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August 29, 2026
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I just joined as a guest to participate in the forum. I own a few Winchesters and have sold a couple, a 1964 Model 70 in .243. and a Model 52 Pre A. I always looked at the pre-64 Model 70’s in gun shops while in college in the 1970’s but never go around to buying one.
I first bought a 4 digit Model 75 Target with an early Pre War Unertl 6X Target scope mounted in Winchester blocks. I then traded for a 1955 Model 70 standard in 30-06, it does have two receiver bridge holes but otherwise is unmolested. I have a couple of Winchester Super X2 shotguns. I recently added a 1941 Model 70 Target in 30 GOVT 06 with a Winchester Target Barrel in a bedded Marksman stock. The receiver bridge has two D&T holes and the stock has been cut with a Pachmayr White Line pad added. Best I can determine the Pachmayr pad nomenclature puts it in the early 1960’s. The bolt is not serial numbered to the receiver and has a machined line through the number area where the number has been removed. The bolt does headspace properly. I have not taken the action out of the bedded stock to see the barrel date as I want to shoot it with receiver sights first.
I bought a concave receiver block from pre64win which is marked U on the bottom. I also bought a P1 marked block off eBay as the Unertl chart mentions that as a rear block for M70 Target rifles. The concave U block sits better on the receiver ring and came with two tapers head screws. The P1 block has a slight rocking to it. The Unertl chart and some forum threads on proper blocks seem to differ.
I do not know if I need a B70 front or a C70 front sight block if I put a flat type barrel block on.
I put a link to a imgur photo album of my rifle.
April 30, 2023
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Welcome and consider joining with full membership, the benefits are great!
November 7, 2015
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I agree with Jeremy, you’re our kind of people, Ross. In addition to joining WACA for the awesome quarterly magazines, calendars, archive access and posting privileges please consider joining the Cody Firearms Museum. They support our hobby and a membership supports their efforts and you get a few complimentary searches from their world=class research department!
(Steppig off my soapbox before I fall off!)
Mike
January 8, 2025
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Joining comes with privileges for sure. As far as your question about the scope mount, a resident expert should be along when they see your post. I can’t answer your question, but one our sages that have the knowledge google and ai do not have, will have your answer.
December 13, 2006
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Back when I was searching for scope blocks for my M70, I got lucky, in that I was able to choose from a whole bunch of “used” blocks at my LGS.
I ended up with a rear block that fit with a LITTLE light visible under the central portion (contact on both sides) and when screwed down, I could see the two screws between the block and the bridge.
This block had NO wobble before the screws were installed . . . .think “three point contact” between the block and bridge.
This was years ago, and the scope has always maintained its’ zero.
In an effort to mitigate blue wear under these blocks, I first installed a thin layer of plastic electrical tape before torquing down the screws.
November 5, 2014
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Hi All-
Josh (TW56) contacted me by PM yesterday and I think we’ve got it worked out. He’ll find a little “something” in his Christmas stocking that should solve the problem. 
FWIW…
The factory scope blocks on a Model 70 Target rifle went on the front receiver ring and barrel. Like this:
The receiver block was 0.185″ high, equivalent to the Unertl or Lyman “U” code block. The barrel hole spacing is 1.76″ according to the blueprints. The barrel block for the Target Model was 0.360″ tall (heights are measured as though the block was sitting on a flat surface, this is not the height of the top of the block above the top of a round barrel). The National Match used a 0.470″ tall block and the Bull Gun (originally) used a 0.262″ tall block that was flat on top like a Unertl B-70.
As for style, the factory blocks were what I call “Lyman-type” and were coved on top to facilitate use of the metallic sights when the scope was removed. The pre-war blocks (common until at least the mid-1950s) had both “Unertl crescents” on the right and “Winchester dimples” on the left side. The dimples may be visible in the photo above. They only matter if installing a Winchester A5 or Lyman 5A type scope that anchored to the block via “pins” on the left side. For pretty much anything else you don’t need the dimples.
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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