I came across a M70 Classic(CRF) Featherweight Stainless 30-06 that appears in new 100% condition serial #G3015477. It has Williams one-piece stainless steel bottom metal and Williams stainless steel extractor. It's in a handsome dark walnut stock with cut checkering, schnabel forend and decelerator pad. Very nice looking rifle. I'm unsure but think it must be a 2005 or 2006 model.

Any thoughts on what would be a current price range for this rifle?

Thanks,
GVA

I was in a shop today that had several new Stainless Classics for $648. I would think the FW with walnut would be a few dollars more.

I checked Winchester's time-line which indicated this rifle was first introduced in 2005, so it must be a 2005 or 2006 model.

So around $500 or so should be a fair price then??

Thanks,
GVA

If you can get that for $500 buy it. If you aren't interested PM me and I know someone that will be.

Chuck

If it was left-handed and a 'Classic Stainless' walnut version (made in ~1997-1999), I'd pay $1000.00+/- just for the rifle, depending on condition, plus more $$$ for the scope!

Happy New Year Chuck!

We should talk- I may be moving to Africa!

Like this one?



30-06. Not a FW. They never offered that in stainless & standard calibers. At least not as a regular factory offering.

You're cruel...

You'll also have a P.M.

Have a super night!
CL

I saw a blue wood classic new the other day, in 270wsm for I think 618.00, Nice one too !
...tj3006

GVA,
I don't know where this $500 number magically appeared from, but where I'm from, one of those NIB will easily fetch in the $900 to $1000 US, IN A HEARTBEAT!! And, you could sell as many as you can get your hands on, for that price. $500 is a preposterously low price. You sure it's got Williams bottom metal? If it really does, it's almost for sure an upgrade by a previous owner.

The serial number indicates it is, like you suggested, 2005 or 2006. I don't know where the cut-off is, and I don't know of anybody who does. The highest serial numbers I have seen are up in the G304XXXX range. Presumably the later numbers were made in 2006.

That is the amount I'm going to pay for it. I have it now.

It looks completely box stock and unaltered. I'm fairly confident that the one-piece bottom metal used on this model, the SS FW made 2005 - 2006 and on the latter Supergrades and Safari are indeed Williams as is the extractor. The standard three screw two-piece bottom metal has a different factory inletting. This one is inletted just like the Supergrade.

I thought this was a good deal but I wanted to check w/ you guys first. Keep in mind, I purchased a brand new M70 416 Safari for less than $800 recently and my brain is still operating on the old dealer costs.

Thanks,
GVA

Just paid $574 for a stainless featherweight 243 at Gander Mountain. FWIW.

You got one heckuva good deal on that rifle, Gary! Doggone it, I never can find a deal like that around here! A local dealer has a very nice, 99+%, Super Grade in 300WSM, that I would love to own. But it's priced way too high at $1300!!

Recent production stainless Featherweights had one-piece alloy bottom metal with a stainless steel floorplate, and as you stated, the inletting is different than the older two-piece design. That is most likely what you have. I have a 270Win and a 30-06 in that serial number range, and that is what they have. If yours is all steel and one-piece, it may be Williams! All of these newer ones I have seen did have the machined Williams extractor.

Good luck with your great new rifle!

30378,

I haven't even seen a 243Win stainless Classic Featherweight for sale, for 9 or 10 months. That one sold for $800, and I woulda bought it, but I drug my feet a little, and it was gone! Guess there are wide regional differences in availability and price. The only stainless Featherweights I have seen in the last month are 22-250's.

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
You got one heckuva good deal on that rifle, Gary! Doggone it, I never can find a deal like that around here! A local dealer has a very nice, 99+%, Super Grade in 300WSM, that I would love to own. But it's priced way too high at $1300!!

Recent production stainless Featherweights had one-piece alloy bottom metal with a stainless steel floorplate, and as you stated, the inletting is different than the older two-piece design. That is most likely what you have. I have a 270Win and a 30-06 in that serial number range, and that is what they have. If yours is all steel and one-piece, it may be Williams! All of these newer ones I have seen did have the machined Williams extractor.

Good luck with your great new rifle!

I pulled up the 2005 Winchester parts catalog and for those early SS Featherweight models, the SSA and SA actions show an alloy one-piece bottom but the LA bottom metal was stainless steel (Williams) same as was used for a SS Supergrade III. I also did a search on AR and found a post of an early 2005 M70 SS FW rifle that had stainless steel bottom metal and the owner was searching for the alloy bottom metal to lighten the rifle.

