I have two pre 64 Model 70 featherweight aluminum buttplates. The one on my known to be original 1953 Model 70 is a bit thinner than the other and the sides are not bright aluminum, they are dark. It is aluminum though or so it seems. The other one is the prototypical aluminum plate with the thicker brighter sides that we see in most pictures. Did these featherweights come with buttplate variations? I know they came with bolt variations as some are not hollowed out, like on my early 53, while later bolt handles were drilled out. Any insight on buttplates appreciated,

The Featherweight used 3 different buttplates/pads over the pre 64 span. The first was the familiar aluminum piece that appeared identical to the steel version used on the standard weights. It was anodized black and its sides were always silver since it was sanded to match the stock profile after installation. I have only seen one version of this particular buttplate. As far as I know they were all the same.
The second was the flat plastic version which was also used on the standard rifles. This was started in the late 50's.
The only other was the vented recoil pad, marked "Winchester" and used solely on the 264 featherweight through out its production.
Steve

Thanks, that is what I thought but I have an aluminum buttplate on my 1953 featherweight that definitely has black sides on it (over the aluminum). It is like it was never sanded to fit. I can see the aluminum under the black sides where it has been nicked but it looks more like the steel buttplates on regular 70's and 71's. Odd I guess, but true. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

If the black sides don't appear to be the same finish and color as the anodized portion, then someone colored it with something.
It may have been an attempt to hide the potentially shiny aluminum. Not a big deal and easily rectified.

I am trying to upload some pics to highlight the differences but photobucket seems to be down.

Let's see if this works

Here is a comparison to my other plate. Pretty easy to see the difference and I am 99.99% sure the plate on the rifle is original to the rifle (the rifle is near mint) and unaltered. They are clearly different profile but both are aluminum.

Someone took it off and painted it.

Don't know why it would be thinner.

I don't think it is painted. The picture makes it look gray but it really isn't. The finish looks identical to that on the "traditional plate". I wonder if the fit was just so good that they left it alone without having to shape it. Oh well, there are many Winchester mysteries. Maybe a different subcontractor or something. I know there are variations in these pre 64 featherweights as Winchester had a habit of doing what they needed to do to get rifles out the door. Cwertianly true of their M1's during WW2. Thanks for the replies.

As far as I know all the parts of M70's were made in house. Even screws. Are you sure it's aluminum?

Something has been done to the "painted" version. I guess the Rule book comes out tonight.