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

Take it to a trusted gunsmith and let him remove the stock to check the barrel underside markings. Hopefully Super or an S is inscribed. You are the only person I know who would buy a rifle like this without removing the stock....

As for it being a made-up gun did it ever occur to anyone that a real SG FW stock and floorplate could be installed on a Gopher Special? The lack of an engine turned bolt and follower makes me very suspicious about the authenticity of this rifle.

Just because someone who collected 70s had it means nothing without factory provenance accompanying the gun.

Mr. Green here's what I see with that rifle and a damn fine looking rifle it is.

From the elite collector viewpoint if you ever re-sell it and at some point every one of our rifles change hands as none of us live forever, here's the questions that need answering.

Is the stock an original? From what I see I'd say yes.
Has it been altered? No question there. The barrel channel has been opened up.
Regarding the barrel....
Is it a late model Super Grade rifle or a one off parts gun?
Seeing the underside of the barrel would help with that provided it is stamped and the stamps match what we'd see on a late model SG rifle.
It's not just BSA curious about the barrel stamp as I believe that was my first question upon seeing it and if I was buying it it would have been my first, second and third questions.

The rifle has worn a scope in the past indicating at least limited use. (You can see the marks on the top of the receiver from what I'd guess is a Redfield JR type base. Also 3 of the 4 filler screws are missing and left open.
In my opinion the butt plate has been recently removed and re-finished.
Should the bolt be jeweled is open to question.
If it's been assembled as a late, late custom order the equipment to jewel the bolts and followers may have already been set aside or de-mobilized.

I don't mean to be critical of your rifle but examples like this are exactly why I love our hobby.

Hit quote and look close from the swivel screw to the cap.

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Good catch Battue. I'm assuming you are looking at the hairline crack?
The closeup also shows what appears to be flathead profile screws.
Those should be oval head or at least all older SG's I've seen exhibited oval head profiled "timed" screws.

SG stocks are "oversized" compared to standard stocks so again if someone couldn't notice the difference they should not be buying any M70's!

Looks like a small crack from here. Nothing that couldn't be fixed.

There isn't a timed screw on the rifle, but I've seen others that were the same.

SG screws were not timed on p64s. The flathead screws don't look right and there's definately a crack.

PG-check your PMs.

And the screws on the rear swivel are not the same as the ones on the front.

Taking down and getting pictures now.

Thanks to all that comment.

No need to post pictures. BSA was spot on. No Super Grade underneath. Bedded stock. All the detects were right.

I have a crow in my garage, just turned the fryer on.

Thoughts on how bad my investment was?

Expensive lesson

I paid 2k for it.

The action and barrel are like new and not refinished. What is the action and barrel worth? What is the stock worth?

What is it all worth?

At two grand you did fine. Hunt the heck out of it.

Do all the components have matching serial #'s?

Bolt matches the the receiver. Where else do I check?

No problem with a 2K value on that rifle. None at all.
Ask yourself if you could buy a equivalent Cooper or Kimber for that amount.
Considering the supposed rarity of the rifle it would have brought 3 to 5 times that at auction if it was a proven factory rifle.
Hopefully the little bugger shoots and you've got one very sweet 'o6 to carry next fall.

Agreed, that is a lovely shooter and worth what you paid, I prefer them like this so I CAN hunt/shoot them, having worn 2-3 unfired specimens from 1968 to recently.....they were built to hunt, for ________sakes!

Had that rifle been all it was purported to be, $2K would have been borderline criminal. As it is, I think you did pretty good. If it is accurate, that's even better. balltownbob suggested it might be an authentic, Fwt. stock, although now bedded and altered, added to an authentic Gopher Special. If that is the case, and you can prove it, you still may have underpaid. I wonder what an authentic Gopher Special barreled action is worth?

As far as hunting it, I would. But I would try hard not to ding it up. It is still a very nice rifle.

Hypothetically, if you have a girlfriend that looks like Scarlett Johansson, but isn't Scarlett Johansson, it still sure doesn't suck to be you.

Is the cheekpiece correct? It looks too large toward the front to me?

Is there any way to tell if the stock is even an original Winchester, or just something that someone carved out?

MisterGreen, You have my number, if you let folks think you made a bad buy you give me a few days to sort thru the crate gun,338 and 375, I will take that one off your hands too! It started here with photos that folks said was a reblue job! I cannot call bulls#%t from an internet photo but I can get out in the SW GA sun and do so. At any rate you are good to go on that gun! In fact you being a banker I will do you one better, I will fix it where you make money on the dog dam thing!!! LMAzzO very best WinPoor