Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors PRE-WAR / POST WAR

I'm guessng a 1943 mod 70 would be a pre-war. How are they different in general?

The pre-war, and early post-war "transition" receivers (most of which were made before the war but not finished until 1947 or so when civilian production resumed) will have the clover leaf tang and earlier rifles will have the pre-war "wing" safety on top of the bolt shroud. Sometimes the are found with aftermarket safeties that allow for scope mounting. Transition rifles have the small, three-position "tab" safety that mimics the later safety in terms of operation.


I am sure there are several more differences that I am unaware of but those are the primary differences between the pre-war/transition actions and the later pre-64's.

The pre-war rifles I have had have felt smoother, but were not, in the main, any more finely finished than the transition-era and mid-50s rifles I have had. Pre-64's maintained their quality up until 1961-62 when quality began to slip.

There are a few other differences as well as those already posted. Pre-wars used a 20 line checkering while 1950 ish used 18 line. Pre 1950's has a bulbus grip cap area while after 1949 the were made flat. Pre 1952 front sights were integral with the barrel while post 1952 guns had the front sight soldered on. The sear clearence hole on pre 1950 guns were broach made in a square confiquation, after @1950 the model 70's sear clearence hole were simply a drilled oversize round hole. These are some of the basic differences. By 1950 Winchester was feeling the pinch of higher labor cost and started makeing these changes to save money.

Thanks, I'm hoping to get a look at a '43 in 270 this weekend.

One of the major differences between the pre war and post war guns was the rear bridge of the receiver which was matted with wavy lines and was NOT drilled and tapped for scope base. The post war receivers were generally drilled/tapped from factory, beginnig with the transition receivers.
Steve

Not all transition actions were drilled and tapped, the thing with transitions is you never know what you'll get. I have a transition '06 that the rear bridge is not D&T'd and theres no faking that. I'm wanting to sell it if anyone is interested.

I would jump on that if you were in Canada, I HAD one made in 1946, as old as I am and had a Redfield 102W on it with an old Redfield Sourdough front.

I loaded, at that time, 20+ years ago, WW brass, CCI 250, 180 NP, IMR-4350-57 grs. I shot many 1" 3-shot groups at 100M, with that rig and quite a few 1/2"ers. It functioned and handled superbly and I somehow foolishly let it go to a persuasive guy in my home town.

I want one more P-64, to have a good iron sighted rifle and nothing is better, rigged as above, excepting an original FN "C-ring" sporter, for this, than the "transition" P-64s.

Best of luck with your sale.

Mr Reelman I wish you would post a few pix, pm if you like. I wanted a National Match as my next mod 70 BUT.. very best