Ran across an extremely clean M70 in 270 WIN this afternoon (at a pawn & gun). Has a vintage, but unusual, scope mount system on it - quick release - but one hole drilled in center of receiver (left side) and two holes in the front & rear action ring (right side). What type of mount is this and was it ever a factory item? I think not, but the shop owner thinks so. Thanks!

That's definitely a wild/primative? looking setup. I'm no kind of old school expert but thought I'd seen a pretty varied array of the older mount systems- this one is new to me.
That drilled up receiver makes my head hurt:)
John

I have seen a lot of mounts, but I have never seen that one. It looks like some sort of quick detach system.

Is there a name or logo anywhere on the mount?

That is a really nice M70, except for the extra holes. They don't hurt the functionality, but they pretty well hammer the collector value.

I'm curious about serial number. Since it looks like the mount was put on a virtually new rife, if we assume/guess it was done when the rifle was just purchased, it might give some indication of the vintage of the mount.

F ucking idiots drilling the f uck out of these old pre 64's makes my head hurt too!!!!~

BSA, to be fair, many times the extra holes are for what were at the time state of the art mounts, the G&H side mount being a great example. So, back in the day, some guy buying one of the best READILY AVAILABLE rifles for sale put a high quality state of the art mount on it and went hunting. I would hardly call him an f'ing idiot.

As long as I don't have to pay collector prices for a no longer high collector value rifle, a tack driver with a few holes in it wouldn't bother me so much.

But, drilling an original today would make my head hurt too. Maybe even explode. I'm right with you on that.

You do some very nice glass bedding. I hope you don't bed untouched original stocks, even though one can argue doing so makes the stock better.

If I'm going to shoot them, I bed them. You might think Im a fn idiot for that, but it's very likely I will not sell the rifles I have left. None of my rifles are perfect and that's the way I like them, but I damn sure wouldn't buy a pre 64 that has been drilled like the one posted here. I wouldn't have one drilled either. The best ones were already drilled and tapped . Not enough time in the day to chat with you good Winchester lovers. Working 6 days a week and rebuilding a transfer case on my '04 GMC in the off time . You guys have a great weekend..

i also have a barrel of a pre 64 the marking on bottom 37 25R .their are two holes across the chamber about 1/2 inch forward of tread they look to be 1 inch center to center.anybody ever see this before the barrel ? george

I didn't write the serial number down, but in another photo I can read 9827? - putting it in late 1948 to early 1949. I've never seen this particular scope mount before - I do believe it's vintage to the gun when it was new. Scope appears to be a Weaver, but there are no stampings on the scope or the mounts. It is a quick release design - the lever on the side allows the scope to pivot out of the way of the iron sights.

Not looking for a fight. Just gently offering perspective. The guy who had that rifle drilled and tapped, probably well before 1964 and before that rifle had collector value, may not be alive anymore, and may have died owning that rifle. You may never sell any of your rifles, but none of us are going to live forever.

You are altering items of known collector value. BUT I would never call you an idiot for doing so. You do nice work, it is your property, and you have made an informed decision about what is important to you.

I'm simply offering the perspective that sometime in the future someone will likely say something negative about the guy that "ruined" that stock.

I damn sure would buy that rifle for the right price, and I bet you would too. We might even be pretty close on what the right price is.

Working 6 days a week . . . Make money when you can.

Good luck with the transfer case. The case on my 1999 Suburban was made of magnesium. Why in hell they thought they needed to use magnesium on a big assed Suburban is beyond me. Anyway, there is a design flaw where a part inside rubs a hole in the case, you lose lubricant, and there goes the internals. My transmission guy rebuilt mine, in a new or used case (I forget which) and said there was a fix for the design flaw. Not sure what the deal is with yours, but wanted you to be aware in case that was an issue with your '04 that you may not know about.

Thanks my friend. I caught mine in time. I installed the BRNY plate for the pump rub problem and also upgraded/updated the bearings. Some of those plastic housed bearings are known problem childs. Magnesium is very light, but the aluminum is tougher so the pump will rub a hole right thru it if it's not caught in time. My wife's 99 suburban may be the next one to get the BRNY plate. Sorry, I'm not looking for a fight either and messing with you guys about the drilling and mounts. The original owner was doing what he thought was right at the time. I'm sure he hunted it and loved it just the same as we do ours... Hey gundoc, you may want to keep an eye on your 99 burbs reaction sun shell too. I had to replace the one in my wifes at 80,000 miles. Very easy fix to put in a Beast and never have to worry again. $52.00 part and about $100.00 for fluids ...Damn GM's!!!

