1956 Model 70 super grade|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Hi exbo3388-

What you describe is correct for a M70 Super Grade made in 1956.  A photo would be helpful, but the relevant features that distinguish late Super Grades from pre-1955 Super Grades are:

1.  Barrels were rust blued (prior to 1955 the SG metal finishes were the same as the standard rifle finishes, i.e. rust blued pre-war and DuLite blued up until 1955).  The different blue finish is probably the main reason the factory marked SG barrels ‘SUPER’ in that time frame.  ‘300M’ is a correct chamber inspection stamp, although (oddly) many H&H Magnum barrels (300 and 375) do not have any under barrel caliber designation stamp.  ’56’ is the year the barrel was manufactured.  This practice was largely dropped after ’55, so ’56 is about the latest M70 barrel you’re likely to encounter with a date stamp.  The “300 H&H MAGNUM” caliber designation was in used from about 1950 (supplanting “300 MAGNUM”).

2.  Bolt body, extractor, extractor collar and magazine follower were engine turned on late SGs, beginning about ’55.  The recoil lugs of these SG actions were stamped with a backwards ‘S’ to probably to denote them as having a ‘hand smoothed action’.  It’s always a good idea to check that the electropenciled serial number on the bottom of the bolt is visible on top of the engine turning and rough.  The bolts were’t numbered until the rifle was proofed, i.e. the rifle was fully assembled and finished, so engine turing on top of (or obscuring) the bolt serial number suggests non-factory work.

3.  The SG stocks had the later style “swept” cheekpieces beginning about mid-’51 (although the older oval cheekpiece stocks continued to be used until the factory ran out of them).  Whether your rifle is Monte Carlo or low comb it should have the “swept” cheekpiece and a steel grip cap.  Some of the earlier “swept cheekpiece” stocks had the older hard rubber caps, but by ’56 I’d expect steel.  I’m sure you know, but the 300 H&H MAGNUM M70s did not have recoil pads.

4.  Sights would be Redfield full gold bead front and Lyman 16B rear.  I’d be curious to know the height of the Redfield gold bead front sight on this late rifle.

Hope this helps… 

Lou