1949 Winchester Model 70 30-06

SquirrelMan · February 1, 2016, 08:51 AM

I took my 1949 vintage 30-06 Model 70 to the range Saturday and was pleasantly surprised. I started out with Federal 150gr, went to Federal 180gr and ended up on these beauties. Sellier and Bellot 180 Grain SPCE. They group well and should have the controlled expansion I am looking for out west.

After all the stories of not being able to get Model 70s to group, I was happy to get a factory load that groups like this.

These groups were shot through a period Bausch and Lomb BALFOR scope from the 1960's. Getting the scope adjusted was a chore, but after getting it close, I tested it by taking it off the mounts and remounting it. It held a reasonable zero afterwards and had nice clear glass.

Pathfinder45 · February 1, 2016, 01:49 PM

What? No picture of the rifle?

You see, now, the rifle shoots pretty well. With tuned Handloadi it can be even better. If you had heeded the nay-sayers, you would have missed out.

SquirrelMan · February 1, 2016, 02:41 PM

I will be posting pictures of the rifle tonight. It isn't a safe queen, but it is pretty clean. I really love the look of the period scope on it.

SquirrelMan · February 1, 2016, 05:08 PM

Sorry about the large pictures. I can't get them to resize on my home computer.

You can clearly see the adjusting screws on the left side of the scope base and the locking screws on the right side of the scope base. A silver half-dollar fits perfectly in the screw slots on the scope base.

Pathfinder45 · February 2, 2016, 03:24 AM

Nice! I say you got a good deal with scope, mounts, and all. Since it shoots fine as is, consider keeping it as is. As long as the scope works without fogging up, keep it all vintage and hunt the check out of it.

Rancid · February 2, 2016, 05:25 AM

That is one very nice rifle.

MisterYuck · February 2, 2016, 06:43 AM

VERY...... NICE!

SquirrelMan · February 2, 2016, 07:22 AM

Thanks guys. Bausch and Lomb did make a higher powered scope than the BALFOR (I think the BALSIX and the BALVAR). I am pretty sure it will use the same mounts. If I run across one, I may pick it up and see how it works. If it turns out to be no good, this scope will nestle right back on these mounts.

COSteve · February 2, 2016, 05:20 PM

I've got a 1951 like yours, also in 30-06, with a 1951 Leupold M8 4x scope and mounts. (The black anodizing on the scope has faded over the decades and it's showing more and more of a goldish undertone.) As with all my firearms, I handload for it. Using modern bullets and Win 760 powder to produce better case densities and higher velocities than powders like Win 748, it's a pretty decent shooter, especially considering it's coming on 65 years old! At 68, my eyes just aren't up to a 4x scope for distance anymore so my son shoots it for groups for me to verify loads. It's still right at a 1¼ MOA shooter with a dialed in load.

SquirrelMan · February 2, 2016, 07:13 PM

Wow, Steve, that is a nice rifle. Glad I didn't need to go to all that trouble to get a decent shooting round. I still might try to tweak them if I get a wild hair.

SquirrelMan · February 6, 2016, 05:11 PM

Well, I went to a gun show today and found a BALVAR scope. It wascheap, but dirty inside. These scopes are 2.5x8 and this one seemed to work, it was just dirty. After some not-so-intense haggling, I got it for $10.

I brought it home and after some Internet sleuthing, I figured out how to open it up and clean the interior lenses. I had to take it apart about 5 times because every time I put it back together, there was a piece of dirt or a hair left behind from a Q-tip.

Finally, I got it together and it was clean, so I mounted it using the base from the 4x BALFOR scope.

