Pre 64 m70 Winchester action price check

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My lgs has a pre 64 action, there's a barrel but think he will keep it. It's a long weird story why it's just a action now but from what what's I was told the previous owner had Dementia and a pipe wrench.

The action is a 1953 by the barrel think the serial number was 235000 something, it was said to been a super grade but I believe the action is the same as a standard. There's some rust but it wiped off with my finger and some scratches so some polish and a reblue will be needed. It was a 3006. Bolt face looked fine and everything in the action left looked ok.

There's just the action with complete bolt and safety, trigger, trigger buard, the mag box and maybe the action screws.
The floor plate is missing and the part for the front action screw. A replacement floor plate looks to be $100 unless there cheaper somewhere else. No follower of spring either. Have to look them up.

The shop wants $400
It would be nice for a 280ai I've been wanting to build, that do you think on the price.
 
I think I would offer him $300 cash and see if he takes it. At $300 I would say it’s good for both parties.

And in response to your cartridge ideas . Doesn’t get much better than a 280ai!
He wont buge, even tho I've bought 4-5 guns this year and so has my buddy. He gave me the I could get $300 for the bolt routine. I did get the nice 270 pre 64 from him for $700 a few months back.
 
I'd pass at that price. To me common pre-64 model 70's are good solid guns, but over rated. In 1963 a Winchester 70 wasn't considered anything special. In fact, they had been having QC issues for several years prior. But with the design changes in 1964 any pre-64 sold at a premium.

It wasn't because the rifles were really any better, but because that was the only option for a USA made Controlled Round Feed action. And a lot of people were willing to pay a premium for CRF. Many of those rifles were stripped and the action used as the basis for custom guns.

Winchester went back to CRF in 1992 and the 1992-2006 made Winchesters are arguably better than the pre-64's. They are in my opinion. There were some design changes to the new FN made Winchesters, and I wish the design were closer to the original, but from a functional perspective I think those are a better rifle. Plus, Ruger and Kimber are now offering CRF actions in their rifles. The mystique of owning a pre-64 isn't what it used to be.
 
I hear a lot of people say there is nothing special about a pre 64 Winchester model 70. To me there is something special about holding and shooting a rifle, that was the very best, in its time. The Winchester pre 64 model 70, is the rifle everyone wants their rifle to compare to. No telling how many articles and books have been written about them. It was the rifle, that Winchester never recovered from, from changing it and making it cheaper. My Grandfather gave me his 1949, Winchester model 70, 257 Roberts and to me, it is a legend.
 
I'm a lefty, so no skin in the game, but if he won't go down, will he go up? Anything else there you've been jonesing for that's not such a bright spot on his radar right now? Could you propose a package deal? Say this action for $400, but that little pocket .380 Sig he's got a $450 price tag on it for $375 besides? He sells what he's enamored with for what he wants, and gives somewhere else but makes two sales instead of one.....
 
I hear a lot of people say there is nothing special about a pre 64 Winchester model 70. To me there is something special about holding and shooting a rifle, that was the very best, in its time. The Winchester pre 64 model 70, is the rifle everyone wants their rifle to compare to. No telling how many articles and books have been written about them. It was the rifle, that Winchester never recovered from, from changing it and making it cheaper. My Grandfather gave me his 1949, Winchester model 70, 257 Roberts and to me, it is a legend.

I wasn't going to comment on this thread but I was so influenced by Gary W Strange and he really really gave the right answer. The pre 64 Model 70 is like a piece of land, they're not making any more land and they're not making any more pre 64 Model 70 Winchesters. The seller was correct with his $300 bolt routine assuming that the bolt and cocking piece are not pitted. But you have to take into consideration what you will have after the purchase and how much it will cost to assemble a complete rifle. I know because I have done it several times. Gunsmith fees to polish the bolt and to blue the receiver and cocking piece will be about $125. I personally don't like a Model 70 re-blued receiver so that would keep me from doing the project if the receiver was in such bad condition that it needed to be re-blued. A steel floor plate in good condition will cost about $100. A good stock will cost about $150. A used Winchester Classic barrel in 280 Remington that could be rechambered to a 280 AI will cost about $125. Total cost about $800. That seems to be a lot but just try to find a good used rifle and buy it for $800 and them re-barrel it to a 280 AI. The savior to this process if you are hard up for cash is to do part of the project each year and spread it out over two or three years. I have just about quit posting on the forums because of the negative comments that come to questions like this.
 
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I wasn't going to comment on this thread but I was so influenced by Gary W Strange and he really really gave the right answer. The pre 64 Model 70 is like a piece of land, they're not making any more land and they're not making any more pre 64 Model 70 Winchesters. The seller was correct with his $300 bolt routine assuming that the bolt and cocking piece are not pitted. But you have to take into consideration what you will have after the purchase and how much it will cost to assemble a complete rifle. I know because I have done it several times. Gunsmith fees to polish the bolt and to blue the action and cocking piece will be about $125. I personally don't like a Model 70 reblued receiver so that would keep me from doing the project. Bottom metal and magazine box, spring and follower in good condition will cost about $200. A good stock will cost about $150. A used Winchester Classic barrel in 280 Remington that could be rechambered to a 280 AI will cost about $125. Total cost about $900. That seems to be a lot but just try to find a good used rifle and buy it for $900 and them re-barrel it to a 280 AI. The savior to this process if you are hard up for cash is to do part of the project each year and spread it out over two or three years. I have just about quit posting on the forums because of the negative comments that come to questions like this.

I would take that $900 pre-64 actioned 280ai anyday over a commercial production rifle of any make on the store shelves for $1000.
 
