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Louis:
You are simply too skeptical. There certainly ARE varmits all over the American Southwest.
VARMIT
VARMIT HUNTER
NEW MEXICO VARMIT
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Lou-
Nice try on a good subject. There are many examples of NIB M70’s on GB. I never have trusted the boxes enough to pay the extra money. Of course GB is a real “buyer beware” market place. It would be nice to have a better understanding. Until then “buy the rifle not the story or box for that matter”. Or find someone you can truly trust and buy from them!
November 5, 2014
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Wincacher-
Very funny!!! At least somebody at Winchester (probably an Easterner) knew how to spell “VARMINT”:
On the other hand, each batch of labels is specific to the catalog symbol number, so I suppose “VARMIT” is possible. Thank goodness nobody has to spell “wascally wabbit”!!! 
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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I have been watching this thread with interest hoping to learn something. Unfortunately I have little to add on this topic other than I have seen errors on other Winchester box labels. I have one on a 69 Match rifle that lists the receiver sight as a Lyman 37E instead of 57E so I know there is precedence for label errors. Thanks for the interesting topic.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Hi Lou,
Good to read your informative posts once again!
I’ve looked at a lot of M70 boxes going back 45+ years and may be able to contribute something to this discussion. It’s important to know what is real and what is fake since so many fake boxed guns exist. Plus, a lot of money is at stake.
I want to be a little vague here–as I have stated before on this forum: we don’t want the fakers to learn how to make better fakes.
I am going to firmly claim that your label #2 is fake. I first saw these labels emerge in the 1980s after M70 collecting took off and prices rose. I’m pretty sure I know who produced and used these labels. I’ve seen a lot of them over the years. I absolutely would not buy a boxed M70 with this label.
I am also going to claim the “Varmit” rifle label also is a fake. One of the other posters had a long list of “maybes” that might explain how it could be real. I’m not convinced.
Your point that definitive information on labels and boxes is mostly lacking is well taken. The M94 and M61 books provide some of the basics, as noted. I’ve used it to document some fakes that didn’t have correctly dated tags.
As with everything related to collecting Winchesters, there is no substitute for lots and lots of experience looking at hundreds of examples. After a while you learn what you need to know.
I am very fussy about boxed guns. I want the rifle to be in new condition, not 98%. I want the box to be crisp, the label correct, all tags and papers present and correct, and the correct waxed paper present. After all, why buy a NIB rifle unless everything is pretty much in new condition?
The boxed M70s I sold in November 2014 at the Amoskeag Auction all met the above criteria. Some lucky collectors recognized their special nature and now own them.
Finally, the Roger Rule book. It truly is a great reference book. Roger did an outstanding job without question. Are there errors? Yes, a few. Are there non-original rifles pictured? Yes. Roger told me himself there is one rifle pictured he deeply regretted including in the book. I’m aware of others. Did his personal collection (liquidated by the mid-1990s) contain rifles with some non-original features? I think so.
Regards,
Vic
November 5, 2014
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Vic-
Great to hear from you!!! You and Seewin are the real M70 experts on this site IMHO.
Regarding Box #2, I’ve seen that label format pop up at least one other time and have always had issues with it. The ‘Varmit’ thing is just funny… A label ‘faker’ having a joke or a factory ‘typo’… Strange either way…
One thing I’ll confess… Three of those first 15 box labels belong to rifles that I own. I am not too keen to say which three, but really appreciate the critique. If you or Steve ever want to tear up my collection I’d be thrilled to see if we can work out the logistics!!! I’ve got a few things picked up over the years that I’d like your feedback on. Probably fake (too rare to be ‘real’) but I like them and can’t find any problems myself.
I may send you a PM regarding the RR thing…
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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