a fwt barrel contour. Hence not any kind of magnum. The 264 win mag came out in 1962. The 338wm in 1959. The 300wm was introduced the last year of the pre 64. The only one of those magnums that had the fwt barrel contour was the 264, but came out much later than the picture from 1957.

If I could see the bolt ovid better, that would tell me if the rifle was made before 1954 and narrow down the cartridge it housed. Solid and it would be a 308 Winchester, made in 1952 or 1953.

Not many people would have messed with an original rifle like that, but just used it. That's why I believe it is all factory, as it also appears that way in the 2 pictures.

There were also guys handloading their own ammo back then. AK brought up the 358 winchester. That was rare, even back then. So my guess is not. Even though the 358 would be a dandy Alaskan cartridge. It's more than likely a 30-06.

I believe Hal Waugh used a 358 FWT for some of his guiding on Kodiak.

That not being Hal in the picture though I’d put my money on it being an 06. Cool old pic.

That’s me from last year’s hunt. I was wondering where the pic was. Rifle is a 6.5 Creempuff.
I’ve gained 80 lbs and some gray hair since then…

Oh bull puckey.

Your eyes ain’t good enough to use a peep! 🤣

That’s neat. Did not know that.

As BSA said, if you could see the bolt knob, you could potentially narrow it down further. From what we can see in the two pictures, we are narrowed down to 270, 308, 30 06, and 358. Clearly, the production odds favor the 06 as Kid said - but the 358 would just be so darn cool.

Man I love those vintage pictures, just flat cool! Men were men back then ya know.
I’d guess 30-06.

I have always been a sucker for stories like that and have paid a premium for rifles that had a story behind them.

Early low comb featherweight. I'd lay money on it being a 30-06 with a 220 grain load.

That is a cool pic.

Like most of the rest of you, I’d wager a .30-06 Featherweight.

Super cool picture!

I reckon book makers would rather cover an ‘06 bet than others.

I think that’s where I’d place my money.

DF

Really cool photo!
He possibly was in the military and was well acquainted with the old .30'06 so, that's my thought. I've known WWII vets who would accept nothing less than a .30'06.

Iv got a old yellow box of Winchester 30-06 220s that were my grandfather's has his name in ink on them. He had bought them for a Moose hunt, never got a shot.

Chuck is still around and headed the Alaskan DNR. He also carried a Model 1917 converted to 375H&H. You are correct, Scotty great stories and a great guy.