Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Barrel stamps on the model 70 classics

I'm assuming this one means sporter magnum? :


Thanks guys.

This is just one project I picked up recently. I like working on these old rifles:



Scope that came on it is on ebay now for $100 and the rings and bases $37.50. I don't figure I can get much for the older Simmons Whitetail classic scope that was on this rifle, but after selling those items, I will have very little in this rifle. Chambered in 7mm rem mag. That is why I'm assuming the stamp stands for sporter magnum. If anyone knows for sure, let me know.. Oh, incase you were wondering why I'm bedding this thing:


Dang hot glue crap winchester used wasn't good for much of anything.

I always thought SM was satin matte or stainless matte. I have one in 300WM

Interesting Milwroad. It may be. The finish on this rifle is weird. It almost looks like a cerakote finish, but is not. It does accept cold bluing very well though??? One of the reasons I posted this thread is because I don't know. Can anyone else confirm this? Also, this is a 5 digit classic if that matters.

Sounds just like the finish on my mine which is a New Haven 6 digit Classic. Curious myself what it means.

Synthetic Matte, IIRC.

Always conjured "classic SM" in conjunction with the Hippy, free love era. Festive, costumed 'sports', giving rise to run on ping pong paddles as bottoms dropping out of the French Maid costume market! No "satin mattes" deployed! Just good old turf with green stained posteriors resulting! "Mooning" as badge of honour. !!!

Oh yes... Far as "Classic" Winchester markings... My several such nineties era Models reflected below.

Best & Keep a sense of humor!
John

It is a nice finish. Not quite "matte" though. More like my pre 64 338wm that I had cerakoted midnight blue, but it is not cerakote. When I get this one finished up, I'll post some better pics of it. The pictures I posted are when I was glass bedding it, so it had release agent all over it. I painted the stock and will get it put back together maybe tomorrow. When I first got the rifle, it was dirty and I just thought the finish was worn, but it doesn't appear to be that at all after I cleaned it up. The rifle has been carried a lot though. Someone really used it out in the field, but its a nice one.

Thanks for that John. I like how winchester marked the barrels. But this one has me stumped. Generally its written out on the barrel. The other one I recently acquired is a stainless BOSS and that is written on the barrel. The downfall to that is if I cut the BOSS off, it will probably significantly reduce its collector value.. Digging more into the BOSS system, it seems there are some guys that actually like it. I always thought they looked tacky and gimicky, but damn if it does not reduce felt recoil substantially. I actually like it. My major downfall: Once I have a rifle in hand I will generally fall in love with it, or forsake it forever...

Thanks buddy. So you 2 guys say that is what it is. Synthetic matte makes sense. I know you've had more of these rifles than I've had too, so I'll believe you.. Damn, that means I can't put a walnut stock on it. ha ha..

You recall correctly.

Nice rifle bsa.

Yes, they are like this

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-and-h-magnum.cfm?gun_id=101374579#lg-10

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ssic-sm-300-wm.cfm?gun_id=101636279#lg-5

Synthetic and matte, per the '93 or 4 catalog.

Just a cheaper stock and no polishing so they could sell it cheaper than the walnut and blued guns.

Made great shooters or donor guns.

Thanks buddy. That is a cheapie I just got a few days ago. I'm liking it though.. The action is buttery smooth. It was, at one time, someone's favorite rifle. By the looks of it. Some after pics for the late night crowd:



Paint turned out pretty good. 3 coats of paint and 3 coats of clear with a little texture. Feels good in the hands. Glass bedding as per usual:




The barrel is totally freefloated now too, so it should shoot pretty good. Another thing I found interesting is the barrel length is 25". I thought they came with 26" barrels? Maybe this one was cut? It also has an 11 degree crown, so I'm thinking someone hacked it, but why only cut 1" off?

Yep, there you go. Its just like the 300wm without sights. The bolt handle appears to be browned, instead of blued. Thanks Milroad. So it appears the SM stands for synthetic matte.

Maybe it was threaded at one point. Then lopped off.

Not likely..

Where's Scotty? You aren't even going to want to know how that 7 did today buddy..

-SM- Shooting Mother f(*&&^? Maybe? Or Shooting Machine?


I think it should say -SMF- I'm going to get my stamp out and fix that..

I didn't want to get fancy and do a head shot. Figured there was more meat in the neck...

Start doing that in your matches and you'll move up in no time!

That turned into a good project BSA. Seems like it shoots.

What load and how far was the coyote?

I could kick myself when you could buy SS Classic 7 Rem's and 300 Win's for under 650 a few years back. Bob used to call them parts rifles in a box. We have all had them where they were either nail drivers or should just be used as a hammer

I have been fairly lucky with them by and large. I had one 7 Rem that had an oblong chamber somehow and my 264 Classic was a basket case in the trigger department. Trigger pins were sloppily drilled and the trigger flopped around. All easily correctable stuff.