Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors A rescued Pre 64 M70

I bought this at an estate sale a couple of years ago just because it was a 7MM carbine. It was rough finish wise but I thought it was still a serviceable rifle. After a few days I tried to load some shells and take it to the range but Bubba the gunsmith had struck. The shells wouldn't chamber. A trip to a real gunsmith showed some headspace issues and minor throat erosion where Bubba had tried to clean up the chamber. This was easily remedied by setting it back just a tad and some polishing of the chamber. But Bubba wasn't done he had jeweled the bolt,the extractor and magazine ramp. He also had cut the bolt knob in half and checkered that. Well in for a penny in for a pound so they say. I had the smith take the jeweling off reblue the extractor along with the barrel and refinish the stock and recut the checkering. These were in bad shape when I bought the gun anyway. He also worked his magic to make the bolt knob round again. It's not a "collector" gun but it did come out nicely and I even managed to take a deer this fall with it. It has quickly become a favorite and she's good for another generation or two.

Looks like a very nice job.

That really did turn out nice...the checkering looks really good to me. Don't know what it looked like before but appears to be a wonderful transformation!

Awesome rifle and it looks perfect. Very cool rifle, congrats on making it right.

Your rifle looks great, would you mind sharing the name and contact info of the 'smith who did the refinish work. Thanks.

Very nicely done! I love to see quality rifles like this brought back to life.

I've been a member here for quite awhile, trying to take it all in.
Seems appropriate my first post would be in the "Winchester Collector's" part of the forum.
Beautiful rifle and kudos for saving it. Not every Model 70 will be a high dollar collectible, but they're all worth saving.

Well played!

Beauty! Maybe not a collectors piece in some peoples eyes, but I'm sure there's others that would part with a significant sum of money to own it!

Very well done.

Your smith is a pretty talented fellow, very nice rifle, would be proud to own.

Nicely done. I have owned a lot of pre 64 M 70s, but have never even seen a 7mm Carbine.

donsm70

To bad Shrapnel isn't around to see this 7X57 Carbine, he has a fondness for the carbine M-70's. Winchester certainly could not have made many carbines in 7X57.

Very nice restoration. I have an original 1941 carbine in 7x57, but it was used and not so pretty!

Yes please, I'd like to know the name of the gunsmith capable and willing to do that level of work.

I own a few Winchester per-64 model 70`s love them all ! but I have just a regular one in a 30-06 and the gunsmith that owned it who was a great friend of mine,told his son to make sure I get this rifle after he died,well I plan on hunting deer with with this great old winchester in Minnesota next year. glad you also got a pre-64 best bolt rifle ever built or as said by a old legend Jack O`Conors wrote THE RIFLEMAN`S RIFLE !

Nothing wrong with that. Your smith did a fantastic job. Nice!!

Blue Book shows the 7x57 as the highest priced pre-64.

A 100% collector grade is $6K, the Carbine adding 50-100%.

So even one that has been restored is a keeper.

DF

awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the positive comments. Several have asked about the smith that did the refinishing. He's a very talented fellow but sometimes not a real people person. His name is Kip Wood and can be reached through his web site centralmichigangunsmithing.com. He's not a big fan of the phone but the number is 989-775-7040.

The last 7mm carbine I saw/held was in California about 17 years ago, it was for sale...$12,000. You've done well bringing that great one back to life, enjoy!

Very Nice! I'd have to bust a buck with that thing.

I tried but had to use it on a doe.

That will suffice nicely too!

It would make for a nice Aoudad / Axis rifle:)......but then so would many of the other ones. To many rifles not enough hunting:(

You did well!

Wow! nice restoration. I thinks it's neat you used it also for it's designed purpose. Deer Hunting.

Wow that is impressive! Well done and congrats! I'm jealous