Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Pre war Model 70 Super Grade question ?

I'm fond of hunting with pre wars, and have found a super grade in 30Govt06. It has most of the features I have seen in pictures of super grades, the black forend tip, the inletted two screw swivels, the grip cap, and the floorplate with super grade on it...BUT...it has two panel checkering on the grip and the forend. The pictures I see of super grades have checkering over the top of the grip. According to the serial number it was made in 39'. It appears to be original and in about 80% condition.
Could use some help on this.....Thanks!

That doesn't sound right. Even late production SG's had wrap around checkering and even if they put a late production on a 39 SG it would be obvious by the tang area not matching up.

Everything about the stock seems to be right, expect the checkering pattern. Even has the kinda homely looking cheekpiece!

Do you have any pictures? Early Pre-War SG's should have a relatively small cheekpiece.

Believe that the small cheekpiece was referred to as 'English' style. The Super Grade checkering pattern was a constant and was relatively unchanged during the M70's years of production.

With a pad having been added, and a Tilden safety, I realize the collector value is gone, but it's just a darn nice old hunting rifle, and it is only the 2nd pre war SG I have had in my hands.
Could it have been a REAL early one, with more of a basic checkering pattern? That's what I'm most curious about.

Im probably wrong, but that looks like a M54 stock to me.
RAS would probably be the one to ask on this one.

Per Rule, "checkering on the M54 Super Grade stock was more extensive, wrapped over the pistol grip and under the forearm, creating a diamond of uncheckered wood at the forearm screw". It does have the oval Super Grade cheek rest and inlaid swivel bases. Perhaps it is a special order M70 Super Grade stock with Standard Rifle checkering on the forend and without the wraparound checkering on top of the grip.

I appreciate the comments and information, guys. Never thought about it being a M54 stock. The fellow I bought it from had owned it since 49'. I'll just work up an accurate load and enjoy it. Thanks again.

IMO it's most certainly a factory SG stock but like said before it may be a M54 stock. If the price is right it would make a great hunting rifle that has some true class.

Not to hi-jack, but that's the exact same safety and tang on my old M-70 super grade 300 H&H, don't remember when it was made though.

serial# 570xx

Gunner

That's no M54 stock. Because of the front guard screw placement, the stamped steel tg/fp on the 54 is a half-inch longer than the two-piece unit on the 70.

The 54 SG stocks I've seen have the same wrap-around checkering pattern as the 70 SG stock.

This stock looks pretty genuine to me. The shape of the cheek piece and grip contour are correct. Maybe the checkering was a special order.

I talked with 3 Model 70 guys on the phone, 1 yesterday and 2
this morning, who were kind enough to field my questions and really know their stuff.

270Mag...they seem to agree with you about it being a special order. They refer to the "3 fishtails on the front of the grip pattern", that is not the standard checkering.

Thank you all again for the response that I am getting here!

Interesting. I don't believe for a second that it's a fake or after market stock, it's obviously authentic Winchester. It sounds like it could be special order but one has to ask why would someone special order a SG with LESS checkering than standard? I assume it would have cost more (because it was a special order) than a standard SG. One thing is for sure is that Winchester sure did some strange things back then.

reelman....I have to agree with you....I would have thought a special order would have been something real "special". This stock has all the regular SG features, except a lessor checkering pattern.

Different strokes for different folks....

My memory ain't the best and I sure haven't seen every supergrade, but I can't remember ever seeing checkering on one that didn't have a border. The pictures the OP posted don't show a border on the checkering. I'm curious, is my memory shot, or has somebody else seen them with borderless checkering from the factory?

Good point. I hadn't noticed that.

sure looks to me that it has a border.

Me too....