Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade .375 H&H Magnum Bolt Rifle, 1951 C&R
SOLD FOR: $2525.25
LSB#: 230829KN020
Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Super Grade
Serial Number: 189740
Year of Manufacture: 1951
Caliber: .375 Holland & Holland Magnum
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Barrel Length: 25″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Lyman brass beaded blade dovetailed to a serrated, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel. The base is grooved for a hood which is not present. The front sight is not original to the gun. The rear of the barrel is drilled and tapped with a folding “U”-notch sight mounted to a base. The notch is fine-adjustable for elevation, can be reversed to present a square notch, and has a vertical white line aiming reference. The top of the receiver is drilled, tapped and filled for mounting an optic (none present). The left-rear of the receiver is drilled, tapped and filled for a receiver sight (none present).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece hand-checkered walnut with ebony nosecap, capped pistol grip, straight comb with cheekpiece, orange rubber Winchester buttpad and sling plates front and rear. The action is bedded to the stock. There are three cross-bolts, visible only on the left side of the stock below the action. There is a minor repaired loss at the bottom edge of the grip. There is some scattered finish wear, most notable on the left around the cross-bolts. There are some other light nicks and scratches. The checkering is well defined. The LOP measures 13 1/2″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the pad. The pad shows light wear and discoloration, remaining fairly supple. Overall, the stock is in Very Good condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: The markings are good and crisp, but the grain of the polishing on the barrel doesn’t appear correct. Given the bedding of the action and the obvious modification to the bolt handle, this rifle should be considered to have been customized.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There are infrequent spots of minor erosion and some stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8 out of 10 and should clean to 9.
Many military and C&R-eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish. There are a few scattered small nicks and scratches, mostly on the floorplate and near the muzzle. The action shows operational wear and there is some wear or grinding on the feed-lip in front of the magazine. The bolt has been jeweled, the knob has been re-profiled and checkered. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good-plus condition as customized.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a safety mounted on the right side of the receiver. Pushed forwards, the safety is OFF. If pulled back all the way, it locks both the bolt and the trigger. If pulled back half-way, it blocks only the trigger. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This is a vintage pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade rifle chambered in .375 Holland & Holland magnum and made in 1951. The Super Grade has nicer-grain wood with a nosecap, grip cap, cheekpiece and nicer checkering than would be found on the Standard Rifles. This example has seen some customization with three cross-bolts in the stock, the action bedded to the stock, and the bolt jeweled with a checkered knob. The rifle is in Very Good-plus condition as customized, retaining a nice bore and strong mechanics. The .375 H&H Magnum is one of the most powerful cartridges available in the Model 70, able to be used for any game in North America and also popular for hunting in Africa. This is a beautiful rifle in a great hunting cartridge that is ready to bag some game. That said, the Pre-64 Winchesters have high collector interest, especially a Super Grade, and this would be a good addition to a Winchester collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
