Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors My First Pre-64 M70

I've always had the pleasure of enjoying my Dad's pre-64 Winchesters. I've always had current production rifles and though they are nice, they just aren't the same. It always seemed like the pre-64s, especially the straight combed versions, seemed to aim themselves. I also like the look of the iron sights and can see the utility in having them.

My uncle was in his motorcycle shop when a friend of his came in with a Winchester Model 70. He knew my uncle owned rifles and asked if he'd be interested in it. He needed the money for a divorce he was going through. My uncle told me about it and I started to piece together information about the rifle and realized it was a pre-64 with all original parts chambered in 300 Winchester Magnum. By the time I figured out what it was, my uncle went and gave him $300 for the rifle and I was disappointed.

I wasn't too sore about it and went to the range with my uncle to help him set the rifle up. I screwed on some Leupold Dual Dovetail scope mounts, squared up some rings, mounted a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40 and bore sighted it. He asked me to shoot it and it shot wonderfully with cheap factory ammo. I asked him if he wanted to shoot it and he said he no desire to. He mentioned that he needed some new gauges for a vintage car he was putting together and the cost would be in the high $400s. I gave him $500 for GP and the rifle is now mine.

I'm pretty excited!

Congrats Dan, you got a great rifle/caliber for a good price.
Of course you will probably have the desire to buy more pre-64
M70s in the future. We are here to support you.

$500 for a scoped pre-'64 model 70? Heckuvadeal! How about a photo?

$500 for just the rifle. I had the VX-II on hand. The rifle still had its original filler screws in it. I had some Leupold DD mounts and rings. I'm thinking I'll have to go to mediums because the bolt handle is a bit different than my classics or SC/FN M70s. There appears to be some contact with the scope and the bolt handle.

That's a heck of a deal because there weren't many .300 Win Mag pre-64's made, as the cartridge itself was introduced in 1963.

Only approximately 5,000 were made in .300 Win mag.

Here are some pics:

Dan360: I am in possession of an 8 page list of mostly pre-64 Model 70's and there are 3 Model 70's in 300 Winchester Magnum listed on it for sale.
They range in price from $3,295.00 to $3,495.00 so I would say your $500.00 "GP" price was indeed the buy of the year!
One of the first few pre-64 Model 70's I bought to Hunt with was a newish looking 300 Winchester Magnum.
I had answered a want ad in Seattle, Washington.
I went to the fellows home and he showed me the Rifle and told me he had purchased it to go on a Tiger Hunt with some years before.
In fact he was selling the Tiger rug that he had made as a result of that one Hunt he took the Rifle on.
His reason for selling was because the Rifle kicked to much.
I admired the Tiger rug which was unrolled on his living room floor - he was asking $1,000.00 for the rug and $400.00 for the Rifle (with goodies).
I bought the Rifle and wished I had enough money to buy that huge Tiger pelt rug.
I took that 300 Winchester Magnum on ONE Antelope Hunt and vowed never to Hunt with or shoot another one!
I am recoil sensitive it turned out.
I more than doubled my money when I sold it though - but I did not know at the time I sold it just how RARE the 300 Winchester Magnum pre-64 Model 70's were!
I played hell in time, effort and money to replace it once I became serious about collecting the old Model 70's.
According to one of my sources only 4,916 pre-64 Model 70's in 300 Winchester Magnum caliber were made!
It would probably behoove you to "collect" that 300 Winchester Magnum and find a lesser valued Rifle to use at the range.
Either way enjoy your "first" Model 70.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You lucky dawg. And that poor poor bastid... Very nice rifle.

I also gotta disagree with varmint guy. That rifle was made to shoot.

All of the parts appear to be original. There are two spots on the barrel where the finish is worn white. They are both about dime sized. One behind the front sight ramp and one on top of the barrel where the fore-end ends. I'm thinking this rifle may have been carried in some sort of gun rack as there was a slight indentation on the comb as well, but its barely there.

The action finish is decent. The bolt had a little discoloration that came off with steel wool. The finish on the action also looks to be thinning a little.

The original finish on the stock appears to have been stripped off and the beginnings of a hand-rubbed oil finish are there. I'll be doing a bit more work on that. I was able to polish it up quite a bit just by using some very fine steel wool on the finish. A couple more coats and I bet it will look great.

I'm thinking this is a hunter/shooter.

I'd definitely hunt it and shoot with it; just take care of it like any other rifle and it'll be fine. The collector value went out with the stock finish and the installation of the recoil pad. The action itself is still worth quite a bit, but not so much that you'd want to put it in a safe and never hunt with it. A McMillan pre-64 Monte Carlo pattern stock would be just the thing for that rifle, they inlet for the old-style factory barrel with the rear sight donut.

Since it already has a pad you may want to consider fitting a more modern more recoil absorbing pad.

But do not cut any of the wood.


It is possible that the wood was not cut when the existing pad was fitted.

Anyone know if that pad could have been factory original?

I just don't see the wisdom of putting an expensive stock on a $500 shooter.

Putting a plastic McMillian stock on that rifle would be a crime! It's a 300 built ona relativly heavy rifle, the recoil isn't bad and if it is just load up some lighter loads for it.

You did good my friend. Deal of the year right there indeed. Now after this one, you'll realize you need more . Pretty slick actions arn't they?? I'll bet you are still grinning from ear to ear.

Wonder why the bolt knob is so shiny? Doesn't seem to go along with the rest of the rifle.

Your rifle came with a factory-installed red ventilated recoil pad with a white spacer....I cannot tell from the pic if the pad is ventilated but I'm betting it is....

Call Larry Taylor @ 520-403-1080. He sells the original Winchester stock oil formulated by John Kay who is now retired....

All .300 Winchesters I own do not exhibit the reddish-brown hue typical of earlier pre-64 M70s....they were all 1963 guns whose finish tended to be very light-colored....

You did very well,I sold my .300 Win last year to a good freind for $3000.He was glad to get it at that price.However,to me,I like my .300HH better....You have a good gun!

Good Lord! Even nicer than I imagined..

Yeah, the .300WM was a late, and quite rare (compared to others) chambering. To see one that nice and at that price is unreal..

Nice investment there..