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November 1, 2013
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Louis Luttrell said
When it comes to scoping this rifle, a 220 Swift, while keeping the Lyman 48 receiver sight, one could consider mounting a pre-war Lyman Targetspot (or early STS or Junior Targetspot), Fecker, or even early Unertl, using a Lyman type BK code cross dovetail block in the barrel dovetail and Lyman type U code (0.185″ high) block on the front receiver ring. The receiver block is the same thing used on M54/70 Target rifles and the long scope sits high enough to clear the receiver sight. No added non-factory holes. This doesn’t quite give the 7.2″ spacing between mounts to yield exactly 1/4 minute click adjustments, but it’s certainly close enough for praire dogs.
So that rear sight slot is actually good for something! Extremely clean & neat mounting installation I guess I haven’t seen before–in fact, I like it better than the usual twin brl blocks. Maybe not best for the yard-long Super TS & Programmer class of optics, but for more modest scopes, just right. Slight spacing variance no handicap in respect to practical shooting.
November 5, 2014
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Hi Clarence-
The only “downside” to that approach is that you get only 6″ spacing between the front/rear mounts. You need about 7.2″ to get those micrometer adjustable mounts to produce 1/4 MOA clicks. That’s why a lot of these rifles got two D&T holes added to the top of the barrel a little forward of the barrel boss/rear sight dovetail.
Of course the setup is a little “fragile” with that long scope supported at two points only 6″ apart, but heck, it’s a varmint rifle, and as I tried to illustrate it can be perfectly period on a 1930s M54/70. 
Shoots pretty well too…
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
November 1, 2013
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Louis Luttrell said
The only “downside” to that approach is that you get only 6″ spacing between the front/rear mounts. You need about 7.2″ to get those micrometer adjustable mounts to produce 1/4 MOA clicks. That’s why a lot of these rifles got two D&T holes added to the top of the barrel a little forward of the barrel boss/rear sight dovetail.Of course the setup is a little “fragile” with that long scope supported at two points only 6″ apart, but heck, it’s a varmint rifle, and as I tried to illustrate it can be perfectly period on a 1930s M54/70.
6″ spacing was an “approved” alternative during the time Win was making the A & B model scopes, with charts for both spacings included in the catalog; 1 point (no clicks, which I dislike anyway) equaled .10″ movement, vs .078″ for the wider spacing. 6″ spacing was also used for A5s mounted on ’03 Spfds by USMC armorers during WW I. The Win scopes were shorter than newer ones like the Fecker, but still, the arrangement is workable if you don’t drop your rifle too often.
September 10, 2024
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Circling back to this post from last year.
As mentioned above, when this rifle came into my life so much of it was wrong. At some point someone had replaced many of the metal parts with incorrect items. The bridge had been drilled and tapped for a scope, the Lyman peep sight was missing. Both the metal and the wood were in abused condition.
However, the action, barrel, and stock seemed to be original. I sent this arm off the the Hales in Washington for evaluation and in the end it was decided upon that a complete restoration was in order.
All incorrect parts replaced with period correct. All metal was re-blued. Stock checkering was recut, the big gouges in the stock were expertly filled in, and beautifully refinished.
As difficult as it was to come to grips with this restoration, I am incredibly pleased with the outcome.
January 20, 2023
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I’ve just come upon this thread and have now read all the previous posts. I’m no scholar on the Model 70 but you’ve had advice and counsel here from some of the World’s leading experts in that field and optics as well. As you’ve said.
Having admitted my ignorance, I will say that, at least from my observations of the Model 70 specimens of similar vintage in the firearms museum at Cody, I think your restorers did a beautiful job of bringing an early specimen back from the parts market. Congratulations and thanks are in order.
You haven’t mentioned condition of the bore but, at least according to Jim Carmichael, a lot of “shot out” Swifts just need a good scrubbing with diamond paste to return to acceptable varmint hunting accuracy for several more years of use.
I think allowing adequate time for barrel cooling between shots is key to longer life for a Swift or any overbore barrel. Hunting Coyotes will more often allow that, plus the larger target gives grace to some minor increases in group size from throat wear. Whereas laying waste to a prairie dog town with a Swift is not going to do anything good for your barrel, your shoulder, or your ears.
Forgive me if I have overlooked your full WACA membership, which is different than admittance to this forum. But, if you are not already a WACA member, please do join us. The dues are nominal, particularly because it gets you the superb Winchester Collector quarterly magazine, which is a scholarly journal for serious students of the brand. And access to its entire archive, online. A tool.you don’t want to pass up!
You’ve already put your money where your heart and mouth are – you are obviously our kind of guy. Please consider joining us. You won’t regret it.
EDIT — DISREGARD! YOU’RE ALREADY A WACA MEMBER, WHICH IS GREAT!
Bill
- 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.
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