I ended up with a heavy barreled model 70 through a trade deal, and I hoping some of you more knowledgable Winchester guys can help me with some information.

According to the serial number it was made in 1960, it has a 26" heavy barrel and is chambered in 243.

I guess I have three main questions:

1) the barrel is drilled and tapped at the front, and above the printing on the barrel. The spacing and placement of these holes doesn't seem right for sights - is this factory, and if so for some weird scope mount or?

2) the stock doesn't have a wide "varmint/target" forearm, but rather a forearm that looks like a typical sporter. Is this normal or was the stock swapped out?

3) and lastly are these heavy barrels common? Uncommon? Sought after, or avoided?

Excuse the picture, I'm not sure why the wood looks so shiney, it isn't in the flesh.

1) Your rifle had no sights and originally came with scope blocks that were
mounted on the front bridge and barrel.
2) The stock you describe is correct, similar to a Fwt stock in that it doesn't
have provisions for a forearm screw. Appears to be an earlier gun as it has the larger
checkering pattern.
3). There were 5,518 Varmint rifles produced. 4614 in 243 Win. and the
remainder in 220 Swift.
Your rifle appears to be in very nice shape, someone definitely wants it.
Hope this helps....

Thanks, that helps, and puts my mind at ease.

I should clarify that I don't have the box. This is a random box it came shipped in.

Bigj: I consider the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Varmints to be be highly desirable and very collectible (valuable!) when in excellent original condition like yours appears to be!
Congrats on such a nifty and desirable Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Very Nice Rifle.

My thought exactly. I'd like to know what the first 3 digits are on the serial #. That would clear up any question on DOM. It wouldn't be the first time that someone has told us their rifle is a certain year made and they find out they are dead nutz wrong.... . However, maybe we are just seeing things. But I too think that's an older stock. Probably closer to a '56-'58...

First three are: 502

Yep, that sounds like you are correct on the year of manufacture. That's going off the top of my head, it may even be a 1961 model. Someone with a Rules book will confirm this..

I ordered a new M70 Varmint 243 about 1959 for both hunting and target shooting. The drill and tap on the top front of the barrel would mount a sight block that would take an 'iron' sight.

I did well with the rifle in iron sight 'big bore' matches as it was very accurate and had light recoil. The competition was shooting big .30's.

I still have the rifle. The 243 barrel wore out but a buddy had a new M70 barrel for it in 220 Swift. So now it's a Swift.

While the rifle was very good in matches I never did get all that many chucks or varmints with it.

Nice, depending on what part of the country you're from, I'd get some 87 gr Hornadys HP's, a 6.5-20 Leupold and lay waste to some varmints post haste.

BigJ, it's a very desirable rifle.

Unless there is a problem with the barrel (shot out), or unless you traded something worth more than $1500 or thereabouts, you did just fine on your trade.

From the pictures, you have a great example of a not-so-common Winchester catalog rifle. And a fun one to shoot as well!

Enjoy,

Justin

I'll bet it is a tack driver...

Thanks to everyone. The bore looks clean, with no signs of pitting or erosion (to my naked eye - for whatever that's worth).

December 1960.

Looks like you got yourself a nice little hammer!

PM Sent