Winchester Repeating Arms Company's last M70 was serial number 1,525,323 on 20 JUL 1981 (per Roger Rule in his book "The Rifleman's Rifle". Yours was made by USRAC, but is an early one. They might could tell you the exact date of mfg. You could estimate it though, and be plenty close; WRA averaged 45,851 post-64 M70's per year from 1964-1981. If USRAC held to that average it would put yours as being made somewhere around 1983. Odessa
Odessa's correct, your M-70 was made in 1983. 1982 started at serial number 1,537,134 and there were 49,307 made.
1983 would have begun at 1,586,441.
Technically, rifle 1,525,323 is a USRAC, they took over from Winchester on July 1, 1981.
From what I understand the production run ended in 1967 with serial number 873,694 and started with G873,695 in 1968. I'm not sure where your lower G number came from. Your rifle is a Model 70, correct?
Thanks cvc944! That makes sense - suprised it sat that long it was new when I bought it. didn't PCS to Bergstrom AFB til 04/85. It is good condition (babied)
Welcome dbaer. The XTR's are nice rifles; not sure about the 'XTR' AND featherweight designation? I have an XTR from the mid-70's in 25-06; good rifle. Anything post-'64 with 'featherweight' label I associate with a schnabel forend, not the black forend tip w/whiteline spacer that the XTR's have, but I could be wrong about that.
Shawn it does indeed have the schnable stock, kinda matte finish to the walnut. Did not come with sights put weaver mounts & bases & a Luepold 1.5x5 vari-x 3 on it
I just reviewed the 'Blue Book of Gun Values', in the post-'64 section for Win bolt actions, under 'Model 70 Featherweight (USRA took over in 1981; these models made from 1981-1994), 'This model had an "XTR" suffix until 1989'. The classic CRF was being made starting in 1992.
I have one of the very first 416 Remington Mag model 70s after the re-introduction of the CRF action.
It was made in 1994, and is not a Classic, but has Super Express on the floorplate in gold. Serial #G64xxx.
Tennessee, that's an old VX-II 2-7x alright. Hard to see in this pic, but it has the trademark "purpling" on the tube that so many Leupold's had back then. Still a very good scope for a hard kicker.
Winchester didn't start using the G prefix until 1970. Your serial number seems low though. Again....gun auction sites to help with value.
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