Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Your Favorite Model of pre-64 Winchester Rifles

An earlier reading of a posting on this forum reminded me of the first pre-64 Winchester Rifle I purchased, with the intended purpose of "collecting it because I thought it was so cool"!
And that Rifle was a 1950 vintage Model 70 Standard Rifle in caliber 22 Hornet.
I still own that Rifle today.
Over the past 4 decades I have collected (bought and sold!) many and various Models of the fine pre-64 Winchesters including Model 54's, more Model 70's, Model 64's, Model 43's, Model 71's, Model 55's, Model 92's, Model 94's, Model 65's, Modle 88's, Model 100's and countless specimens of pre-64 Winchester rimfire Models.
I "been around" the pre-64's for a long and very enjoyable time. Over that time I have grown especially fond of the rare and VERY handsome Model 64 Deluxe Rifle, with 26" barrel, in caliber 219 Zipper!
I must admit to, on not so rare occassions, dreaming of this particular Rifle!
I am a dyed in the wool bolt action kind of guy and for the last 15 years or so I have only collected bolt action pre-64 Winchesters earnestly - I simply had to give up on the levers and rimfire pre-64's.
I would be greatly interested in knowing other folks "favorite pre-64 Winchester Rifles"!
Oooh... how I long for the good old days of quality manufacture and "charcoal bluing" on factory Rifles!
Alas, those days are gone forever I fear!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Out of my collection the favorite is also a 22 Hornet but in a Super Grade. I do favor the Super Grades but like the FW's such as the 358 and 264's.

Of the five I have, the original pristine pre-64 in .300 H&H I bought about 5 years ago is still my favorite..

mine is my dad's ole model 70 featherweight in 308 win

My BIL has Pre 64 Mod 70 in .264 Win Mag. I think it is called a Westerner. I have a Mod 94 in .32 Win. It's Special to me.

I got two transitionals. 375 HH and 300 HH. They're my favs.

In 1965 I saw a pre-64 Model 70 .22 Hornet in a hock shop for $75. I passed on it because I wanted a .222 Remington.

Paul

The 85 of course. The sporting rifle variant in any straight case cartridge. A classic rifle as good then as any rifle today.

Winchester 95 carbine in 303 British.

Jeff

Here's my list:

Nathaniel: Ooowww.. that would be a dandy - a Supergrade in 22 Hornet!
I have a pair of 358 Featherweights - they look kind of cool from the muzzle end with that big bore on the smallish Rifle!
I like your pick for fav!
I used to shoot a couple of Model 70's in 22 Hornet - just for fun... dit dit dit they went without recoil and they were pretty accurate - as Hornets go anyways!
I even shot a 22 Hornet Model 70 that had been converted to 222 Remington!
It shot well.
The origianal Model 70's in 22 Hornet are just to valuable to take afield anymore.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Redneck: I have a mint condition low 4 digit serial numbered Model 70 "Bull Gun" - it is marked on its huge charcoal blued barrel "300 Magnum"!
I have always wanted to shoot that one just to see how it fairs at the range!
Again to valuable anymore to shoot!
I assume your Rifle is a standard Rifle?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Tbear99: Jim Zumbo Hunted everything with one of those 308 Featherweights and did so very successfully for decades!
I have a couple of the 308 Featherweights today and have owned several more in the past.
Is the 308 in your possession now or does dad still have it?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Croldfort: Yes the standard Rifle in 264 Winchester was also called "Westerner".
The Featherweights in this caliber had a "bark" to them with their shorter barrels.
26" barrels and they very often shot accurately - even with factory ammo.
I have always had a soft spot for the Model 94's - I once owned one in 25/35 - like a fool I traded it off!
Hold into the wind

Paul39: That was the year I graduated from High School - even then I would have borrowed money from my gramma to have owned that one!
And I wish you would have bought it - today you could maybe get $2,000.00 for it even if only in "fair" condition!
If only you and I could see into the future.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

BrentD: What a great looking Rifle the 85 was/is!
And what a classy picture and posing of your Rifle you included in your post!
I bet in my lifetime I have bid on 20 or 30 Low Walls and High Walls and never once have I been successful!
Nope never owned either one - maybe someday?
Tell me about the tang sight and underlever on your posed Rifle are those an optional items or aftermarket non-Winchester items.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

MColeman: Your "list" did not come through.
Are you by chance a "non-believer" or did your "list" get omitted somehow?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have collected Pre-64 model 70's for close to 50 years and had quite the collection, with the 264's being at the top of my list, having both the westener's and several FW's. Throw in a couple 300 win mags a couple 375's, 308 FW, a 257 bob a butt load of 270's and 06's. Over the years always trying to trade or sell to upgrade. There are really no other guns that will compare to the old winchesters IMHO.

Brent can respond in his own time, but I'm pretty sure it is an original Winchester lever. (Helm style?) My son just bought an original low wall rimfire action with such a lever.

I'm also pretty sure that the tang sight is a modern production, but I don't know the particulars. Brent?

Paul

I think that Mr. Coleman appreciates the virtues of modern rifles like the Remington 700's.


I have a Transition M70, a M41, a 52B and 1892 rifle that I really enjoy.

Have owned and enjoyed a 77 tube feed, 75 target gun, a 62,
a 72 target, 3 model 12's, and a GREAT M70 pre-war .270.

Hope to someday own: a 61, 42, 86, 92 carbine, and a M70
Featherweight rebarreled to .257R.