Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors 1961 Winchester Model 70 Supergrade Featherweight - Special Order 30-06

The wear doesn't have anything to do with it. Winchester didn't make matte finish aluminum buttplates. It's totally wrong, 100% certain.

Id be cuuios of all the boards 70 collector opinions.

I have seen to many not look correct due to light and camera to make a "something is wrong" call on this gun, given the butt plate looks matte but it being a special order gun changes everything. I do know money and access to a good Winchester rep and you could have it your way! very best on a good one. WinPoor

Would that 61-62 rifle wear a S or SG stamp under the barrel?

Probably could have ordered anything you wanted to pay for back then. Someone brought up the butt plate. It should have actually been a composite butt plate instead of the aluminum. They started using the composite butt plates in 1959. It doesn't make a lot of sense that it would be aluminum, let alone being the wrong color as pre war pointed out. The finish on the barrel looks to be more like the mottled finish the stainless barrels had. I'd be curious to see if it has a stainless barrel????

1962...

I am no where near an expert and I could be totally out in left field, but wasn't the only supergrade available 1960-1963 the Supergrade African in 458? Or was that only 1963? I would look it up but I am 1500 miles from my bible.

Mistergreen, please do not take this the wrong way, but did you receive any proof of this rifles manufacture? The supergrade fwt is probably one of the most faked Model 70's of all time. The barrel finish does look a bit off, but it could be flash washout from the camera at just the right angle. Real light would help out alot. Same with the butt plate.

For the price they go for at auction, people do devious things.

IF it was a special order who knows? I know if I were to order one from the custom shop and a steel or aluminum Neider style butt plate was available over a composite (plastic) plate I would be getting it!

I wouldn't. I'd be all over a leather faced custom recoil pad they offered...

Looks like Cody letter time.

Given that this rifle came from a collection that includes over 50 model 70's which include pre 64 NIB 338 Win Mag, new condition 375 H&H Super Grade, the previously posted never out of the wood box Bull gun, multiple targets, pre war tangs etc. I will be shocked if this was not original.

As Winchesterpoor posted, it's a special order which could be more than just the sights. Naturally ill be bias until proved wrong by letter or some other means.

Thanks for all the thoughts/opinions.

People always seem to question SG Featherweights as not being original then the question is where do you get a stock from? It's realtivly easy to make a standard weight a SG with a stock off another rifle, you have a '06 SG and a 257 standard 3 screws later you have a SG 257. But where would you ever find a SG Featherweight stock from?

Cool rifle! It sure couldn't hurt to contact the Winchester Museum in Cody to see if they have anything on file about this rifle. The custom orders came in whatever configuration the buyer wanted, so there were some unusual mixes out there. The challenge is proving that it was truly a custom order with all work done at the factory versus someone piecing together a rifle on their own.

Eric

I will take some natural light photos this weekend and post the difference. It will be interesting to see the contrast.

Waste of time to contact Cody....

Thinking the blueing will hold up with good light.
Only question is the two EE's in steel that look rubbed out. The rest of the lettering is perfect. Again, it may be the lighting.
Do a quote and look at the enlarged pic.

I'll ask again. Is the underside of that barrel stamped Super Grade and if so how is it stamped?

I'd hunt that in half a heart beat.

The plate is marked super grade as would be expected.

Not questioning the floorplate Sir.
Given the date of manufacture I'm curious if when the rifle is taken down there is a stamping under the barrel which is normally not visible when the rifle is fully assembled.
If so would you be able to post a photo of it?

It's very nice. It kinda reminds me of old Kimber of Oregon that Aussie family made possible to us. Too bad that venture folded.