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Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Standard Rifle, Catalog No. G7005C
Serial Number: 36809
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Caliber: 7mm Mauser (7x57mm Mauser)
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Magazine and Hinged Floorplate
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-WINCHESTER / PROOF STEEL”, “-MODEL 70”, “-WINCHESTER- / -TRADE MARK-”, and “7M/M”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / —NEW HAVEN. CONN. —PATENTED—”. The left rear of the barrel and the left front of the receiver are marked with Winchester ovalled “WP” proofs. The right side of the receiver is marked with the serial number “36809”. The rear of the bolt is marked “FIRE” with a curved arrow.
Barrel Length: 24”, Round
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed into a hooded, textured, ramped base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a "U"-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel, the notch is fine-adjustable for elevation. The top and left side of the receiver are drilled, tapped and filled. Only the receiver has been drilled, tapped and filled, not the top bridge.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stock is one-piece hand checkered walnut with a pistol grip, fluted straight comb, sling rings at the front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. There is a notable nick on the right edge of the grip. There are a few minor nicks on the right side of the buttstock. The checkering is sharp. There are no cracks. The LOP is 13 5/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate finish is strong and complete with crisp checkering. Overall, the stock is in Excellent Condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 10/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The finish is strong and complete throughout with no notable defects. There are a few very faint scratches on the barrel, primarily behind the rear sight. There are tool marks on the screw heads but they retain strong serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, the rifle is in Excellent Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: None
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 Pre-War Winchester Model 70 Standard Rifle was made in 1941 and is in Excellent Condition. It features a 24” barrel, 98% of its lustrous, original blued finish, a gorgeous one-piece checkered walnut stock (there’s a notable nick on the right edge of the grip) with a pistol grip, fluted straight comb, and checkered steel buttplate, clear markings, strong mechanics, and a bright bore with sharp rifling and no erosion. This beauty is chambered in 7mm Mauser, the fourth scarcest caliber for this model, with only 1,470 such rifles made, comprising only a quarter of 1% of all pre-64 Model 70 production. 7x57mm Mauser is an early smokeless cartridge that was developed in the 1890s, but remains in production and widespread international use as a sporting round even today. It’s a fine deer cartridge and quite versatile with a fairly flat trajectory, modest recoil, and a wide variety of loadings typically available. This is an absolutely gorgeous pre-war Model 70 in the very scarce 7mm Mauser chambering.