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I have a near-new Model 70 standard .375 in the transitional range (#121853), with barrel date of ’50’. The rifle has a cloverleaf tang, late safety, matted receiver ring, no hole in the receiver bridge, etc. The rifle came to me from the original owner: the oddity is that the stock, while fitted to a cloverleaf-tanged action, is inletted for the oval tang, which certainly looks peculiar. The stock, however, appears to be the original fitted at the factory (and the original owner says it is).
My question is: are any other cloverleaf-tanged rifles in this range found factory fitted with the oval inletted stock?
Thanks!
Mike Benton, member Historical Arms Society of Tucson (AZ – HAST)
November 5, 2014
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I personally have not encountered such a cross stocked rifle that was convincingly factory original. Others may have more experience.
Certainly the type 2 (cloverleaf tang) action in long magnum lasted well into type 3 (oval tang) production as your rifle illustrates. But it strikes me as odd that the factory would intentionally use an oval tang long magnum stock on a cloverleaf tang gun.
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Thank you for the response!
It struck me as odd, too. The serial number of this rifle would seem to put it among the latest of the transitional cloverleaf-tanged rifles, which may have some bearing on the apparent stock mismatch. I hope someone else may have input.
mhb – Mike
Hi mhb,
Just some straight thoughts, without icing. Ever struck by the cautious “never say never” approach. Yet I’d certainly bet that the Winchester factory would not release such a new rifle or almost as certainly to engage in fitting such a replacement stock. Rather ‘almost’ certainly post factory ‘make it fit’ workmanship.
Concurrently, sellers do say the darnedest things and that leading to the highly useful approach… “Buy the gun, not the story!” In this case, perhaps to buy the metal, not the gun! From a shooter perspective, functionality perhaps one thing. From a collector perspective, that stock would seem largely superfluous at best!
In your position now, were you to market the rifle, the representation “I have it on original owner authority”… and five bucks might get you a Caffe Latte!
Still sounds like a great rifle that I sure wouldn’t mind owning… at a price!
Please pardon the frankness here.
Just my take!
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