Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Pre-64 FWT

I have a chance to buy a 1962 production M70 FWT in .270. Photos show a little fading of the blue and flaking of the wood finish. Butt plate has been replaced w/ a vented pad, a long time ago. Comes w/ Leupold Dual Dovetails and a leather carry strap, also obviously very aged. He's asking $775. I don't think I can get hurt (financially) on this. Opinions?

One can do much worse, although personally would try to find a gun with an unmolested stock. Is the original rear sight and front sight hood still with the gun?

Rear sight appears original. Front sight hood is present, I don't know enough to know if it's original.

It sounds like a reasonable deal. From your description I would say it is priced fairly in the current market, as sad as that may be and to the dismay of some of my fellow Winchester lovers. It might bring a shade more than that if put on an auction site, but I have seen similar condition guns with unmolested stocks go for not much more than his ask in the last 6 months. Were it an ‘06 I would be more cautious, but being a 270 I don’t think you would get hurt.

Photos would help. For a late-production shooter grade, asking price seems reasonable. The 270 brings the higher dollars, but modified stock detracts from value, if you intend to hunt it and/or replace stock, it doesn’t matter. Most featherweights were hunted alot, how’s the bore ?
I’ve seen some worse than you describe that sold for around same dollars, you won’t get hurt. Good luck !

Last year I bought a .30-06 FWT in about the same condition you describe, I paid $730.00. Most FWT's that were hunted have recoil pads, that didn't bother me as I replaced the pad with a Decelerator. The finish had also seen better days and was flaked, stripped it and refinished and now I have a very presentable hunter/shooter.

I'd say that's a pretty fair deal.

Pre 64 market is soft.....

Just saying.....

Sounds like a great deal. As for the guy always bringing up his $700.00 deal on an 06 fwt, again, that's not a 270 fwt. Like others said, the 270 will/does bring more money. Finding a 270fwt in really good condition is also harder to do than finding a primo 30-06. Guys that bought 270's generally hunted the heck out of them.

If that's 775 dollars Canadian, it's a real good deal!

Make sure the old recoil pad on there now has good rubber and it's LOP is long enough for you.

That’s the truth right there. I paid 700 at a Cabelas for a primo 06 Fwt. Paid a bit more for just about the same exact rifle in a 270. They are about as alike as they can get with wear, year, etc. the 06 was pretty easy. The 270 was gotten from an old friend luckily.

It depends what you mean by “Get Hurt”

Lose a few bucks when you go to resell — a definite possibility

Lose $200 when you go to sell — possible, but if you really enjoy the gun while you own it, $200 is not a lot of money.

You did good Scotty. Sometimes "old friends" are the best to buy from. My old buddy that I've bought some collectable winchester from used to have a pre 64 collection of 240 rifles. At the time I bought my 270 fwt, he had 4 he was selling. Good deals are out there, if you know the right people. I know you've seen my 30-06 fwt, but I paid $800.00 for that rifle and it's pretty primo. I will never get rid of that one... As we know, the 270's are really hard to find in excellent condition. Generally we have to wait for one to fall into our lap, or put the word out and eventually the right one will surface... It takes time though... I still think the OP will be doing well at that price point. Even if it has had a pad installed. I'd probably pull it from that stock and throw it into a mcmillan. Or heck, since it's been cut and pad installed, I'd hunt it just like that and not be afraid to glass bed it either...

What is a good price for a minty FWT pre-64 in 308?

Buying or selling?

It's actually $1000 Canadian, I converted it to avoid confusion. I appreciate all the input and opinions shared here. I really want to hunt and carry a classic rifle like this one come deer season in the fall. I really need another .270 like a hole in the head. The fact that I could get rid of it w/o losing money if I wanted to makes it easier to buy. Decisions like this definitely fall under the category of "first world problems".

buying

Would pay $1000.00 to $1200.00 or so for the gun as described, the higher amount if it is an earlier gun with an aluminum plate. Good luck with your purchase....

Thank you very much. Been out of the pre-64 market for a while and I'm reading here the market has gone "soft", so all the better..