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March 15, 2024
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I recently purchased a Model 70 Featherweight in 264 Winchester Magnum. Upon removing the rifle from the stock I found 4 number (8611) stamped under the barrel. I’m guessing it’s a rework number but was wondering if anyone has any additional details on these #’s. Thanks! 
August 8, 2024
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Never seen that before. I would guess that it is not factory. perhaps the last four of a SSN. The rifle is marked properly on the bottom of the recoil lug . With the 458 stamping, for the short magnum action.
March 12, 2008
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It is indeed a factory repair number. I have seen similar examples on Model 70’s and 52’s. I believe Rule mentions this in his book.
Steve
November 5, 2014
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Hi Wyatt-
My understanding is that when a Winchester was returned to the factory for repair or modification requiring disassembly, the major parts were stamped with a number that referenced the repair ticket to facilitate reassembly. They were usually hand stamped on the bottom of an already finished barrel, which means they are typically “rough”, unlike the usual under barrel stamps, e.g. caliber and date, which are typically polished over.
We’ve seen many examples on this forum applied to lever guns. Here are a couple examples on M70s. Five- or six-digit numbers on 1936 and 1948 barrels, respectively:
Letter plus four-digit number on 1953 barrel. I think that the letter/number combo was a later style R&R stamping:
Hope this helps,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
November 5, 2014
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Wyatt-
Is the S/N of your rifle 538611? I can’t quite make it out. The number under the barrel is 8611… Maybe this means that for some reason the barrel had to come off for a repair??? To my eye the “8” and “1” dies used to stamp “8611” on you barrel look identical to those used to stamp “N5281” on the ’53 dated barrel above.
Usually the under barrel R&R stamps bear no clear relationship to the S/N of the gun, and as far as I know it’s not possible to determine what the nature of the repair was or which parts (if any) were replaced.
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
August 27, 2014
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Louis Luttrell said
Wyatt-
Is the S/N of your rifle 538611? I can’t quite make it out. The number under the barrel is 8611… Maybe this means that for some reason the barrel had to come off for a repair??? To my eye the “8” and “1” dies used to stamp “8611” on you barrel look identical to those used to stamp “N5281” on the ’53 dated barrel above.
Usually the under barrel R&R stamps bear no clear relationship to the S/N of the gun, and as far as I know it’s not possible to determine what the nature of the repair was or which parts (if any) were replaced.
Lou
That’s it Lou, Good Eye
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
June 19, 2009
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Hi Wyatt,
I have an M70 with a very similar looking number stamp on the bottom of the barrel. The rifle is S/N 499818 (1960) and the barrel is stamped 818 signifying the last 3 numbers of the S/N much like your barrel is.
I’m not sure this is a very good comparison, because my rifle is a product of the R/D department. It wears a custom barrel ordered by Winchester from the Hart barrel company in LaFayette, New York. However the execution of the stamp is so similar to yours, I thought I’d at least post a photo.
August 8, 2024
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This is kind of interesting. I have never seen the under barrel repair markings on a Model 70 with just Four numbers. I have seen them with a letter, and four numbers. One is pictured in the Rule book. There is a five digit custom shop marked barrel. Another, Model 70 is pictured with a number in the bolt channel raceway. The rifle in questioned appears to be a correct Westerner FW. With the markings I can see. The serial number falls into its production run. Is there any other markings on the rifle? Does it have a mail order proof mark on the barrel? A number in the bolt channel raceway?
November 5, 2014
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Hi Wyatt-
Bob just asked a question that was on my mind. Is there, by any chance, a single digit number stamped on the inside of the left lug raceway of the receiver? If so, I’d like to have a clear photograph of it…
Story is that at some point late in pre-64 production, the factory started stamping a number in that location on R&R guns that corresponded to the last digit of the year of the re-work. So a “3” would mean 1963, etc. Your rifle’s receiver was made in 1962 (as were most of the Featherweight-Westerners), but that doesn’t tell us when it got the stamp under the barrel or what was done…
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
March 15, 2024
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Louis Luttrell said
Hi Wyatt-
Bob just asked a question that was on my mind. Is there, by any chance, a single digit number stamped on the inside of the left lug raceway of the receiver? If so, I’d like to have a clear photograph of it…
Story is that at some point late in pre-64 production, the factory started stamping a number in that location on R&R guns that corresponded to the last digit of the year of the re-work. So a “3” would mean 1963, etc. Your rifle’s receiver was made in 1962 (as were most of the Featherweight-Westerners), but that doesn’t tell us when it got the stamp under the barrel or what was done…
Best,
Lou
Lou,
I did some looking on the receiver and unfortunately don’t see any additional markings on the rifle. I also checked the barrel again, but still nothing else outside of standard proof marks.
that’s a good catch on the 8611 being the last 4 of the serial number. Funny how we miss things that are right in front of us sometimes ha!
thanks again to everyone for all the help and information. If more pictures are need to help answer other questions that come up, I’ll do my best to get them posted.
Wyatt.
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