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March 14, 2022
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Thank you the reply Tim. Would love to see pics of the the deluxe factory engraved in .30-03 someday.
Rick C
September 19, 2014
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Rick, it will be at Cody this July. I will have 4 rather interesting models 1895 there for perusal and discussion, but not for sale. BTW, it was made in 1912, so the .30-06 had been out for a while by then. Tim
November 5, 2014
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I know this is an OLD thread and my comments here are off topic… But it’s come up a few times before and this might be entertaining… 
Regarding Bert’s comment from a DECADE ago that some Model 70s were manufactured in 30-03… Each time this has come up on the Forum we’ve asked whether the under barrel was stamped “1906” (Winchester’s designation for 30 GOV’T”06) and nobody replied…
Well… In the survey I now have (5) Model 70s recorded that are/were thought to be in 30-03… The serial numbers are 87231, 88798, 89403, 89723, and 90611 (all 1948). Here’s an example on one of the confusing caliber stamps…
Using the naked (and possibly “hopeful”) eye, and without magnification, one could easily (even “honestly”) think this is stamped “30 GOV’T’03”. To me it looks like a “30 GOV’T’06” caliber stamp with a chip in the “6” that makes it look like a “3”. So I took one of my Model 70 30-06 Target rifles in this serial number range (s/n 87131) and tried my best to duplicate the angle of the above photo. Then I made a “false color” overlay using Photoshop. In this photo, 87131 is on top in red, and the suspect 30 GOV’T’03 is in the middle in green. Overlay on the bottom…
What do you think??? 
I have a couple other photos of alleged 30-03 barrel markings and they all have the same chip in the same place. They’re just not as sharp as the one I used for my “experiment”… Four of the (5) I’ve recorded with this marking were advertised as “rare” Model 70s in 30-03, the other was advertised (correctly) as a 30-06. BTW… I got the photo of the “30 GOV’T’03” stamp from Pre64win.com, and to their credit they didn’t think it was “real” either…
So I have yet to encounter a M70 in 30-03 and am inclined to think they don’t exist… I believe that there was one batch of M70 barrels stamped in 1948 with a worn out (chipped) die that wasn’t replaced soon enough…
Hummm…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
April 15, 2005
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Louis Luttrell said
I know this is an OLD thread and my comments here are off topic… But it’s come up a few times before and this might be entertaining…Well… In the survey I now have (4) Model 70s recorded that are/were thought to be in 30-03… The serial numbers are 87231, 88798, 89403, and 90611 (all 1948). Here’s an example on one of the confusing caliber stamps…
Using the naked (and possibly “hopeful”) eye, and without magnification, one could easily (even “honestly”) think this is stamped “30 GOV’T’03”. To me it looks like a “30 GOV’T’06” caliber stamp with a chip in the “6” that makes it look like a “3”. So I took one of my Model 70 30-06 Target rifles in this serial number range (s/n 87131) and tried my best to duplicate the angle of the above photo. Then I made a “false color” overlay using Photoshop. In this photo, 87131 is on top in red, and the suspect 30 GOV’T’03 is in the middle in green. Overlay on the bottom…
What do you think???
So I have yet to encounter a M70 in 30-03 and am inclined to think they don’t exist… I believe that there was one batch of M70 barrels stamped in 1948 with a worn out (chipped) die that wasn’t replaced soon enough…
Hummm…
Lou
Certainly plausible, and it makes sense.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 14, 2022
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Louis Luttrell said
Well… In the survey I now have (4) Model 70s recorded that are/were thought to be in 30-03… The serial numbers are 87231, 88798, 89403, and 90611 (all 1948). Here’s an example on one of the confusing caliber stamps…
Using the naked (and possibly “hopeful”) eye, and without magnification, one could easily (even “honestly”) think this is stamped “30 GOV’T’03”. To me it looks like a “30 GOV’T’06” caliber stamp with a chip in the “6” that makes it look like a “3”. So I took one of my Model 70 30-06 Target rifles in this serial number range (s/n 87131) and tried my best to duplicate the angle of the above photo. Then I made a “false color” overlay using Photoshop. In this photo, 87131 is on top in red, and the suspect 30 GOV’T’03 is in the middle in green. Overlay on the bottom…
What do you think???
So I have yet to encounter a M70 in 30-03 and am inclined to think they don’t exist… I believe that there was one batch of M70 barrels stamped in 1948 with a worn out (chipped) die that wasn’t replaced soon enough…
Hummm…
Lou
Very interesting Lou and appreciate you taking the time to post this. Like Bert, I have to agree it’s very plausible and after viewing the photos several times, imo it’s definitely a 6 with a chip missing out of it. I seem to have a niche for bringing up old post, but when I’m searching for information in the forum or online, sometimes this is what occurs.
Rick C
November 5, 2014
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Hi Rick and Bert-
I did that photo experiment some years ago when Justin Hale and I were puzzling over that weird stamp on the gun Pre64win had… Was just waiting in case the issue of M70s in 30-03 came up again… Here’s another image I made at the time, which I’m putting up b/c it shows one more alleged ’03 stamp (s/n 89723). The “clean” caliber stamp from 87131 on top, then (2) questionable “30 GOV’T’03” stamps, and at the bottom an image of the 87131 stamp on which I “created” a chip in Photoshop…
And one more, s/n 88798… This one’s struck a little deeper and doesn’t look as much like an “03” but IMHO it’s the same die… Dave Morris (Frontier Guns) had this gun and advertised/sold it correctly as a 30 GOV’T’06…
I’ll stop hijacking the thread now!!! Sorry!!! 
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
August 8, 2024
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At the OGCA show last year in Medina I examined a Pre 64 Model 70 that looked to be marked .30Gov’t03. I asked them if they have looked at the under barrel for markings. I was told that they have not. I gave them my phone number, and asked them to call me after they checked it. Not surprising I did not get a call. I am positive that it is a .30Gov’06 that was stuck with a damaged die. I also believe that the Model 70 was never chambered in the non-cataloged .30’03.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Bob-
Did you happen to write down the serial number? My “hypothesis” above would suggest it would be in the 87000 to 90000 range, so you potentially could shoot me down… All theories are good until they are disproved by fact…
My guess is that there could be 50-100+ (maybe a lot more) 30 GOV’T’06 barrels out there marked with that “’03” die. Help!!!
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
November 7, 2015
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Rather unfortunate place for a broken die but that explanation combined with good photos makes more sense than a Model 70 in 30-03.
Mike
August 8, 2024
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Louis, I don’t think that I kept the Serial Number, after I was not contacted from them. I do remember that when I first saw the rifle I thought that it was odd since the serial number placed the rifle being made in the late 1940s. So, it is very likely to be in the serial number range that you have stated 87000 to 90000.
