Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Special Order
Serial Number: 293707
Year of Manufacture: 1954
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Barrel Length: 22” Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a hooded, textured, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel. There is a boss at the rear of the barrel that has a flat piece of metal dovetailed into it. The top and left side of the receiver are drilled, tapped, and filled. The left side of the receiver is mounted with a fully adjustable Lyman peep sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece hand checkered walnut with a straight grip, fluted straight comb, sling swivels at the front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. The checkering is sharp, there is a small worn spot on the left side of the grip. The wood shows a few minor compressions and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The right side of the stock above the grip checkering shows small filled-in repairs. The LOP measures 13 5/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. This stock rates in about Excellent overall condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original, the bolt is serial-matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There are some freckles of light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The metal shows a couple light scuffs and scratches. There are some light freckles on the barrel. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The safety has three positions: forward is Fire, all the way to the rear locks both the bolt and trigger, in the middle the trigger is locked, but the bolt can be operated. We did not fire this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle includes a framed photocopy of page 257 from “The Rifleman’s Rifle” by Roger C. Rule, which shows a similar Winchester Model 70 Special Order with a straight grip.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 70, known as the “Rifleman’s Rifle”, is one of the most iconic American sporting rifles ever made. It was introduced in 1936 as Winchester’s new and significantly improved bolt-action rifle chambered in big calibers, firing high velocity cartridges capable of taking big game, and for use in so-called big-bore target matches. The Model 70 has been prized by hunters and shooters alike for nearly 90 years, and is one of the benchmarks by which all bolt action rifles are measured. Pre-64 examples of the Winchester Model 70 are held in particularly high esteem.
This Vintage Pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 Special Order Straight Grip Rifle was made in 1954 and is chambered in .30-06 Springfield. In his excellent reference book “The Rifleman’s Rifle”, Roger Rule states “Another unusual alteration, a straight grip stock, was built on request for a short time. These were intermittently furnished in the early 50s and suspended around 1955.” This rifle features that scarce special order straight grip, along with a 22” barrel, 98% of its crisp, original blued finish, a beautiful one-piece hand checkered walnut stock (which shows some small filled-in repairs on the right side above the grip checkering), and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling. It also includes a framed photocopy of page 257 from “The Rifleman’s Rifle” by Roger C. Rule, which shows a similar Winchester Model 70 Special Order with a straight grip. With a good 150-grain bullet, .30-06 shoots flat enough for just about any deer hunting imaginable, and is just fine for the largest whitetail and mule deer. With a 180-grain bullet, it packs more than enough punch for elk, black bear, and moose. This is a scarce Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Special Order with the rarely seen straight grip stock.
RIFLE