Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors 1954 Pre 64 30-06 Followed me home

Found it a local gun show. Was really disappointed nothing but pistols and AR stuff at the show except for one booth had some interesting stuff. Picked it up looked it over couldn’t bring myself to buy it. Thought didn’t last long had to go back and look again and it could not be denied.

Has original butt plate and correct length, no extra holes, matching serial numbers and great bluing. Also had an old weaver I thought would need to be replaced but I really like it so far. Has a fine reticle with a dot pretty cool old scope.

I could only find one issue which looked at first like a crack in the stock on top coming out of the widows peak. After looking at it closer it may be slip of a screwdriver or scratch? See what y’all think.

I may need to remove the butt plate to know for sure.

I had to take several pictures to get the light just right for it to show up.

Crack?

Rifle Pic

Another

It looks like a crack, but I hope you got a good enough deal you didn't get hurt if it was.

Looks to be in great shape otherwise.

I'd remove the butt plate and have a better look at it.

In the picture I had to get it just right to show up and it looks worse in the picture. In real life it looks almost identical to the scratch on the side. I will take off butt plate tonight and take a look.

I got it for $900 cash not great but not bad figured it was worth the risk. It really is beautiful otherwise

If it's just a scratch, you did fair in the deal. The nice thing about your rifle is it's all original. That is a huge plus. I'm hoping that is just a scratch and not a crack. One thing I can comment on is it looks like it may have been packed around by a kid or someone that didn't care too much about smacking it around through the brush, but not shot a lot. There's not a lot of carry signs though: Wear on the floor plate and surrounding area of stock. They took care of the metal though, so that is important. How's the crown? I'll bet is shoots lights out if the crown isn't dinged up. Do you have any 165 Hornady SP interlocks to try in it? All of my 30-06 rifles love that bullet.

It hasn’t been carried a lot and the crown is perfect and bore is amazing. It looks like some finish wear on the barrel in one of my pictures but it is just my fingerprints.

I will look for some 165’s Hornady I don’t think I have any.

That isn't a bad old gal at all. If that is a crack, that is a rather unusual place for one isn't it. I have seen them chip way more that one straight crack.

I wish I had some, I'd send you some. I haven't shot my 30-06 rifles on a regular basis for a long time. Looking at the rifle, I figured the bore would be pristine. I'll bet it shoots better than you would think. Keep us posted.

Nice rifle and that looks like a scratch to me - best I can tell on the iPhone. Think you did real good - don’t find many in that shape anymore!

PennDog

I was told it was purchased from the back room of a pawn shop when owner died. Took it in but set it aside and never put it out front so damage could just handling/storage.

Plus it has just enough damage I don’t feel bad about using it.

Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I can see that as a possibility. The scratch could have came from storing it with a bunch of rifles too. Moving them around or them banging into one another leaves bruises and scratches. That rifle needs to be used and loved again..

I’d have been all over it for 900, I am looking for just that kinda rifle!

It does’nt look like a crack in the photo, but if it is a scratch from a screwdriver, I would stop calling them idiot scratches on1911’s, to Model 70 idiot scratches.

That made me laugh.

I'll keep my eye out. I know where a sweetheart 264 fwt is. Did you have your buddy go and check that rifle out?

To me, one of the greatest features of your deal, the 'hands-on' pre-purchase evaluation opportunity, as happening. Ability to evaluate & 'know what you're buying'. Versus a few fuzzy photos and exaggerated - as to be expected - seller hype; remote purchase! 'Comfort factor' at best! 'Disaster avoided' consequence at worst. Nice deal on a truly great rifle achieved! Congrats for sure!

Momentary war story pause, 'word association' conjuring term: "butt-crack" problems... 'Repurposing' aircraft jump-seats to accommodate NSA "airborne mobile surveillance platform" techs! NSA heralded computer crunching power with complaints re "Ergonomics" remaining as "UTUO". "Unknown Term of Undefined Origins." Net, net... Flight Surgeon with: "How does this keep recurring?" Plausible deniability retort: "Err... Diaper rash?"
Best!
John

Looks like a scratch. As you move away from the butt plate, the little hook at the end of the scratch starts to cut across the grain. A crack typically follows the grain of the wood. Also a crack tends to widen as it moves toward the less constricted portion of the wood, as in around the action cutout, or the sawn end of the end of the stock. The mark on your rifle appears to be of uniform depth and width throughout its length. Its a scratch

No, he's out of town for a bit longer. Snowbird, heads south in the winter...

I vote scratch.

Well took the butt plate off and went both directions of scratch or crack and now back to not sure. Keep in mind I can’t much with the naked eye just trying to take good pictures and blow them up to determine.

Took good picture before removing butt plate. Convinced not a crack based on this photo. Uniform, doesn’t taper off or follow grain.

Pic 1

Took off but plate! Oh crap it is a crack! Further inspection line doesn’t continue to side edge of stock and seems to continue to top of stock in a fairly straight line. So now not sure. I will say it is undetectable with a fingernail but can be detected with a sharp blade.

Pic 2

Final photo there is no evidence of the two connecting to each other and would think crack would extend to weakest portion at screw hole if dropped? So now thinking I am right where I started as not sure.

Pic 3

However I think I am confident in saying it doesn’t seem to be a structural issue or weak point so I should just leave it alone and do nothing and enjoy it. Something my wife or daughter can debate with someone after I am gone.