Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 70 Featherweight

Some were marked simply: "SUPER".

This thing is starting to make me curious.

There were usually no stampings for super grades, that's what makes them so popular to mock up. I have not owned a featherweight supergrade but have had many supergrades. None of them had the "s" that rule stated were put on some. The determining factors for the supergrade were the stock, the full blade brass front sight, and the floor plate.

Just my opinion but that stamping doesn't look factory to me.

I hear people talk about fake SG Featherweights all the time yet no one can tell me where they would get a SG Featherweight stock from? I've heard people say that they simply alter a standard SG stock. If you can't figure that one out in about 3 seconds then you have no business buying a collectable firearm!

If someone can alter a standard SG stock and pass it off as a FW they are the worlds best woodworker. Filling in the area for the barrel boss and not being able too tell would be artwork, and I'm guessing you could make more money doing something else, lol.

Horseman, what is the year of manufacture on your SG's? I see I asked if they were stamped with the date code, what I meant to ask is if they were marked as to the caliber?

The date code and other markings on the bottom of my FW barrel are almost completely polished out. The stampings above the wood look normal and the bluing looks factory and I have no reason to believe the barrel was refinished. I suppose it's possible the date code was polished out on yours.

LOL, this rifle is bugging me more than anything. Marc, the thought that the other markings could've been polished crossed my mind as well, but there are no indications that this is the case on this one. I can detect no signs of polishing on the bottom of this barrel, and there are no signs of waviness. I have seen some faint stampings before, but not polished unless the metal had been refinished, and then there are typically other indicators of refinishing as well.

There was a point about whether or not the lettering was the same size and depth, and I have pulled it apart and looked at it again. Using a caliper, it appears that maybe the S is a touch smaller than the rest of the letters, but if it is, it is minimal. The spacing between the letters is virtually exact.

The markings that were pointed out on the bottom of the lug almost appears to be the back side of a 2. Using a light to create a shadowing effect in this area, it appears that there is possibly the faint front portion of a 2. Like the stamp was struck at an angle marking the backside well, and leaving the front virtually unmarked.

I should probably buy a Winchester reference book anyway, and I know Roger Rule's book was mentioned. Is there much difference between Rule's book and the Madis book? Anyone recommend one over the other. Thanks again for the input and ideas.

Rules book is the most informative IMO. The other way to learn is buy them (M70's) and take them apart. I did both.

If you want THE M70 reference book get Rule's book. If you start collectin M70's then you will also need to get Whitaker's book as well. It's not as accurate or as detailed but it's rarer and worth more!

Well, I guess some would say that I do collect them, but I guess I've always felt that I was more of a shooter than a collector. I guess this would be the 3rd 06 I have, two 270's, 308, 243, 257, 264, 220, 300 H&H, 338, 358, and a hornet. Course the 358 is a 308 that I took on trade and it had a bulged barrel. It was sent off to JES and rebored and chambered. Mainly because I figured I'd either never be able to afford the original, or would never want to afford it, lol.

Regardless, I shoot them all, and most I've gotten at prices that I wasn't afraid that I wouldn't see my money back. I've just never taken the time to really study them in depth, but looking at what I have, maybe I should've started with a good book sooner, lol.

PSH, Considering you can pick up a paper back edition of Rule's book for under $100 now I would consider it a must have for someone with the M70's you have. Other than just an intersting book picking up one little tid bit of information from it could save you way more than the $100 it costs.

LOL, yeah, I would say that I would have to agree with you reelman. I do find them interesting, and am always on the look out for them. Some of the ones that I have may have a little thing wrong here or there, but for the most part I knew that before I bought them, and paid accordingly. Others are correct, but shooters, which is what I wanted to begin with. Probably the nicest one that I have is the 338, but I still want to hunt it.

I do appreciate the opinions and suggestions on this one. I've not owned a supergrade yet, but I'd like too one day.

PSH, yes all mine have the date stamped after SUPER but anything is possible with Win's of that era. Especially since Supergrade FW's weren't high production. If that is an "S" on the bottom of your recoil lug it would lead me to believe it's a Supergrade FW that's been restocked and bottom metal replaced.

wow. Seems like I read recently that hard copies of Rule's book are going for $700ish? What are Whitaker's worth now? thanks

Maybe the books were a better investment than the rifles

Just another example of "supply and demand". There is a soft cover version of the book out now, in somewhat limited supply.
Don't quote me, but under $100 I believe.

Amazon's got 'em for $82.

Ok, I left it all apart last night and took another look this morning with the help of a large magnifying glass. In looking at the area behind the "SUPER" it does almost appear that there is the faintest of stampings there that could possibly be a two digit number. I can't make it out, but I'm going to assume that this is most likely a date stamp. The barrel still does not appear to have been refinished, lettering catches my fingernail and is very crisp and clear, but if it has been, they did a very nice job. I have seen some faint year and caliber stampings before just due to not being struck well, but never this faint.

The other thought I had as I'm looking at it, the "SUPER" stamping does not have bluing down inside the lettering, like most stampings that you see. I suppose it could be possible that they were putting an SG rifle together at the factory and this happened to be the barrel they grabbed for it, so they stamped the "SUPER" on after the bluing had been applied, but I would say it could be just as likely that the "SUPER" was applied sometime after the rifle was sold, for whatever reason.

I guess regardless, it is kind of fun to wonder about the story behind it, and I did call the Cody Museum just to see if they could or would possibly tell me anything about it, but I have not received a call back. As it stands right now, I believe that I'm going to have to go with the thinking that it probably is not a factory SG featherweight barrel. I won't say that my mind couldn't be changed on that, however, based on what I'm seeing right now, and input from others, I'm guessing it's more likely than not, not an SG barrel.

Just to be on the safe side, I don't believe I will be having this one re-bored, lol. It can stay the way that it is. I'll add a pad too it and take it back out to the standard LOP, the trigger was adjusted this morning before being placed back into the stock. Now all that it needs is a scope and I can go see what it'll do. Just wish it had the rings with it so I didn't have to take the side mount off and be plugging holes. Maybe I can get some standard rings and bases on it without removing the side mount, but it's gonna be stupid looking, lol.

I'm am still interested in hearing other thoughts if anyone has some on it.

I've heard those large $ numbers for the books also but when I look at them on sale on Ebay I don't see anyone getting big bucks for any of them. Maybe $200 for a hard cover Rule book and I've seen a Whitaker book for sale for around $400 for the last couple months with no takers. If you're going to get $700 for a Rule book it would have to be the first edition leather bound version with the slip cover. I have all 3 (Rule hard cover, Rule 1st edition, and Whitaker) and tried to sell the 1st and Whitaker a while back and got no interest in them.

well, dang...thought I was rich for a few minutes...

thanks for the info