Looking at a M70 from 1962. Will check my Rule book(man am I glad I bought that) but wondering what folks here think about the later years pre64's?
Thanks

Go for it if the money is right! What cal ? any photos? Guys Im seeing a bunch of old timers that see the end of life coming due get rid of model 70's that they have been hording for years! Last 2 collections I was able to cherry pick were from good guys in their 90's that had kids that want money not pre 64 model 70's. Im talking NIB bought in the 50's and put up! Now is a good time for a model 70 lover! very best WinPoor

I've got no complaints with my 61' fwt 270

Its a 270, I checked and it is actually mid 63 vintage. My big question is that the proof mark is on top of the barrel and not in line with the caliber marking.


Winchesterpoor, I must run in the wrong circles! Been working at most of the gun shows supporting RMEF and chatting with folks. Yes a few guys talk about owning pre64's but nobody selling. Maybe I should put a note up at the local Hoveround Scooter store! ;-)

Razz if it is a 63, the stamp on the top of the barrel would be considered okay. Up until 63 it was always on the left side, and it was handstamped so depending on what the inspector had to drink the night before.....:) Last year of production the location was all over the place.

check out the style changes section in the bible and I believe the info is in there. Not at home so I can't tell you for sure the page number.

Pat,
Thanks, I did some looking after posting and found it. Made the purchase too. Now I just need to wait on delivery.
Razz

Razz, I recently got a 1959 FWT. '06 and of the 3 pre-64s that I own, it is definitely the cream of the crop. Someone told me at a gun shop not long ago when he found out I was interested in pre-64s that I should try to find guns built prior to '55-'56. I don't really know what his level of Winchester knowledge is and he didn't elaborate as to why other than "general quality" but if this '59 is representitive of even most of the late guns, well, sign me up for more!
John

I have a '62 Fwt. 270, no issues.

I had a '63 Fwt. 308 also, no issues there either.

Pre6422hornet: I always considered the "proof stamps" being on the left side of the pre-64 Model 70's barrels/actions?
Indeed some latter barrel "proof marks" are found on "top of the barrels" thus not correspondingly close on those occassions, to the "proof marks" on the left side of the barrel.
I could be wrong?
As I have a bad case of dyslexia.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'm thinking the same thing as winpoor. Have heard of a couple collections starting to get shrunk down. Only got a sniff of the ones winpoor is referring to, as my info was second hand and he's a lot closer to the safe they were comin' out of.

A lotta guys here have been through a lot more of 'em than me, but of the 3 I currently own, I'm proud to be the owner and feel a great responsibility to take care of them.
'56 FWT 30'06
'59 Standard .270
'61 Westerner .264 WinMag
Were I not late to the dance, I'd have been making room and moving money for the '60 .308 FWT jahrs just sold.
Have many other nice rifles, but don't look at those in the same vein as pre64's.

Varmint Guy I think my dyslexia got the best of me! I have to hold up my left and right hands on occasion and make an "L" to make sure I turn the correct way!!

I edited my post to reflect the correct side!

I used to deal with this all the time when dealing with customers and their motorcycles when I was called in to look at paint flaws and or noises from the powertrain.

" the noise is coming from the left side of the bike?"

"NO the right side"...

" Uh left side when you sit on the bike or left side when standing in front of the bike"...

" Oh now I am tracking with you..."

Thanks all. I found the info in Rule's book including some pictures. The proof mark on the barrel and the mark on the action fall in with what he outlined given the date of manufacture.

pre6422hornet, I like your comment about "what the inspector had to drink the night before.....:)". It fits when discussing "proof" marks.

Razz, I like the later year pre 64 model 70's. I had one that was built towards the end of production (Nov. of 1963) and that rifle was a very good rifle. Every bit as accurate as any of my other pre's and the quality of the machining was pretty good too, contrary to popular belief.... One thing I did notice, however, was the trigger assembly was not built as robustly as the earlier pre 64 model 70's. I ended up replacing the trigger with an older one and all was good. The stocks and checkering were not very nice either. Seems they were trying to cut some corners that most guys/consumers wouldn't notice or care about. Good rifles though, but are not as in demand as the pre 51/52 models...

I feel the same way buddy. I've shot some rifles side by side in comparison to the pre 64's and ended up getting rid of the other ones... Some, of the newer rifles, were thought to be quite desirable too... My '56 30-06 fwt is one that has kicked many a good rifle (other 30-06's) out of the safe. Just sayin...

What local and bsa said is absolutely true. I too have several real nice rifles in addition to the 3 pre-64s I own but have come to regard them in a totally different light since buying the first '53 Fwt. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy and appreciate them all but none of the current rifles are immune from going on the block if the right pre-64 pops up. Two or three of these guns were rifles that 2 years ago I was SURE I would own as long as I was on the green side of the grass. Also, I have never owned any type of gun before that I enjoy just handling, studying, and admiring as much as I do these. They're a pleasure at every level.
John

John, I couldn't have placed my opinion better. I almost never sell any of my guns or sell my top notch equipment. For the first time ever, I recently sold off a few pieces of very nice equipment to fund a high end scope for one of my new to me pre64's.

