Model 70 / 71 Butt Plate question|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Unfortunately, I do not have any of the lever guns that used that butt plate…

In the centerfire bolt guns, that butt plate was first used on the M54 “NRA Standard Rifle” (with the revised “NRA-style” stock) in about 1932.  It replaced the “serrated” but plate used on the M54 1st Standard Rifle (the one with the “Schnable” fore end).  The plates you reference are the same between the M54 and M70 (allowing for the minor fitting to individual stocks).  I’ve seen (Whitaker’s M70 book – I think) that there were (at least) two sizes of that butt plate used on M54s but the “big” one was rarely needed/used.  

So my GUESS is that the plate is the same size between M54/70/64/65/71, but I can’t test my assumption.  We’ll have to wait for a more knowledgeable collector…

Lou

I’ve never found two that were identical. At one time I had about a dozen of these spare buttplates that were extremely close in dimensions to one another, but not close enough to go unnoticed when swapped on a stock with the original plate. There was always a noticeable dimensional difference in width or height. 

Now I can’t say which model Winchesters these plates actually came from. Most were advertised as M70 or M71 plates. 

I’ve taken a factory mounted plate off one M71 and tried to put it on another M71 buttstock – that also didn’t work, as in the fit was noticeably incorrect. 

Bert H. said

jsgwoodsman said

I’ve never found two that were identical. At one time I had about a dozen of these spare buttplates that were extremely close in dimensions to one another, but not close enough to go unnoticed when swapped on a stock with the original plate. There was always a noticeable dimensional difference in width or height. 

Now I can’t say which model Winchesters these plates actually came from. Most were advertised as M70 or M71 plates. 

I’ve taken a factory mounted plate off one M71 and tried to put it on another M71 buttstock – that also didn’t work, as in the fit was noticeably incorrect. 

Keeping in mind that Winchester hand fitted the stock & butt plate to each rifle individually, it is no surprise that the butt plates do not lend themselves to a simple swap.

Bert

  

It happens I’ve been able to dig out an August, 1936 WRA parts catalog and, while it cannot answer the question(s) dispositively, it gives some clues. Here are extracts from the parts lists for the Models 86, 92/53, 94/55, 95, 64, 65, and 71, showing their available buttplates as of 1936. N.B. the order numbers are unique to each model [or at least to paired models, e.g. 92/53] and not a unique part across models. The same buttplate could have several order numbers.  

What we can see is, for some models, there is only a single buttplate available, possibly implying a single size and and style buttstock from inception of the Model. Or maybe there was once another one and you’re just out of luck. I’m inclined to believe the former is the case because the models are the 64, 65, and 71 — the “Whelen” models. 

I can’t speak about the Model 65 because I’ve never owned one, but I do have a Model 64 Deer Rifle and a Model 71 Special, both made in 1949 and both in all original condition. Their buttplates are identical in every dimension, allowing for insignificant variations caused by the factory attaching the oversized plate to the unfinished buttstock and grinding or sanding the steel to fit the wood. Subject to the same immaterial variations, they are also identical to the buttplate on the 1953-54 Super Grade stock of my SAKO rebarreled 1948 Model 70. All are, to my eye and Mitutoyu dial indicator, the same part. 

The buttplates available in 1936  for the 86, 92/53, 94/55, and 95, are another matter. If you wanted a shotgun buttplate in steel or rubber, you needed to specify the length of the part, implying [to me] that more than one size shotgun-style plate had been installed on the same model, over time.  Note, for example, in the case of the model 86, you could get the old crescent steel plate without specifying length, but for a rubber or steel shotgun plate you needed to say the length.  1886 gurus will know but I can only guess —  Extra Light rifles had a different length butt from heel to toe? What?

To sum up:  1. Swapping buttplates from one specimen to another of the same model and vintage will not always result in a close fit. The plates were made oversize to be fettled to the wood. Stocks replicated on a machine from an exemplar will, particularly after finishing, show small variations in one or more dimensions that are imperceptible from gun to gun — until you swap the fettled  buttplates. 

2. With some necessary exceptions [e.g. box magazine components] I believe Winchester’s design department preferred to create and rely on  two sizes of parts [“Large” and “Small”] when one alone wouldn’t serve, rather than a plethora. Based on my observation and close measurement, I say the pre-64 checkered steel, widow’s peak buttplate commonly seen on the pre-64 Models 64, 70 and 71 are the same part. I’d bet pie and coffee that the Model 65 and the Sporting 52B/C use the identical part, except for very late C Sporting specimens that use the Model 88/100 plastic plates. 

Addendum:  If I wonder whether a buttplate was original to a gun, I use a big magnifier to look for very faint sanding striations in the wood and steel. They ought to be contiguous.