One of my early mentors was Steve Camp, one day we were discussing an ugly gun I shot well and enjoyed shooting. He told me something that stuck with me, "Pretty is as pretty does". I recently put together a gun so ugly it's kinda cute. I won't win any beauty contests and neither will a few of my guns, that's OK by me. We get the job done!

Mike

They are both long since dead. 

The late John Wright was the London-trained Englishman who was the first person to head the Winchester Repeating Arms Custom Shop. 

His successor in that position was the late Robert W. Owen, who went on to establish his own custom stockmaking trade. 

These gentlemen brought their refined taste for the English magazine stalking rifle, as seen in the prewar Holland and Rigby Mausers, to Winchester. 

The Model 54 and 70 Super Grade (and in miniature, the 52 Sporting) stocks owe their long, tapering forearms, ebony-like forearm tips in lieu of schnabble beaks, and the graceful lines of their pistol grips and cheek rests, to Wright and Owen. 

Owen was one of the leading lights in the  early years of the "American classic" design movement and Alvin Linden, Alvin Biesen, Monty Kennedy, Lenard Brownell, Earl Milliron, et al. were his followers and essentially his students. 

It is unfortunate that their successors - David Miller and D'Arcy Echols, to name two of the very best still practicing the trade -- have to charge so much for their work to make even a modest living that their rifles have become investments incapable of being hunted except by the wealthy, who very sensibly won't take them out in the rain. 

Anyone who has seen any of the late Jack O'Connor's sheep rifles built by various top-shelf makers, principally but not exclusively Al Biesen, knows they wear a lot of scars and have been refinished more than once because of weather. 

You pays your money and you takes your choice. My bad weather hunting is behind me so I'm not put to any choice except what my pocketbook dictates.

As always, I wish you and whatever weapon you choose to take afield the very best success-- plus hoping you don't hurt yourself in dangerous  terrain. 

However, if you ever send me a photograph of yourself holding that Flash Gordon ray gun next to a B&C Elk,  I would be tempted to fire up Photoshop and substitute my Shiloh Sharps saddle rifle into your hands. And publish it, but only to preserve and defend my friend's reputation as a man of taste and fondness for the good things of this life. 

Zebulon said

Anthony said

Chuck said
A large majority of the target rifles today are 700 clones.  All 3 of mine are.
Chuck,
You're absolutely correct, as Remington's patent expired a few years ago, many are offering the custom rifles on the 700 platform as you stated. Here's one we just had made up for out west, in a 7 PRC, Caliber.

Tony
  

  

Tony,  There is no doubt in my mind that 7 PRC could put one through a coyote's earhole at whatever distance you'd care to name.  But - every time they see a picture of it, the shades of John Wright and Bob Owen moan "the horror" and weep bitter tears. 
As a Southerner born and bred, I will only say that's the ugliest gun I've ever seen - bless its heart. 
  

Bill,

I'm an ole' traditionalist myself, and can understand you're feelings. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, where different stroked surly apply. It's definitely a tool built specifically, for out west Elk hunts this fall in New Mexico, and Montana, and hopefully beyond.  My oldest Son won't have to worry about scratchin the Deluxe wood on it, and who ever those two gentlemen you mentioned, can keep they're moaning in their bedroom, along with they're snivlin towel, as a closed mind, never opens.

Tony

Anthony said

Chuck said
A large majority of the target rifles today are 700 clones.  All 3 of mine are.
Chuck,
You're absolutely correct, as Remington's patent expired a few years ago, many are offering the custom rifles on the 700 platform as you stated. Here's one we just had made up for out west, in a 7 PRC, Caliber.

Tony
  

Tony,  There is no doubt in my mind that 7 PRC could put one through a coyote's earhole at whatever distance you'd care to name.  But - every time they see a picture of it, the shades of John Wright and Bob Owen moan "the horror" and weep bitter tears. 

As a Southerner born and bred, I will only say that's the ugliest gun I've ever seen - bless its heart. 

Chuck said
A large majority of the target rifles today are 700 clones.  All 3 of mine are.

