Pre-64 Winchester Model 70

[clance]

I just found a pre-64, Model 70 FW in 308 which sometime during the time it was manufacture to now someone restock the rifle with some ungodly thing that is suppose to pass as a stock. The serial number (248XXX) places the year of manufacture I believe sometime in 1952.

What I would like to know is there somewhere that I can get a period stock, or will a current Model 70 FW Classic fit?

By the way, what can someone tell me about the Kollmorgen Bear Cub 4x scope? The rifle came with it on a tip away mount, it seem clear though not to hip on the fineline crosshairs but it does have adjustments.

 

[Keb]

You can fine a proper stock, even using ebay. Expect to pay about $100-150.
They also show up at gun shows, and Gunbroker. Some old gunsmiths have them stuck in a barrel in the back.

 

[clance]

Thanks I keep my eye out for one the next time I get to a show. Was just on ebay seeing if there was one but the majority of them were Super Grade. I'm just looking for the FW stock from the early 50s so that I can return the old girl to her original configuration.

 

[supercalvin56]

That is an early one for a featherweight. It probably has a solid bolt handle (they began drilling those out a little later). Also, before 1959 the featherweights came with aluminum butt plates. Just to make your search for "original" a little harder.

The Kollmorgen Bear Cub was the for-runner to the Redfield brand of scope. It was one of the best scopes during the period and would look awesome on your featherweight.

Featherweights are my favorite Model 70's. They shoot really well and are much lighter and handier than their older, fatter, and heavier brothers...the standards. I have two...270 and 243. They fit most people very well. They are truly " the Riflesman's Rifle".

 

[clance]

That is an early one for a featherweight. It probably has a solid bolt handle (they began drilling those out a little later). Also, before 1959 the featherweights came with aluminum butt plates. Just to make your search for "original" a little harder.

The Kollmorgen Bear Cub was the for-runner to the Redfield brand of scope. It was one of the best scopes during the period and would look awesome on your featherweight.

Featherweights are my favorite Model 70's. They shoot really well and are much lighter and handier than their older, fatter, and heavier brothers...the standards. I have two...270 and 243. They fit most people very well. They are truly " the Riflesman's Rifle".

Well which ever owner (if there was more then one) that it was that swap out the stock, at least keep the original aluminum butt plate on the gun, so that will be one thing I won't have to go searching for. But what do you know about the scope bases of the time?

Currently it has some type of tip over mount that allows the scope to be moved out of the way so that the shooter can use the iron sights. What I would really like to find is a quick release where with a flip a lever and rotating the scope 90* degrees the scope lift off the rifle. I seem to remember seeing something like this in my dad's old Gun Digest from the mid 50s to early 1960s.

To me, the tip over mount just seem to be a cheap base and I would really like to give the old gal back her class!

Also after posting the original post, I did some searching on the internet and found out more on the scope (Kollmorgen). It's like you said at the time it was concidered one of the best scopes on the market (at least US). The 4X will be just right for anything that I would be hunting.

By the way was $556.00 a good price to pay for both the rifle and scope? I would rate both at approximately very good condition with no dings and a couple scratches in the floor plate. Bluing I would say on the barrel is 98% while the action is matted and am not sure how to rate that? But the action is smooth and as tight at the day she was manufactured. And yes the bolt knob is solid and it is my understanding that 1952 was the first year for Winchester to offer the Model 70 in .308 so she is one of the first.

 

[Keb]

see your private message.

 

[Clark]

The previous owner shot:
2 grizzlies
6 moose
10 mountain goats
6 sheep
109 Sitka Black tailed deer
16 black bear
2 caribou

Then he died, and his nephew sold it to me.

I have shot 8 mule deer with it.

My pre-64 M70 has a new Bordon Rim Rock stock, a new Pac-Nor barrel, new Leupold scope, new scope mounts, new rings, a new sling, a new bi-pod.

It is like the story about the 100 year old axe, that had been through 4 handles and two heads.

 

[supercalvin56]

Weaver made a hinged tip-over type ring set-up. That is probably what you have on it now. They look cheap but, actually worked quite well. They tipped the scope to the left and then clipped back down with a tin type plate on the right. Griffin and Howe made a hinged tip-off scope mount that required holes be drilled and tapped in the left wall of the receiver . Those are the only 2 that I'm aware of.

 

[clance]

Weaver made a hinged tip-over type ring set-up. That is probably what you have on it now. They look cheap but, actually worked quite well. They tipped the scope to the left and then clipped back down with a tin type plate on the right. Griffin and Howe made a hinged tip-off scope mount that required holes be drilled and tapped in the left wall of the receiver . Those are the only 2 that I'm aware of.

I think your right that it's a Weaver from what I can see from pictures of period mounts.

I believe that Pacmayr also made a tip over. I got this from a 1952 Stoeger Catalog my dad had.