Non-Milsurp: Winchester M70 Identification Help WHAT IT BE!

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Originally Posted by usabaker

I think you mean Short Action, it's a .243 Win. Thanks for the eBAY item number. The reason I was looking at the Boyd id because of their AT-ONE stock, it has the adjustable length of pull and cheek rest at a reasonable price; but I dont see one for the heavy barrel. If I don't go with that then I think I'd be at factory stock just to bring it back to the original configuration.

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No. I meant long action like I said. Just because it's in .243 doesn't automatically make it a short action. Prior to the late 80's early 90's there was no such thing as a model 70 short action. They were all the same length.
Standard actions for shorter cartridges like .243 were fitted with a magazine block(Open the floor plate and you can see it just ahead of the middle action screw) and shorter spring and followed. The ejector and bolt stop were changed also to shorten bolt stroke. Distance between action screws will be 7 5/8".

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Originally Posted by USGI

https://www.pmulcahy.com/bolt-action...hester_m70.htm

You haven't told us the barrel length. Just curious if it's 25 inches, and if it has the word VARMINT stamped on it? - Bob

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Hi Bob that was a great website thank you! I just pulled the rifle out of the safe. From the bolt face to the muzzle the barrel is 24" I pulled the action out of the stock and there are no other markings, nothing that says Varmint on it.

It does have a two peice floorplate.

Took some additional pictures

I did find a stamping in the stock

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Originally Posted by vintage hunter

No. I meant long action like I said. Just because it's in .243 doesn't automatically make it a short action. Prior to the late 80's early 90's there was no such thing as a model 70 short action. They were all the same length.

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Wow, you just saved me a bunch of money, I had no clue on that one. I haven't seen that information on any of the stock sites. I looked at the action and don't see a magazine block. The measurements between the screws is just like you said 7 5/8"

UPDATE: Do you mean the block off in the Magazine Box? I see one in it, My magazine box is marked with an A.

Thats what I love about this forum :) Thank you !

As I have previously indicated, your rifle was an early post-64, (probably first year of production) model by serial number. I believe that your rifle came before Winchester offered barreled actions for sale. The .243 was built and issued over the years in only four styles: Standard, Varmint, Target and Mannlicher during Winchester production. According to specification listed in many catalogs of the era the following barrel lengths were available:
Standard -22 inches
Mannilicher- 19 inches
Target and Varmint - 24 inches

Viewing a couple of take off barrels (30-06 take out target barrel, my Bull Gun, my pre WWII sportier) the model of the rifle ,i.e., Target, Varmint. etc was never stamped on the barrel except for the 'feather weight' barrels. There were several changes to the barrel roll mark the barrel :
Initially the barrel was stamped '30 Government 06', which was changed to simply 3006.
when the 300 H&H was introduced the stamping read simply 300 Magnum. As other 300 magnums (the 300 Winchester Magnum) came into being, it was changed to 300 H&H Magnum.
According to my reference books both the Target model and the Varmint versions are very rare.
At no place is the model of the rifle identified except on the barrel. I would expect your barrel to say M70- .243.
Later on, the .43 was offered in both the 670 and the 70A - all with 22 inch barrels.
As I have previously indicted, I do not believe that Winchester made any "short" receiver, I believe that this came after Winchester sold the business.
FWIW

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Originally Posted by Cosine26

At no place is the model of the rifle identified except on the barrel. I would expect your barrel to say M70- .243.

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It says "Model --- 70 243 WIN ---" here is a picture

Attachment 100967

I also noticed that on the bottom of the barrel near the witness mark it's stamped 243 as well

Thank you for the help..

I have one last comment about your .243 varmint rifle. As I have previously indicated, it was manufactured in the first year of the post 64 rifles production and was offered only in 243 and as a complete rifle. It was evidently restocked by the original buyer, who liked thumbhole stocks, probably by the firm or gunsmith whose name is stamped in your stock.

The following year (1966) the .225 Winchester cartridge was added,and barreled actions were offered for sale in those two calibers. The .225 Winchester was not well received and in later years the Varmint rifle was available in that caliber on special order only.

When Winchester re-barreled a rifle, the year was usually stamped by the witness mark, on the bottom of the barrel
FWIW

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Originally Posted by Cosine26

When Winchester re-barreled a rifle, the year was usually stamped by the witness mark, on the bottom of the barrel
FWIW

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The caliber is stamped inline with the witness marks. Was this normal. Seems odd since the cal. Is stamped on the side along with the model. Perhaps it’s a manufacturing stamp to identify the caliber or drilled bore prior to the rifling process or finishing process?

Thank you again for the information and help. I’ve taken everyone’s help and saved it into a word document.

Bill

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Originally Posted by usabaker

The caliber is stamped inline with the witness marks. Was this normal. Seems odd since the cal. Is stamped on the side along with the model. Perhaps it’s a manufacturing stamp to identify the caliber or drilled bore prior to the rifling process or finishing process?

Thank you again for the information and help. I’ve taken everyone’s help and saved it into a word document.

Bill

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It was a normal practice for winchester to stamp the caliber and date 6 o'clock on the chamber but doesn't appear to have been done in every case. My 1957 30'06 Target rifle has just the caliber stamping while my 1951 standard model 70 has caliber and date. Pre war winchesters seem to be more likely to have both.
Barrel date and the reciever mfg date won't always match up either. Like Cosine says some rebarrels may have been stamped with a completion date but I've seen barrel dates that were decades older than the reciever. I have a model 12 20ga like that. Serial number on reciever and extension put it made in 1958 but the barrel is much older. I can't make out the date on the chamber due to the extension but the barrel was made before Winchester changed the rollstamp from model 1912 to just model 12. Its also made of nickel steel and originally had a 2 1/2" chamber,the "2 3/4 chamber" designation is a totally different font to the rest of the bbl markings. I have no doubts about it leaving the factory this way.
About 15 years ago either Shooting Times, Guns and Ammo or Shotgun News ran an article on Winchester barrel dates vs year of mfg not always matching up. Wish now I'd kept it.

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Originally Posted by vintage hunter

You've probably seen it already but check out ebay item # 153511725807. The barrel channel is for a sporter contour but it could easily be opened up to accept a varmint/target barrel.

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What are the differences in the Post 64 stock you showed me on eBAY and the stock they say are Safari stocks. Like this one on gunbroker. Looks like a nice project stock.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...00449017-1.jpg

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/816674250

"This auction is for the factory Winchester model 70 rifle stock seen in the photos. This stock came off of a receiver and barreled action that was in .375 H&H caliber. Overall condition is good to very good with some small dings from actual field use. There are no cracks or chips. There is still bedding compound in the receiver well of the stock. It appears to be from the 1970-1980's era. "

Thanks for the help in advance..