Cabelas in Anchorage had pre 64 in a 300 H&H you want to cry after you saw all the holes (someone many many many yrs ago) drilled on the side for a side mount I think their was at least 5. It was a real shame oh well people back in those days didn't think those rifles would be worth anything back then...

I believe the G&H side mount installed correctly used three screws and two pins. They were serious about that thing staying put!

Tell 'em it is $200 per hole and they need to knock $1K off the asking price!

Oh it was priced at $950 bucks still too much cause it looked like [bleep]

I think for $950 I'd still buy it and use it as it was intended for a hunting rifle. Those holes can be filled if they really bother you.

Here is an extra hole story that will send you to the bar. I bought a Pre 64 M70 at an auction several years ago in 7MM. After a few days I checked the chamber as I was going to work up a load for it. I couldn't chamber a round in it! Some idiot drilled a hole through the chamber then tried to clean it up with a reamer that took out the rifling on one side. I rebarreled it to another caliber. What a shame that was:(

I have preached the same lines that GunDoc7 penned for many years. I never had a need to bed a model 70. I have owned dozens over the years and every one would shoot under 1 1/2" and many shoot 3/4". As a hunting rifle I see no need for more accuracy. I don't know if I was just lucky or was this type of accuracy commonplace. We are only temporary owners of anything. I never was a believer in the common belief "its mine and I will do whatever I want to". The Mona Lisa, the statue of David, and original copies of the Declaration of Independence were all privately owned over the years. Can you imagine the previous owners painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa, have the David statue surgically enhanced, and the Declaration used as a bookmark? I was guilty of many crimes against antiquities over the decades. I ruined dozens, yes dozens of antique knives by over cleaning and "shining them up". I ruined many old Winchesters in my youth. I have finally, and too late, learned the errors of my way. I fully expect a hotseat in hell for my transgressions.

I believe the mount is a Kesselring mount (1940's). I've heard of them but don't own any. Nick Stroebel's book on old rifle scopes shows one on page 321 of my book.

I bed mine, because they are mine and I'll damned well do what I want with them ... Just sayin:



I'll especially bed the heavy kickers because I like shooting my rifles and not just talking about them. While some of you guys keep yours in original condition and the stock cracks out on you, you'll understand why I do this. Ask some of the 338 and 375H&H owners (let alone the early 458 win mags) that the stocks have cracked on. I also like rescuing old pre 64's and sprucing them up, especially ones that have already been modified. My 338 win mag is a good example of such a rifle:

Please don't anyone go confusing what I wish people would or would not do with me trying to tell them what they should or should not do. That slope is too slippery for me.

However, if you bed the ones with holes in the metal, they will shoot little bitty groups and kill the hell out of stuff too.

I think you are spot on! A drilled receiver ring on top of rear bridge for modern scope base on a pre war I can live with but Im damn sure going to discount it when I buy it, a problem excuse gun in is the same going out! I love pre war guns.the side mount, even G&H remind me of tattoos on a good looking woman! Im not talking about the discrete rose bud or humming bird in the right place, that is like the 1 or 2 hole rear bridge D&T, the side mount holes remind me of the gal with the bull and bull rider getting bucked off all over her back! at 61 I would have to think now just how many have ridden this thing!!! LOL its all good to each his own... very best WinPoor

BSA no one can argue with the accuracy your getting with the bedded guns.

WP regarding the tattoo, a butterfly on a 20 year old might be appealing to some but at age 60 that butterfly has turned into a buzzard:)

Winpoor's analogy question of "just how many have ridden this thing!!!" is good sense in general, but does kind of fall apart on the rifle that started this thread. That rifle looks like it had that crazy mount put on it when new and then the whole deal spent most its time in a closet.

It was probably a state of the art mount when new, the best of the best. My how things change over time.

That gun would make a fine hunting gun, Im willing to bet it has had less than a 100 rounds thru it! I would want to be in there at about 700 max, put yourself a good 4.5x14 x 40mm AO -leupold and never miss a whitetail till the end of days! very best WinPoor

Thanks gents for all the leads, ideas, and comments!

Yep, I drive Toyotas and just donated my 22 year old Corolla,never a problem except one Bendix spring and it was in BC mountains a lot.

Had a 84 4 cyl 4x4 for 11.5 years of harsh use and it was running like a good watch when some subhuman stole it....cant beat em, my new 2014 Taco SR5 4x4 is nicer on the freeway than most cars and is a GOAT on 100+ yr old mining trails.

Now, I *think* that mount, have seen ONE 50s .300H&H drilled for it, may have come from Kesselrings or maybe Kuharsky and back when I was a kid, guys modded guns as they were and ARE tools.

I bedded my once unfired Alaskan .338 as it cracked and I need to use it, then put it into a good synthetic.