1964 Winchester Model 70 in .30-06
From what I had left of my Gun Fund, I was able to get this rifle for a price that it is embarrassingly cheap through a states sale by Denis Badurina’s shop Dragon Leatherworks, longtime friend of this blog.
From what I have gathered online, it seems I scored a Model 70 National Match and although I am not an expert on condition, it looks used, shot and cared for. Not a Safe Queen nor abused.
An astute and observant reader may have already find what is “wrong” with my rifle: No sights. Even though they came with the rifle out of the factory, for some reason they are not present. Long short, inquires were made, but the original sights could not be found.
Of course, being an ignorant about bolt-action rifles and specially the Model 70 and specifically this particular subspecies, I thought that just tossing some rings and any scope would do the job. Boy was I wrong. First, good or even average scope stuff is EXPENSIVE. From tools to the tube itself? It could be from triple to eight times what I paid for the rifle and I had already expended my funds to the point of leaving enough for a Happy Meal.
Then I realized that the top of the barrel is not quite your regular thin barrels in hunting rifles. It has blocks forward of the receiver and that looked vaguely familiar. I looked online and looky here what I found. US Marine Sniper Rifle with a scope.
That is a long scope! And now a effing classic which commands four to five figures in a Free Market if you can find it. “Fortunately” a replica is being made and sold in Midway USA: Leatherwood Hi-Lux William Malcolm USMC Sniper Rifle Scope.
I did say “fortunately” because at $575 plus whatever I need to pay a good gunsmith to mount it is way past what I have in my Gun Fund. Why not mount it myself and save some bucks that way? I heard Harry Callahan whisper in my ear “A man’s got to know his limitations.”
I was running out of options.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/sights.html
Take a look at these. Cheaper and historically accurate for a National Match rifle.
In part 2 of the post, I have those in the list. I even wrote Lyman to make sure they are accurate for the rifle I have. 😀
Check for used scopes at gun shops. I found a 2-10 Simmons with 50mm apurture for 10 bucks. 10. Bucks. No its not a Nightforce but I shot an inch group of 3 at 200yards with it,sitting down.
PS. My next project is an MG53 belt fed,converting to .308 and 100 percent nickel plated. Please reset me up so I can post articles on it. Thank you Sir