Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Super Grade, Catalog No. G7095C
Serial Number: 55233
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Caliber: .300 Savage
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Barrel Length: 24″ Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a hooded, textured, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U”-notch elevator sight dovetailed to a boss at the rear of the barrel; the notch is fine-adjustable for elevation. The top of the chamber ring is drilled, tapped, and filled for mounting an optic (none included), the bridge is not drilled. The left-rear of the receiver is drilled, tapped, and filled for a receiver sight (none included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece hand checkered walnut with an ebony nose cap, a capped pistol grip, straight comb with European-style oval cheekpiece, Super-Grade style sling plates inlaid at the front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. The stock has only a few scattered minor marks. There is a spot of dark discoloration on the left of the forend over the front of the checkering. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering is well defined. The LOP measures 13 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has strong finish with well defined checkering. Overall, the stock is in Fine to Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: The barrel has been refinished, the remainder isoriginal, the bolt is serial-matching. The caliber markings on both the left side and the bottom of the barrel are different from known original examples to which we have compared them; as such, we cannot guarantee the authenticity of the barrel or the rifle’s configuration.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates an 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The balance is mostly in light operational wear. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a safety mounted on the top-rear of the bolt. Pushed to the rear, the safety is ON, it locks both the bolt and the trigger. If pulled back half-way, it blocks only the trigger. 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: There are Super Grade QD sling swivels installed.
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 Super Grade Rifle was made in 1946 and is chambered in .300 Savage. The Super Grade has a more attractive grain wood with an ebony nose cap, grip cap, cheekpiece and nicer checkering than would be found on the Standard Rifles. The Super Grades account for only 2.73% of total pre-64 Model 70 production. Only 362 Winchester Model 70s were made in .300 Savage, with the barrels all being made in 1946, and the rifles assembled and shipped from 1947-1954. The cartridge did not fit the action of the Model 70 well, resulting in fairly frequent misfires, and as such the chambering was short lived for the Model 70. While we cannot guarantee the authenticity of this example, with the aforementioned barrel markings discrepancy, the rifle is still a beautiful representative piece. It’s in Excellent condition, and features a 24” barrel, 98% of its mostly original, lustrous blued finish, a gorgeous one-piece hand checkered walnut stock with an ebony nose cap, strong mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling.
RIFLE