In July 1952 a wooden crate was delivered to the quarters of Robert Gates on Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The crate had a return address to Evaluators Ltd in Quantico Virginia - a weapons contractor which specialized in military and law enforcement firearms. 1952 was the year Evaluators Ltd began delivering on a contract with the US Marine Corps for the newest generation of USMC sniper rifles - a heavy barreled and accurized version of the Winchester model 70 target rifle. Per the contract, new model 70 target rifles were delivered from Winchester to Evaluators Ltd where they were modified and accurized to meet Marine Corps specifications. Design of the rifles and oversight of the contract had been...
Hello to all of our fellow pre-64 Model 70 enthusiasts. I hope this Campfire post finds you healthy and your family not directly impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. We are all safe and healthy here at pre64win.com, but are deeply concerned by the situation around us. I am praying that lives will be spared, that our country can get back to work soon, and that our economy will recover quickly. I am writing from my home in Washington State where we have seen greater impact from the virus than many places in the US. The first known case of Coronavirus in the US occurred in a town just 10 miles from here and the pre64win.com shop is located just 6 miles...
Jack O'Connor is the central figure in the history of the Winchester model 70 - no individual contributed more to the legend and legacy of the rifle. O’Connor’s was enormously influential in making the pre-64 model 70 desired, and also in making the post-1963 model 70 despised. As such, it is impossible to separate the legacy of the model 70 from that of Jack O’Connor. This article takes a look at O'Connor's history and his relationship with the Winchester model 70.
Guest authored by pre64win.com customer P. Dawson This article was written by a pre64win.com customer who kindly related their experience re-barreling a cherished family heirloom rifle. The article is presented here without editing or revision. We have added a few comments at the end of the article to help any who may attempt to use this article as a DIY guide for replacing a barrel. My first barrel replacement on a pre-’64 Winchester model 70. Disclaimer: Don’t believe anything you read here and don’t try any of this ever. You have been warned. Blaine Rorabaugh was a Navy Sea Bee stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. He was also my maternal grandfather and perhaps the most colorful person in...
This Campfire article walks the reader through the process of building a custom rifle and addresses the questions we are most frequently asked by prospective custom rifle builders. Starting with selecting a receiver, and working all the way through choosing the right barrel and furnishing your rifle with a stock, this article will familiarize you with the process of building a custom rifle, discussing factors to consider when making many of the key decisions which must be made along the way to a completed rifle.
