Model 70 Männlicher Questions

TGR · Nov 12, 2019

Been looking for a Winchester Model 70 Mannlicher for a while. Im familiar with the history of this subset of Model 70s and what to look for, but was wondering if there are any Mannlicher experts out there in MDS land?

Found one in 30/06 with a serial number dating it to 1971. Has the matching bolt hand etched with the serial number. The stock looks correct and the barrel markings look good, with no markings that it might have come from another model. One question I have is the bolt handle is smooth, not Knurled. The way I understand the history of these is that only the first year (1968) had smooth bolt handles, and that the Knurled handle was introduced in the second year.

Can anyone help with determining if this is a real production Mannlicher? Anything else I should look for?

Id post pics, but having issues doing it.

Thanks

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Nov 12, 2019

I have a Model 70 Mannlicher (pics tomorrow probably). There may have been several issues of them...I believe mine is from the 1980s when a run of 2401 were made. Any earlier examples may be custom shop rifles as I've never heard of any previous production. For the run my rifle came from the primary way of verifying it is that they came with 19" barrels...different from regular production rifles. That doesn't mean someone couldn't cut down and re-crown a longer barrel though. I'll have to check tomorrow but I believe mine has a smooth bolt handle.

A little research is needed...I'll check some books I have and see what, if anything is mentioned.

TGR · Nov 12, 2019

Thanks. The initial production run was 1968-1974. Approximate 2400 rifles. I never heard of a small run in the 1980s but don’t doubt it. There are examples as early as the 1930s on, but they would be exclusively Winchester Custom Shop or aftermarket modifications

Curious, what’s the basic serial number range for the example you have?

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Nov 13, 2019

OK...looked it up. I was incorrect about when mine as made...I was going by an older gun value guide that stated it was made in the 1980s. It was correct that 2401 were made. In the book "The Rifleman's Rifle" it states 2401 Mannlicher style Model 70 rifles were made between 1969 and 1972...those dates are when the rifle was listed in the Winchester catalog...some were sold into 1973. Mine has a serial number that places it in 1968 which I would assume makes it a very early example.

The hand checkered stock was supplied to Winchester by Reinhart Fagen and the book states it's among the finest Model 70 rifles of the post-1964 production era. The final year production (1972) models have knurled bold handles when previous examples had smooth bolt handles.

You're correct in that earlier Mannlicher style Model 70s were custom shop orders and not a regular production item.

Here's mine...

TGR · Nov 13, 2019

Interesting how the info varies from source to source. There is just not a lot of documentation on these models. I was worried about the smooth bolt handle, but being a 1971 production gun, it would be correct according to your book. My book had it incorrect.

Nice pics. Thanks.

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Nov 13, 2019

It's essentially a minor model and variation of the Model 70...with so few made over a three year period it must have been a poor seller and probably pretty expensive for its time period. Fajen stocks...non-standard barrel length...highly polished finish...all added costs in manufacture for limited sales explains its limited numbers.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were more conflicting information available depending on sources. A minor variation like these rifles probably gets little, if any attention in any research.

Model 70 Männlicher Questions

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