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December 20, 2025
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I am interested in purchasing a M70, SN G33430 and it’s in excellent condition, like new. I have attempted to search for a chart or something to figure out how old it is but not having any luck. I’m really just curious as to manufacture date because I track my Colts and Smiths. It’s kinda part of the hobby.
April 15, 2005
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Unfortunately, no serialization lists or documents have ever been published or released for the U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRACo) manufactured Model 70 rifles. From May 1981 through mid-year 1992, the Model 70 rifles manufactured by the USRACo were serialized as a continuation of the original Winchester Arms Company serialization. When Winchester ceased production in December 1980, the serial numbers were in the 1.525 million range. In the year 1992 (after filing for bankruptcy and being acquired by the Belgian arms giant Fabrique Nationale (FN), the serial numbers were no longer sequential, and each specific variation had its own serial number sequence. Based on what I have observed, they began with G10000 and went up from that point. When the USRACo was dissolved in March 2006, the Browning Arms Company (BACO) (another wholly owned subsidiary of FN Herstal) moved production of the Model 70 to their South Carolina facility (same place they were making the U.S. Government contract M9 pistols). I do not know what the serial number ranges are for those guns.
My best estimate for the date of manufactured your M70 rifle is sometime in the mid to late 1990s.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 5, 2014
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grizzlywinmag-
Bert’s right that we do not have access to reliable serial number information for the USRACo/FN M70 “Classics”. When they re-introduced controlled round feed M70s as the M70 Classic in 1992 they started the serial number sequence with G10,000.
According to information put on another forum, which I believe is more from observation than factory records, s/n G33430 was made in 1992. I cannot verify the accuracy of this table:
In the Classic series, serial numbers G1 through G9999 were reserved for the Custom Shop. They really cannot be dated, as the Custom Shop did not use serial numbers sequentially and was building guns in parallel with the regular production line.
Hope this helps (a little)…
Merry Christmas!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
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