Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors 1953 Model 70 Featherweight 308

Well, met up with the seller of the 308 Featherweight I asked about a couple weeks ago and ended up buying the rifle, did not even try to dicker once I had the rifle in hand.
I would say it is in honest 85-90% condition which when you consider the age and that it has been hunted I find amazing. Light bluing wear on the bolt handle, couple of minor scratches and wood dings,one small scratch in the bluing near the muzzle.
Has a perfect bore and muzzle.Really nice Leupold scope, 1.5x5, really fits in well with the lines of the rifle.
Seller said he has owned it over 40 years and had not shot it in 25 years, prior to that it took a deer every year.
Looking forward to seeing how it shoots.









[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c314/jorau/IMG_2149_zpsa3cfd4ad.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c314/jorau/IMG_2150_zpsbdbec872.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c314/jorau/IMG_2154_zps972798a8.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c314/jorau/IMG_2151_zps1151b541.jpg[/img]

That is a very nice one!

You done good! Nice and honest.... very best WinPoor

Augie: I am so happy for you in acquiring this fine early example of a Featherweight Model 70!
Good for you and I hope you enjoy your Rifle.
It appears that you have one of the RARE Featherweight Rifles with a solid bolt handle - at least that is what it looks like to me in perusing your nifty photos.
Could you verify that for me?
I also want to suggest you find another less "nice/rare" Model 70 in 308 to shoot/Hunt with!
Its your Rifle and you are certainly welcome to do with it as you wish but if it were mine I would NOT shoot or Hunt with it.
I might look for a nicer trigger guard and replace that and then just admire it and wait patiently for it to appreciate in value.
Either way you have a dandy Rifle there well worth being proud of owning.
Again good for you's!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I agree with VarmintGuy. Beautiful rifle, keep it that way!

Nice rifle. Enjoy it any way you see fit.

donsm70

Thanks guys, Varmintguy it does have the early solid bolt handle and bolt serial number match's rifle.
I will shoot it enough to sight in and confirm it's accuracy, after that hard to say, I usually am a collector and a shooter so pretty much everything gets used a little.
I have found vintage Winchester rifle's and shotguns really work for me and I get a lot of pleasure using them for their intended purpose.

That's a beauty with real nice wood. Nice grab!!

That gun was made to hunt. It would be like buying a Thoroughbred race horse but not running him for fear of breaking a leg. Hunt with it. It would be a shame to beat it up, but just the fact that you have posted as you have, I would guess you are capable of taking care of the gun...

You did the right thing for sure. I would have jumped on that one as well...purdy thing!

Definitely hunt it. What sling do you have on it? I could use something like this for my 30-06.

Eric

The pre-64 M70 308 Featherweight that I have also has a solid bolt handle and the numbers match.

That's a nice rifle.

Go kill deer with it,that's what it is made for.

I've been looking for that rifle.

And 25 years is a long time not to get to hunt. You can fix that.

freekin brand new..you did good.. IMHO, shoot that bad boy !!

Range report required though I think you will be very satisfied

+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep my Winchester friend ya done good, know if it ends up not your cup of tea,I will take it off your hands and you can make a cool 20%. I think its that nice! Plus I need an early 308 with that style stock, I am also looking for an early one with the low comb stock for an elder gent with good eyes that wants to shoot irons, he must hunt the thick woods up north. My dear wife even though she was sick from chemo made me stop at the eye doctor in Tallahassee and get an eye exam ,so I have a fresh eye RX, I am in the sun 90% of the time so Im gonna have a pair of Costa RX shades made, I need 2.75 reading glasses but can adjust Leupold eyepiece for sharp clear X hairs and the AO for clear target. my last 2 years cropdusting I had to get RX shaded in order to see the small wires. I am giving up irons as if I have the bead my squirrel is fuzzy, if I have squirrel ( tree rats) my bead is fuzzy. 60 years staring in the sun is hell on eyes!very best very best WinPoor PS Moral of this story, old eyes are hell on a guy that love to collect and shoot and hunt winchesters! I am also going to invest in a pair of those band and fold down mag glasses you wee gunsmiths wear!

Eric, the sling came on the rifle and is marked Hunter, looked online and looks like they are still made.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/523136/hunter-quick-fire-sling-1-wide-leather-brown?cm_vc=U112

Sling does not appear to be readily adjustable as it uses 2 screw studs instead of hooks, you would have to make extra holes.

Winpoor, I can identify with the eyes,at 57 I can no longer see the front sight clearly and much prefer a scoped rifle. I still shoot irons on some of my classics as I would never drill and tap an unmolested original. I have a 1949 vintage Model 75 Sporting that has it's original Lyman peep and do ok but that front sight is kind of fuzzy.

VERY NICE early Featherweight, the condition of the black anodize on the aluminum attests to the fact it has been shot very little. IMHO use with care will not diminish the value of a rifle like that. Shoot and hunt with that beauty altho were it mine it would be a "fairweather friend". You did exceptionately well. Enjoy!

Augie, what a nice find, sir. Congratulations! Do with it as you want. If you choose to hunt it, do so with pride and your heirs will appreciate it and its value far beyond your time.
I have a "few" I want to leave to my family and friends, but I never worry about the value after I'm gone.
I like that sling, too .. even if it's been chewed up by a little tree bark..

Nice 75!!

Perfection in rifle design right there. Can it get much better? Nice score.

Wow, that is a beautiful Featherweight! I'd hunt it. That rifle is very nice! Congrats!

Yup! Hunt the hell out of it.
I've got the same rifle with a tad less figure in the wood and it deserves nothing less.
Great find.