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....pre 64 M70 you regret selling the most?

Yeah I know we would like to have them all back;but that's not an answer.

We've all bought and sold them. So which one would you like to have back the most if you could ?

That's so easy. It was a Super Grade in 7MM with just an outstanding piece of wood and a 95%+ gun that was over 15 years ago and I still miss that gun.

None yet. As long as I can keep my wife believing that's it's the same " old rifle" she's seeing every time I have one of them out, I'm golden:)
John

I do wish I had bought the 250-3000 I saw at the Helena gun show a couple years ago. I didn't know what the gun was worth, could have gotten it for $3000.00...

The only one I've sold, a .264 Featherweight. Accurate as hell and the nuclear muzzle blast/flash was awe inspiring. Doubled my money on it but still wish I'd kept it.

I have only sold one. Pre war standard in .270. Bought it for 450 back in 02 or 03 and sold it in 08. If I still had it, it wouldn't be a .270 anymore and would more than likely be a 35 whelen or 9.3x62. It is the only pre 64 I have ever bought and sold. I have kept the rest.

Just posted this in another thread:

Pre 64 70 FWT in .30-06. Unlucky rifle if I ever saw one in that it only showed you a Buck infrequently. Sold it then bought it back and it still had the same trait, so sold it again to a gun store.

SN482406 and if anyone out there owns it I would like to give it another chance.

I sold my best shooting pre 64 model 70 to EricM here. It is chambered in 30-06 (my favorite cartridge) and I'm eternally grateful it went to such a great guy. I'm also selling my 338 Alaskan to him. Now that one will have me kicking myself in the azz for a while. Thankfully I still have a good 338 in the stable

battue, that is funny. You sound like a guy on his 4th wife.

Yes,a transition M 70 in .270 Winchester.

Amen to that!!! Why do you think all of mine look alike...

Look at the bright side. Taking a rifle back doesn't cost you a house.

Very true!!!!!

Mine was a very nice .300 Win Mag and I ended up recently buying another one that is in even better condition.

Such is the life of a gun loony.

donsm70

A .375 H&H that 4 people want and have to correct change to buy, I never shot it , it has not been packed up yet, It is a fantastic SG that has had less than a box of ammo thru! I was afraid it would send me to Alaska or Africa ! Its like my dad told me about girls in my small town of 22K, you cannot have em all buddy! LMAzzO very best WinPoor

Winpoor that's a classic quote!

There are three that stand out in my head and it's a close call as to which wins.A pre war 30/06,all original that I bought when in my late teens and so "clean" it looked brand new in the LGS rack.Serial # 50,189 which I remembered all these years.

Or more recently a SG 264 Win Mag,that a widow sold to a friend and I ended up with it.

But the winner would be a 270 remodeled and stocked by Len Brownell for Bob Chatfield-Taylor and used by him on hunts here in NA with JOC and in Africa. I bought it from his son.Wish I had that one back for sure.

Don't worry BSA, I'm taking care of your babies!

My regret is a '55 Super Grade National Match 30-06 that I sold awhile back. Very rare combination, and the wood was outstanding. I didn't appreciate what I had at the time and let it go to chase another rifle. You live and learn!

Eric

Bob, that must have been PAINFUL to let go!

Eric

I have bought and sold a few M/70's over the years, two I regret letting go of are the .358 Featherweight I bought for $600.00 and a .257 Roberts Super Grade. I miss the .338 Magnum with Canjar trigger that was hands down the most accurate M/70 I've ever owned but like the .35 Whelen that replaced it.

Bob, as you know I've has a lot of pre 64 M70's pass through my hands, the 2 I miss the most are a 300 H&H supergrade, and most of all the Goudy 7x57, but I still have some great ones and like you, they're here to get used.
I feel a little better as another 300 H&H just showed up last night.

handwork The Goudy is gone? Ooohhh nnnooo! We need to discuss that next phone conversation...