I also came across many links to the same rifle going for $900 - $1200. It may be a sign of the times but that seems way high to me.

GVA

GaryVA,

Not that I doubt you, but you might want to stick a magnet up against the bottom metal, inside and out. The Williams stuff is all steel, while the more recent Winchester one-piece bottom metal is aluminum alloy. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's worth a check.

Edited: Oops, I now see you've addressed it. FWIW, I haven't seen any SS Williams metal on factory Featherweight rifles, and certainly not on mine, but it could exist.

USRAC did supply a few (Long Action, non-SS) FWTs with Williams bottom metal back in 2002 or thereabouts. There were about 100 or so made, according to Matt Williams, and those were transition models when the alloy bottom metal project slipped a little.

On a slightly different topic, I found the SN # 3,000,xxx SS rifles to be of nice quality - good wood, and nice smooth actions. FWIW - I bought two of them.

Jaywalker

quote:

Originally posted by mudstud:
30378,

I haven't even seen a 243Win stainless Classic Featherweight for sale, for 9 or 10 months. That one sold for $800, and I woulda bought it, but I drug my feet a little, and it was gone! Guess there are wide regional differences in availability and price. The only stainless Featherweights I have seen in the last month are 22-250's.

Gander has a firearms sale that started Thursday in the Houston area and will continue through Sunday. Got lucky. I was standing at the door when they opened. Already have a 6.5x20x40 Leupold on it and waiting.

CL, same to you. We need to get in touch.

quote:

Originally posted by Jaywalker:

On a slightly different topic, I found the SN # 3,000,xxx SS rifles to be of nice quality - good wood, and nice smooth actions. FWIW - I bought two of them.

Jaywalker

I took the rifle apart and looked it over well. First off, it appears brand new in 100% condition. Secondly, it is one of the best assembled and slickest feeding post-64 M70s I've handled. I have a few very nice M70s that I thought were slick, but this particular rifle really stands out.

All the parts on this rifle can be found in the 2005 Winchester parts list, but, it appears to be an odd combination and off spec when you look at the Winchester sales literature for this model. Things that stood out were the use of the SS Williams bottom metal (that was also used in the 2005 Supergrade III). It has a factory installed Decellerator pad and a magnum mag box that is listed for the magnum featherweight but not the 30-06 featherweight. It is glass bedded and fully floated with a different and better looking bedding epoxy than the normal cheap glob bedding as was in my factory Supergrade and Safari. Though it's bedded better than factory (looks professional), everything was factory sealed after the bedding (which makes me think it's factory). The barrel looks 1/4 inch short with a much better and deeper recessed crown than I have on my other M70s. The trigger consistently breaks at almost exactly 4 3/4 pounds and is extremely crisp. Also, it weighs exactly 6 pounds 12 ounces which is 1/2 pounds lighter than it should weigh (more so than wood variances in such a light stock).

Regardless it being odd, I like it and if it shoots, I'll love it.

later,
GVA

GaryVA,
My personal opinion, is that I doubt very much there is anything odd or unusual about your Model 70 Featherweight.

All late production (2005) Featherweights I have seen, except WSSM's, have the Decelerator pad, regardless of what the 2005 catalog indicates.

All sporter Classics made in the last coupla years have a factory recessed target style crown, which I think is what you are referring to.

I haven't had any of my late production Featherweights apart to look at their bedding, but other late production Model 70's I have seen apart, have a black looking hard (epoxy?) bedding at both the recoil lug and the tang. My Featherweights are all free-floated.

As far as the bottom metal is concerned, I still haven't heard you say if you have put a magnet to the triggerguard or not. Is the triggerguard magnetic or not? If it isn't magnetic, it isn't Williams. All 2005 Featherweights have one-piece bottom metal. I have yet to see, or hear, of one with Williams bottom metal. If you really think it is Williams bottom metal, could you please post a photo, cause I would like to see it! Cause I do believe anything is possible!

Why do you say your Featherweight has a magnum mag box? That would seem unusual to me, since I don't think Winchester has made a magnum caliber Featherweight recently, other than WSM's. I suppose it is possible though. If it actually does, you might have to replace it, for proper feeding.

Keep in touch! I really DO want to know the answers to these questions! I have an enquiring mind! Thanks, Gary!