This in a 1953 pre 64 Winchester in 280 Remington that I put together over the past few months. It was my favorite 30-06 for several years but needed to be reworked so I took the time to install a 280 Remington barrel and McMillan sling swivel cups and swivels. The rifle already had a Leupold scope. The target was shot November 3rd as I am getting ready for our rifle season. The target was shot at 200 meters with me sitting on my rear on the ground using only a single shooting stick. The load was the Nosler 140 grain partition with 54 grains of IMR 4831. I challenge anyone on this forum to find a better rifle for deer hunting and to shoot a 4 shot group better than this. The rifle cannot be held perfectly still so the trigger pull is completed when the reticle is lined up with the target. IMG_4637.JPG IMG_4638.JPG IMG_4640.JPG
 
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This in a 1953 pre 64 Winchester in 280 Remington that I put together over the past few months. It was my favorite 30-06 for several years but needed to be reworked so I took the time to install a 280 Remington barrel and McMillan sling swivel cups and swivels. The rifle already had a Leupold scope. The target was shot November 3rd as I am getting ready for our rifle season. The target was shot at 200 meters with me sitting on my rear using only a single shooting stick. The load was the Nosler 140 grain partition with 54 grains of IMR 4831. I challenge anyone on this forum to find a better rifle for deer hunting and to shoot a 4 shot group better than this. The rifle cannot be held perfectly still so the trigger pull is completed when the reticle is lined up with the target. View attachment 1036192 View attachment 1036193 View attachment 1036194
Someone just posted one of these, a 1953 30-06 in the Maine classifieds for $1500

Edit: Actually it was a 1952. Came with case, sling, Lyman peep sights, scope rings and was said to be in Excellent Cond.
 
I'm a lefty, so no skin in the game, but if he won't go down, will he go up? Anything else there you've been jonesing for that's not such a bright spot on his radar right now? Could you propose a package deal? Say this action for $400, but that little pocket .380 Sig he's got a $450 price tag on it for $375 besides? He sells what he's enamored with for what he wants, and gives somewhere else but makes two sales instead of one.....
He doesn't like doing trades or bundle deals, he had 4-5 guns a few months back I offered him about $1000 when I had it and he said no. I think it was like $25 off each gun. He has a ruger wrangler for $220 is like to get for my dad but don't know how that would work.
 
I wasn't going to comment on this thread but I was so influenced by Gary W Strange and he really really gave the right answer. The pre 64 Model 70 is like a piece of land, they're not making any more land and they're not making any more pre 64 Model 70 Winchesters. The seller was correct with his $300 bolt routine assuming that the bolt and cocking piece are not pitted. But you have to take into consideration what you will have after the purchase and how much it will cost to assemble a complete rifle. I know because I have done it several times. Gunsmith fees to polish the bolt and to blue the receiver and cocking piece will be about $125. I personally don't like a Model 70 re-blued receiver so that would keep me from doing the project if the receiver was in such bad condition that it needed to be re-blued. A steel floor plate in good condition will cost about $100. A good stock will cost about $150. A used Winchester Classic barrel in 280 Remington that could be rechambered to a 280 AI will cost about $125. Total cost about $800. That seems to be a lot but just try to find a good used rifle and buy it for $800 and them re-barrel it to a 280 AI. The savior to this process if you are hard up for cash is to do part of the project each year and spread it out over two or three years. I have just about quit posting on the forums because of the negative comments that come to questions like this.
I would do all the work myself, the bolt looked fine, the receiver I will rust blue it. For a barrel is probably order one from shaw since I can get a discount that will be $160ish for a stock unless I can find a takeoff with no cracks for under $150 I'll order a Richards microfit.
The long build is how I usually do builds, I don't have much money and I'm at the start of a 09 Argentine mauser in 9.3x62 so this m70 will be for next year probably 2.
 
This in a 1953 pre 64 Winchester in 280 Remington that I put together over the past few months. It was my favorite 30-06 for several years but needed to be reworked so I took the time to install a 280 Remington barrel and McMillan sling swivel cups and swivels. The rifle already had a Leupold scope. The target was shot November 3rd as I am getting ready for our rifle season. The target was shot at 200 meters with me sitting on my rear on the ground using only a single shooting stick. The load was the Nosler 140 grain partition with 54 grains of IMR 4831. I challenge anyone on this forum to find a better rifle for deer hunting and to shoot a 4 shot group better than this. The rifle cannot be held perfectly still so the trigger pull is completed when the reticle is lined up with the target. View attachment 1036192 View attachment 1036193 View attachment 1036194
Nice rifle and that would be a very dead deer even at 300 with that grouping. The double dovetail rings look good on it to.
 
The owner of the action has said he will not sell for less than $400 so all of this wishful thinking about buying it cheaper is not going to work. I had thought about chambering my rifle for the 280 AI but for me there was no benefit. I am very happy with the standard 280 Remington and it is a joy to shoot.
 
The owner of the action has said he will not sell for less than $400 so all of this wishful thinking about buying it cheaper is not going to work. I had thought about chambering my rifle for the 280 AI but for me there was no benefit. I am very happy with the standard 280 Remington and it is a joy to shoot.
The normal 280 is a fantastic round, but I figured when staring new why not Ackley lol.
 
Someone just posted one of these, a 1953 30-06 in the Maine classifieds for $1500

Edit: Actually it was a 1952. Came with case, sling, Lyman peep sights, scope rings and was said to be in Excellent Cond.
The week i bought my m70 270 a similar rifle with a cheaper scope sold for $1450 on gun broker.
 
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