Hello Everyone and Merry Christmas,
 My topic today is my Winchester 70.  I have owned this rifle for over 39 years, and I am still confused about how to determine if it is the pre-64 or post-64 model.  I understand that American Rifleman recently had an article on this subject.  I have requested a reprint, but can anyone tell me of another source for this information?  I will appreciate any help.
 Thank you all.
 Bruce Baldwin
 
 
 
 
 
 

Quote from: Bruce BaldwinHello Everyone and Merry Christmas,
 My topic today is my Winchester 70. I have owned this rifle for over 39 years, and I am still confused about how to determine if it is the pre-64 or post-64 model. I understand that American Rifleman recently had an article on this subject. I have requested a reprint, but can anyone tell me of another source for this information? I will appreciate any help.

Merry Christmas to you, too!
 
 Do you have photos of it to post?  I'm just a novice minding the fire and coffee pot while the others eat dinner today.  
 
 I believe Rockinbbar has a pre-64.  Maybe Hunterbug; I'm sure there are more here and you've got me all curious now.
 
 I did manage to find some clues for your treasure hunt, things you probably already considered... but the photos are nice   :D
 
 http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/winchester.htm
 
 links to some mighty fine photos.  
 
 Here is another link from a different  forum which addressed the issue:
 
 http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=13813
 
 Google has this THL forum's old posts cached - here are a couple links which mention pre-64:
 
 http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:lH0B7_ZquJUJ:www.thehunterslife.com/forums/printthread.php%3Ft%3D2704+winchester+70+rifle+pre-64+thehunterslife.com&hl=en
 
 http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:R7Fm030BegMJ:www.thehunterslife.com/forums/printthread.php%3Ft%3D2704%26page%3D2%26pp%3D15+winchester+70+rifle+pre-64+thehunterslife.com&hl=en
 
 ------------------------------

Here's a link to a site that should give you an exact year of manufacture for your model 70 Winchester.
 
I ran my own model 70 .243 through and it came back made in 1956; one year after the introduction of the .243 Winchester cartridge.  That goes along with other markings on my rifle, such as the steel butt-plate that was dropped (if my memory is correct) in 1959.
 
I also believe that pre-'64 model 70's have a "bell" in the barrel that holds the rear site and a forward locking lug, which offers support to a long barrel, causing it to shoot like a shorter "stiffer" barrel with the longer barrel's velocity.  Mine has that bell, and while I believe that this was dropped in '64 with the advent of mass production, it may have been dropped previously to cut production costs.
 
Many sites vary a little on the exact year of production for firearms, but I've found the above linked site to be very accurate.
 
Take care,
Daryl

Kit is correct, I do have one, AZ has one too and I'm sure that a couple others do. The quickest and easiest way to tell is if it has a claw extractor like a Mauser. A Pre '64 will have a 24" barrel and a barrel bulge at the rear site like AZ mentioned if it is a standard weight, the feather weight will have a 22" barrel and no bulge. I do not remember the exact number where the pre/post 64 division is but I think that it's around 600,000. What caliber is it? I don't think that they made featherweights in calibers larger than 30-06.If you have a picture of the action we could tell right away.

I had a post in the classified looking for a pre 64 Model 70 stock. Thanks to the posts here,  I took another look at the gun and ran the serial number through the link posted. It is a Winchester Model 70 XTR, manufactured in 1979. The stock has a cheekpiece and black forend tip. This gun is chambered Win .243 and I have a Burris 3x-9x Fullfield scope on it.
 
It was really a sweet shooting gun until I broke the stock. When I get some time I will try gluing the stock. It was such a beautiful gun, I was sick about breaking the stock. I am missing the gun now, I used it for both deer and coyote. I have an excessive number of coyotes at the ranch and I need to thin them. My only other rifle is a Remington 300 Ultra Mag. Just a little too much firepower for a coyote and at $1.80 a shot, a little expensive.
 
Thanks to all,
 
Maynard

I stand corrected, the post '64 began at 700,000; not 600,000.

Hunterbug
 MR Byrd
 AzKIOTE
 
 Thank you all for your assistance. I found that my rifle was manufactured in 1964, and that it probably is a pre-64 model from its serial number.  
 This is a great web site.
 Thanks again,
 Bruce Baldwin

Hi Kit,
 Thanks for your informatino.  Sorry , I dont have an image of my 70.
 Bruce

Quote from: HunterbugKit is correct, I do have one, AZ has one too and I'm sure that a couple others do. The quickest and easiest way to tell is if it has a claw extractor like a Mauser. A Pre '64 will have a 24" barrel and a barrel bulge at the rear site like AZ mentioned if it is a standard weight, the feather weight will have a 22" barrel and no bulge. I do not remember the exact number where the pre/post 64 division is but I think that it's around 600,000. What caliber is it? I don't think that they made featherweights in calibers larger than 30-06.If you have a picture of the action we could tell right away.

Hi HB,
 
Not quite all models had those bbl lengths.  Mine is a 220 Swift and it has a 26" BBL (25.9 as a matter of fact).  The Swift was one of the models dropped from the line when the change was made in 64 so if you have a Swift, it is almost certainly a pre 64.
 


Apart from the claw extractor, another easily identifyable feature is the "bulge" on the bolt.  The pre-64's have this smooth bulge on the side of the bolt, this feature was dropped on the post 64.
 
C

CAfrica is correct. There were a couple of models that had 26" barrels like the 220 Swift and the "Westerner" in .264 Win Mag which also had a 26" barrel.