Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Making a carbine - pre 64 standard vs classic sporter?

Looking to pick up a 270 or 30-06 to make into a carbine. Prefer the standard/sporter barrel profile. Would the pre 64 or the classic be better to cut to 19”?
Have a option to buy a classic for $550

If i cut a pre 64, it will be a previously altered specimen.

Are you primarily interested in just having a rifle with a shorter barrel, or are you trying to create something that looks like a factory carbine?

Either rifle (a 24" pre-64 sporter or a 24" or 26" classic rifle) will work just fine cut down to 20" (pre-64 carbines were 20"), but you will lose some accuracy and muzzle velocity. Personally, I would go with a pre-64 or post 2008 featherweight at 22" and save the cost and trouble of cutting and recrowning a longer barrel. The factory featherweight will be lighter and more accurate than either generation of model 70 cut down to 19" or 20".

Just picked up a baco Winchester 70 ultimate shadow in 270 for $450. Going to cut barrel from 24 down to 20 and put it into a wood Stock once I find one. Should make a handy deerstand gun with a little meat in the short barrel.

That should do the trick! It will definitely make a good brush/tree stand rifle. Good luck with it!

I have a pre 64 M70 carbine in 7MM and it's the handiest deer rifle I own.

You, sir, probably own one of the most valuable deer rifles of anyone on this forum. I know collectors who would sell their grandkids to own your rifle!

Thanks, it's my favorite M70.