Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Tell me about the Pre-64 carbine

Have my eye on a 1941 vintage .30-06.

Should the rifle be drilled and tapped both front and rear?

Excellent condition.

4k?

d&t for a receiver sight, no holes on top of bridge.

That's what I recalled for a pre war rifle Pocono. Wasn't sure a 41 was considered a true pre war.

Looks all original, sat in a closet for quite a while, has not been shot a whole lot. The rear bridge should not be drilled and tapped and it should also have a clip slot.. With the carbine, it's critical to measure the barrel. Make sure it meets the correct specs, as described through research. Sorry I do not have those specs. Barrel should be 20" long and not 21", as some counterfeited ones are. According to my book, an 80% specimen is worth $2,040 and a 90% condition specimen is valued at $2,380, where a near new one would be valued at $3,400.00. I can't tell for sure in the pics, but is the "widow's peak" there? If not, and the inletting is not there for it, the stock has been cut/shortened.. Just something to look for..

It does have the clip slot. Front holes remain a mystery. Sorry for the [bleep] pictures. I was rushing.

BSA, above has a significant flaw 'nailed.' The stock has been cut, likely for a recoil pad and a 'half-vast' restoration as removed & altered butt plate installed. The net, net, the stock is ruined as collectible component. As yet utilitarian perhaps, the term "Truck gun" comes to mind with the caveat probably length of pull short at about 12.5"or so!

The metal looks good, but quality photo and lack of coverage, major assessment impediments. A pix of my Prewar Model 70 SN 31K, below reflecting the proper - untapped receiver view from atop. Bridge holes only on left side to facilitate receiver sight installation!

The matter of "true" or altered barrel to achieve carbine length, "messed with" seems less likely. The effort to alter professionally typically not spent for common chamberings such as here, in 30-06. Of course, never say never! Believe the proper length barrel measurement is rod inserted into bore. From "bottoming to center of muzzle; at 20". Good to have a headspace gauge as indicator "by suggestion", of whether the barrel is original to the rifle.

These Winchester major components as well as lesser ones, subject to 'mix & match. Properly accomplished, not to waste time fretting. As crude alterations occur at collector realm prices, there's the rub!

My take & good luck!
Best!
John

That stock hasn’t been cut and it doesn’t look like there’s any extra holes in the bridge. Very nice gun.

Very nice specimen, not sure about the price though. If I were going after it I'd try to negotiate a better price. In 50 yrs. of collecting M/70's I've only owned one short rifle, it was a .270 and don't remember price as it was many years ago.

Ok, so assuming all original, what would be a fair offer?

3250?

Can’t hurt to try.

BSA, you're using the Winchester collectors book for your numbers?

Might those numbers be low due to Bidenflation?

Scotty, not sure if that is fair, or high.

I don’t know honestly. I barely ever see them for sale. This is the first I’ve seen in the wild.

Can’t hurt to start there though. All they can say is no.

How many have handled one? I’ve only had one in hand….”Belltown Bob’s”….it would have been hard to make a poorer balanced rifle. Rarity is one thing, however handling was not one of its selling points.

Does that steel buttplate have the bird beak at the top? I can't tell from the pics. Also are there any holes on the top of the rear bridge, again pics lacking. That is a pretty low price for a carbine in as nice as condition as that appears. $4,500- $5,000 around here. I have owned a few carbines and the least I paid was $2750 20 years ago, and that one had extra holes in the barrel for a Unertl! Why a Unertl on a 257 Roberts Carbine??????

Those numbers still hold pretty true to this day. I use it as a guide and never pay more for a rifle than what is listed in that book. That's just how I roll..

Bingo, that is something Scotty mentioned to me in a text yesterday..

And you can see clearly that the "widows peak" is intact and still inletted for such, as I had already mentioned? Boy, you must have a much better computer than I do..

You guys can beat the photographer, but I believe it’s a standard plate.

I wished I could’ve had more time but I do think I remember seeing it. I love that buttplate style so I’m usually better about this.

If it were mine it’d get a light stock. I believe that would serve two purposes. Get the balance back to the front and save that stock from abuse.

it is still really hard to tell if the widows peak is there in that pic. The only reason I ask is because I have seen some that were ground off when the stock was shortened. Guys did that back in the day..

I will disagree as for handling. I think the carbine handles much better than a standard. It really feels good.

Spoke with the shop.

Widows peak butt plate.

It didn’t feel bad to me, I’d just want the lighter stock for all day, in the hand carrying myself. And to not beat up the nice stock.

If i ever find another rusted bore pre-64 M-70 it's going to be a 20" JES rebored 9.3x62mm chunking 300gr A Frames at 2250 fps through custom Quarter Rib Express sight, talk about a light handy thumper to go after Cape Buffalo in the thickets of Africa or deer, hogs or bull Moose ; ]

In the end I decided to pass on this rifle.

There's a BRNO 21H in 7x57 headed my way instead, with a 20.5" barrel.

That would’ve been a hard gun to leave behind

Butt heavy….no where near any semblance of center balance..

Those Brno 21s are nice guns. I really like mine.

Yep, I knew what you meant.