Pre War Winchester Model 70 checkering
There is a Winchester Model 70 .22 Hornet up for auction that was made in 1941 but it doesn't have any checkering on the stock and it looks like a Winchester stock. Does anyone know if checkering was not applied to all Model 70's?
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=403800280#PIC
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=403800280#PIC
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I don't like the stock, or the sling mounts. I'd have to check, but in the 38,000 range I think the receiver should still be polished, not sandblasted.
The whole thing just smells fishy.....0 -
The action should be polished, the stock should be checkered, the sling swivels don't look right. I'd have to do more research to be sure about the swivels, but the whole thing doesn't really pass the smell test.
The positive thing is the scope mounts, they are correct.
W.D.0 -
In Ebay auction 2214 0982 1408 there's a pair of Super Grade swivels with what appears to be the same bases as what's on this stock. I agree the stock should be checkered, but as the saying goes with Winchester, Never say Never 0 -
Don't forget, the rear scope mount hole is not factory, either. 0 -
Looks to me to be a nice M 70; but for shooting purposes, not display. 0 -
Geeeeez. T.M.I. The guy was only asking if the stock should be checkered if it is an original. The simple answer is, yes.
I'm surprised no one has yet suggested that he should consider 30-06 instead of 22 Hornet. Or, a Remington instead of a W.
Ray0 -
Thanks to all for your input. I would not have known about the non-factory rear scope mounting hole or the swivels. Without a factory letter documenting why the rifle doesn't have the standard features we would expect I am leery of paying a collector quality price for a rifle that is altered. 0 -
Bundy, just a FYI, there are no factory letters for model 70's. You have to go by your gut.
Do you have the Roger Rule book? I would suggest it if you don't.0 -
IMHO, the buyer paid way too much for this rifle. There's just too much wrong with this gun to bring a collector grade price. The stock is an after market affair. Though it looks like a factory stock, it's not. I bought two mid-40s Pre-64s back in the 70s and both had stocks identical to this rifle's. Dimensions, grain, finish, steel butt plate, and color were all dead-on matchs to factory stocks, but markings in the barrel channel made it clear they were after market adds. In addition to the stock, as has already been pointed out, sling swivels are wrong and the rear bridge was tapped for a scope mount. Without rehashing all the comments above, this rifle would make a great shooter, but it's not a collector grade gun. In my opinion, too many people find odd Pre-64s and, perhaps due to wishful thinking, attribute their odd characteristics to Custom Shop origins. Unless someone can prove provenance, it all comes back to wishful thinking...and you generally can't take that to the bank. As for this rifle, who knows how many hands it passed through in over 7 decades and it's very likely at least one owner customized it to suit his particular tastes. On the other hand, many Pre-64s originated from the Custom Shop--I recently saw a magnificant Varmint Super Grade in the box--but anyone with the dinero to plunk down on a Custom Shop rifle wasn't likely to opt for a plain-Jane stock with zero checkering. Let's face it, even the Pre-64s were mass produced rifles and, without some sort of incentive, Winchester wasn't going to just churn out one-off variations at a whim. As has already been said, never say never, but I wouldn't bet my paycheck on this rifle being factory original in any way. Who knows why the buyer paid what he did, but in the end I think he got nothing more than a shooter. Of course, that's just my opinion. 0
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