Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What's a transition pre-64 model 70 in 30-06 worth?

My friend has a transition (1948) model 70 and is currious as to what it is worth. I'm sorry I don't have pictures yet, but I will get some and post them asap. Specs on the rifle:

Stock: Professionally refinished (looks new), aftermarket recoil pad installed, The bad: hairline crack at forend, runs about 3 inches (hard to see, but it is there). Hasn't been bedded.

Metal: Rate about 99%, once again refinished (he says professionally, he bought it that way and doesn't know who did the work). Reciever is polished bluing instead of the original matte finish. Bolt handle is polished and looks like it is chrome plated. Non original flip down rear sight (redfield). No hood over front sight. Original trigger. Safety is the smaller transition 3 position safety. No extra holes drilled and tapped anywhere. Bore and chamber are pristine. Could some of you collectors please help my friend out with any viable information here. Thanks, bsa.

In the condition you describe, around $600.

500.00 would be my guess.

This is the best comparison I've found. I think this is still a little too steep for a non collector rifle:
http://www.gunsamerica.com//9441637...re-64/Pre_64_Win_Model_70_30_Govt_06.htm

Please correct me if I'm wrong, bsa.

Anyone else? My friend isn't a member, but he is watching to see what your opinions are on this. Thanks, bsa.

Its a shooter, nothing more, nothing less.

5-600

No offense intended but the gun has NO collector value at all wiht it being refinshed and polished... the vaule it would have would be as a shooter-hunter... Best I would say would be around $600 to $700 to the right person.

You can ask what you want for a gun all day long... it does not mean you will sell it.. That gun is over priced

Thanks guys, your help is greatly appreciated. Happy holidays, bsa.

Hard to say without pictures but I would say in the $600 - $700 range.

Not much of a collector gun, but that action makes a heck of a nice platform for a custom build........

600ish, that rifle on GA is way overpriced.

Jim

Hi guys, I promised some pictures and here they are. I had to make a 100 mile round trip to get them. Hope this helps, as some of the description was a little off: The whole bolt body, extractor, and bolt handle has been polished out. It has a 3/4" crack near the tip of the forend (not 3" as described earlier). It does have the original front sight and hood. I believe the rear flip up is a lyman and not a redfield (original should have been a 22G-3c (buckhorn I believe). Please correct me If I am wrong. As far as I can tell, the work is excellent quality and the lettering is still sharp from the rebluing. Let me know what you think, thanks bsa:

More Pictures:






[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/024.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/035.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/027.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/020-1.jpg[/img]
And here's the crack, it isn't that noticeable in person, but shows up good in the picture.

New Pics. What do you think?

SOmething doesn't look right on that gun. From your pictures it appears that the serial number is 89XXX which says it should have been made of in July of 1948 but rifles made in 1948 should have the cloverleaf tang on them.

Yep, it is 89xxx. Made in 1948 (transition model). Since it is a transition model, it may have been made with both types of tangs. Hoping to hear more about the transition models from someone that may have the good ol Rodger Rules handbook handy. Thanks, bsa.

I just got this off the internet, it is interesting:

1.pre war 36'-46'-Excellent fit and finish, cloverleaf shaped tang, high polish or rust blued metal, fine hand checkering.

2.transition 47'-51'-oval tang, good polish and wood quality, still has front sights machined from the barrel. Some people consider these most desireable because they were drilled and tapped for scopes and retained the excellent build quality.

3.post war 52'-58'-good quality, front sights brazed on, less polish on metalwork.

4.late production 59'-64'-least desireable, plastic buttplates replaced the steel checkered widows peak buttplate, reduced checkering, poorer quality wood.

Here's a good pic of the tang. It is the "oval" type instead of the cloverleaf. I do believe it is correct for the year of manufacture:

I don't know where you got that off the internet but generally transition period means 47-49 and not all of 47 and 49. I have Rules book and that's where I looked it up, I also looked in Whitakers book on M70's. One thing for sure about transitions are that nothing is for sure! THere was a lot off parts clean up during those years so different variations would come off the line depending on what parts bin they grabbed that day. The odd thing is that the "oval tang was not supposed to have come out until 49 so I could see a cloverleaf tang being left over and being used in 49, 50 or even 51, especially in the H&H calibers but don't see how a later receiver could be used on a 48 gun. But then again with transition era guns just about anything is possible.

FYI I have quite a few transiiton era M70's as my father started collecting them and I bought the collection when he fell ill. After he got out of the army in 47 he ordered a M70 and they were so far behind that he disn't get his M70 until 49. SO he ordered what is now called a pre-war and by the time he got his he got a post-war M70.

The transitions are considered by many, myself included, to be the best M70's for actual use because they retain all the quality of the pre-wars but are drilled and tapped and the bolt handle is set up for scope use.