In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
Pre 1968 Win Model 70
sandwarrior
Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
So, I'm trying to look up a timeline of my model 70 in .308 Norma (don't worry, it's barrel was replaced). When I got the rifle, it was in .30-.338 (or .300 AMU)
Anyhoo, I have G8608** as a serial number. When I look on one website, the serial numbers seem consecutive. But, my number is not preceded by a "G".
Anyone have any thoughts as to why the "G" is there? Or did they start over? If consecutive, this would be a 1966 rifle.
Anyhoo, I have G8608** as a serial number. When I look on one website, the serial numbers seem consecutive. But, my number is not preceded by a "G".
Anyone have any thoughts as to why the "G" is there? Or did they start over? If consecutive, this would be a 1966 rifle.
Comments
Check with BERT. He knows ALL>
He IS the Winchester man. However, (and I see his point) Model 70's are not true "Winchesters" and therefore not his area of expertise.
I DO follow him though. Lots of good Winchester info![:D]
quote:Originally posted by duckhunter
Check with BERT. He knows ALL>
He IS the Winchester man. However, (and I see his point) Model 70's are not true "Winchesters" and therefore not his area of expertise.
I DO follow him though. Lots of good Winchester info![:D]
Well, yes, the Model 70, Pre-64 was supposed to be the best improvement of the 98 Mauser.
Is your rifle push feed, or controlled feed?
Your serial number dates it to the 1967 serial number range according to the BB.
EDIT 1
quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
tsr1965,
Post '63, Pre '68 ("G" prefix). I came up with two different sites that place it at 1966 or (later, as you found) 1967.
So, the consecutive numbers w/wo the prefix number seems to be the norm.
The whole reason for this research is this rifle would seem to match numbers that the AMU purchased during those years for use with the .30-338 (.300 AMU) cartridge in competition. I'm interested to see if this used to be an AMU rifle or an individual who took the idea and used it that way (more likely).
It's clear to me that the short chain of people who owned this rifle previously to me had no idea what it was, as I got it chambered in .30-.338 (it was called .308 Norma in the auction) and later converted it to .308 Norma. Yes, they are different. My mistake in this was not knowing that the .338 Win and 7mm Rem mag are essentially the same case with different diameter necks. 7mm Rem cases formed and fired easily to this chamber. But, I didn't know where to get dies as I didn't know what it was. So, I punched it out to a true .308 Norma.
I believe bushing dies would have been the answer in this case.
Post '63, Pre '68 ("G" prefix). I came up with two different sites that place it at 1966 or (later, as you found) 1967.
So, the consecutive numbers w/wo the prefix number seems to be the norm.
The whole reason for this research is this rifle would seem to match numbers that the AMU purchased during those years for use with the .30-338 (.300 AMU) cartridge in competition. I'm interested to see if this used to be an AMU rifle or an individual who took the idea and used it that way (more likely).
It's clear to me that the short chain of people who owned this rifle previously to me had no idea what it was, as I got it chambered in .30-.338 (it was called .308 Norma in the auction) and later converted it to .308 Norma. Yes, they are different. My mistake in this was not knowing that the .338 Win and 7mm Rem mag are essentially the same case with different diameter necks. 7mm Rem cases formed and fired easily to this chamber. But, I didn't know where to get dies as I didn't know what it was. So, I punched it out to a true .308 Norma.
If your rifle has a "G" that is why..
The "G" is a result of the GCA of '68. This required all manufacturers to place a letter code in their serial numbers. "G" was for model 70's, "E" for model 52's, etc.
If your rifle has a "G" that is why..
Point is, 1966/1967 (when the rifle was made) came before 1968.[}:)][;)] One of the questions I have. Why is that.
Apparently, when Winchester started the "classics" in the early nineties, they began using the "non 'G' numbers of the original model 70's up to the point that the "G" had to be added by putting a G in front of those pushfeed serial numbers. There was some 870,000 of them.
As my rifle is near the end of this It's safe to assume it was made in 2005/2006 not in 1967 as we had supposed.
The thing that really threw me on this was I found an auction for this rifle in 2010 and it had all "old school" scope mounts. On the barre and front ring, like it was for mounting an old Unertl/* or Lyman Targetspot.
Added: Talk about dissappointing...[xx(]
Added II:
quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
OK,
Let jump into the fray...
If the serial number on your Model 70 is G8608xx (six numerals), and it is a push feed action, it was not manufactured in 2005/2006. Instead, it was manufactured in the year 1968. If it has five numerals, then it would be a late production 2005/2006 rifle.
Is that kind of like an internet hug Bert? Yes, it's a six digit number.
That would make it plausible that it was an AMU rifle, like the Army said it could be.
Let me jump into the fray...
If the serial number on your Model 70 is G8608xx (six numerals), and it is a push feed action, it was not manufactured in 2005/2006. Instead, it was manufactured in the year 1968. If it has five numerals, then it would be a late production 2005/2006 rifle.
Edit: Yes, it is an internet hug... if that it what you needed[:D]