Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Winchester Modle 70 Super Grades without black foreand tip?

I'm a bit late getting back myself. Life happening! I'm guessing the addition of ebone forend tip and deluxe four screw-base swivels, 'probably occurred sometime in mid 1992 or later. Yet there are other possibilities too. First, the black tip and swivel sets, may not have occurred together in the same time frame. A possibility. Also, it might have been that at some point, the "Super Grade" designation was limited to the higher grades of wood.
I have no answer to these possible issues. The only sources would the the factor whose response seems to be silence and of course quite possibly records of how many of any particular model not itself qualifying as a separate serialization series (ie other that "G" prefix), might not have been historically preserved whatsoever. Difficult to know. Considering collectors in general don't even have a precise year of manufacture tied to serial numbers, I'd not be optimistic about any factory information several decades old forthcoming.
What we do know is that sometime, 'almost certainly' in the 1992-93 period, Winchester decided to up their stock decoration under the "Super Grade" designation. Notably the original pre '64 Supergrades had good quality, but not necessarily fancy grade wood stocks. The early Model 70 copied the Model 54 Supergrade stock externally about exactly, including the Super Grade black tip & SG swivels.

I've enjoyed this effort to document something more of Winchester history. A pity parent FN isn't more forthcoming. Perhaps they feel as we build reverence for earlier guns, it works against the pushing new guns out the door. Who knows!

Best & Stay Safe!
John

Thanks to all who have provided actual serial number information, etc. to this point. It is all helpful..

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/894505968

Here is a G50xxx NIB with black tip. Just another data point for you as to when the transition had definitely occurred.

I own G1592 - a Super Grade out of the custom shop that has exceptional wood but no black tip. Also a 338.... Want to sell it btw.

Thanks Guys for this thread. I do have a Classics Super Grade in .30-06. Not one of the custom shop models. Mine is # G2470xxx with black fore end and 4 screw sling swivel bases. It does have Classics Super Grade on the barrel and a plain floor plate, no engraving on it. The cross bolts have engraving on them. The wood is pretty good but not super fancy, just some nice figure. The bluing is very good with a lot of shine. It is a very nice rifle. I learned a lot about the Classics from this thread.
Have a great day.
Jim

Regarding the magnum chamberings of these early SG's sans the black-tip/SG swivels, the magnums I've seen have 24" bbls vs. the 26" bbls that are supplied on the newer cataloged/production "Classic"/"Classic SG".

Never seen any post-64 SG with real SG swivels.

The links provided clearly illustrate that SG swivels were not provided with these rifles.

For what it's worth WRT dating, the letter for G1318 (the latest i have a picture of) is a 338WM Custom SG and dated Mar 1991.

I said “Swivels”, I meant “swivel studs/mounts”, the part that’s jnletted into the stock.

One is expected to use Uncle Mike’s swivels on a SG?

Really nice 300 win mag currently listed in the classifieds without the black tip - SN 21xxx.

Link to the rifle
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/16261764/300-win-mag#Post16261764

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/15511625#Post15511625

I'm the guy who posted this ad a while back. As you can see the serial number is G16675. My friend talked to the guy who traded it to him and he bought it new in this configuration. He had no interest in the paperwork if there were any and made no effort to save it. We have no doubt that this rifle has not been altered in any way. FWIW
Phil

There have been quite a few supergrades for sale recently and I have been watching with an eye towards this thread. It appears that the transition to black tip and supergrade studs happened sometime after G25XXX and before G50XXX.

1992 catalog

My pre-64 Super Grade has the ebony tip, but Super Grade is engraved in tiny simple print on the magazine floor plate, unlike how they do it today, with big fancy lettering.

PS I know there's a practical advantage to the factory recoil pad they put on them today, but there's just something about the old steel ones.

Now, that is what a real supergrade should look like^^^^. Beautiful rifle. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Much re... That 1992 Winchester Catalog Super Grade reference. It was a gem! Confirming a rumor long unsubstantiated to my knowledge. Barrel, receiver and bolt; all three chrome moly steel.
Receiver and bolt 'Cro-Mo', setting it quietly apart from a host of other competent rifles but not the heralded 'chrome moly! Also the interesting sidenote, of "Stainless Steel" extractor, which surprised me considering the inherent sustainable 'spring action' quality necessary!

I don't know how long that trio of chrome moly steel may have lasted. I doubt 'to date' or even likely into our 2K decades.

As far as that "kinda" Super Grade couple years era, what to say. Absence of the Model 70 Super Grade CRF scene a quarter century! Absence of the Ford Bronco longer. To expect 'same thing' as reminiscing of ages prior... Often a hope more than realistic expectation. As the 70 Super Grade configuration did return to the classic fold motif, just very lucky! When such does occur, just be happy... and surprised!

If anyone out there has the 1993 through 1999 Winchester Factory Catalogs, good photos of the Model 70 pages. Hope you'll come forward with decent pix!

Again, Thanks AK!
Best!
John