It seems to be clear and adjust smoothly. I will take it to the range tomorrow to sight it in and check the cross hairs making sure there is no shift when I change magnification.

http://imgur.com/RrD85gT

http://imgur.com/KFJdVvT

February 1, 2016, 08:51 AM	#1
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	1949 Winchester Model 70 30-06 I took my 1949 vintage 30-06 Model 70 to the range Saturday and was pleasantly surprised. I started out with Federal 150gr, went to Federal 180gr and ended up on these beauties. Sellier and Bellot 180 Grain SPCE. They group well and should have the controlled expansion I am looking for out west. After all the stories of not being able to get Model 70s to group, I was happy to get a factory load that groups like this. These groups were shot through a period Bausch and Lomb BALFOR scope from the 1960's. Getting the scope adjusted was a chore, but after getting it close, I tested it by taking it off the mounts and remounting it. It held a reasonable zero afterwards and had nice clear glass.

February 1, 2016, 05:08 PM	#4
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	Sorry about the large pictures. I can't get them to resize on my home computer. You can clearly see the adjusting screws on the left side of the scope base and the locking screws on the right side of the scope base. A silver half-dollar fits perfectly in the screw slots on the scope base. Last edited by SquirrelMan; February 1, 2016 at 05:27 PM.

February 2, 2016, 06:43 AM	#7
MisterYuck Member Join Date: December 20, 2015 Location: South West Alabama Posts: 39	NICE! VERY...... NICE!

February 1, 2016, 01:49 PM	#2
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	What? No picture of the rifle? You see, now, the rifle shoots pretty well. With tuned Handloadi it can be even better. If you had heeded the nay-sayers, you would have missed out.

February 1, 2016, 02:41 PM	#3
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	I will be posting pictures of the rifle tonight. It isn't a safe queen, but it is pretty clean. I really love the look of the period scope on it.

February 2, 2016, 03:24 AM	#5
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Nice! I say you got a good deal with scope, mounts, and all. Since it shoots fine as is, consider keeping it as is. As long as the scope works without fogging up, keep it all vintage and hunt the check out of it.

February 2, 2016, 05:25 AM	#6
Rancid Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2015 Posts: 185	That is one very nice rifle.

February 2, 2016, 07:22 AM	#8
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	Thanks guys. Bausch and Lomb did make a higher powered scope than the BALFOR (I think the BALSIX and the BALVAR). I am pretty sure it will use the same mounts. If I run across one, I may pick it up and see how it works. If it turns out to be no good, this scope will nestle right back on these mounts.

February 2, 2016, 05:20 PM	#9
COSteve Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Posts: 1,344	I've got a 1951 like yours, also in 30-06, with a 1951 Leupold M8 4x scope and mounts. (The black anodizing on the scope has faded over the decades and it's showing more and more of a goldish undertone.) As with all my firearms, I handload for it. Using modern bullets and Win 760 powder to produce better case densities and higher velocities than powders like Win 748, it's a pretty decent shooter, especially considering it's coming on 65 years old! At 68, my eyes just aren't up to a 4x scope for distance anymore so my son shoots it for groups for me to verify loads. It's still right at a 1¼ MOA shooter with a dialed in load.

February 2, 2016, 07:13 PM	#10
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	Wow, Steve, that is a nice rifle. Glad I didn't need to go to all that trouble to get a decent shooting round. I still might try to tweak them if I get a wild hair.

February 6, 2016, 05:11 PM	#11
SquirrelMan Member Join Date: November 4, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 94	Well, I went to a gun show today and found a BALVAR scope. It wascheap, but dirty inside. These scopes are 2.5x8 and this one seemed to work, it was just dirty. After some not-so-intense haggling, I got it for $10. I brought it home and after some Internet sleuthing, I figured out how to open it up and clean the interior lenses. I had to take it apart about 5 times because every time I put it back together, there was a piece of dirt or a hair left behind from a Q-tip. Finally, I got it together and it was clean, so I mounted it using the base from the 4x BALFOR scope. It seems to be clear and adjust smoothly. I will take it to the range tomorrow to sight it in and check the cross hairs making sure there is no shift when I change magnification. http://imgur.com/RrD85gT http://imgur.com/KFJdVvT