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Winchester early model 70

338magnut
When Winchester first started production of the model 70 were they factory drilled and tapped and if not when did they start ? Any info is appreciated.
Terrill
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Ray Boone
    I have a first year production M70 257 Roberts that was factory drilled in the front ring but not the bridge. I don't know when they started drilling the bridge.
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  • Bert H.
    Roger Rule (in his superb reference book) states that the pre-WW II (Type-1) receivers were not drilled & tapped on the rear bridge. The front bridge was drilld & tapped with two holes. The serial range for the Type-1 receivers is 1 - 60,500, but there are specimens as late as 75,000. The post-WW II (Type-2) receivers (late 1946) were drilled & tapped.
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  • MG1890
    It's easy - if the rear bridge has the recessed surface with the wavy finish, it should not be drilled. If the rear bridge has a smooth, flush surface, I should be drilled.

    PS - nearly every early model to with a drilled rear bridge comes with a fairy tale about how it was sent back to Winchester by the original owner to have the scope installed.
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  • 338magnut
    Bert: What would the purpose have been to only drill the front bridge ? Terrill
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  • MG1890
    I'm not Bert, but I can tell you that the model 70 target rifles also had tapped holes on the barrel for the front base for a long target scope. You could also get an adapter for the rear sight dovetail to mount a long target scope on a sporter barrel. I have model 70's setup both ways with Lyman target scopes.

    Weaver made a mount that used those front bridge holes and the (2) side receiver sight holes to mount a modern style scope.
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  • richarda
    Not Weaver; STITH; and it could only be used with scopes of that era, which could be taken apart to insert the scope into the not-fully-split mount.

    Later, Bausch & Lomb also made such a mount, BUT it could ONLY be used with Bausch & Lomb scopes!
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by 338magnut
    Bert: What would the purpose have been to only drill the front bridge ? Terrill


    Precisely as described by MG1890.
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  • 338magnut
    That explains it and thanks to all who took the time to answer my question.
    Terrill
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  • drl50
    Another point to consider is Pre-War M70s had the safety on in the rear position. To fire, it was thumbed forward to the left. If you have ever moved the safety off on a pre war rifle with a scope, you will find it very cumbersome to move it to the left under the scope. Even more cumbersome to move it back on. The transistion and post war Model 70s (after 1946) safety was on to the rear and thumbed forward to the right to better accommodate scopes mounted with holes provide from that time on. Pre war rifles had the old style safety and stippling (striated lines) on the rear bridge.
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  • Ray Boone
    quote:Originally posted by drl50
    Another point to consider is Pre-War M70s had the safety on in the rear position. To fire, it was thumbed forward to the left.


    Not to be adversarial, but all three styles of M70 safeties rotated counter clockwise from safe to fire. The pre-war style safe position was 10 o'clock and relative to the shooter, rotated back to 6 o'clock to fire. The transitional and post war style were at 5 o'clock for safe, rotated forward to 1 o'clock for fire.

    Operating a pre-war safety under a scope is not a problem except that it is difficult to "ease" off and commonly results in a "click".
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