[quote=Poconojack]
Never catalogued.
Without a factory letter to document its provenance, I am highly skeptical of rare cataloged and any non-cataloged configuration firearm. There are plenty of counterfeit pre-'64 Winchesters out there waiting for a gullible buyer who has money and wants to believe the story. I believe that reputable sellers who handle rare guns should care enough to document provenance before offering them for sale. When supposedly knowledgeable gun people are offering rare guns without supporting documentation, I always ask myself why and what are they hiding.
Very little (if any) documentation exists for almost all pre64 M70’s. VO’s and a few notable special order guns are the only exception’s.[/quo
In the absence of factory documentation, I'd want a letter from a recognized expert to validate that it is what it appears to be. A rare, highly collectable rifle in a non-cataloged configuration without any provenance raises red flags for me. The are probably as many unscrupulous people in the used gun business as there are in the used car business.
When I bought a rifle that was sold to me as having belonged to Larry Koller, I reached out to Larry's son, Paul, to seek confirmation that it truly was his father's property. Fortunately for me, Paul recognized the rifle and provided me with a signed letter attesting to its authenticity.
