Winchester Model 70

[E Pluribus Unum]

I have a friend that has hit hard times and is looking to sell me his Winchester model 70. I want to offer him a price that is good for me, but not complete rapage for him.

I am noticing that the manufacture date is CRUCIAL to the value of these things.

The serial number is 908xxx so it's automatically not a pre-64 gun. The weird thing is that it does not have a G before the serial number like the 1965-2007 guns normally have. When they came out with the 2008+ models, did they drop the G???

Does anyone know when this thing was manufactured?

[killshot44]

Go here: http://oldguns.net/sn_php/winmods.htm

Here's the Wiki..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_70

[VaderSpade]

The 2008+ models have very long serial numbers with lots of letters. I have two if you need more info.

[wjc]

I have one I bought last year if you want me to check anything.

[E Pluribus Unum]

The 2008+ models have very long serial numbers with lots of letters. I have two if you need more info.

That's confusing to me. According to the websites, the pre-1964's ended around 700k and then 65+ had G before the serial number.

The one I have is a 900k, with no bloody G.

[E Pluribus Unum]

I have one I bought last year if you want me to check anything.

Does it have a G at the beginning of the serial number?

[U5512]

I have a mid '90s model 70 with 62 million (62,xxx,xxx) serial number (all numbers) and no letters.

[spaghettithrower]

That model 70 was manufactured in 1968. Any number 700k or above is post 1964, the G prefix started in 1969 sometime between 925908 and G941900. Hope this helps.

[E Pluribus Unum]

That model 70 was manufactured in 1968. Any number 700k or above is post 1964, the G prefix started in 1969 sometime between 925908 and G941900. Hope this helps.

Wow... you must really know your stuff... and 11 posts since 2009??

You are a valued asset and any contribution is greatly appreciated.



Thank you.

[tankerman]

Stay away from guns in that 1964 to 1991 era, they're junk.

[E Pluribus Unum]

Stay away from guns in that 1964 to 1991 era, they're junk.

How so? What is bad about them? If I can pick this thing up for $450, you're saying that I should not do it?

My friend is selling it; I agreed to help him do it, but I thought of buying it myself.

[Dave A]

Well, you know when it was made but no one responded to your initial question as to value. I won't either, other than to say that the quality and value dropped post 64 and only really got back to a pretty good rifle in the later years of mfg..

If you handle and look at a pre 64 and the one you are talking about, there will be a noticable difference. There are also differences in quality over the years of pre 64 production, with some of the nicest ones made in the fifties (IMHO).

[E Pluribus Unum]

Well, you know when it was made but no one responded to your initial question as to value. I won't either, other than to say that the quality and value dropped post 64 and only really got back to a pretty good rifle in the later years of mfg..

If you handle and look at a pre 64 and the one you are talking about, there will be a noticable difference. There are also differences in quality over the years of pre 64 production, with some of the nicest ones made in the fifties (IMHO).

What about the ones that were used in the service prior to the Remington? Were those not made from post 1964 rifles?

[tankerman]

What about the ones that were used in the service prior to the Remington? Were those not made from post 1964 rifles?

More info -

The United States Marine Corps issued a very small number of the pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 rifles during the Korean War, for use as sniper weapons. During the early years of the Vietnam war, Model 70's were again the premier choice in Marine sniper rifles, until they were replaced by the Remington Model 700 series bolt-action rifles in the mid-1960s. The Remington Model 700 became the basis for the M40 series sniper rifle that is in current U.S. Marine Corps service today.
One of the reasons the U.S. Marine Corps replaced their Winchester Model 70s was that the post-1964 variants of the Model 70 did not meet U.S. Marines' standards.[citation needed] Despite the introduction of the Remington Model 700 rifle, the pre '64 Winchester Model 70 was still used by the US Marine Corps' scout/sniper teams during the Vietnam War alongside the Remington Model 700 rifle. The original wood stocks were found to be warping in both rifles after a few years of service and both rifles were given fiberglass stocks to remedy the problem.[10] Existing Model 70s still in service have had their stocks replaced with a McMillan fiberglass stock, such as that found on the Custom Extreme Weather variant.[citation needed]
One of the best known U.S. Marine Corps snipers who used the Winchester Model 70 during the Vietnam War was Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock who used a Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield.

[FLIGHT762]

I've owned several Mod 70's over the years, pre 64's, post 64's and the post 1991 model stainless synthetic stocked Classic,controlled feed. It is a very nice rifle, similar to the quality of the pre 64's.

The post 64's to pre 91's were push feed models with various grades of wood, most have the cheap pressed checkering. Some had magazine floor plates and some had blind magazines (no floor plate). They were heavy.

A CGN member had one of these rifles for sale for over 2 months and did not sell it. He had it priced too high ($500.00 - $600.00 with scope).

If your friend has one of these model 70's, I believe a fair price would be in the $350.00 range (without optics).