Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade 24″ .30-06 Bolt Rifle, MFD 1949 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1325
LSB#: 210507DP06
Make: Winchester
Model: 70 Super Grade
Serial Number: 130149
Year of Manufacture: 1949
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Internal Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S. OF AMERICA / -WINCHESTER PROOF STEEL-“, “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-“, and “MODEL 70- .30 GOV’T. ’06.-” in front of the rear sight boss. The left-rear of the barrel is marked with an ovalled “WP” proof, found again on the left of the receiver’s chamber ring. The left side of the receiver is marked “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK-”. The right side of the receiver’s chamber ring is marked “130149”. The bolt body is hand-scribed “130149”. The floorplate is marked “-SUPER GRADE-“.
Barrel Length: 24″
Sights / Optics: There is textured, ramped base fixed to the front of the barrel with a dovetail to accept a front sight which is currently filled with a blank. The base is grooved for a hood, but none is present. There is a dovetailed boss at the rear of the barrel which is filled with a blank, blended to the contour of the boss. The left-rear of the receiver is drilled, tapped and filled for a receiver sight (none included). The top of the receiver is drilled and tapped with a one-piece Leupold base and rings holding a Leupold 2-7x Vari-X II scope with crosshair reticle. The scope has a few light marks and minor wear in the body with fairly clear glass, in about Very Good-plus condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece checkered walnut with a capped pistol grip, black nosecap, European-style oval cheekpiece comb, checkered steel shotgun-style buttplate, and Super-Grade style sling plates inlaid front and rear. The stock has scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches with areas of thinning finish. There are two short cracks at the toe, one on each side. There is a small gap between the nosecap and wood, and it appears to have been re-glued in place. The checkering is generally smoothed, but visible. The LOP measures 13 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has wear around the edges, heaviest at the heel, with generally sharp checkering. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some stubborn copper fouling and infrequent minor erosion in the bore. Our gauge reads an ME of about 0.9.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 70% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The barrel and receiver finish has a plum hue. The barrel has scattered nicks, scuffs, scratches and finish wear, mostly forward of the rear sight boss. There are a few other scattered minor marks and infrequent finish wear. The action shows operational wear. The bolt knob is mostly worn bright. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, the receiver’s “WP” proof and the hand-scribed serial marking on the bolt are worn and incomplete. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a safety mounted on the top-rear of the bolt. Pushed to the front, the safety is OFF. If pulled to the rear 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: Included is a brown leather sling with a tooled oak-leaf motif mounted on the Super-Grade sling swivels as well as the installed Leupold scope as described. The sling shows moderate wear with verdigris at the metal parts, in about Good condition.
Our Assessment: This is a vintage pre-1964 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield and made in 1949. 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 had its original iron sight dovetails filled with blanks and has been equipped with a Luepold Vari-X II 2-7x scope. The rifle is in Very Good condition as refinished with evidence of use in the field, retaining a nice bore and strong mechanics. The .30-06 cartridge is one of the most popular hunting rounds in America and suitable for nearly any game in North America. This is a classic 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!