Eric that isn't as bad as what he brought to my office after I bought the Brownell

It was the 7x57 G&H M70 that RCT's wife had built for him.That rifle is pictured in an old issue of Handloader's Digest with an article that RCT penned entitled "Notes on the 7mm's" or something like that. It was a beautiful little rifle.

But I had just bought the 270 and couldn't make myself pay the money at the time.

Yes selling the rifle was a faux pas...back then I had several customs and sort of took things for granted....youthful mistake.

That rifle actually popped up on Guns International within the last two years. It sold for substantially more than I payed for it but of course I bought it back in the 1980's.

Mr Eric, That gun is haunting me more than YOU, I had gone off the grid so to speak and totally missed ,had no idea you were selling . That gun is the Holy Grail to me!!!! very best WinPoor

I've owned quite a few pre 64's in the past but only have one custom pre war by Mark Penrod that I'll never sell.

I can think of quite a few I'd like to have back. I had a couple of featherweights with the al. buttplates in both 30-06 and 270. Both were great shooters.

Another was a pre war in 30-06 that was around 95% but had a hole drilled in the rear and had redfield mounts. It shot real well too and what a classy gun.

I've owned several more but the one I lusted after, years ago, was an early 375HH. My friend ended up with a 1950 model near mint.

The one I wished I'd never sold would be a pre war 270 with a Lyman from the factory and the rear receiver was not drilled. I bought it from a guy that inherited it from his dad, who had bought it new. This was at gun show and a friend and I had a table. Minty rifle. Bought it for $900 and sold it the same day for $1300. Quite a few years ago but I wish I had put that one under the table and kept it!

Way more than one. Always enjoyed chasing them. Sold many nice ones when prices spiked (I thought) several yrs. ago:

Unfired .458
MC Supergrades in Hornet, Roberts,.300 H&H, .375
Carbines in Hornet, .250/3000, .270
.300 Savage and .35 Rem Standards
7 M/M SG

Too many others to think about. All the above except the .300 Savage were absolutely mint guns. All were original. Had opportunities over the years to buy both 7.65 and 9 M/M Standards but did not because of paranoia about their history.

Wow! Nice!

I don't have any huge regrets about things I have sold. A few, but no huge ones.

I do think I have sold some things too cheap to people who I later decided weren't worthy of my generosity. On the other hand, I have flat given some guns away, and I don't think I regret any of those.

However, I do have some stuff I am hanging onto that logic tells me I should let go, and I haven't yet. If I had kids, hanging onto things would make more sense (or at my age, maybe have already passed them down.)

What I absolutely DO regret is some holes that got drilled and modifications made that did make sense at the time, but not so much now.

BobinNH: Over the years I have probably sold/traded 20+ pre-64 Winchester Model 70's that I now wish I had back - so that goes.
But the one I want back most or wish I hadn't traded off to begin with, was MINT condition pre-64 Model 70 African in 458 Winchester Magnum!
I bought and then sold this Rifle back in the mid 70's and indeed, I made a couple hundred bucks on it. But that Rifle, in that condition, has been irreplaceable for me - to date anyway.
That rued transaction took place back before "we" (Model 70 collectors) actually knew how really RARE the Model 70 Africans were!
Yeah I wish I had that one back.
Long live the Riflemans Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Haven't sold any. I plan to keep the one I own.

VG: Had a chance to buy a 458 from a friend....passed on it and sort of regret that.I can understand your regret. They were nice rifles!

We all knew that one would be the one you'd be kicking yourself in the azz over!!!!!

[quote=VarmintGuy]BobinNH: Over the years I have probably sold/traded 20+ pre-64 Winchester Model 70's that I now wish I had back - so that goes.
But the one I want back most or wish I hadn't traded off to begin with, was MINT condition pre-64 Model 70 African in 458 Winchester Magnum!
I bought and then sold this Rifle back in the mid 70's and indeed, I made a couple hundred bucks on it. But that Rifle, in that condition, has been irreplaceable for me - to date anyway.
That rued transaction took place back before "we" (Model 70 collectors) actually knew how really RARE the Model 70 Africans were!
Yeah I wish I had that one back.
Long live the Riflemans Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy [/quote

Probably regrets the Sadhawks crap he started too.
And won't face it nor apologize like he expected others to do.

