Hey there BSA! For some time I've had calendared a request from you for better pix of one of my centerfolds, a Winchester Model 70 SG rifle. Better pix... Ho! Chambering, 338 Win Mag and rifle is 1960 vintage. Note that this is a year or so after Super Grade cataloging ended. Mine, is in that grey zone of could be yet official SG or technically a Custom Shop since they fitted some up while residual components lasted. I don't recall whether the "S" on barrel underside! Happily the Lyman 48 is the last edition which doesn't impinge on the stock so entirely removeable. Best! John
Thanks John. That sure is a beautiful rifle and in one of my favorite chamberings. Yeah, that falls out of the production dates for the SG, but who knows? Also, Winchester never catalogued the 338wm supergrade. Definitely a special order specimen. The low comb stock is throwing me off too because they stopped using the low comp in 1957 for the supergrades. After that, they were montecarlo. Interesting piece for sure.
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
It appears to be an older Galazan repro. An original looks like this:
However, now there are companies making "exact" copies of the originals. Pre64win.com sells them. Just one more thing to keep an eye on for sure. Back in the day when Galazan was making the repro's, they thought they would "correct the mistakes" Winchester made on the spacing and comma on the original pads.
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
Hey BSA, thanks for your info. I got the rifle in the early nineties at a gun show. I don't have any colorful story. I was attracted of course by the stock and a quite era decent price. The rifle is "as found". So the recoil pad is what it was then. It is exactly fitted and is still viable so perhaps it was replaced. Important to me 'if so' that it was expertly accomplished and of quality appropriate of not by now all hardened up. I have a couple of SG in 257 Roberts. One from '47 and the other as I recall from '38 or so. The earlier one de facto had pad replaced. It's more 'supple' than the '47 and the fit has a tiny edge. The '47 pad is rock hard and disintegrating! The problem with most all "original" as truly vintage Winchester red recoil pads. The dilemma as "original" may be non-functional!
Didn't Winchester drop the low comb Standard grade stock altogether in latter fifties? I much prefer the low comb as I was never a scope fan and simply like the low comb 'express rifle profile' better! With a favorite chambering in the .338, It fit the bill for me. Nowadays without provenance, frankly anything special is more about buying the gun than the story. Fun for me to speculate but I just to appreciate it for what it is. The comma or lack of won't put me in a 'coma'! Thanks for all the comments appreciative and frank! Best! John
Hey BSA, thanks for your info. I got the rifle in the early nineties at a gun show. I don't have any colorful story. I was attracted of course by the stock and a quite era decent price. The rifle is "as found". So the recoil pad is what it was then. It is exactly fitted and is still viable so perhaps it was replaced. Important to me 'if so' that it was expertly accomplished and of quality appropriate of not by now all hardened up. I have a couple of SG in 257 Roberts. One from '47 and the other as I recall from '38 or so. The earlier one de facto had pad replaced. It's more 'supple' than the '47 and the fit has a tiny edge. The '47 pad is rock hard and disintegrating! The problem with most all "original" as truly vintage Winchester red recoil pads. The dilemma as "original" may be non-functional!
Didn't Winchester drop the low comb Standard grade stock altogether in latter fifties? I much prefer the low comb as I was never a scope fan and simply like the low comb 'express rifle profile' better! With a favorite chambering in the .338, It fit the bill for me. Nowadays without provenance, frankly anything special is more about buying the gun than the story. Fun for me to speculate but I just to appreciate it for what it is. The comma or lack of won't put me in a 'coma'! Thanks for all the comments appreciative and frank! Best! John
Thanks for sharing your rifle and experience with us. It is a beauty for sure. I also agree with you about the original pads getting too hard to actually use. I've seen some that were like a rock!!! This is especially true on a heavy kicker. As for your question about Winchester dropping the low comb standard grade stock in the late 50's. Yes, you are correct. According to Rule, all low combs were discontinued by 1960. If you look at Rules book, it goes into detail about when they used the low combs on the Super Grade, and they dropped them in '57. The one shown on your rifle was used from 1951 to 1957. Also according to Rule, your rifle is considered a "Type III-4", "special order class 2". There was one ordered that Rule mentioned, the serial # is "492635". This is the only mention of a 338 Super Grade rifle that I could find in the great book. If yours is not this exact rifle, it would have also been a "special order class 2" rifle.
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/UbDSBy5.jpg)