Rare Winchester Model 70 Ultra Match .308 Win Bolt Action Target Rifle 1972

SOLD FOR: $1,650.00

WOA#: WY240413KF008
Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Ultra Match
Serial Number: G1028174
Year of Manufacture: 1972
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Action Type: Bolt Action with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-WINCHESTER MODEL 70 – 308 WIN.- / MADE IN NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. WINCHESTER PROOF STEEL”. The top of the barrel at the receiver is marked with a circled “SP” proof and there is another proof on the top of the receiver to the left of the sight block. The left side of the receiver is marked “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”. The right side of the receiver’s chamber ring is marked “G1028174”, hand-scribed on the bottom of the bolt body is “G1028174”.
Barrel Length: 26?, Counter-Bored Muzzle, Approximately 0.90? Muzzle Diameter
Sights / Optics: The front of the barrel has two drilled, tapped and filled holes for a front sight base. The rear of the barrel and the chamber ring are each drilled and tapped with sight blocks installed. The bridge is drilled, tapped and filled for an optic or receiver sight mount. The left-rear of the receiver is drilled, tapped and filled for a receiver sight. A J. Unertl 15x scope with crosshair reticle is mounted to the sight blocks. The scope has light wear in the body with clear glass. Threaded lense caps are included.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a Marksman-style one-piece smooth walnut with beavertail forend, 10? accessory rail inlet to the forend, pistol grip, straight comb, serrated black rubber Winchester buttpad, a sling swivel in the belly and a sling swivel mounted to the accessory plate in the forend. A combination sling swivel and contoured alloy hand-stop is also installed on the accessory rail. The action and chamber-portion of the barrel are glass bedded in the stock with the remainder of the barrel free-floating. The stock has a few scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/8? from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttpad. The pad has minor wear with well defined serrations. Overall, the stock is in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Matte Blued & Black Alloy Trigger Guard Assembly
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The barrel has a few scattered minor scuffs, most notable on the top of the barrel at the muzzle-end. The bottom metal has a few scattered minor marks. The action has minor operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There are holes in the top of the receiver tang for the externally adjustable trigger. There is a three-position safety on the right-rear of the bolt. 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: This rifle comes with the installed scope.
Our Assessment: First offered in 1972, the Model 70 Ultra Match was a cataloged model but was only available on a special order basis and was only offered in .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield. The guns are quite rare, with somewhere between 179 and 263 produced in total before the model was discontinued in 1979. The Ultra Match rifles chambered for .308 are essentially the same as the Palma Trophy Match rifles made for the 1976 teams participating in the match, but lack the special roll-mark applied to the barrels of the Palma guns. When compared to the Model 70 Target rifles, the barrels are heavier, the action and chamber-end of the barrel are glass bedded to the stock, and the Ultra Match is one of very few Model 70 variants which was equipped from the factory with an externally adjustable trigger.

This example is in Fine-Excellent condition with signs of limited and responsible use. It has “SP” proof marks on the barrel and receiver, rather than the traditional “WP” proofs. This is an interesting marking, and one we have seen on another Ultra Match but not on any other Winchester rifle. That alone would make for a fun research project for the dedicated Winchester fan. The rifle still has a great bore and strong mechanics, so it should still make for a wonderful target rifle. It comes with a vintage 15x Unertl scope, perfect for target shooting. That said, the scarcity of this model, this example’s high condition and intriguing proof marking are sure to attract Winchester collectors, too. Please see our photos and good luck!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud