Model 70 358 FW |Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

That close I would not worry about it.  I have one that is mismarked by one number.  I am positive it came from the factory that way.

Hi Dirtman-

That is a very nice rifle… Also the serial number is new to the survey…

The bolt serial number was electropenciled by hand after the fully finished/assembled was test fired.  Same time that the proofs were stamped on barrel and receiver.  My guess would be that the person doing the bolt serial number was having a bad/dyslexic day…  If the rifle’s headspace checks out, I would not give it a second thought, nor would it affect the value of the rifle IMHO…

FWIW… I have an even stranger serial number discrepancy that I might bring up some day…

Best,

Lou

Hi Dirtman-

We are recording all pre-64 M70 Winchesters, S/Ns 1 through 581471.  Currently there are a bit over 22,000 serial numbers recorded in the survey, with a minimum goal of 24,000 (about 4% of total production).  I plan to use this for an analysis of production over time, as there are many questions that I do not believe can be answered any other way.

Minimum information needed is serial number, style, and chambering.  I track >20 other details, action type, stock style, sights, etc, whenever I can, so the more detail the better.

All information provided by individuals abut their private property is recorded anonymously (WACA member’s contributions are only listed as “WACA” in the notes column).  Probably 10% of the survey to date has come from WACA members, and every gun enhances the whole… 

Info can be sent to me at [email protected] or via PM…

Thanks!!!

Lou

Hi Chuck-

Here’s part of what I’ve got on S/N 214577…  

Lou

Sure Chuck-

Most of this nomenclature was invented by Roger Rule, i.e. the factory never made these distinctions in their catalogs/advertising.

Rule describes 10 action variations.  Type III-2 has the oval tang, solid bolt knob, and the bolt release lever that is not “notched”.  Type III-2 is the main one found in the 200,000 to 275,000 range.

Rule describes 7 different front sight ramps.  #1 and #2 are the integral forged ramps and the other five are silver brazed ramps with different stippling/grove patterns on top.  #2 is the common form of integral forged ramp, used from 1936 to 1953.  They actually switched to the #3 silver brazed ramp in 1952, but it took about a year before they used up all the older barrels with forged ramps.  So I expect to see a #2 ramp on a 1952 Standard rifle.

Rule describes 5 types of barrel roll marks used on standard barrels in standard calibers (I’m excluding the Featherweight and Short Magnum styles, which were different).  Style 3C is the one-piece roll die, left side only, with the caliber stamp as part of the single die.  They started using these in 1950.  This is also when they changed the caliber designation from 270 WCF to 270 WIN.  In short, this means that the barrel date on s/n 214577 would probably be between 1950 and 1952.

Sorry my survey spreadsheet isn’t set up as a pivot table, so that the column headers would show…

Also the Catalog Symbol G7033CN denotes a Standard rifle with MC comb stock in 270 WIN.  Winchester did come up with the Catalog Symbols on their own, Roger didn’t invent those… The MC stock style was introduced as an alternative to the NRA style low comb stock in 1952, the year s/n 214577 was made.  The standard factory sights on a G7033CN made in 1952 would be a Marbles 69 (not Lyman 16B) folding rear sight and Winchester 103E silver bead front 0.360″ tall.

Sorry for the confusion…

Lou