Winchester wizards and aficionados of the campfire, what can your eyes tell me about this? I’ll post further details shortly, but wondering what the pros here can tell me.

Pre 64 338wm 01

Thanks

Replacement pad?

Stock looks to have been shortened.....

Yeah, I’m just wanting more educated eyes than mine on it. I had absolutely no intention of buying another rifle at the moment, but this one seems to be calling me. I figured you guys would spot any majorly wrong items on it. Not looking for a collectors piece, looking for a hunter. Thinking drop this into a McMillan and call it done.

What are other aftermarket stock options other than McMillan for the pre 64’s? Any? Or another source?

High tech specialties (Bansner) and brown precision.

Manners as well I believe.

I got my Alaskan with a crack at the tang for a steal and bedded it but eventually realized the finish was pretty poor for my hunting and the crack wasn’t helping accuracy, so it went into a Legend. Doubt it’ll ever change either.

A Legend would be a great choice on that .338

+1 stock shortened and non-original pad, other than that it looks right. If I were looking to put it in an aftermarket stock this would be a good candidate.

Drop it into a Micky or Brown precision and you are good to go. Ask the seller if it has ".458" stamped on the bottom of the recoil lug and what is the date of manufacture? The stock can easily be changed out. I wouldn't sweat that a bit..

Oh, yes, it's been shortened by about an inch..

This is what I’m being told about the date:
“ From a date standpoint I looked it up and I believe its a 1947. Thats interesting as 338WM came out in early 1948. Doing research on that I found a few more rifles like that and the belief is that they are some of the first 338WMs built while Winchester was still using receivers with the previous year's dates.”

I’d bet a dollar it’s not newer than 1958 if it’s a true Alaskan and has 458 stamped where BSA mentioned.

Probably somewhere around or north of a 458XXX serial as well. Could be a bit lower too, but not much.

You are wrong on the debut of the 338.

I don’t know when the debut was, sir. The dating info that’s in quotations is a copy and paste of what I’m being told.

I’m researching this subject as we speak. Thanks for the info though, it’s appreciated.

1958 338 was introduced

Thanks john.

I see that all circus hobbits should be forever castrated for hiring gunsmiths to cut the buttstocks off pre-64 Winchester model 70's.

Agreed Gunner... with dull iron as well.

The only good that comes of cutting off the butts of a pre 64 model 70 stock is you can use and enjoy them without worry of messing up said stock. Take the all original off and hunt with the one with a recoil pad added. You can find the ones that have been cut for good deals on ebay sometimes. I actually don't mind shooting them at the range with a newer recoil pad either. You can also glass bed those stocks without fear of reducing its collector value. So there are some positives to those gunsmiths cutting a butt down, as long as they don't cut it too short!!!! Here's one I put a recoil pad on recently. You guys have seen this rifle before. 30-06 featherweight I paid $475.00 for locally...:


This rifle is a little sweeter to shoot off the bench now.

Here it is in an all original stock:

It would be sacrilege if someone cut a stock like this one down. In full agreement with you there buddy...

Scotty, it should have a serial # less than 445xxx based on what I see. If we could see the serial # in the pics, we would know for sure. Keep in mind some of these "short action magnum" receivers (all stamped ".458") used on for the 338wm may actually date as far back as 1956. Even though we know the 338wm made its debut in '58.. The reason I asked about the ".458" stamping earlier is because if the rifle fell within the right time frame and it was stamped, it would be worth more money to me. If it's a 1955 receiver and not stamped, it's just a plain old standard rifle with a newer 338 barrel screwed on to it...

LOL, Damn straight! ; ]

You bet BSA, I fully understand the use and good price of them, but, when someone cuts a butt, I have a bad habit of thinking McMillan and Cerakote!

Oh, I see now. Ha ha.. You left out re-bore in your sentence though. That's always a good option too. Especially when it's not really that expensive to send it down here and have it done...

I usually don't really think cerakote unless the finish sucks. Or like in my 338wm case, half was stainless, some was blued and some was aluminum:



I just wanted everything to be the same color!!!!! But I do love how the midnight blue cerakote turned out. My local guy is awesome...

Nice looking rescue buddy, I have two cerakoted, rebored and syn stocked pre-64's, they were both rusted bore 270's, one was from your state ; ] a 338-06 in a Pacific Research and a 35 Whelen in a McWoody, damn good shooting and functional all weather rifles.

That's how I feel about the G&H side mount.

I've said it before, those two dudes need to be dug up and kicked in the balls! ; ]

Kick them in the balls forme too buddy!!!

I am always on the hunt for a 270/30-06 Featherweight that is hammered. I’ve been wanting to build a Whelen on a Featherweight for quite awhile. I have a couple .358 barrels ready to go as well. Ones a Benchmark 1-9.5 3 contour and the other is a 1-10 3 contour Krieger. Ones going to become a 35 Newton and the other a Whelen this year. I’m just dragging my feet a little to which does what!

I enjoy the 35 whelen as well. A 35 whelen in a featherweight sounds like a cats.
Love me some mid-bores, but I prefer them on a #3 contour with open sights. Love the looks and balance of them.

So I’ve just picked her up from my ffl.
Here’s my first impressions and what I’m seeing. Please educate me on this.

Pre 64 338 - 02

Looks to be an Alaskan, as per the 458 stamping. I would guess the original stock, as you can see the 458 imprinted. It’s pretty clean and overall in good condition to my eyes. The damn stock certainly has been shortened as you fellas have said.

Serial number 401xxx

Let me know what you see and think.

I think you made out well.

Yes sir, To say I’m excited is an understatement. Best I can tell so far is that it’s an early production model. Seems to have a 1957 year - 338wm 458 Alaskan stamped receiver, probably using older receivers in 58?

They over estimated the desire for the 458 African which came out in 1956 and made way too many receivers. There are a lot of 338's with earlier receivers. The African was nearly double the price of a Standard.

Thanks, I appreciate the info.