Winchester Model 70

[Arty]

My neighbor has a Winchester Model 70 in .243. It's a short action carbine.

It's matched up with a Leupold 3X9 Vari X II


Stock, barrel, scope are all 99%. He bought it in the 80's, probably only had 20 rounds put through it.

What's a good price on this? I can't find any on Gun Broker.

He wants to sell and I might want to buy.

I'm thinking it would make a great deer rifle for my youngest son.

Input needed and appreciated.

[Arty]

serial # indicates was produced in 1984

[Buckrub]

A mint.

I'll take it. Email me the details!! :waving

[airbud7]

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/9081964/rifles-for-sale/bolt-action-rifle/winchester-model-70-243-varmiter-bull-barrel
This one^ sold for HIGH BID: $766.00

Offer him $400

[Arty]

Well....went back over there, he said make an offer. I said "nahhh...you tell me, I don't want to insult you or myself".

He said, "well....I know it'll be in good hands...so how's $350 sound?"

It's currently sitting in the corner of MY living room. Will take it up to the safe tonight.

He threw in a nice sling, and 38 rounds of ammo too.

I'll post a pic later.

Serial # is G1764XXX Not sure if that's 1983 or 1984. ?

[airbud7]

Good Deal Bro....:thumbsup

[Buckrub]

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/67276-winchester-model-70-Lightweight

From 2009, but a starting point. Winchester gave up the ghost.........so owning one of these is a rare deal. Never sell it. The boy will own it till he is very old, and never sell it. You just made something important.......it's called a Quality Family Gun.

[Buckrub]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/987321688/WINCHESTER_70_243_CARBINE.htm

http://www.gunsamerica.com/954383486/WINCHESTER_MODEL_70_STAINLESS_FEATHERWEIGHT_243.ht m

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=394545590

[Arty]

Well Dang it.

Two things come to mind...

1) YES! SWEET GUN AND SWEET DEAL!

2) I think I mighta screwed my neighbor over. BUT - HE gave ME the price. He had some old gun catalog (old...like 10+ years old) that listed it used at $330.

[Buckrub]

Enjoy it. It's a shooter.

Does this have the old two-position Tang Safety? Or the lawyer-induced Devil-designed 3 position side safety?

[Arty]

3 position. I guess. Flips all the way back, towards you if you're shooting. Then has a "halfway point" (that's STILL safety) the full forward for "fire".

Here's two pics.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Those are awesome little guns. And I love that caliber.

BKB

[Buckrub]

I am SO JEALOUS...........you got a Thump of a Deal.

Cherish this gun. Trust me. Rare and never made again. Quality!!

And a tack driver. Put it in their ear!

I have a one-hand-adjustable leather sling that would look SO GOOD with that gun!

Wow. That's all I can say. The scope alone is worth what you paid for the whole thing. It's a quality scope too. It will never need to come off or be changed out.

WoW. Did I say WOW!

[Arty]

I'm certainly happy with it. I just cleaned the barrel, oiled it down, and sat it next to Thumper in the safe. (Thumper is the 30-30 I bought from Kribbs).

[Arty]

If you wanna send me that sling....

[airbud7]

2609

Nice!!!...I bet that 243 is very accurate...

[airbud7]

TidBit:... Factory loads for the .243 Winchester include an 80-grain pointed soft point bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 3,350 feet-per-second in a rifle with a 24-inch barrel
The 100-grain load has a velocity of 2,960 feet-per-second at the muzzle.

3,350 feet-per-second... That's Fast right there^

Long Range Shooting 243


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qraEh58IKbw

[Niner]

First off, SWEET DEAL.. The scope is worth about $200, so you got a REALLY good deal on the rifle.

I have read a lot of pros and cons on the .243 for deer over the years. Especially for a youngster. However, its gonna be low recoil, so he'll be able to soot it a lot and get proficient with it. Are you a reloader yet?

