Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 70 Pre 64 Featherweight 243 and optic dilemma

My dad finally found what has been the Holy Grail rifle for him. He loves his 30-06 Featherweight and has hunted a lot with that rifle over the years, but as he's getting older, he's wanted to get a light 243 for a deer rifle. He's been temped to just go out and buy a new plastic stocked rifle of another brand, but I convinced him to hold off, that's its not like we are in urgent need of a new rifle, and that eventually we'd find a "nice" 243 for him.

He finally found what's he was looking for and I'm thrilled to see him so happy: A 1956 made rifle in really nice shape. The finish isn't even worn on the floor plate and only a few scratches on the stock. Looking closer, there are some scratches around the buttplate. From the wear I'm betting this rifle was carried in the saddle scabbard with the butt exposed and got carried little by hand. From what I can see this one hasn't been messed with and feels really nice in your hands.

Here it is:





The rifle has Bausch & Lomb adjustable mounts installed but the scope is long gone. From the B&L reading I've done, apparently the scopes were readily detachable from these mounts and because all the adjustments were made in the bases, a single scope could be swapped between multiple rifles.
The rifle probably wore something like a B&L Balvar 8A straight tube scope back in the day.

I want to get a scope mounted on the rifle by Father's Day for my dad. Now the dilemma:
Do I go the practical way and ditch the B&L mounts, buy a new Leupold 2-7x33 and mounts? That's probably the "clearer" choice and a "brighter" idea so to speak.

However the nostalgic side of me is saying to find a vintage Balvar 8A, and then get the appropriate B&L rings from HE Gibbs and have a package that looks straight from the 1950's. I do worry about buying vintage glass online, because how to you know the lenses are clear and it's not fogged up or something?

To consider as a usage model, the rifle would be a fair weather whitetail gun primarily for sitting post. My dad lets the younger generations do the walking and brush busting now. Super long shots are also not very likely either.

Any thoughts or suggestions from the Winchester experts here?

I’d try to find a vintage Leupold M8 4x or 6x scope. Maybe not the same vintage as the gun (by about 15 years or so), but utterly reliable and imo they look ‘right’ on a pre64 Fwt. Nothing wrong with a Leupold 2-7x33 either. As for mounts, have used Talley lightweights on 2 Fwts. The dual-dovetail Leupold’s and one piece Redfield mounts also work very well.

If he’s like most of us more mature guys, his eyesight ain’t what it used ti be. I’d get him a new 2x7.

The new Leupold 2-7x33 has a shorter tube than the old model. You will have to choose your mounts carefully or it may not fit.

Irfubar is right. The new 2-7 has a short tube mounting length, very similar to the 2.5-8×36. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time with a balvar. I'd also think about getting a set of Leopold dd's.

JRD: Personally and firstly I would remove those Bausch & Lomb adjusto-bases fill the screw holes with plug screws and set that fine looking Rifle aside - enjoying ownership of it til the end of time.
Next I would go find your father a post 64 Model 70 of some sort or better yet a Remington 700 Classic in 243 Winchester and use that afield.
Thats just me and my advice though - we ALL only live once and if dad wants to Hunt with a collector quality pre-64 Model 70 then far be it from me to chastise him for doing so.
Best of luck to you and father which ever way you go.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'd hunt the hell out of that rifle. It was made to hunt. Keep good care of it, and the collectability/value will hold its own.

An older weaver k4 also looks and works great on these rifles..

Unless it happens to rain....

I have two pre'64 Featherweights at the moment, one has been rebarreled to .257 Roberts by its previous owner it wears a Leupold Vari-XII 2-7x in a one piece Redfield mount. The other is a .30-06 and it has a 3-9x Vari-XII also in Redfield one piece mount. My preference is for Vari-XII Leupolds, don't have any experience with B & L scopes and have had older Weavers fog up in rain and snow and would advise against them on a rifle that will be hunted.

Ditch the mounts. Consider the 3.5-10 Leupold with the reticle your father sees the best. That being a long action gun, you are going to need ample tube length in order to have much mounting flexibility to get the eye relief right.

Just have him grab up the other rifle on bad weather days, and I'll bet he won't wear the rifle much as to deduct too much from the value.

Nice rifle! If your "old Dad" needs a low recoiling rifle then his eyes are probably shot too (mine are). I recently mounted a Leupold 2-12 x 42 VX6 (has a red dot too) on my Pre-64 FW (270 WIN) - I can see at night! Used the existing Leupold base and bought 30mm rings to fit. Shot a pig in Texas a couple of months ago that was bedding down in the woods well after sunset. I love my new scope and it fits well on the old Featherweight, not too heavy either. Odessa

A very nice rifle, I'm sure your dad will really appreciate what you have done. The scope is hard to say, there are older B&L scopes around for not a ton of money. Newer glass will most likely be clearer. If you go with new glass and mounts you may have to lose the rear sight, or go with high mounts. Yours is a folding rear so maybe it will clear with mediums. The only scope I have found that will clear the rear sight without high mounts is a Zeiss 3X9X40 Conquest. There maybe others.

Looked at and through that scope a couple weeks ago. Clarity, eye relief and FOV were impressive.

For older eyes, you'd be doing him the most good with a new Leupold. 2.5-8x36 or 3.5-10x40, VX3

Nostalgia is great for the rifle, not so much the scope.

Wholeheartedly agree with this statement.

Zeiss/Meopta 3-9 also do well on this platform.

My Leupold M8 4 power has served me well for many years, as has my pre 64 M70 .308.



Going after some Texas exotics in a few days with it. Elk are exotics in Texas.

Thank you guys for all the advice. These were good suggestions.

The B&L mounts will go and I will get a newer Leupold to put on. It won’t be a short tube scope and I’ll watch out for the rear sight!

I will fold down the rear sight and will pick mounts around it. I won’t take any original parts off.

I got the rifle from my dad last night and will get to work with a careful cleaning to remove the attic dust that came on it. I don’t believe this rifle has been out in quite a while. Beyond that I’ll give it a light coat of Renaissance Wax and not mess with anything else.

As for risk of damage during hunting, it will be taken care of during fair weather hunts. Like most of you I’m sure, we have different rifles for when the conditions warrant it. Frankly it runs more risk of getting scratched in an overcrowded safe than from hard hunting use. We live in a shotgun/ muzzleloader only state for deer and have to travel out of state to hunt with rifles, so it will hardly be an everyday hunting rifle.

Why can’t he pick and use the scope he wants on his rifle?

Nice that you are willing to buy it for him, but kids have a way of making parents feel they no longer can make a decision on their own. Sounds like Dad is capable of making his own choice, instead of a campfire consensus.

Go out together and look at options, then let him decide. Whose rifle is it?

Nice to see someone still gets it.

Can’t have a hunting rifle get scratched while hunting is beyond foolish. While at the same time most would look in awe at one of O’Conners dinged up users. Much the same as the previous post on the Model 70 Grizzly rifle.