Here is a some interesting arithmetic, and an observation. From 1935 to 1963, 29 years inclusive, Winchester made 581471 Model 70 rifles.
Ingnoring things like peak production years and the low production WWII years, you get 20051 rifles per year.
Figuring in some holidays, if we go with 50 weeks a year, we get 401 per week.
Assume a 40 hour week, and you get a nice round 10 per hour, or a rifle every 6 minutes.
If they worked double shifts, you still get a rifle every 12 minutes.
In 1953, I believe the peak production year, they made 43905. 50 weeks, 40 hour week, works out to a Model 70 every 164 SECONDS.
Now, maybe some of my assumptions are off, but them's the numbers. Plus, Winchester was building other guns at the time.
Point is, those folks were busy, yet we worry that a digit is a bit off on a barrel stamp. Now, I realize things like that out of line digit and such are all we have at times to spot a fake. But you must admit those numbers add an interesting perspective.
Last edited by GunDoc7; 12/11/18.
