Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Price check on a nice national match

Win 70 lovers, I have been working with a good fellow for 2 mos on a supposed 90+% safe queen National Match in my favorite do all 30 govt 06, I am still licking sore toes for missing out on Mr Erics' SG MN. IF the gun is 90% what money tops do you folks feel is fair to buyer AND seller? This gun and the BULL will complete my 06 collection on pre 64 mod 70- 06's. Pre war, transition, type 3 and featherweight, target are in safe, I need the NM and Bull to finish my quest, then the hunt is on for transition SG. very best and thanks in advance for honest opinions.... winPoor

According to my little red book, a NM in 90% condition is worth $2,373.00. A 98-100% condition is valued at $3,390.00. One thing worth noting, I don't run across the NM rifles at the local gunshows. I've seen just about every other flavor of the model 70, but the NM seems to be a rare bird. Good luck with it buddy and post some pics if/when you get it...

Yea those NM are hard to come buy I've never seen one in the flesh, just on the computer. It's also one of those I am a little leery about, because the differences small, all you would need to do to fake one is slap a standard grade 30-06 into a target stock and bam you have what looks like a NM. I know this is a drastic over simplification, but with a little work you could trun a 700 dollar gun in the a 2000-3000 dollar gun. Best of luck I hope you get it, and +1 for pics. I have no opinion on value, but I would trust BSA he is pretty on it.

Winchesterpoor: I am glad someone else answered your question directly.
I also am of the opinion that these Rifles are very rare in untampered with/original condition and are very seldom seen as such anymore.
I would rate both of my National Match Rifles at better than 95% condition and are all original, and I would not consider selling either of mine for less than $3,500.00!
According to the learned, handsome and dynamic Roger Rule the percentage of total production of pre-64 Model 70 Rifles that were National Match style came to 00.34%!
So indeed the National Match is one of the rarest styles of Model 70 - the only two RARER styles being the Model 70 African and the rarest being the Model 70 Supergrade Featherweights!
Total production of the Model 70 National Match Models was 1,971 Rifles, and of those I doubt if less than 50% of those are not "modified" in some way!
Best of luck to you on your "negotiations".
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

AguyinAK: I have to disagree with your contention on ones ability to easily turn a "regular 24" barreled pre-64 Model 70 in caliber 30/06 into a National Match pre-64 Model 70!
First of all you have to have/find one of the VERY, VERY hard to find pre-64 Model 70 National Match Marksman style stocks!
And seondly (but not lastly!) you have to have an action that has a "clip slot" in it!
These are also quite hard to come by nowadays!
There are other subtle but distinctive changes from a Standard Rifle Model 70 and the National Match Model 70 but those first two "hurdles" are so hard to "over-come" that I think few folks would try to "counterfeit" a National Match - not saying this has never been ATTEMPTED but a non-original "National Match" should be easily discerned by even a newer Model 70 collector!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Ive worked with 2 NM guns, not easy to fake at all, aside from clip slot the front sight is a whole different configuration,no place for a sight hood either. I think the NM also has the upside down T stamped on trigger same the targets,A marksman stock for the 'dog knot' barrel does not show up every day IF ever!! I have been dealing with this guy many moons and get a 3 day inspection at,by my FFL. In addition to Mr Rules book an Optivisor with the binocular was the best money I have spent!My FFL's bore scope tells all as well! I will post photos next week.I do not mind paying market for a real nice original mod 70 I have lucked out and bought several well under market and I am sure I have paid over a time or 3. I do get a little sick when I think back over the BULL guns I passed on in the mid 90's Mr Shuman offered, still in wood shipping crate, 30-06, 300 H&H and the one I really crybaby over was a 300 win mag Bull gun! The hunt is half the fun.....Im just thanking the good Lord for the rain and cattle prices!!! very best guys WinPoor

Good post VG. I agree with you in that if I had a nice NM rifle (95% condition), "I would not sell it for less than $3,500.00"...I'd probably be hard pressed to let one go for $4,000.00 if I had one because I know they are rare. You are a lucky man to have 2 of them!!!

Agreed but I don't consider an African style, just a SG in a different caliber. Kind of like calling a 264 a Westerner.

I'm betting one of the reasons there were so few made is that the only people who would buy one over a target barreled gun are people who actually shot the competition that required the lighter weight guns. And target shooters are notorious for modifying their guns.

I had a NM and it was neat just because I knew how rare it was but I couldn't see buying a light barreled target gun over a heavy barrel unless required to for actual use.

I have only handled 2 National Match guns, an early and a late 50's. My question being,are not all of them clip slotted like the regular targets and pre war std 30-06's. TIA WinPoor

Well I stand corrected on the fakery, hope all goes well and we get to see the pics for your new gun.