Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors 1941 model 70 questions

Receiver is clip slotted and no extra holes. I will definitely shoot it. I'd just really like to have an idea of how this rifle came to be, whether factory or bubba. Thanks for y'alls helpnthus far.

Sometimes I find it hard to offer an opinion to someone who wants desperately to be believe something. I have a friend who so desperately wants to believe he has a Winchester exhibition gun simply because it has a "W" by the serial number. No amount of talking to, or sending exerts from books, nor experts in the field will change his mind. I even showed him 3 I had with the same mark, but he wants to believe and nobody will change his mind. I cant recall how many people I had to disappoint who were model 12 owners who thought they owned factory ribs and factory variable choke devices guns. Having studied the model 12's for 30 plus year I have never seen a factory variable choked model 12. This rifle screams loudly to me. No matter what, PIPEWHINER has a great rifle that I would be proud to have in my collection.

I don't care one way or the other, actually. My original purpose of buying the rifle was just for the action to build a Hathcock era Marine sniper. However, my love for all things model 70 would prevent me from doing that if there was a general consensus that this rifle may be unusual.

PIPREWHINER, would you like my OPINION? Understanding that it is an OPINION I reached after decades of studying this model.

I would love your opinion and welcome that of any other student of the beloved model 70

OK since you asked. Neither the sling swivels nor receiver sight are factory. Following are the "clues" I used to make my assessment. Again this is an OPINION from a heavily read and researched student of this model. Looking at the front swivel will give proof. Three things should verify my findings. First the rear screw hole will be drilled all the way through the forend, a sigh it was at one time home for a standard swivel. The base is not position in the same place as a super grade. Next take a look at the beveled cut for the SG swivel. There is NO finish on this cut. This is a sign it was done after the stock was finished and left the factory. Next again look at the cut, it is of a different color. Winchester used a reddish stain prior to the finish being applied. Since the cut was so deep the stain didn't get deep enough to stain the cut, thus a slightly different color than the rest of the stock. As for the receiver sight, by a WIDE margin the most common receiver sight of the time was the Lyman 48 long slide. This is neither the long slide or the newer model that didn't require a stock cut. In fact I have never seen this particular sight on any model 70 before. Last, and I hope this does'nt hurt too bad. When either Winchester or a good gunsmith would cut for a receiver, the mark of excellence was the fact a cigarette paper could not be fitted into the gap between the sight and the wood. Take a look at yours. A lot of excess wood was removed, so much so, it gets me wondering if the cut was for a different sight entirely. I have to ask a few questions now. Has the rear bridge been drilled and tapped. The rear bridge should have no holes in it. You stated you want to make a Hathcock sniper rifle. Beware these pre wars were never intended to be scoped. The bolt handle will required to be modified to clear most modern scopes, as well as the safety. If your rifle hasn't been drilled and tapped you could use a STITH brand scope bases but you still have the bolt handle to deal with. I always cringe when someone does permanent changes to a classic anything.

There are no extra holes drilled. I will be using a Unertl scope or similar design so bolt handle and safety likely won't be an issue. Since this stock is modified, in your opinion, I won't mind hogging put the barrel channel for the larger diameter barrel. I've been accumulating parts for a while, so I hope I can make the project happen. Thanks to the forum for your assistance. However, if the majority opinion is to keep it the way it is, I may do so and look for a beater pre war.

My vote is to leave the stock as is and simply buy another beater stock as this stock is in excellent condition. I have always enjoyed the look of the SG swivels and have often have wanted to change a standard grade swivel to the SG swivels just as your has been.

Pipewhiner, Being your gun is correct SN# range and is clip slotted Im thinking you may be on right track to go on and make youself a 'Carlos Hathcock HAMMER' I would get Mr Frank at Bartlien do a CM , cut rifled barrel in the target , med heavy profile,a proper 8x Unertl,( dont worry about the USMC markings).Find a good unmolested that need refinishing low comb sporter stock ( mine beats hello out of me ), piller block and bed. Show the young guys what a real 30-06 will do. Make it a super fun project, Sell the stock and barrel you have to help off set the coins a bit. I can help you with the iron sights. very best

Thanks for the encouragement, wknchesterpoor. I've been gathering parts for this build and was originally going to do it on another P-64 but not per war. I know Frank turns out great stuff but until my barrel maker/gunsmith retires, I will continue to use him. Mark Chanlynn is a master. I have several rifles from him and the last one was actually a Pre-64 heavy barrel in a McM A3 6.5x55. What a hammer. Mark has the specs for the contour from previous conversations. Now to find a drug behind a truck, cloverleaf, uncut,low comb sporter. Anyone got one?

Good luck finding a beat up cloverleaf tanged M70! A cloverleafed rifle that is already D&T'd would be a transition from 48 or 49. I collect the transition era M70's and have been looking for a beater transition to build a 35 Whelen for sometime to no avail!

Ive never heard anything but GOOD out of Mark Chanlynn. very best

I forgot the word stock. I'll use this action. I won't need to add additional holes. The front of the Unertl will be mounted on the barrel. I've acquired several sets of the LV and C70 bases required for this setup.

Pipewhiner, I would shoot the gun just to check that barrel, there were some very fine cut rifled, hand lapped barrels made during your guns era. Ive seen photos of Winchester craftsmen in the barrel shop, straightening them with a big hammer over a pair of anvils. These guys could listen to the steel!!! What is your barrel date.If its a hummer ,what you get out of it would help in offsetting your project price. Im all happy this morning ,my gunsmith called and my 'Carlos' is ready, I had the sporter stock glass bedded and pillars installed as well as the crown 'freshened'. The gun already shot like a lazer in the bedbed marksman stock, less so in the sporter stock. Thusfar every shot on whitetails has been bangflop, DRT, down like a sack of feed with any 165 or 168 gr factory ammo Ive used. I really think we have better factory ammo and bullets now than Carlos had during his Vietnam tours. Very best on your project I will be glad to help any way... If I had to only keep one gun it would be 'Carlos' I am on the hunt for a cotton duck web sling, I have one but its on my .308. I used to buy em for $10.00 at the Army,Navy store, they say they cannot get em anymore...

It would be of the highest offense to the Winchester gods if I didn't fire this rifle in its original state. Depending on Mark's schedule, it may even make it to the Pennsylvania deer woods in a few weeks.