Winchester and the Jack O'Connor Hunting Heritage and Education Center have teamed up for a really special tribute rifle that will be unveiled next week at the SHOT show. The rifle will commemorate the Diamond Jubilee (75th anniversary) of the Winchester Model 70 in a fitting tribute to the man who arguably had the largest role in making it popular and the legend it is even today.
The rifle, naturally in .270 Winchester caliber, will be built in two grades and comes as close to matching Jack's famous pet "Number 2" rifle as factory production will allow.
The barrel will be a 22" Featherweight pattern, with steel floorplate (engraved with a likeness of one of Jack's favoriate sheep heads) and trigger guard with Jack's signature in nickel silver. The grip cap will be steel, with light engraving as well.
The best part of the tribute rifle will be the stock, which is patterned after the Number 2 original (Al and Roger Biesen gave permission to use their stock design, and Bradford O'Connor actually shipped the Number 2 rifle to Winchester to make a pattern). Even the checkering pattern will closely resemble the original. Sling swivels will be of the Super Grade style; a black fore end tip will be on both grades.
The big difference in grades will be the wood quality. The standard grade ("standard" is probably a disservice to a factory rifle of this quality) will feature figured wood with a rubber recoil pad, while the deluxe version will be dressed up with fancier wood and a Neidner-type blued steel buttplate, the same pattern as found on the pre-64 Model 70 standard rifles.
Pricing has yet to be made final, but expect retail to be under $1,500 for the standard grade to around $2,000 for the deluxe. The Jack O'Connor center will get a cut for each rifle sold. Winchester says the rifles should hit dealer shelves in late spring 2012.
Kudos to many folks for making this project happen, not the least of which should go to Bradford O'Connor for his personal involvement and commitment as well as Glenn Hatt of Winchester for pushing the project through the corporate end.
So, Jack O'Connor fans, time to start squirrelling away the pennies for one of these rifles; they will be special.
You will be able to, and also meet Bradford there. I've got a couple pictures and the Winchester announcement, but for the life of me can't figure out how to post a picture on this site. Booth 11929 at the SHOT show.
I'm a Jack-O'C fan, and have been reading and re-reading his books and articles since the 1940s. I was fortunate enough to meet him a few times in Lewiston, Idaho before his death, too.
But I think I'll just keep my 1955-ish vintage Model 70 FW in .270 which has killed a lot of mule-deer, half a dozen elk, and other stuff for me using loads suggested by Jack. You guys can have my share of the fancy commemoratives.
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
CrossL - THAT is a beautiful gun. Is that a Canjar single-set trigger I see lurking in there, or is it some well done example of a trigger shoe? Looks like a Canjar from here, but is hard for me to tell for sure.
(I have a Canjar in my FW, too.)
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
Sorry - see I should have addressed the post above to Boxhead. No matter who the owner, that is a VERY handsome rifle. I'm still curious as to whether that is a Canjar single-set trigger in it...
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
