Stumbled on one of these in a local shop..... beyond my pocket book currently, but its a very nice gun, and I know many look for these in a 375. I don't know the rules about posting in the classifieds if I know location of one, so mentioning it here. If interested and its ok, I can post pics and location here or let me know if in the classifieds is ok. I have no dog in this fight, just saw a highly desireable gun at a reputable shop and trying to do a good turn on AR. Let me know. thanks

Post the information here, including price on the tag.

Thanks,
George

Cabin Range
Ask for Doug, the owner.
716-434-2646

tell him Kurt sent you..... People on this forum are great, and this gun deserves someone who will respect it. $3600 I believe. I would say minimal bluing loss with hunting use shown on the wood, but nothing bad at all. I will leave it to doug to tell you rating, but its very nice. Bore is as close to a mirror finish as you can get. Original pad, front sight hood, its nice. couple more pics

I'll have to show this thread to Mrs Blacktailer. Bought mine for less than half of that 10 years ago. Maybe I can convince her what a great investor I am and I should buy more.

He may or may not negotiate. You never know

I guess if ones into pre 64s and one needs one badly.

But there are other rifles I rather buy with that kind of money.

So the stock hasn't split yet ?

Is it common for these stocks to split?

I've seen a few that have, as well as the 300H&H as well.

They don't have cross bolts in the stock so are
prone to "expanding" at the magazine well which
splits the wood between the trigger and mag and
then it can extend into the stock.

I know some people who have put in cross bolts to stop this happening.

I've even seen this occur on genuine H&H rifles
in 375H&H, albeit 1950's / 60's ones.

If esthetics and originality are paramount, the crossbolts can be placed internally.

The price is not out of line for one that looks this original.

If it's an original 1938 the safety is on the wrong side. If the cocking piece has been changed what else has been modified. Not that any of that is bad just that you are not getting an 'original' 1938 rifle but you are paying for one.

yes. SDH has a nice one for about $800 less.

Did I miss a listing of year made and a serial number range (like 1 to 3X,XXX) to compare that claim?
Or is zimbabwe just hypothesizing here?

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
If it's an original 1938 the safety is on the wrong side. If the cocking piece has been changed what else has been modified. Not that any of that is bad just that you are not getting an 'original' 1938 rifle but you are paying for one.

THE RIFLEMAN'S RIFLE
Winchester's Model 70, 1936-1963
by
Roger C. Rule
Alliance Books, Inc. Northridge, CA 1982



Here is a review of the above book followed by a brief excerpt:

Review: It is a good book.

Excerpt:



From the latest BLUE BOOK OF GUN VALUES (Fjestad):

MODEL 70 PRE-WWII PRODUCTION STANDARD GRADE

MFG. 1937-1941
Ser. range is 1 -- 31,675

Values listed assume original, unaltered specimens - modifications/alterations to either the metal or wood surfaces can reduce prices by large amounts. All pre-war Model 70s have only 2 holes drilled in the front of the receiver (none in the back). An extra set of "holes" can decrease value as much as 50%.
Some pre-WWII Model 70s have a "D" suffix indicating a doubled up serial number - this variation will command a premium because of rarity.
The Model 70 is one gun for which caliber ranks before condition in terms of desirability. Specimens encountered in under 60% condition will not decrease in price substantially since almost any shooter is worth $500-$600.

.375 H&H
100% ...... 98% ....... 95% ....... 90% ....... 80% ....... 70% ....... 60%
$4,650 .... $3,900 ... $3,450 ... $2,450 ... $1,975 ... $1.600 ... $1,200

Mr. Rule's book shows pictures of the duplicate serial number stampings by Winchester using a "D" as a prefix, not a suffix as stated in THE BLUE BOOK.
Mr. Rule also shows pictures of serial number stampings with an added smaller "x" trailing with a space between numerals and "x" and also use of a larger, misaligned "X" with no space between numerals and the trailing "X."
Either "suffix X" or "prefix D": Several ways of designating are supposed to be legitimate early duplicate serial number stampings by Winchester.
And Mr. Fjestad says a trailing "suffix D" is OK.
At least 4 ways of showing a duplicated serial number.

I have a 1950 Pre-64 M70, by serial number range (160XXX) that was rechambered from 30-06 to 300 WinMag.
It also had the safety replaced with a glossy plum-colored shrouded one, that does not match the original metal finish.
That is what is known as a $500 Pre-64 Winchester M70 "shooter" or a parts gun.
It is indeed a great shooter and is glass-bedded in the original walnut stock.

Regarding the replacement safety issue brought up here,
I cannot sort that out from the pictures shown.
But I might with better pictures and my reference books, if I were interested in it.
Of course a firsthand/eye look would be better for the serious buyer.

It does seem to suffer from the 50% price reduction due to drilling and tapping of the rear bridge for scope mount.
So, even if it is a 98% gun, a collector would pay no more than $1,950 for it, unless he is a greater fool than I.
Safety replacement would make it less than 98% original, pretty certainly,
but would not double the penalty for drilling and tapping those two extra holes.
It is worth whatever a willing buyer will pay for it,
at least one time, on that day.

thanks RIP.

As always, referenced properly.

I am merely going by the title which is 'Pre 64 (1938)375 H&H' Which I take to mean a 375 H&H produced in 1938. As to the safety the picture is quite obvious that it has the current safety and not the left hand of the 1938. I just happen to have a pre 1940 model and also a transition model and a current model. Just a high collectors price for a non-original rifle in my mind.

zimbabwe,

If it had been a snake it would have bit me. Year in title of thread. Forgot about that, just looking at writing in the posts.

I agree the safety is not right. Thanks for the segway.
Ah, yes, what serial number range is on that "1938" M70?

If memory serves (and it quite often doesn't at my age) the year of manufacture is stamped on bottom of either the action or barrel,can't remember which and too lazy to look up.

One more brief excerpt from my review of this good book, from page 42 compared to the picture on page 125,
to illustrate zimbabwe's pointer:

THE RIFLEMAN'S RIFLE
Winchester's Model 70, 1936-1963
by
Roger C. Rule
Alliance Books, Inc. Northridge, CA 1982






You can see how the left-sided safety on the 1938 M70 worked:
The safety lever swivels back to fire, forward to make safe.
This is bassackwards compared to the subsequent three-position, "push forward to fire," right-sided safety.
I can see why someone might want to change out the original safety to the subsequent one.
The picture of the entire action, above, shows the original safety in the fire position,
with the left-sided safety tab showing above the shroud and cocking piece on a side view from the right.
That was Winchester's first attempt at a safety that was workable with scope mounted on rifle.