Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Winchester 70 Sniper 1948 Vintage

I know I have read about a Model 70 Sniper model at some time in the past, but am having trouble finding my research material. The specs on this model would be a sporter configuration stock with no checkering, target style scope bases, heavier than sporter barrel, and that's about it. I can't find anything in my files, although I remember seeing something in my past research. My rifle is a 1948 vintage Swift. Thank you for helping me.

Your Swift would have been catalogued as a Target Model. The M70 ‘Van Orden Sniper’ guns were Special Order and chambered for the .30-06.

Added information. My Swift does not have a marksman stock, the stock is sporter configuration without checkering, like a Van Orden sniper. What do I have? It isn't a catalogued Target. I guess it could be a special order National Match, but I would like to know more about the Sniper subvariation.

Lowgun: Darn I was hoping someone could help you with information on your Rifle - because I can't.
And I have been stirring around with collectible pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters for well over half a century now.
But out of curiosity do you own/have this Rifle and if so can you post or E-mail me a picture of it?
That would be another "configuration" I have never seen or read about a "National Match" (nor a "Target" model!) with a sporter type stock (whether checkered or not!).
Good luck in your quest.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

No expert here re "sniper M70 rifles, but best to start from 'not sniper' and eliminate other possibilities. What is barrel length & nomenclature, what SN (less last two digits W/x placeholders). I agree that good photos could provide a lot. Rear tang late style or cloverleaf? Simply fact of stock w/o checkering, most common answer as "refinished"! But too, 'other' possible. End game it could be factory special order. Sadly, no factory records so unless very convincing "other" provenance; no proof = condemned as "nonoriginal"!
'Us', waiting good pix!
Best & Happy New Year!
John

When I was a teenager I used to hang around Gen. Van Orden's gunshop, "Evaluators Ltd.", in Triangle, Va (very close to Quantico) just to see the weapons on hand and the target shooting accessories but mostly to listen to the stories of the "old timers" that always stopped by. I listened and learned.

Poconojack is right on. Better days and better times back then for sure.

Digging up a 2 yr old thread because I have questions about the same rifle. Were these Vietnam era M70 sniper rifles used with Marksman stocks as well as commercial shorter stocks?

Can you build a reproduction Win M70 sniper rifle and use it in CMP shoots?

Seen Target models in 22H, 220S, 257R,270W, 7.65M, 308, 30-06 and 300 H&H.

Anyone could have been repurposed for sniping.

Depends on what you're "sniping". Squirrels, groundhogs, deer, moose, etc., yep. Sniping bad guys at the behest of Uncle Sam while wearing his uniform, it would've only been an '06 or .308 given the time frame of the M70's service days.

Thanks again, Poconojack, for that time you orchestrated my opportunity to work with a Van Orden Sniper. It was a highlight!