Model 70 in 225 Win
A friend of a friend asked me if I was interested in a Model 70 in like new condition last week. As it turns out, the rifle is in a condition just about like it left the factory but it is chambered in 225 Winchester. The receipt indicates the gun was purchase in 1972 and there is 4 empty shells in a cartridge box that would have been from the same period. Since I never heard of the .225 Winchester round, I did a minimal amount of research and discovered this turned out to not be a popular round for some reason. Is there any significant collector interest in a factory original rifle in this caliber? Is there something superior about this round over other .22 centerfires and are cartridges available? I don't want to sink $500 in something that will be difficult to sell in the future or has to be re-chambered. I have to admit it is a nice look rifle.
EDIT: I think my suggestion is going to be list it on GunBroker. I have a 22-250 in a Ruger #1 and don't really need something similar
EDIT: I think my suggestion is going to be list it on GunBroker. I have a 22-250 in a Ruger #1 and don't really need something similar
0
-
225 Winchester was their attempt at a varmit rifle . it is just about on par with 22/250 in performance but was on the off the market quickly it has a case that can be formed from the 30/30 case but I for one don't think it will ever become a collector item. Rimmed cartridges are great in Drillings and COMBO guns but personally I don't like them in a box magazine. 0 -
As mentioned it was a cartridge that was to buck sgainst the new Remington in 22-250 but it could not equal the 22-250. Ammo seems to be on and off, mostly on the auctions.
Win made this in a sporter and a HB varmint.
I'm looking for a Varmint myself, not as a collector but a shooter.
bjm0 -
I bought such a rifle on GB about 3 years ago. Winchester still makes the ammunition. For $500, I would say it is a good buy. Who knows if it will become a collectors item. The 225 Win. is an excellent cartridge but it's performance is very similar to the 22-250 as others have pointed out. 0 -
If my memory serves me well (which it often fails to do)the .225 also suffered from it's introduction in the controversial post '64 Model 70 that featured such sacrilege as impressed checkering, push feeding, broad gapped free floating on the barrel, etc. etc. 0 -
Robin,
The round itself is capable of, 22-250 performance. Another thing that brought a dislike for this round is some "genius"...yes I meant that sarcastically[}:)] decided this was a better option than the .220 Swift. Those who bought the Swift understood barrels wear out faster with that round and for the most part they were okay with it. They would replace them. Gun writers of the time, though, sold the .220 down the river. Along comes the inferior .225 Winchester and no one who ever shot a Swift was going to like it. Less performance, less mystique, and above all, it represented the post '64 Model 70 ultra-varmint gun.
Realisticly, it's a great round. Better suited to single shots like T/C's maybe, but still a strong performer. If the rifle you have feeds the rounds okay, it'll shoot fine. Too often we read from gunwriters what's good and bad. And so often they haven't removed their brains from their desk seats.
As you've mentioned how you already feel about it then sell it here on auction. But don't give off any negative vibes towards it or you could lose money. Many people still haven't forgiven Winchester for going with the post '64 model 70 yet.0 -
Check the on-line auctions for comparable actual selling prices of post 64 Winchesters. Because of the unpopular cartridge it's chambered for, I would knock off 15% to 20%, to arrive at fair market value. 0 -
In answer to part of your question; no, there is nothing special about this cartridge that makes it better than another similiar .22 center fire. It is not quite up to the performance of the .22/.250. It is about on a par with the .224 Weatherby. And as RCrosby says it first appeared in the post-64 M70. The bad press of the new 70 and the standardizeation of the .22/.250 by Remington at about the same time delivered a double whammy to the .225. A friend mail ordered one on close-out in 1965 for a varmint hunt we were going on. Fitted it with a K6 and ground down a set of Swift dies so we could load for it and it worked fine. In the mid '80's he decided to have it re-chambered to .22/.250 and I talked him out of it by trading him a new 700ADL in .22/.250. I have that rifle and another, a 670 that I got at a gun show, in .225. There's nothing wrong with the cartridge, it feeds fine from the Winchester magazines, presents no special reloading problems, last I checked brass and cartridges are still available. Not everyone has or wants one and that's one reason I like it. If you're buying it to sell, maybe not a good idea since the cartridge is not everyones cup of tea but if you want something a little different---- 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
7 comments