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Way back in time, I owned a factory, post-63 M70 in .308. I thought it was cool at the time. I recall these were made a few years in the mid-60’s. I had not been aware of a full-stocked model made by U.S. Repeating Arms. Yesterday I was paging through a 2001 Gun Digest I have. It had a 19 inch barrel and came in .260, 7-08 and .308. It was called the Custom Ultra Light.
I had not been aware of this variation. Does anyone have one? I suspect there’s not many out there. Must be desirable to the post-63 M70 collectors.
Steve, I like the way you think. As my late Father in Law loved anything in a Manlicher style rifle, and especially if it was Military. He never had one of these which I wish he would have, as I expect, Lou to come along and educate us on these, as he would seem to know more about these than most. IMO!
Thanks for sharing.
Tony
Anthony said
Steve, I like the way you think. As my late Father in Law loved anything in a Manlicher style rifle, and especially if it was Military. He never had one of these which I wish he would have, as I expect, Lou to come along and educate us on these, as he would seem to know more about these than most. IMO!
Thanks for sharing.
Tony
Tony –
It is interesting to think about the influences that were behind the motivation of the M70 Mannlicher-stocked buyers to select that rifle. As you suggest, it might have been similar to how your father-in-law came to admire such rifles. It would be interesting to view the results of Winchester’s and U.S. Repeating Arms marketing research that led them to decide on the offering. In the final analysis, it appears sales of both the Winchester version and the U.S. Repeating Arms version were poor. My take is sales of Ruger’s RSI were much more favorable.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Gents-
Don’t give me too much credit… I don’t know any more about post-63 Model 70s than I do about any Winchester lever action, which is just about NOTHING!!! 
According to the last chapter in Roger Rule’s M70 book (which covers Model 70s up to 1981 when Olin Corp. sold out to USRAC), there was a M70 Mannlicher version offered from from 1969-1972. 19″ barrels in 243 WIN, 270 WIN, 30-06, and 308 WIN. Total made over the four years Olin cataloged them was 2401.
This is all verbatim from Rule’s book… I know nothing about later USRAC offerings!!!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Back in the day John Olin ordered 5 or 6 factory engraved M54 Mannlicher Carbines (all.30GOV’T’06) for himself and friends. Leroy Merz sold one of the guns on GI and another sold at Amoskeag a couple years ago for $7,200.
If anyone would care to see the guns just Google ‘John Olin Model 54 Mannlicher’
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
Boy-o-boy! guess I missed that one. What a beautiful rifle, and to think Ive paid more than that for an O’le 86. Thanks for the drooly Steve.
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