The pre64win.com PapWinkle Rifle
The pre64win.com PapWinkle rifle is a precision-built hunting rifle conceived by and originally built for Colton Bagnoli - shooting editor for Western Hunter Magazine. Colton contacted us when the rest of the world paused for COVID and asked us to participate in the "Pap Van Winkle Project" - a years-long exploration of American custom riflemakers. We were flattered to be asked to participate.
Virtually all the rifles Colton has included in the Pap Van Winkle project are ultra-light composite-stocked mountain rifles, built on modern Remington 700-based, or similar push-feed actions. However, Colton wanted us to execute a special project he had in mind for a Winchester Model 70. When Colton tells you he has an idea, it's best to listen. In addition to being a gun expert for a hunting magazine, Colton is also a police sniper, so he knows a thing or two about what makes a rifle great and has high expectations for anything he carries into the field.
We met with Colton in Kalispell, MT, where he handed over a very tired 1960 Model 70 in .30-06 and described his vision for an unholy marriage between classic walnut and high-tech carbon fiber, chambered in .280 Ackley Improved. We jumped at the chance to build a rifle for Colton and headed back to Washington state with his beat-up Model 70 in tow. A few days after arriving home, a Proof Research Sendero Lite carbon fiber barrel arrived at our shop, and we began executing Colton’s vision.
The 1960 action was blueprinted and hand-finished for smoothness, then mated to the Proof barrel, which was chambered for the .280 AI round. All the original Winchester steel was finished in ultra-durable Ionbond DLC (diamond-like coating) in a deep tuxedo black, providing fantastic contrast next to the stainless and bare carbon of the barrel. We replaced Colton's old stock and pillar-bedded the barreled action into a restored original walnut Monte Carlo stock equipped with a throwback solid red Winchester recoil pad. We replaced the factory trigger with a Timney and topped the rifle with Talley steel bases and rings, finished in the same matte black DLC coating.
Colton's rifle build, as delivered.
The finished rifle is spectacular and we’re immensely proud of what we handed back to Colton. It’s rugged and light, accurate and elegant, truly modern, and still very much a classic. Best of all, Colton loves it. You can read Colton's full and unvarnished review in the May/June 2024 edition of Western Hunter Magazine.
Since Colton is not going to make his copy of this rifle available anytime soon, we've decided to offer the same exact build to our customers.
Here are the details:
Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Action: The gold standard sporting rifle action for more than 80 years. The pre-64 action is a true controlled-round feed action, offering precise cartridge feeding and unmatched dependability. The action for the PapWinkle rifle is blueprinted and hand-worked in our shop for precision and smoothness and fitted with a Timney trigger.
Proof Research Sendero Lite Carbon Fiber Wrapped Stainless Barrel: Chambered in .280 AI with an 8 twist .277/.284 bore, crowned at 22 inches with a threaded and capped muzzle. This Proof barrel is less than half the weight of a comparable steel barrel, without sacrificing stiffness, and offers greater thermal stability against the effects of heat on accuracy. (We highly recommend the .280 AI chambering but can offer some flexibility for alternative cartridges.)
Restored Winchester Stock: An original and fully restored walnut Winchester stock in the Monte Carlo style, fitted with a solid red Winchester recoil pad and steel 1" swivels. The barrel channel is custom-fitted to the larger Proof Sendero barrel contour, and the completed action is fully pillar-bedded into the stock with custom-made, solid aluminum pillars.
A WORLD-CLASS RESULT: The PapWinkle rifle is unique in the industry, incorporating the newest and best technologies to aid in both accuracy and durability, while still retaining the classic lines of the pre-1964 Winchester model 70. Colton's initial range reports match our own, with sub-MOA groups at both 100 and 400 yards, without having done any load development work.
