Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 26” .220 Swift Bolt Action Rifle 1954 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,975.00
LSB#: LSB251016KS130
Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Standard Rifle
Serial Number: 291294
Year of Manufacture: 1954
Caliber: .220 Swift
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Barrel Length: 26″
Sights/Optics: The front sight is an integral ramp with a dovetailed beaded blade. The hood is missing. The rear sight has been removed and the dovetail is plugged. The receiver is drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. The top of the barrel is drilled and tapped for a scope.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stock is one-piece hand checkered walnut with a pistol grip, straight comb, sling swivels front and rear, and a checkered steel buttplate. The LOP measures 13 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. There are handling marks, scratches, and light compression dents.The stock has been refinished at some point and there are small overruns onto the metal and into the checkering. Overall this stock rates in Very Good condition as a refinish.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are scattered scratches, most notably on the barrel. The bolt knob is mostly silver. There is light operational wear on the bolt. Overall this rifle rates in Very Good condition
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a safety mounted on the top-rear rear of the control feed bolt. Pushed to the front the safety is OFF, pulled to the rear the safety is ON, locking 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, and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This pre-64 Winchester Model 70 dates to 1954 and represents a classic mid-century example of Winchester’s most respected bolt-action sporting rifle. Known universally as “The Rifleman’s Rifle,” the Model 70 earned its reputation through controlled-round feed reliability, excellent balance, and thoughtful safety design. The 26 inch barrel configuration is particularly well suited to high-velocity cartridges, reflecting Winchester’s continued emphasis on accuracy and ballistic performance during the postwar era.
Chambered in .220 Swift, this rifle is associated with one of the most influential varmint cartridges of the twentieth century. Introduced in the 1930s, the .220 Swift set velocity benchmarks that reshaped long-range varmint and predator hunting, offering exceptionally flat trajectory and impressive downrange performance. The bore on this example remains bright with sharp rifling and only light erosion, rating a strong 9 out of 10. Factory sight provisions remain evident, though the rear sight has been removed and the dovetail plugged, and the rifle is properly drilled and tapped for receiver and scope mounting in keeping with period sporting practice.
Overall condition is very good for a C&R example. Approximately 90 percent of the original blued finish remains, with scattered scratches most noticeable along the barrel and light operational wear on the bolt, including silvering at the bolt knob. The walnut stock has been refinished and presents well, showing light handling marks, minor compression dents, and small areas of finish overrun into the checkering and onto the metal, but no structural issues. Mechanically, the action functions correctly and the three-position safety operates as designed. This rifle stands as a well-preserved and historically representative example of a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in the iconic .220 Swift chambering. Please see our high resolution photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck on your bids!!! MF
