I am looking at buying a pre-'64 M70 action to use for a custom project. Which production years do you consider the best quality? Did the magnum actions in the pre-'64's feed reliably? I am probably going to use a standard action, but I would be interested to hear any info/opinions about the magnum actions as well

Thanks,
Chet

I think to say that one era is significantly better than an other is a matter of opinion, not too much unlike the Ford vs Chevy debate... the safeties are differnt throughout production, but you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Given my "druthers" - i like the cloverleaf tang, but a good gunsmith can reshape a post-war tang easily enough, so that's really not an issue.

I've owned a few magnum length actions and they fed well. The gunsmiths I've worked with prefered to start with a std length action, as they felt like they removed less metal than the factory did when making conversions to magnum length chamberings (for whatever that's worth to you). That assumes that you're going to add new bottom metal and the advantages of using the factory magazine are of no value to you.

Chet,

1952 - 1953 - Yes the magnums are feeding reliable.

Winchesters M 70 Pre 64 - I considered it the utmost refinement of the Mauser action, and the first choice of many wanting custom rifles.

Roland

I never saw any problems in their feeding as they came. Also had one that was rebarreled to .340 Wea. and it fed okay as far as I could see in the couple hundred rounds I put through it..

Postwar actions have a slightly lower joint where the bolt shank joins the bolt body and a scope can be mounted a little lower.

Chet,

Allen Day has posted information on the serial number ranges of the pre-'64 M70 action that are the most dimensionally stable.

You could try searching for the information, or asking him.

jim

I have a 1952 and a 1958 and they have both been swell.

My 1952 .30-06 was rebarreled to a .35 Whelen and restocked with the nicely refinished 1958 stock, suitable for irons and scope. Standard Winchester factory sights of late vintage were installed on the no.4 sporter Douglas Premium chrome-moly barrel and all was matte blued. It looks like the factory .35 Whelen that Winchester NEVER MADE. The 1952 stock went into the scrap pile.

The 1958 .300 H&H became a 6.75 pound .375 H&H with a Douglas Premium stainless no.3 sporter, and a Brown Precision Pounder stock, and NECG Masterpiece banded, hooded front sight. It is an all time favorite rifle of mine that has served well all over Alaska and Botswana. I have killed more game with it than any other rifle I own, but I own too many, and the rest never get adequate workouts because this one is so versatile.

Note that the Pre-64 M70 magazine box was made correctly for the cartridge it served.

The H&H box is 0.999" wide at the back inside, and will hold four down of .375 H&H. Lawndart's cosine rule calculations indicated that 0.995" is the proper width for the H&H in this dimension, to obey the laws of Mauser.

The current M70 Classics (hold only three down) do violate these laws. The Pre-64 box is wider, same depth.

I have a 1939 custom 30-06 (has the backwards safety on left side), a 1948 270 ( has the transition safety which is really miserable) also have a classic SS in 375 which is a custom. I think it's probably better or equal to the other 2.