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August 1, 2026
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Hello, this is my first post, and I’m hopeful it’ll be a good one. I’ve been doing a fair amount of reading here, and it truly is a trove of knowledgeable folks!
Recently, my father passed away and I inherited all of his guns, including those of my grandfather’s. Part of that group is a gorgeous Model 70 in 270 WCF, serial #2047 (there’s also a 243 Featherweight that I got my first deer with and a beautiful Model 52 which shoots like a dream, but those are for another post). From my rudimentary research on the interwebs, I’ve determined it’s a first-year 1936 model in a very popular caliber. I took it to the range at my gun club the other day and it took me right back to when I was 12 going out with my grandfather on the first day of deer season. Anyways, I was hoping some folks on here could help with some questions. Would the scope have been original? Does it look like he modified it in any way? I know my grandfather (32 at the time) would have bought it new at Dunham’s Department Store, but I don’t know how it would have looked then.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully, these pictures are helpful.
August 25, 2009
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Aaron
Ill comment on a couple of things i see until our experts roll along
First and foremost (In my opinion), Do NOT do a thing to this rifle except wipe it down gently and shoot it at every opportunity including take it out and hunt it. You only get a couple of chances to own something that was your grandfathers. He obviously shot the rifle a fair amount. Truly a wonderful heirloom.
That being said the rear bridge has been drilled and tapped for the scope install. Many of them were and some of us feel that it was a shortcoming of Winchester to not do it on all of the early model 70s.
Maybe the finish has been touched up a bit. this would be normal for a rifle that was hunted here in the Northwest.
All in all a very nice piece. Please enjoy and respect it for what it is.
Doug
August 1, 2026
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DEEREHART said
Aaron
Ill comment on a couple of things i see until our experts roll along
First and foremost (In my opinion), Do NOT do a thing to this rifle except wipe it down gently and shoot it at every opportunity including take it out and hunt it. You only get a couple of chances to own something that was your grandfathers. He obviously shot the rifle a fair amount. Truly a wonderful heirloom.
That being said the rear bridge has been drilled and tapped for the scope install. Many of them were and some of us feel that it was a shortcoming of Winchester to not do it on all of the early model 70s.
Maybe the finish has been touched up a bit. this would be normal for a rifle that was hunted here in the Northwest.
All in all a very nice piece. Please enjoy and respect it for what it is.
Doug
Thank you, Doug. That’s certainly my plan, keep it clean and shoot it when I can. Appreciate the insight.
January 20, 2023
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Second Doug’s sage advice. A grand inheritance with priceless provenance. It will make every hunt a success whether you see game or not.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Aaron-
Congrats on a very nice Model 70. That’s one to be proud of and hang onto for Generations.
To answer your question. Model 70s did not have factory drilled holes on the bridge until 1946. So the (probably just one) hole in the bridge for the rear of the Redfield JR mount was added. The other holes, two atop the front receiver ring and two on the left side rear for a receiver sight, were factory. Your rifle was originally a G7003C (Standard rifle, 270 WCF, Winchester 22G Sporting type rear sight). So the only other “alteration” is that the rear sight was removed from the barrel to allow clearance for the scope’s objective bell. As best I can tell, everything else, including wood and metal finishes, is original and correct.
The scope is a 4X Unertl Hawk and it’s in period Redfield rings. Those scopes date to about the late (post-WWII) 1940s or 50s. Your Grandfather certainly knew quality, as that scope was about the best available at the time.
For comparison, the one pictured below is also a 1936 vintage Model 70 Standard rifle (s/n 1099). It’s a 30 GOV’T’06 but otherwise looks like yours. It has the type of rear sight that was removed from yours.
Hope this helps,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
August 8, 2024
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Very nice rifle! As mentioned the rear receiver top has been drilled for the scope mount, and the 22G rear sight was removed to clear the scope. Chambered in a great caliber! I would be very proud to hunt with that rifle! I am the odd ball that used the 150 grain .270 bullet on all my hunting trips ( Jack O’Connor just rolled in his grave!).
August 1, 2026
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Louis Luttrell said
Hi Aaron-
Congrats on a very nice Model 70. That’s one to be proud of and hang onto for Generations.
To answer your question. Model 70s did not have factory drilled holes on the bridge until 1946. So the (probably just one) hole in the bridge for the rear of the Redfield JR mount was added. The other holes, two atop the front receiver ring and two on the left side rear for a receiver sight, were factory. Your rifle was originally a G7003C (Standard rifle, 270 WCF, Winchester 22G Sporting type rear sight). So the only other “alteration” is that the rear sight was removed from the barrel to allow clearance for the scope’s objective bell. As best I can tell, everything else, including wood and metal finishes, is original and correct.
The scope is a 4X Unertl Hawk and it’s in period Redfield rings. Those scopes date to about the late (post-WWII) 1940s or 50s. Your Grandfather certainly knew quality, as that scope was about the best available at the time.
For comparison, the one pictured below is also a 1936 vintage Model 70 Standard rifle (s/n 1099). It’s a 30 GOV’T’06 but otherwise looks like yours. It has the type of rear sight that was removed from yours.Hope this helps,
Lou
Thank you, Lou! That’s extremely helpful and I really appreciate the kind words about my grandfather.
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