That's pretty much the end of my selling spree, unless a friend really needs something/anything. That, I have no problem with. But, My pre64's don't leave the barn.

Best Wishes,
LD

BSA, bettin' that FWT '56 is a barn burner.. $199 away from my Swaro Z3 on the '06. Chompin'..

I don't know about "barn burner", but it does shoot like a house afire.... . That's cool about your Swaro. You are going to love that one. I really like the one on my 338. It's the nicest piece of glass I've looked thru...

Anyway, here's my "barn burner".






I even like it in the original wood stock:

[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/013_zpsaa2b4d1e.jpg[/img]

It's really hard to not like this one

Local dirt and John. You guys are hitting the nail on the head. I had a friend ask me the other day if I had a good 30-06 I could sell him. I thought about it for a second and said..... I have a Winchester model 70 classic sporter... . The funny thing is, my classic sporter is the one I always grab first when it's time to go hunting. It's one of the rifles I always take to the range too. Selling the pre 64's is something I just don't think about doing...

I have three types of rifles. The factory produced guns, a couple of Coopers, Kimber, a couple of Weatherby Ultra lights for real bad weather and a few other non descript guns. The custom built guns and the very best the Pre 64 M70. I'll buy one whenever I can find one at a fair price and I usually don't sell one. I did let two of them go recently for another but this one is a 300 Savage and one of the ones I sold was a duplicate so it wasn't so bad.

A 300 savage would be extremely cool. I'd hang onto that one too!!!

BSA, your "amateur" float and bed "tray" work is second to none, IMO. Looks smooth as silk.
Wish I had the skill.. and stones to start carving out 60 yr old M70 wood to bed them.

Best Wishes,
LD

I have no skills and I know that:) I know my limitations and have an agreement with tools. I don't touch them and they don't hurt me. Also I don't F anything up.

The Savage will be around for a very long time.

GSP if you ever need some stock work done just let me know...

Here is the 1959 Alaskan in her new stock I just finished. I am in Dallas this week while she sits in New Mexico curing this week. When I get back I will sand her down to a matte finish and checker.

The stock is pillared and glass bedded completely, including the entire action and magazine area. Bottom metal is glassed in completely and heck even the super grade swivels are glassed in. There isn't any part of metal touching wood. I will post an entire start to finish soon.

That looks very nice hornet. Are you going to put some checkering on her?? I was just out in the shop working on putting my 375 H&H in the coyote bomber swirly that I had on my 30-06 fwt. It just didn't fit the fwt well. It was heavier than the original wood stock. 30-06 fwt went back into the original aluminum butt plate fwt stock... I always really liked that stock, just not so much shooting it off the bench

I look forward to seeing the start to finish thread. Make sure you throw in some target pictures too for those guys that love looking at those . After all, that shows us that it's bedded right...

Nicely done. I'll keep the offer in mind.

Will do. I have some group pics of how she shot with the original stock as well. I have a box of 250gr Partitions on the shelf, as well as some 210's and some 180AB's.

Yes I am checkering it as well. The finish needs to cure for about a week, and with my in laws coming in until April 3, it will be able to do that. Then a quick 1500 grit sanding, some steel wool and paste wax, and on to the checkering cradle.

You are going to get a chuckle out of how I inletted the super grade swivels.

Fantastic job! very best WinPoor

Very very nice! Cant wait to see the start to finish pictures.

What finish are you using? Are you using 1500 and then going over with paste wax using steel wool?

Looks nice, I am always trying to pick up on different ways to finish.

Thanks Guys. It has been long overdue, but with moving the family from Kansas City to ABQ it has been a very busy last 7 months.

Southwind I use a mixture of Armor All and Tru Oil. I spray the stock with AA and then rub Tru Oil in. It dries super fast ( within 5 minutes) and the AA and Tru Oil seem to create a chemical reaction that dries the tru oil really fast.

I might laugh, but I know how you are. You are an artist with those hands my friend. You would laugh at how I inletted the swirly on my 375 tonight too . Got her bedded though. She's sitting in Devcon 10110 right now (in these pictures):





Parradiddle asked the other day how hard it would be to put this stock on a std wt rifle. It was on my '56 30-06 fwt, but I didn't really care for it too much on that rifle. It weighed more than the original wood stock, so the wood stock went back on the fwt and the swirly went on the 375 ....To answer Parradiddle's question, about 3 hours worth of inletting work... However, it's on my 375 now and I think it's going to stay there!!!