Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Pre 64 mod 70 264 win mag FW

A friend recently gave me a pre 64 featherweight mod 70 winchester in 264 mag. It has been used. The bluing has faded in most areas but is still there mostly. The stock is actually pretty good except on the radius of the grip edge that somehow the edge was ground off on the opposite side of the shooter. It has a couple scratches on the barrel down towards the muzzle and of course the bluing around the muzzle area is gone. The action seems very tight and seems to have retained its originality. The bbl is only 22". I looked on Gunbroker and they are asking 1500.00 to 2000.00 for these models and their not in much better shape if at all. I look at this gun and I just want to go thru it and restore and replace and make it what a 264 should be (not a loud 270 w/ 22" bbl) However...this might be really stupid. Are their any things to improve it that I can do to this rifle that wont ruin its value?

Restoring or altering a Model 70 will usually decrease its value, but it sounds pretty rough so it's probably a toss up. Just because someone is asking $2000 doesn't mean they are going to get it. With collectors its all about condition,condition,condition.

That was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw what was being asked for these rifles. WTF? If it truly would bring that I'd leave it alone...but I use all my guns and I would like to turn this one into something better too.

If you're going to use it, and didn't acquire the gun in order to sell it, go ahead and tune her up. The really high condition guns are the ones the collectors are after anyway. Other than those, modifications are acceptable and more or less expected in shooter grade guns.

If you are going to keep it, give it a once over starting with the barrel. 22" in .264 win mag probably is not helping the value any. That's a very generous friend you have there...

I kind of have to keep it. Although my friend is older and no longer hunts, I think he would be disappointed if I peddled it. He gave it to me because he thought I would appreciate the rifle. And I do appreciate it! An extremely generous gift.
I'm a rem, weatherby, howa action type guy so this is my first mod 70. I didn't know what these things were worth..still don't really...whatever they bring I guess. That said, I think I'll spec it out over the next several months and save some money so I can just send it to Redneck. He's a winchester guy I believe. He can then work his magic on it. I want to make it a real 264 and then when I'm finished to take it back to my friend to show him what it turned into with a little TLC. My way of showing him that yes...I did appreciate the rifle. The gun appears to have been neglected via long term storage but not abused. Once finished, it will go into the hunting stable with the rest. I own my guns to hunt, shoot, and tinker with; not to store away for years without use.

I'd look at it as a free basis to build the rifle you want.....in that condition it's a shooter. Those astronomical prices are seldom actually paid, and then only for guns with hang tags and boxes and unfired bores. A FWT .264 in that condition would be a very valuable thing, but that's not what you've got.


Put a new barrel on it, do a nice oil refinish on the stock, and enjoy shooting a fine classic rifle.

BTW, you got some really nice friends.

Yep, and yep......


Casey

If I remember correctly, FWT 264s had 26" barrels.
A fellow gunhead friend of mine just picked up a beater
FWT 264 that was supposed to have a worn barrel, but it
shoots just fine he tells me.

No, the standard weight Westerner had a 26 in barrel but the featherweights were 22 inches.

show your friend respect, hunt with it as is. The gun right now has hundreds of your friends memories rubbed into every scratch, every rub mark, every marr in the finish. clean it, oil it, hunt with it. This is a HUGE gift, in the nature of giving away a daughter to marrage, sending a son off to boot camp. Passing the torch to the next generation.

Well put baltz, I agree with you. Of all the pre 64 M70's I have not one was from someone I know/knew. You can't overlook the value of those memories. Just send it off to Redneck for a once over and then take it hunting!

Here's another option. I had a FWT 264 (yes, the bbls are 22"). I loaded it with enough IMR4350 to get 120gr bullets at about 3000fps. It's mild shooting but deadly, flat shooting deer rifle with the wonderful handling qualities (IMO) of the pre64 FWT. Sorta like a 25/06. And you haven't hurt whatever collector value or friend-value the rifle may have.

Agreed..accept the gift as it was given.It's a fine rifle with a lot of character to it.Can't buy that....

I agree... Show Your friend the respect that he showed you!

The intrinsic value of said rifle is far less than the collector value. However, I would NOT rebarrel it. One can, if one looks long enough, find an original stock for it. Since you have no $ invested in it, the cost of the stock is moot. I've gifted a few rifles in my time. And it's certainly easy to tell of the giftees, how much they appriciate your friendship.

If you think as much of your friend as he obviously thinks of you, you'd hunt with it (AS IS) at least some every year as a tribute to him. I think he'd like that...

It would, however, be acceptable to have Redneck install a better recoil pad (i.e: red Decelerator), tune the trigger, and glass bed the rifle.

Just my two peso's worth... Gh

This is a tough one.. A true understatement..
We'll try not to hold that against ya.. The word 'worth' has many meanings.. In this case, it's worth is measured in it's gift value, from an old friend along with the 'real' worth of the type/year of rifle etc.. From what you describe, this was a true hunting rifle anyway.. It would be good to get it cleaned up, gone through, oiled and ready for the field without any modifications that would detract from it's originality/value.

IF the original pad is hard from age, it might be a good thing to replace, yet keep the original in the event that some day you do decide to either sell it or give it to one of your kids.. Originality is what keeps the values up on these fine rifles.. If/when you do send it to me it will be treated with utmost care; of that you can be sure..

You are extremely fortunate to have that man as a friend.. JMVHO, but if you decide to sell the rifle, do so after he's passed on..

Best to you..

No flies on that load....

You could always keep the orignal parts.

I inherited my Grandad's pre 64/M70 about 37 years ago. The stock didn't fit me but I shot it as it was for about 15 years and then I had a McMillan put on it. For me being a sentimental type it was a tough choice for me, but I kept the original handle and could always stick it back on.

I then shot out what was rest of the old barrel and then rebarreled it, then shot that out and rebarreled it and then shot that one out and rebarreled it again.

Never would I of shot the gun so much if I hadn't changed out the old handle so I feel it was a good choice for me. And I feel that Gramps would approve of the stock change being as it got me carrying and shooting it.

Guess I'd send it to Redneck and have him restock it with a Brown, McMillan or Bansner and go forth and fill up an ark or three with it.

I can guarantee it would more than tickle the gent that gave it to you. There's way worse things in the world than a 264 with a 22" tube by the way.

I say restock it, and shoot the living beans out of it. You won't regret it, or at least I know that I never will.

Plus, if you wish you can always restore it later if for some odd reason you'd choose to.

Best of luck to ya in your decision

Dober