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Supergrade ???????

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24 May 2004, 11:13
<Guest>
Supergrade ???????
I recently purchased a used Model 70 classic with a low serial number (screw still in the gas shield) the barrel says Super Grade on it. It has one screw through the stock.
The stock has a cheekpiece but the cheekpiece does not have a shadow line. It has a factory red recoil pad. But the bottom metal does not say Super Grade on it.

What I am wondering is whether USRA made these for awhile without stamping "Super Grade" on the bottom metal, or if it is more than likely that somebody switched the bottom metal on this rifle.

Thanks.
24 May 2004, 11:26
Savage99
My Classic SG was at my feet as I read AR and I note that my barrel is stamped on both sides. On the left it says "Winchester M70 300 Win Mag., Made in New Haven, CT" and on the other side it reads "Classic Super Grade Boss"

Mine has the stock cross bolt and the trigger guard marked Super Grade. Nice stock, nice action.
24 May 2004, 11:47
<Guest>
this one is not stamped on both sides. just one side. but it definitely says Super Grade on the barrel. Maybe what I have here is that somebody put a supergrade barrel on a regular Model 70 action???

Blue
24 May 2004, 17:30
triggerguard1
Quote:

I recently purchased a used Model 70 classic with a low serial number (screw still in the gas shield) the barrel says Super Grade on it. It has one screw through the stock.
The stock has a cheekpiece but the cheekpiece does not have a shadow line. It has a factory red recoil pad. But the bottom metal does not say Super Grade on it.

What I am wondering is whether USRA made these for awhile without stamping "Super Grade" on the bottom metal, or if it is more than likely that somebody switched the bottom metal on this rifle.

Thanks.



Since the serial number is low as you described, it presents a bit of a mistery, considering all the Super Grade rifles prior to us manufacturing a One-Piece Assembly for them, were stamped "Super Grade" on the floorplate.

More than likely, the floorplate was switched.
I guess everyone has their own opinion of this stamping of Super Grade, but personally, I always felt it looked a little cheesy, and was done for the most part, poorly. But to each is own I suppose.

Something to keep in mind regarding the bolt shroud is, just because the screw on the shroud is present or not, does not necessarily mean that it's an older or newer rifle. They've went back and forth on that many times in the last ten years, depending on the vendor that was producing them. For instance, many blued actions were being sold without the screw in the shroud, while at the same time, the stainless models were coming out with them. There is really no hard-fast rule as to time frame at which they began being omitted all together.
Obviously the serial number is going to be your best bet on determining age, FWIW.
24 May 2004, 17:44
<Guest>
Triggerguard

a recent "run of the racks" in all of my local gun stores indicated that every new winchester I could find did not have the screw in the gas shield. Even more surprising was that the newest ones went back to cutting the right side of the gas shield square just like the pre-64s, which is a change from round in recent years.

This particular rifle is quite low in serial number g21xxx
and so I am now starting to believe that somebody just switched the bottom metal on the unit.

I can say one thing for sure. the metalwork finish on this particular rifle is heads and tails above that of many of the newer model 70s I see on the shelves. Many of the newer ones have gouges in the bolts and very very poor polishing on the bolts. Moreover, on this particular rifle the mounting holes line up perfectly.

Blue