Pre-64 Model 70 FWT 243 Help

[Mac_63]

I just picked up this gun I have some knowledge of the M70 but any help will be appreciated.
What I know
Incorrect Butt Plate
Serial number is a 6 digit 1957
22 inch barrel

What I need Help with
No front sight and no holes, but has a rear sight dovetail with a blank?

Receiver Blue it is not like others I have seen with the matte finish?

The safety is different?

Stock Finish original ?

Is it original or has bubba had his hands on it all comments welcome.....

Pictures

 

[9.3mauser]

The safety is off a pre-war rifle, why they would change it I have no idea. It kind of makes me wonder if the bolt is original to the action. You already know the pad is not original, and neither is the blueing on the receiver. The front sight has been removed, and there should have been a folding lyman style rear sight. It looks to me like the stock has been given a coat of varnish at some point. If you look in the magazine well, it should have a short follower if the action was originally .243. No collector value, but it should be a good shooter, or the basis for a custom project.

 

[Mac_63]

What puzzles me is the front sight, there are no holes or marks on the barrel where the sight should have been ?

 

[9.3mauser]

The ramps weren't screwed on, they were soldered in place. Meaning the barrel has been reblued as well, or there would be a big silver patch at the muzzle. On the older M70's, pre-1953 I beleive, the ramps were machined integral with the barrel.

Thinking it over, I beleive the bolt is correct, or at least of the correct period. They started hollowing the bolt knobs in 1953 as well, so only the safety is a replacement.

 

[tech551]

It is very easy to determine if a Model 70 bolt is original to the rifle. They are electro penciled with the serial number of the rifle.

 

[H4831]

What is the rate of twist in the barrel? I think I have read where the early Winchester 243 rifles had too slow a twist to stabilize heavier bullets, like 100 grain.

 

[9.3mauser]

I beleive you're thinking of the .244 Remington, which started out with a 1:12 twist. It wouldn't stabalize 100 gr. bullets, and when they realized how much market share they were losing to Winchester, Remington switched to a 1:10" twist and renamed it the 6mm Remington. The .243 Winchester had a 1:10 twist right from the get-go.

 

[Eagleye]

I beleive you're thinking of the .244 Remington, which started out with a 1:12 twist. It wouldn't stabalize 100 gr. bullets, and when they realized how much market share they were losing to Winchester, Remington switched to a 1:10" twist and renamed it the 6mm Remington. The .243 Winchester had a 1:10 twist right from the get-go.

This is correct, but the twist Remington changed to was not 1-10", but rather 1-9¼"

Dave

 

[Rod]

I took 5 pictures with my phone, not the best, but good for comparison. .The second from the top is a 243. . The second from the bottom is a very early f/w with the integral front sight. The picture will show stippling on the sight ramp. . The other 3 have the soldered on sight bases with a grooved sight ramp. .

 

[Rod]

Mac: . . From your pictures it appears the stock on your rifle is a tad short including the buttplate arrangement. . Look closely at the pictures I posted and judge the distance from the bottom of the buttplate to the sling swivel. . Also, the distance from the top of the buttplate to the raised portion of the comb. . The only featherweight that came from the factory with a recoil pad was, the late entry, the 264 Winchester Magnum.. . But I have seen a few featherweights with patent dated Winchester recoil pads that looked pretty clean. . You can purchase the reproduction pad from Connecticut Shotgun (around $40 plus shipping).

The plum color bluing on the receiver is a dead give away plus the smooth shiny appearance. . The pre-war safety should be checked for safety reasons as it doesn't look quite right from the picture. . I checked a pre-war I have and it's tough to tell exactly but it should be checked just the same. . Here's how to do it at the rifle range:


- #### the rifle on an empty chamber and hold the rifle with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, down range
- flip the safety off real quick with your thumb, if the safety is faulty the rifle may fire on the empty chamber
- do this more than a few times and bump the butt on the ground as well before flipping off the safety
- don't ease off the safety, like you normally would, but flip it off quick and pronounced.

Maybe fit a recoil pad to bring the stock to length or you may have the scope hitting you in the forehead. . But aside from that, if you didn't pay too much and everything checks out, it should make you a nice hunting rifle the way it is.