My local gunsmith has a pre 64 Winchester 338 WM and I believe it is a super grade as it has the black forend tip. The gunsmith tells me he has it on consignment from a friend of his who used it on one hunt. Externally, the stock is is in fairly rough shape (scratches and dings), but the metal looks to be in pretty descent condition. The rifle is priced at $ 895. It does have a scope and mounts on it which are of no value to me and I would immediately replace.

So, how do I verify it is a pre 64, super grade and does that figure sound reasonable?

Provided it really is a Pre-64 M70, the price is right, cheap actually, regardless of whether or not it is a Supergrade. I am betting this is not a Pre-64 (in which case this is not a great deal). In fact, I don't think they made many (if any at all) Supergrades in .338 Win Mag. I could be wrong though.

If the serial number starts with the letter "G", it is definitely not a Pre-64. The best way to confirm this is to find out and post the first 3 digits of the serial number. With those, many people can help you determine its age.

Tim

Joe,
The price sound good to me even if it isn't a super grade.
Good luck, Bryan

Pre 64 M70s are scarce as hen's teeth. 338 came out in 58 and was slow seller. If it is one then you should buy it at that price.

Good price if not a super grade, excellent price if it is, but, if it's not a super grade, be aware that the forend cap means it has been altered and collector value reduced. Wouldn't matter to me. Also, you may wish to verify that it is the original barrel. If the serial # is below 700,000 (no letters), it is pre-64.

As one has previously mentioned, Winchester never marketed a pre-64 model 70 in 338 Win. Mag. It could have had a Super Grade stock added to it. Either way, it still is an excellent price for a Pre-64 in that caliber. I have a made up 338 Super Grade that I hunt with.
ss

lb404: Never say "NEVER"! Winchester did indeed make a
Super Grade .338WM. The rifle was custom ordered by Mr. Wm O'hara, a Winchester executive...S/N 492635.* Your assertion, I'm sure, was that Winchester did not offer the .338WM in a Super Grade configuration as a producion item. JLS
*Info taken from page 262 of "The Rifleman's Rifle" by Roger Rule.

Correction, friend. They indeed did market a pre-64 M70 in .338 Win Mag. I have 2, one purchased new by my dad in 1962. I well remember the purchase.

Arts,

lb404 knows his stuff when it comes to Pre-64 M70's. What he meant to say (I assume) is that Winchester did not market the 338 Win Mag in a Supergrade model. I am betting this rifle is either a Post 64 Model 70, or a Pre-64 M70 with a replacement stock. I would be surprised if the rifle has a Supergrade floorplate.

Tim

My dealer has a pre 64 (mint) in .300 H&H that he wants $1500 for. If it was a .375---well---

MightyJoe, the supergrade did have a black forend tip. It was made of bakelite, a plastic. It also had 2 screw recessed sling swivel studs and a pistol grip cap. The bottom metal had Super Grade stamped on it. Other than that the metalwork was the same. I do not know if they made one in .338. I was at a local shop here today and they had one that looked very nice. They claimed the stock was as issued and it looked unused. The metalwork did not having a lot of places where the finish was rubbed off. I pointed out an area on the stock where the finish was rough and you could see steel wool fibers stuck in the finish, end of that as issued story. They want $995 for it.



I have a pre 64 in .300 H&H with QD german mounts and a Nickel Scope (German) that I am asking $1150 for if anyone is interested. It is in very nice shape.

Winchester NEVER made a pre-64 model 70 in Super Grade configuration. If it is indeed a supergrade stock on the 338 then it is still a good rifle find as unaltered Super Grade stocks with all of the furnature are worth a lot.

lb404,
Thanks as I said I did not know what they made. I have a SG stock and have everything for it but the grip cap. The stock is in great shape with the exception of the grip cap. It came off and some ham fisted sob glued it back on. I will make it right. I am on a search for a grip cap. I have the bottom metal also. I have some repro grip caps but they are plastic and not bakelite. If I finish it I will put it on a rifle of mine and note in the stock that it was "reassembled."

with the detachable mount use the factory holes or has the receiver been drilled and tapped for the German mount ??

False Alarm. Thanks for the inputs because it helped keep me out of the soup. The rifle is not a Pre 64 and as best I can determine it is a model 70 Magnum, circa 1975. Not even worth half the asking price. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. The gunsmith was surprised to find this out and was apoligetic as he went by what his friend told him rather than checking the serial numbers himself.

This goes to show the value of sharing information here at AR!

some of the post 64s had black foreend tips as I recall or so it seems..

I have never seen a pre 64 M-70 in 338 caliber, and as far as I know it was never a production item, not to say that Win. wouldn't send one on request, I don't know...

Winchester made a big run of them in what they called the 338 Alaskan but it did not have a black forend tip and was simply a std. grade rifle and these will bring $1500 up as a rule and even a pretty rough one will bring a grand......

I would think your gunsmith would know if its a pre 64, if he doesn't I would beat a trail out of there....

If it has a the long extractor (about 3" long) lying along side the bolt on the right hand side, where the bolt enters the chamber then its a pre 64..If the bolt is smooth without the extractor its a post 64...Thats about the best I can describe it...

t

J.L.Schott;
If you will read the post, I said Winchester Never Marketed a Super Grade in 338 Win.Mag.. There was a time that you could custom order almost anything from Winchester. I have seen a 35 Whelan Super Grade that was special ordered and therefore is unique. It does have the paperwork and bonifide'. This 338 could fall into the same category, however, without a provenance it is a made up gun! I owned a 358 Super Grade for a while. The original owner had the action kick out of the featherweight stock, sent it back to Winchester and specified a Super Grade stock. He did not specify to replace the floor plate with one appropriately marked one. He, therefore, had a rare factory variant of interest to a true collector but not a catalogued item.