Chuck,

You're absolutely correct, as Remington's patent expired a few years ago, many are offering the custom rifles on the 700 platform as you stated. Here's one we just had made up for out west, in a 7 PRC, Caliber.

Tony
  

Zebulon said

Chuck said
Nice shotgun.  My Dad gave me my first gun in 1960, a Model 12 in 16 ga. made in 1930.  Wish I still had it.
  

Chuck,
I just saw this.  In 1960, I was 16 years old. If I had been given my choice of (a) a 16 gauge Model 12; or (b) a romantic weekend with a Hollywood starlet of my selection......
Of course I'd have opted for the weekend but it would have been only after a considerable period of struggle. 
Your Dad deserved an A+ in Enlightened Fatherhood. 
  

I was just 10.  Girls were not on top of my list then.  Actually they were number 2 at best even when I got a little older.  Having fun with my friends was 1st until I got married. I had one friend that would disappear completely when he got a new girlfriend.  He's on his 3rd or 4th wife. 

My Dad's priorities were always, hunting, drinking and women.  He never let drinking or women get in the way of hunting.  He would never drink before or during hunting.  But, when I got to where I could navigate a car he would make me drive so he could drink his beer on the way home. 

Chuck said
Nice shotgun.  My Dad gave me my first gun in 1960, a Model 12 in 16 ga. made in 1930.  Wish I still had it.
  

Chuck,

I just saw this.  In 1960, I was 16 years old. If I had been given my choice of (a) a 16 gauge Model 12; or (b) a romantic weekend with a Hollywood starlet of my selection......

Of course I'd have opted for the weekend but it would have been only after a considerable period of struggle. 

Your Dad deserved an A+ in Enlightened Fatherhood. 

Steven Gabrielli said
I’m sure he meant 670, that sn I’m guessing is 1966, I believe they started the 670 at 100000. It was discontinued in the late 70s.
  

yes, You are correct I meant to 670. Thank you everyone for the information.

Zebulon said
Buck,  the OP describes his father's .270 as a Model 670, not a Model 70. If that is not a typo -- and he's described the number twice -- it cannot have been made in 1949. 
Kyle, could you please verify that the Model number of your Dad's .270 is "670" or "70"?
Thanks
  

Good catch Zeb! Apologies for my mistake there and appreciate the assist!

For its perceived faults, the post-63 action is much stiffer than its predecessor and the blind magazine of the 670 improves on that benefit. The 670's short barrel of moderate taper provides additional stiffness. 

I never owned one but the similar 1966 Remington 600 carbine chambered in 6mm Rem was a $99 education in a box. 

The graduate course was a 1966 Model 70 .243 I got much later in 2002, as a result of too much good Scotch while surfing Gunbroker. It was marginally less ugly than the 1964 version, like the other fat girl who didn't sweat as much. It would shoot subminute groups to the point of boredom. 

I have been told my 1980 Model 70 XTR Magnum 375 H&H will also shoot tiny groups, if I work up the right loads. Somehow I haven't found time to do that.

TxGunNut has a neat little 670, a 30/06, set into a cherry red laminated (Boyd, I think)  stock. He's fettled the inletting until the gun shoots very well indeed. 

While impractical accuracy is the current manufacturer's rage in major caliber big game rifles,  anyone [most of us] who collect and shoot  pre-64 Winchester game rifles know that target competition accuracy was not a first concern of WRACO (or Savage or Marlin or even Remington) for their hunting rrifles. Despite the advertising hoopla about their target competition line. 

Although Remington loyalists would cut their tongues out before admitting it, the late Merle ("Mike") H. Walker's motivation for his brilliantly accurate Model 721/722 action design was to keep Dupont from shutting Remington down. He had to design a rifle that could be made in quantity at a profit, using cheaper materials and less skilled labor and machine time. That his basic design still rules benchrest and long range target competition today, was a happy byproduct. 

That is not to disparage Walker's skills or his fame as one of the leading lights of the sport of benchrest. I expect his expertise in building and using benchrest guns informed his 721 design, at least subconsciously. But what he most wanted at the time was to keep Remington and his job afloat