Here's what it looks like. No, this is not mine:
There's a knurled section on the barrel, and one charged it by pushing the barrel in.
Yeah, not the best idea.
Posted on 10/08/2026 4:10:44 PM PDT by Spacetrucker
Patience and Jarod Blocker are rare for their age. The Gillette couple has a passion for classic pre-64 Winchester Model 70 rifles. Planning for next year's Winchester Arms Collectors Association show in Cody, Patience says, "It's going to be bad-ass."
(Excerpt) Read more at cowboystatedaily.com ...
Unless you’re swimming a river.
I’m 74 my dad’s ‘94 Winchester he got in 1957 is in my son’s gun safe. I killed my first 2 deer while in high school with it. Dad wanted my boy to have it. My son has a boy who will get it along with several of my collection. All My grandkids all will get several. Most are shooters I used over my life. My wife says we don’t sell guns. Cody museum is amazing.
Okay ... well a whole lot. :)
Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester rifles were more complicated to manufacture. They had better finish, and more craftsmanship.
They had a fantastic reputation as hunting rifles. People did not like the post -64 rifles nearly as much, so the pre - 64 rifles started to command a premium.
Well, you see, in 1965, Fender was sold to CBS...
Oh, sorry, wrong thread :)
Here's what it looks like. No, this is not mine:
There's a knurled section on the barrel, and one charged it by pushing the barrel in.
Yeah, not the best idea.
“The Gillette couple has a passion for classic pre-64 Winchester Model 70 rifles*
So do I.
I had a beautiful Model 70 carbine in .30-06 made in 1939. I found a new in box 50’s vintage Lyman Alaskan Scope and Stith (no drilling needed) mount. Fantastic brush gun. Traded it for a minty Colt New Service with a 7 1/2” barrel with factory ivories from 1929.
The most amazing gun collection I know of was a guy who accumulated Winchester Model 42’s (.410 pump shotgun) and had remade his basement with 50’s vintage gun display cabinets. He had 185 of the things including the “Eisenhower” guns. He once mentioned that there was no record of a field model with a factory Cutts Compensator, and I said “There’s one in my safe.”. I sold it to him for a very tidy amount, knowing that when it went to it’s next home it would be appreciated.
I remembet one of his pre-64 .270’s was about that year. He had one, a bit older, but never used that one. The one he used, he had a composite stock for that he would switch out for every deer season. The original stock was, from my perspective, a work of art. The internals were so much smoother and more reliable than anything newer.
Not surprised. The .30-06 is a damn fine long-range round, depending on how it was loaded. From my understanding, the M-60 is a .30-06 round in machine gun form. Used one in the Marine Corps, sonofab... on the shoulder during free-fire exercises!
I have a US marked model 70 with Unertl scope mounts and heavy target barrel in a marksman stock. Made in 1958. 30 cal. Wonder where it served.. looks like it had an easy life on a range somewhere.
Good stuff. F.I.L. always loaded his own (until the brass wore out). He favored a lighter grain load than most store-bought rounds. Knew what he was doing, seeing as how people were always giving him their tags to fill. Or so it’s been told ;-)
Same gun my mother used. Great bush round, not so much long shots. Had fun flipping the lever doing speed-shokting with it. My gun of choice as a young man was the .308 Savage. Almost as much kick to it as the .30-06.
Now THATS a cool story. Glad to see it is with someone who appreciates it for the history.
From first appearance, the finish went way downhill. The blueing was cheaper, the mechanics were a lot less reliable (cant remember specifics) and the stocks were macine-crafted rather than hand-crafted. All in all, the post-64 weapons were ... not as good. Hesitate to call them trash but not far from it.
Still a beautiful gun, and a piece of history. Keep it safe. Father-in-law had a few pre-1900’s in his collection, back before serial numbers were invented. Can’t trace what you can’t catalog...
If it’s in top shape, certainly worth having around.
The Model 12 shotgun faced the same post ‘64 fate as the 70. I’ve got a pre-war in 16 gauge that is a real slick banger. Also a 1897 made in 1910 that had been refinished so I had it cut down to 20”. The ultimate riot gun.
Winchester actually issued a recall on the 1911. How bad did a gun have to be for that to happen in that era?
All because Browning had the patent on the bolt cocking knob. A-5’s forever!
Oh yeah. It’s a nice door hanger.
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