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LH Model 70s manufactured when?

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29 August 2017, 06:13
470Evans
LH Model 70s manufactured when?
I'm curious what were the yrs when Winchester made LH Model 70s?

Thanks


2010 Sapi Elephant Hunt
29 August 2017, 06:33
GeorgeS
I bought my first one in 1997 when they had just hit the stores.

George


29 August 2017, 17:39
470Evans
George,

Did your 70 have a red recoil pad or black?


2010 Sapi Elephant Hunt
29 August 2017, 20:53
GeorgeS
Red.

Except for my Custom Sporting Sharpshooter 7mmSTW (which was built for the Winchester Custom Shop by H-S Precision), all of my LH M-70s have red pads.

George


29 August 2017, 21:27
470Evans
I just picked up a LH Model 70 in 7mm Mag with the red pad that is a much nicer rifle than my later ones with the black pad.

The serial # charts show it as built in 1985 but I think that is much too early.


2010 Sapi Elephant Hunt
29 August 2017, 23:16
GeorgeS
The serial numbers for the LH M-70s do not follow the sequencing used for RH actions.

George


30 August 2017, 08:00
Fjold
I don't know the start dates but I do know that the last left handed M70 Classic Safari Express was made in 2004.

I bought mine in October of 2004 and took me almost three years to find one. One of the members on here found one in his local gun shop in Wisconsin and I bought it sight unseen over the phone.


Frank



"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

30 August 2017, 13:48
Nevadan
Bought my LH .30-06 in '98 or so. I purchased it for it's CRF and I got tired of using RH rifles! Don't remember the recoil pad, I had the stock shortened a bit.

Don


Life Member SCI &, NRA
07 September 2017, 18:25
ROSCOE
Hey Jim,
If I recall correctly, Winchester made a stock design change at the time the LH M-70's were being produced. I don't recall exactly who's name was associated with it...but it was a gun makers design. When they made this change I believe they changed the recoil pad color. I believe I have some with both a red and a black pad. I think the red is the earlier model.


******************************************************************
R. Lee Ermey: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle."
******************************************************************
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!! 'What the hell could possibly go wrong?'
07 September 2017, 21:45
470Evans
Hello Roscoe, hope all is well with you.

The LH 70's I have had were all black recoil pad models. The one I just got with the red recoil pad is a much nicer finished rifle than the black ones. The stock design on the red pad model is different and it has the two piece bottom medal.

I like the stock design on the red one better, feels like it's trimmer.

Good to hear from you.


2010 Sapi Elephant Hunt
08 September 2017, 06:08
scott f.
Stock change was named after David Miller. Front end was more rounded and somewhat slimmer. Back end cheekpiece was larger eating up anything saved on front end.
08 September 2017, 18:48
ROSCOE
That is it....David Miller's pattern was used for the stock redesign and they went with the Black Pad.
I agree the red pad models are nicer rifles even beyond the stock. The function and blue on them are a much better quality. The later guns were being made at the end of the New Haven years and quality in general was going down hill.


******************************************************************
R. Lee Ermey: "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle."
******************************************************************
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, Which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a President, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!! 'What the hell could possibly go wrong?'
08 September 2017, 19:40
Snowwolfe
I ordered two of the stainless models as soon as Winchester announced production. Both were red pad models in 300 Win Mag. One had to have the chamber recut and the other wouldn't shoot better than 2 MOA. They were also pretty heavy. Wasn't very impressed and sold both. Later on bought blued versions in 270 WSM and 300 WSM. Both were good shooters. Also owned a blued/walnut in 7mm mag and it was a good shooter as well.


My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.