True story. I lurked here a good while before I signed up. What got me off the fence was I had to sign up so I could PM Eric and make sure he understood what he had with that rifle. If I remember correctly, he was going to take it hunting. Nothing wrong with that, but I did want to make sure he understood that dinging that rifle was a much bigger $ deal than dinging a lot of other Pre '64 M70s. I didn't know what it was worth, but I was pretty sure it was a lot, and I got the idea that he didn't know what it was worth either. I think I got the message across, but geez, I didn't know he was going to haul off and SELL the darn thing!

I only have an almost. This 358 Win.





Works on varmints too.

!974, I was going to school in Tifton GA, ABAC and I worked at the Bull test station, A big ole boy that worked with me had his Dads pre 64 Win Mag ( 458)and wanted to sell it, I told him to bring it and a handfull of bullets, I shot that big SOB 3 times, I may have weighted 150 lbs wet! That SOB kicked me so hard I told him he would have to pay me to take it! If I had only known!!!!! very best WinPoor

tmitch, always like reading your posts. You can take some pops with my .264 Win Mag if you want, if you ever make it to the south of south.. for nostalgia reasons, of course.

Best Wishes,
LD

OH man, now we know the whole story. It was really your fault!!!!!

I was being born that year... Geesh...

I was being born that year... Geesh... [/quote]

Yeah, well I was young yesterday, and you will be old tomorrow. Time flies . . .PUNK!

Ha ha...

You shot your dog?!?!

Man, I bought a very nice bull barrel 220 Swift with a 12x Redfield at an estate auction for $475. The ad in the paper for the auction only stated "rifle".

It would cut bullet holes at 100 yards with factory ammo, but I decided it was too heavy for my taste, and sold it for a good profit, but I'd sure like it back now.

He was a stray.

The 70 in 257 Roberts that I shot a bear with in 1969. It was the only CF rifle that I could find ammo for and the bear was tearing up our bee hives, so it had to go. My Father ripped me a new a$$hole for shooting a new rifle, it still had the hanging tags on it, but my Mother was glad that she didn't have to find more bees to pollinate the orchard. Within weeks, the bee hives got their own concrete pad and chain-link enclosure, so bears could look and lust, but they couldn't get it.

Ed that's the nicest 358 that I've seen!



260: Was that a NH bear you shot?

A late 1950's M70 standard chambered in 243 WIN - nice gun. Back then I had little use for light rounds, now I like them.

Yes, in Plainfield, in May.

Cool!

If I did that today, I would probably be denounced by a legion of bear-huggers and a sack of letters to the editor in the Valley News would be calling for my villainous hide. What many "city folks" don't understand is that without honey bees, orchards don't get pollinated and without pollination, there won't be much of an apple crop. They conveniently forget that apples come from orchards, not from grocery stores.

Yeah....I get it. Much of NH has gone the route of Vermont today. Lots of bunnie huggers in both places.But at least it isn't as pervasive north of the Notch.

Yes, the closest Starbucks to Berlin is in North Conway, so civilization is creeping north.

I haven't been north of the notch in some time, but have eaten a few meals at Welch's in Gorham and Town & Country in Shelburne. It appears that the places that I've eaten in Colebrook and Errol are no longer in business. IIRC, those places were thick with French-Canadian loggers eating french fries with brown gravy, with seems to be unique to Quebec.

I still have my one and only Alaskan.. No plans to part with it, only to give it some company..

beretz that will be the last rifle you'd ever sell....

Hey, I saw that movie now... Come on..

You are starting to sound like all the other guys I know that own the Alaskan!!!!!! Why do you think it took me so long to find mine??

Hell yeah. 9525 of them and they aren't making any more.
Needs a .264 to keep it company.
It would really be interesting to see how many Alaskans are still out there.
I suspect there's a lot less than the original amount built. Some residing on the bottom of lakes and rivers. Others torn down for the actions. Some burnt up in house fires..etc etc.