Preach shot placement to the lad until he hears it in his sleep....seriously. Heck, there are a lot of adults who need that chat!

Did I mention you got a killer deal.
:thumbsup

[Niner]

And, if it really has only been shot about 20 times, you might want to give this break in routine a try....


http://www.winchesterguns.com/customerservice/qna/detail.asp?id=223

[Niner]

Does this have the old two-position Tang Safety? Or the lawyer-induced Devil-designed 3 position side safety?

Bucky, I think you are prolly thinking about the Ruger M77's safety. The Winchester M70 has always been the superior three position unit.

Which brings up a good point. I have seen these M70 safeties with a "degree of force" required to operate them anywhere from none (on my old 1962 model), to "Ape-like" on some of the late ones before they closed their plant in New England. The safety on the South Carolina made M70 I have is relatively easy on the thumb, and doesn't "slap" into the fire position (if I am describing that right).

[Buckrub]

No, I got a M70.............1996 FAT (Featherweight All Terrain). I hate the safety. 3 position, like the lawyers made Winchester, Remington, and Ruger all make, at least during that time frame.

And yeah........I have to SNAP mine off of safety to shoot it. And nothing fixes it. And it makes more noise than a deer allows!!!! When I discovered a .270, it became a Safe Queen anyway.

[Thumper]

Great deal! Ya' better watch out having that thing so close to that Marlin. That's a "Thump Marlin" and he kinda likes those sweet little Winnys. Ya' might end up with a little "Marchester" running around that gun safe! :D

[Trav]

Bucky,

The Ruger 25.06 and .220 swift I bought from Thumper both have the 2 position tang safety and I really like them.

[Big Skyz]

If the rifle shoots accurately you got a good deal. If not, then you aren't out that much and you should be able to send it down the road without much trouble and even make a little profit off it. However I'd keep the scope either way.

[HideHunter]

Don't understand it bucky. I absolutely love the three position safety on my Rugers. I can't figure out what's not to love. I very much like having the gun on safe when I work the bolt to remove shells. You have the best of all worlds. I guess "different strokes".

What I *can't* stand - in fact won't abide, is a bolt that does not lock down when the gun is on "safe". Seldom run across it on centerfire but many rimfires are that way. I thought a Cooper might be my USR (Ultimate Squirrel Rifle). They even make one called "The Jackson Squirrel Rifle" - only costs about as much as my truck. Now that I found the bolt doesn't lock you couldn't run fast enough to *give* me one if I had to hunt with it. When people start bragging about their Coopers I say, "Oh, they're fine for shooting starlings out the patio door." Wouldn't be worth a shit for hunting."

[Buckrub]

HH, I'm just old, I guess. A safety should be binary........on or off. I understand the safety thing.......I just don't like it in the field. But my main concern is the stiffness of my M70, and the unbelievable noise it makes to move it......... To find an old Ruger or Winny with the inline tang safety........wow, they're worth something to me. In fact, I bought my Tikka for several reasons, and that was one of them, it has the two position inline tang safety. Sweetest gun I ever shouldered. In fact, that's her name "Sweetness".

I get the last one though. Can't say as I've ever seen one like that........

[HideHunter]

We do agree on one thing.. I do like my Tikka. :beer

[Arty]

Big sky - only shot it 3 times (my son once and myself twice) all three rounds could be covered with a nickel. 75 yards.
Using old Winchester ammo that he had. No clue what grain, etc. They were not in a box, they were in those plastic holders that you can put on your belt.

[Arty]

This safety clicks through all positions effortlessly. And fairly quiet.

[Niner]

Bucky, I have been around Winny M70's for a good number of years and thought I knew a little bit about them. Could you please tell me which years Winchester put a tang safety on an M70? I can't seem to find that info anywhere.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Buckrub]

Maybe not. I was throwing Rugers and Winnies and all American guns in one pot, I guess.............and Ruger did it...........I don't know about old Winny's and shouldn't have thrown them all together in that discussion, sorry.