Hey guys lets see some of the prewars that are out there.


Post some pics


Cal30

This one is from 1939, a 270.

Yep thats what Im talking about

I love the fact it still has a steel butt plate Awsome!



Cal30

Boxhead,
Who did the metal work on the rear bridge? I may get a pre war and I would like to know about putting a scope on it.

Any others with photos of a pre war with a scope?

Thanks

That is a very nicely done rifle. Classy.

Good pictures with great lighting too, which aren't too common on AR.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
Good pictures with great lighting too, which aren't too common on AR.

I have learned that great lighting usually means no artificial lighting. These were taken in my garage with the garage doors open with light coming through the three windows as well.

The rings are Conetrol's in custom bases. I bought the rifle as she sits with nary a builders name on it. Drives me nuts when a fine builder doesn't let us know he did the work. Appreciate the kind words.

Beautiful customrifle.

Just about only the action is original..even the safety is changed for a late model safety.
Too bad imho....oh well who cares except me who likes a genuine pre-war pre-winnie

Here are a few: First an unaltered .250-3000, using the Stith Do It Yourself Mount, which fastens to the factory holes for a receiver sight in the side of the bridge, obviating the need to drill and tap the top of the bridge. The front part of the mount fits in the rear sight dovetail.





Then, a .30-'06, with the barrel trimmed to featherweight dimensions and restocked by Griffin & Howe, with a Griffin & Howe side mount, and Lyman 48 receiver sight.







Finally, a Griffin & Howe .35 Whelen, using a barrel contured to match the original factory profile, again with a Griffin & Howe side mount and Lyman 48 receiver sight.







Both Griffin & Howe rifles are fitted with Tilden safeties, which reverse the operation of the original pre-war safety.

xausa


Thank you for sharing those are nice!!!


I dont recall seeing a prewar with the transition safety. My buddy has a transition model but its not the cloverleaf tang.


Those are awsome. That Stith mount is the way to go, I think they originally were built for the Winchester model 54, am I correct?



Cal30

1938 Model 70 action, Hoffman Arms barrel, Martin Hagn stock......



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quote:

Originally posted by cal30 1906:

I dont recall seeing a prewar with the transition safety. My buddy has a transition model but its not the cloverleaf tang.

Those are not transitional safeties. The transitional safety did not extend down the side of the bolt sleeve, like the later model ones.

These are Tilden safeties (as I belatedly commented), after market items which led to the adoption of the familiar post-war safety still in use.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
1938 Model 70 action, Hoffman Arms barrel, Martin Hagn stock......

Beautiful stock design, gorgeous piece of wood, magnificently executed!

What caliber?

xausa

I just realized my mistake, I do remember the correct configuration of the transitional safety now. It is shaped like a clam shell and the grooves are the oppisite direction.

Thanks for the correction.



Cal30

Frostbit


That is a thing of beauty, Myself I have only 1 prewar in 06'.
It has been tapped but I put a Redfield peep on it and it helps cover the hole.
It is a 75-80% rifle Mine was built in 1946 I believe.



Cal30

quote:

Originally posted by xausa:

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
1938 Model 70 action, Hoffman Arms barrel, Martin Hagn stock......

Beautiful stock design, gorgeous piece of wood, magnificently executed!

What caliber?

375 H&H

quote:

Originally posted by cal30 1906:
Frostbit


That is a thing of beauty, Myself I have only 1 prewar in 06'.
It has been tapped but I put a Redfield peep on it and it helps cover the hole.
It is a 75-80% rifle Mine was built in 1946 I believe.



Cal30

My presumption is that the action was mated to the Hoffman barrel likely in 1940 before Hoffman Arms closed down in Amarillo. The barrel is stamped as in the picture.

Kind of odd in that Hoffman Arms used Mauser actions. But I suppose someone could have requested the rifle be built with a M-70.


It was re-stocked by Martin Hagn sometime in the 80's, so I'm told.

Thanks sharing all these beautiful rifles
I have myself a custom pre winnie from 1947 with the ol style safety.
I have been collecting Mausers(original) for some years now, but an 100% original pre-war M70 Super Grade still rank highest imho.

OK so it's not a M70 but it is pre war. Grandpa's Mod 54

quote:

Originally posted by D_P:
Boxhead,
Who did the metal work on the rear bridge? I may get a pre war and I would like to know about putting a scope on it.

Any others with photos of a pre war with a scope?

Thanks

Back in the day Stith made a couple of scope mounts for Pre-War M70s that did not require extra holes in the action. One used a front base that went into the rear sight dovetail slot with the rear base attached on the side receiver sight holes. Many of these were for Lyman Alaskan scopes (7/8 inch tube). The other also went into the receiver sight holes in the rear but the front went on the top of receiver ring which was drilled and tapped by Winchester at the factory for Pre-war M70s. These were neat--you could scope a Pre-war M70 and keep it original. There were so many Pre-war M70s "ruined" by extra holes for side mounts (Griffin&Howe required 5 holes) or several other top mounts. One required 2 large holes on the top edges or the rear bridge drilled at an angle. Ouch!

I have a couple of the Stith mounts for sale.

Typed my response before I saw XAUSA's post. His 250 Savage has one of the Stith mounts I mentioned.

There is a Pre-War M70 30-06 Super Grade advertised currently on 2 of the most popular Internet "guns for sale" websites. Described as mint condition. It's a 1937 rifle with very nice wood--most Super Grades had wood as plain as Standards. The nice thing is that this rifle has the first checkering pattern--a small projection on the rear edge of the grip checkering pattern. The earliest Winchester advertising brochure shows this. It's the only one I've seen in 40+ years of collecting M70s.