Only place this one is going is to Alaska to hunt moose this fall. I may hunt with my Kimber Montana in 338 because Alaska is so wet and I'm worried about what a 14 day hunt will do to it...

Bad pics but she's about 95%

Hoogie.
Mines 494xxx and the very same dark finish stock.
Sweet rifle!

Mine is 483XXX I like the earlier Alaskans the best, they still have the wider checkering pattern on the forearm.

I'd say, please leave the old girl at home and take your montana. I know it seems stupid, to leave the Alaskan home when you are going to Alaska and take the Montana to Alaska. Does that make any sense??? ..... Beauuuuuuuuutiful rifle to, by the way. I really like it!!!! Mr. Beretzs will be along shortly and drool all over his computer... I'm hoping EricM's Alaskan looks like that when it's done!!!!!!!

These one's thrive on moose and bear blood.
Carry it and slay on!

BSA, I'm leaning that way.

Seems a shame to have that great,big rifle and not shoot a moose with it...

You did screw up my Winchester friend if it were the Varminter ,sporter stock Swift Winchester only made 904, mine will be the second to last to go at the end of my days! very best WinPoor

Hoogie that is a very nice rifle. I have been to Alaska twice, the first time I took a custom stocked Ruger in 280. The stock was finished except for the checkering. When I returned the stock was refinished and checkered. The second time I took a Ruger 338 synthetic. It rained for 12 of the 14 days. Alaska is a wonderful place but it's hard on guns. If you take the Montanna and it needs to be refinished so what If that M70 takes a lot of abuse well that's a different story.

Hoogie, you can take that Winchester on Alaskan hunt though that will take toll on value and desirability. Winchester fellas much like Parker Bros., Colt,.....like crisp, original little used or like new specimens. I don't collect guns as stamps and coins are more portable entities that can be sold world wide plus are also nice to stare at.

Yup,use it.

For myself, first pre 64 I had was a mid 50's 06 fwt, all original in pretty nice shape. Sold it to fund a 25-06 build, which turned out to be a bust!
I'd be quite happy to have it back, easily the nicest pre 64 I have had, out of 4.
If it had been a 270 and shot as well I wouldn't have done the build!

I have 2 rifles just like that and you'd have to break both my arms to get them away from me!!!!

Now Bob, you know those rifles where only made to look at and never where all that good for cutting tags. It's urban legend they were actually a great hunting rifle. Best leave it in the safe.

You take a 95% condition rifle out into the Alaska wilderness and come back with a 80% rifle, who's the dummy then?????? That's why I don't mind hunting mine because none of them are 95% condition or "all original"... . Try finding a nice Alaskan that's all original and get back to me. Let alone finding one at a decent price.

Price of a 95% Alaskan.....about $2000.00
Price of a photo with an Alaskan moose taken with a .338 Alaskan?
Priceless.
Granted I might not take a minty SG hunting polar bear but I sure wont hesitate to take a 1960ish standard Alaskan hunting.
Hell if we leave them in the safe's we might as well all collect English bone china.

If I can realistically afford an Alaskan Moose hunt, the price drop on that rifle ain't going to bother me for a second. What is that hunt going for these days? Pushing 15 K plus before all the extras? Might as well do it up right if pre64s are your thing. Double winks!!!!


You ever buy a new car?

Isn't it ironic, as some have already mentioned, that the rifle is named the Alaskan? In Terry Wieland's "Dangerous Game Rifles" (2nd ed.) he notes that Alaska can be much harder on rifles than Africa. He also mentions how popular the new at the time M70 was in Alaska because there was now an American made .375 (this was way before the M70 .338 Alaskan.) He then goes on to mention how the M70 .375 was to some degree replaced by the Ruger M77 in .338WM, mostly because some dealer imported truckloads of them and sold them at fairly low prices. Seems the people treated the Rugers to a large degree as "use and replace as necessary." Not too many years ago, Ruger brought out a rifle they named the Alaskan, and judging by the features, it was pretty clear they understood the hardships rifles faced in Alaska. But it is no longer in the catalog, so maybe they didn't have it completely figured out, as least as far as what people would buy. And, useful as it was or not, it certainly didn't have the class a M70 Alaskan has. Not even close.

