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I have one of the subject rifles in 300 HH. The rival seems to be correct, but I’m perplexed as to why the butt plate is not the steel one. I’m aware that the post 64 guns were quite a bit different but when did they start using the plastic type butt plates on the model 70?
April 15, 2005
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Were you trying to say “1961” ?
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 5, 2014
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Hi Warren-
The plastic butt plates become dominant on Standard and Featherweight M70s relatively early in 1958 (receiver polishing room date), around S/N 435,000 to 450,000. This is considerably earlier than the change from hand checkering to the narrow panel machine cut checkering (1960-61), so M70s with plastic butt plates and hand checkering are common, especially in 1958-59.
I the case of some specialized stocks, e.g. Varmint rifle, that could only be used for one thing, the changes were somewhat slower and earlier style stocks, e.g. hand checkered, can be found much later in production than the “expected” changeover.
Looking at the survey, the change in 300 H&H MAGNUM butt plates seems to have occurred in the same range as regular standard rifles, despite the H&H stocks being “specialized” (longer magazine well). OTOH… The changeover from hand cut to machine cut checkering on 300 H&H Magnum stocks never seems to have fully taken hold, as there are quite a few late (1962-63) 300 H&H Magnums with plastic butt plates and hand cut checkering…
Hope this helps,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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