A favor please from M70 Super Grade owners
If any of you knowledgeable folks is also the proud owner of a late-'40's Winchester M70 Super Grade, would you please take a couple minutes and measure the buttplate. I need the length and width at the widest point. Thanks in advance.
yooper
yooper
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Model 70 Supergrade Winchester #58656 has a buttplate width of 1 9/16 inches at the widest point. The height of the buttplate is 5 1/16 inches. This is the standard steel buttplate of the period. 0 -
Thank you Herschel!! That's exactly what mine measures, the wood to metal fit of the stock to the buttplate is the usual impeccable Winchester fit of that period, and the length of pull is 13" which would add up to confirm my suspicion of the rifle being a special order gun furnished in a Super Grade stock. I'm stoked. Just wish I had a Model 70 guru in my neighborhood who could check it out and, hopefully, confirm my theory. I checked with Bert and no factory letters are available for the 70's. Maybe I'll have to head for the WACA/Ohio Gun Collectors show in Cleveland next month and see what I can learn.
yooper0 -
The LOP of 13" is exactly the end result of shortening the original stock for a recoil pad. Typically 1/2-5/8" is removed to get rid of the original "widow's peak" inletting for the steel buttplate that came on it from the factory. I have seen literally dozens of 70's shortened for pads with the resultant LOP being 13" after removal of the aftermarket recoil pad and refitting of an original steel buttplate. A couple of things to check involves removing the steel buttplate and looking signs of a non original style saw pattern, also look for 1 or 2 extra attaching holes. I have never seen a aftermarket recoil pad where the screws were on same centers as the original steel buttplate. Many times one of the original holes was used, but an addtional hole was required also. Last, look for telltale signs of original stain that leached its way down around edges of buttplate at its attachment point. Winchester also had a very distinct way of inletting the "V" for the "widow's peak". However if you are not familiar with 70's or have a known original to compare, this would be near impossible to differentiate.
All this is worth a check on a gun with potentially a pretty high value.
Steve0 -
As has been said, the screw holes will tell the tale.
W.D.0 -
Just to let everyone know, seewin is the expert in regards to the Winchester Model 70. Whenever I have a question(s) about a Model 70, he is the first person I ask[^]. 0 -
Thanks guys. There are NO extra holes under the buttplate. The buttplate is the original widow's peak Winchester buttplate of the proper size, which was my original question that Herschel answered. To the best of my knowledge, there's no way you can shorten a stock and still use the original buttplate. The buttplate would be way too big for the stock at the shorter point. The fit of the buttplate to the stock is typical of early Winchester perfection. As I stated in my earlier letter, I'd LOVE to have a Winchester M70 wizard that I could talk to and show the rifle to, but I don't know anybody in my area. Any references would be appreciated.
yooper0
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