But that looks thing can go the other way too. To get a little more back on topic of "The One", my first bolt rifle was a Ruger M77 .270 bought new in about 1975. I still have it, and it is a tack driver. But a Classic Stainless Fwt. .270, assuming it shoots, will replace the Ruger, mostly because I have so come to love the M70, and because Winchester had the good sense to make the Classics and Classic Stainless rifles. But at the time, I bought the Ruger because the offerings from Winchester and Remington were white-lined-pad, big-cheek-piece, skip-lined checked, etc. gaudy/ugly to me. And even today, there is nothing at all wrong with the looks of an early M77. I was in school at the time and didn't have a lot of dough, but THE ONE I should have bought would have been to scratch up the funds for a nice Pre '64 Fwt. .270. I don't know what it would have cost me, but I'm sure it would look like a hell of a deal today, and I know I would still have it!

You aren't kidding about that Bob. I cheated with mine and put a McMillan on it, but I can't think of a better over .270 caliber rifle out there for hunting elk/moose/bear.



If the wood would have been uncracked, it would probably still be in the wood stock, but I have been very pleased with the incredible consistency of the McMillan and 338.. Just shot it a few weekends ago with the 225 PT's and RL17.. It was zeroed in September for 250 yards and I put three of them into about 1.5" at 250 yards.. I smiled and stuck it back in the gunsock..

Hoogie, beautiful rifle buddy.. That is all class right there. I say to hunt it.. They seem like they thrive in the wild reaches of North America..

The 338 Is a wonderful cartridge and I have shot a lot of big critters with mine. Alaska is HARD on gunstocks no doubt about it. Things to consider IMHO A) If you take it and it need refinishing when you return will that bother you? B) will the hard use take away from the pristine condition and if so will that bother you? C) Have you considered using a synthetic stock for this hunt thus preserving the original?

And we will all be dead and $1000 will mean nothing. Amazing the number of people who are afraid to live while they have the chance.

There is validity to both sides of the argument. I'll be doing a self guided moose hunt so the price will be far less than the going rate for a guided hunt. I'm going to shoot them both and let them decide.

I just bought or cherry picked 6 guns out of an Idaho collection, 4 or 5 were NIB or crate guns, I bought them to get and keep a 338 win mag that was ordered from factory with regular irons plus a redfield peep,I l also scored 120 rounds of the old Fail Safe 230 gr Black box Winchester ammo that had been sitting on the shelf 10 + years, I also bought 2 boxes of 338 win mag Rem core locks that was at local pawn shop, the top box was where the sun could come thru window, it had sat there so long that the top box was discolored, 22 /box! I figure I will use the core locks to zero the gun, Im thinking of putting a very nice old Doctor 6X scope on the gun, Im afraid of messing the wood up so Im going to put the gun in an Echolds edge? This is after consulting with Mr BSA... The gun has not been shot since Winchester shot it and stamped the WP on it... I will post photos as soon as I figure out how to get photos off the camera into computer and on to that pain in the azz photobucket!!! I went ahead and sold the almost new .375 H&H SG as I just could not see myself going to Africa IF Im going to feed cattle every day and I have an addiction that eats up all money that would finance the AK or Africa trip..... Ive tried that 12 point plan and Im on step 13, about the best I can do is come to this site and talk to you guys., I can give up ( pussy cats)all but one woman (61 helps that), I can give up whiskey, I can give up strong pain killers, I cannot whip Winston smokes and Winchester pre 64 model 70's and cattle.... I am hopeless!!!!! If any of you guys have cure please PM or Email at abrockcattlecogmail.com .... It all started with a 1935 model 67 that my GreatGrandfather talked about at the supper table and rode a model T to Pelham GA, Hand Trading Co and bought( 7 or 9 dollars and change). The gun taught me how to shoot! It is so worn out that you have to put thumb on bolt and push forward while pulling the trigger as the metal is worn off so much that the firing pin will not hit hard enough to set it off.... 10 Semi truck and trailers could not haul the hogs,steers, rattlesnakes,frogs, rats, hawks ( Grandmother raised Turkeys and chickens for neighbors, the hawks had to go!) any varmint ,coons ,squirrel both cat and fox, bobcats ,fox even mercy killing my 16 year old Bulldog after the 5th rattlesnake got him in the head and he was to old to over it( Grandmother Brock cooked him a hoecake of cornbread and crumbled it up in buttermink trying to save him)! The gun has 'Done it all) and started my Winchester journey and I do not know how to end it except be pushed off in the hole one day next to Dad and Granddad ! I must be doing a little better as Ive not cleaned the cosmoline off the crate gun, 300 H&H and with just the turn of 2 big thumb screws mounted a 24X Unertl Ultra Varmint and checked out Winchesters Quality Control from 1960 or 61, Ive not had it out of the stock BUT Im willing to bet anyone here the barrel is an early 50's cut rifled off the shelf to put the dog dam thing together in 60's. Very Best, If any of you fine Winchester folks have the 'CURE' PM or Email LMazzO WinchesterPoor

