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Winchester M70 bbl. date 1953. This is a documented Van Orden Sniper Rifle # 272958, as sold at the 1954 National Matches. A gift from a friend. Big Larry
pre64win said
Excellent!I need better friends 😉
I have known this gentleman for over 20 years after I bought a Ka-Bar from him out of Shotgun News. I have never met him either.
I have given him some real nice stuff to along the way, but he also gave me a Ithaca M37 WW2 Trenchgun which I sold many years later for $17,500. I offered him the $$$ and he would not take it. Yes, friends like him do not come around often. He is a Lt. on the Trussville PD in Alabama. Big Larry
Well, kidding about friends aside, any documented VO is a really nice addition to any collection, and yours looks particularly nice. I have to confess to a bit of rifle envy!
Big Larry said
Yes, friends like him do not come around often… Big Larry
Not often is putting it mildly; at 70+ I’m still waiting. Remarkable in every way.
clarence said
Not often is putting it mildly; at 70+ I’m still waiting. Remarkable in every way.
This gentleman is very special to me. He has a fine collection of US martial arms and a few Colt SAA’s that are martially marked. Just as a joke, I asked him to send me one and it took me quite a while to convince him I was joking. He was going to send me one. Now, it is a big joke between us. I told him his Mother sent me $$$ every month to be his friend. He said, why don’t I send you the Colt. I have to watch what I say to him as to liking one of his guns, as I am certain, he will send it to me. He is a retired Sgt. Major USA and a war hero, and one of the finest gentleman I have never met. Big Larry
Big Larry that is an amazing story of an amazing friend and an amazing M70! She looks outstanding!
Dave
WACA #10119
NRA Member
David Gilliland said
Big Larry that is an amazing story of an amazing friend and an amazing M70! She looks outstanding!
The rifle was sold to the US Army at the NM’s. A picture of the rifle is in Senich’s,”One Round War”. Evidently the Army used it as a Snipers rifle in Viet Nam.
It was marked US on the receiver ring and some paranoid owner of later years, ground the US off. Made a mess out of the receiver. With a good light and glass, you can still make out the US. I really cannot complain as the rifle and scope were free. Big Larry
Big Larry said
It was marked US on the receiver ring and some paranoid owner of later years, ground the US off. Made a mess out of the receiver. With a good light and glass, you can still make out the US. I really cannot complain as the rifle and scope were free. Big Larry
Should be worth a grade-A restoration, with the “US” restored by engraving, and the receiver re-blued. (Assuming it wasn’t one of those horrible electro-pencil markings–but I can’t believe Winchester would do that!)
clarence said
Should be worth a grade-A restoration, with the “US” restored by engraving, and the receiver re-blued. (Assuming it wasn’t one of those horrible electro-pencil markings–but I can’t believe Winchester would do that!)
When the rifle was offered to me, one of my buddys friends offered to restore the receiver and remark it with an electric pencil. As you can still see the US on it, I decided to leave it alone. With all the docs on it, it is still highly collectable. My buddy also sent me some 30-06 NM ammo, but I have yet to shoot it. It is electric penciled, but not by Winchester. The Army purchased the rifle from Evaluators at the 1954 National Matches, and must have marked it later.
Somehow, the rifle was re stocked with a Sporter stock and got to Viet Nam. When I got the rifle, it still had the sporter stock which was way too late for a 1953 rifle. A friend of my friend, GAVE ME, yes, for free, an original target stock and I had it fitted to the rifle.
For years, my buddy had tried to give this rifle to me and I graciously declined, and he sent it to me anyway. He had bought the rifle at a Birmingham gun show for $125 with the scope. How’s that for a deal? Big Larry
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