WinPoor we are in the same boat so to speak. I have failed the 12 step program so many times if I want to attend one it has to be from out of state. In addition to Pre64 M70's I have a strong lust for Parker shotguns esp small bore guns so increase the expense and custom rifles as you know. Throw in the odd Colt or vintage S&W 22 handgun. I'm still in mourning over the 375 but found a nice M70 in 300 Savage and a Purdey hammer gun.

Mr GSP, You just hang on and stay healthy, Im going to come up with something that will make you throw rocks at that .375! That is a promise my friend!!! very best WinPoor

winchesterpoor: For the Echols Legend, get the Standard fill or magnum fill for your 338; not the Edge fill.At least that's how I'd do it.

I have no worries in that dept at all. At 62 women aren't a concern just ask my wife I don't drink much enjoy a GOOD cigar occasionally hunt as often as I can work as little as possible and buy as many guns as I can. Someone will ask me How many guns do you have? Reply "More than I need but not as my as I want".

Thanks Mr Bobin NH, I want to KNOW from you guys that already KNOW! I do not want to ding or crack this new stock! thanks the most as I want you Western or big bore guys advise!!!!
Now for another Question, WHO would you get to inlet and paint stock? I hear very good things out of Chad Dixion, Long Rifles Inc. My Gunsmith FFL is great but up to his eyeballs in alligators with work, he has 2 of my projects allready.... very best and thanks in advance. WinPoor

I would buy the STANDARD not magnum fill in any synthetic stock for the modest-kicking of the fabulous .338WM. I have seven rifles so chambered in synthetics and have had three others with NO issues except wanting MORE!

Magnum filled stocks are TOO heavy and a .338 that goes 10 lbs. is a club to pack in the mountains from experience.

SNAP yes. Standard fill....just threw magnum in there....point being I would not go Edge. Not so much a recoil issue for the shooter, but stock resonance/vibration etc.for best accuracy with the magnum case. Anything 300 magnum and up would get standard fill

winpoor I hear great things about Chad Dixon but never had work done by him.

Couldn't he find a used/cracked wood stock on eBay or even from someone here, then get that bedded/polyed/epoxied up ready to go as the hunting rig?

Just store the good stock in the background somewhere.

I thought I was crazy when I felt that resonance (vibration) with my EW in the edge stock. I don't get that with my standard fill hunters compact pre 64 fwt 270 win and it balances perfectly. Definitely a win win situation !! Good advice Bob..

I know you weren't asking me, but the beauty in going to a good synthetic stock is you loose weight over the factory wood stock 9 times out of 10. The synthetic stock will be much more impervious to the weather and also be stronger. If one were more of a traditionalist, he could search out a good used wood stock and turn it into a hunter with no problems. For those, I always like to pillar/glass bed them too.