Model 70 220 Swift

[dudley028]

I am new to the site and tried to post but I am not sure if it went through so I am trying again.

I came across a Model 70 in 220 Swift that is also marked U. S. Springfield Armory Model 1903. The bolt and safety are totally different that my Pre 64 30-06. There is no front sight.

Any one familiar with this type of rifle?

[Art Eatman]

It would be a good thing if you could post some detailed photos. Receiver, markings, etc.

Posting photos is a bit of a learning process, but it's not really difficult.

[dudley028]

I tried to load a photo but it failed to download.

[T. O'Heir]

Suspect it's a sporterised '03 and not a Win M70. Lotta '03's were sporterised.

[FrankenMauser]

Sounds like an '03 Springfield with a Winchester barrel.

[kraigwy]

Win 70s and Springfield '03s, like others said, are different rifles. Both outstanding rifles, even sporterised '03s if done properly.

I would love either rifle in 220 Swift. Fired one a couple times at prairie dogs and was impressed. The most impressive shot I ever witnessed with the Swift was in Alaska.

Years ago I was flying into Savoonga, on St Lawrence Island. We had to do a fly around because there was a large polar bear on the runway.

Anyone who has been to the Villages, you know that when any plane lands, everyone in the village comes to great it. Also you should know that polar bears are one of the few animals who actively hunt humans as a food source.

Anyway, to solve the problem one of the native hunters (also a member of my Guard Unit) stepped out and dispatched the bear with a single shot from his Swift.

Until that time I figured the swift was just a barrel eating varmint round.

Anyway, assuming a decent price I would jump on the rifle whether its a Winchester or Springfield. The Swift is one of the few rounds I dont have.

[OzeanJaeger]

My friend Jacob is an Inuvialuit Polar Bear guide and lives in Tuktyaktuk. Regulations require they conduct their hunts with sleds and dogs rather than snow machines. He's been killing polar bears with a .270 since he was a boy.

About 25 years ago a lawyer from LA came for one of his hunts, and threw a fit at the far camp because he was being backed up by only a .270, and not a dangerous game rifle. He said he wanted his money back and wanted to return to land in the morning.

After sleeping on it he apologized in the morning, admitting he had .0001% of the experience Jacob had, and saying he wanted to continue the hunt. He got a monster male the next day. When he left he presented Jacob with his H&H double rifle. He has traveled to Tuk and killed a polar bear every year since the first.

The $20,000 H&H sits in Jacob's gun cabinet, and he still carries his .270.

[mehavey]

I came across a Model 70 in 220 Swift that is also marked U. S. Springfield Armory Model 1903.

Out of curiosity, what is the serial# (rough range) ?

[dudley028]

424XXX

[Mobuck]

It may have a model 70 barrel but it's not a Winchester.

[Slamfire]

It may have a model 70 barrel but it's not a Winchester.

That's what I think. A picture will tell us if your rifle was converted to a different caliber with a Winchester barrel. I think the threads are different from the M70 and the M1903, so I don't know how the guy chambered the barrel without cutting off the barrel shank and re threading.

I am of the opinion that if a "gunsmith" took a factory barrel, cut the shank, reamed the chamber to depth, that barrel is dangerous. Barrel chambers are the primary pressure vessel and are sized so that the cartridge is completely contained in the widest part of the barrel. Moving the chamber forward into the thinner part of the barrel is dangerous.

Also, the serial number you posted makes this receiver a low number M1903 receiver. If you have not bought this rifle, don't buy this rifle. If you have bought this rifle, I don't recommend you shoot this rifle. I have written extensively about the risks of low number Springfields:


1903 sporter

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...ght=low+number

Any solution to 1903 Springfield Early Serial Number?

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...ght=low+number


Springfield 1903?

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...ght=low+number

first rifle: springfield 1903

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...ght=low+number

If the action looks like this, it is a M1903 action



If the action looks like this, it is a M70

[603Country]

I had a pre-64 Win Model 70 in 220. The 220’s and the 264 Win Mags (all or some) had stainless barrels, though they were blued by some process that I don’t remember. It looked like every other pre-64 i’d ever seen. And heavy...danged heavy.

[Scorch]

If it is a Model 70, it would have a 1957 date of manufacture. Model 70s do not look like Springfields, and vice versa. Not only does it sound like a rebarreled Springfield 1903, it would also be a low serial number Springfield. Pictures, please.

[mehavey]

Originally Posted by OP

424XXX

Originally Posted by Scorch

...sound[s] like a rebarreled Springfield 1903, [and] it would also be a low serial number Springfield. Pictures, please.

Ouch...
Low-numbered Springfield

[FrankenMauser]

Ouch...
Low-numbered Springfield

Meh...

If it was going to blow, it would have done it already.

[mehavey]

Yeah... that's what I saaaaaaaaaayyyy about https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...31&postcount=5





.

[Slamfire]

Yeah... that's what I saaaaaaaaaayyyy about https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...31&postcount=5

It is a little different when its your face on the line? I am of the opinion that 99.99999999% of those advocating use of a low number Springfield don't have one. Won't shoot one, and overall, are giving advice that they won't follow. However, when it is your safety on the line, that is a little different.

We know these early Springfields were heat treated according to the eye. SA and RIA were not using pyrometers in the forge room or in the heat treat ovens. SA did have a pyrometer for springs. Now anyone who has watched the show "Forged in Fire" will get to see lots of over heated knives. The knife smiths are put under severe time limitations and I have seen lots of knives with cracks. Early in the show they tested a couple, the end result was sharp shards of steel flying around the sound stage. Now they won't test a knife with cracks or delaminations , they figured out it was too dangerous.

Springfield Armory had such a out of control production line that they proofed, shipped, rifles which the receivers were not heat treated. The documented low number non heat treated rifle blew up.

The idea that because it has not blown up now, it won't blow up, well that is all great until the thing blows up.



Micheal Petrov was a low number fan boy. He had fired this rifle with 150 grain bullets and 45 grs IMR 4895. Owner purchased this rifle from Petrov, and based on Petrov's assurances about how great and wonderful were low number receivers, fired this rifle with a cast bullet load. Rifle shattered into many pieces and the inset is the face of the last owner.

[mehavey]

Slamfire...... (in case you're wondering).... I haven't shot that rifle in the last 37 years.

Key phrase (ibid):

"....LN receivers are either the best Springfields ever made/totally strong -- or bombs."

... and no way to determine except by destructive testing.






God protects fools, drunks, little children.... and low-numbered Springfield shooters.

[Slamfire]

Slamfire...... (in case you're wondering).... I haven't shot that rifle in the last 37 years.

Time to sell it to one of those guys in this thread who want to shoot low number Springfields.

[FrankenMauser]

Time to sell it to one of those guys in this thread who want to shoot low number Springfields.

I'll open with a bid of $5.87.

My "dangerous" 1893 and 1916 Spanish Mausers need a new friend.

[Mike Irwin]

"Model 70 barrel..."

Uhm... I may be wrong, but I don't think that I am, but I'm pretty sure that Winchester uses a 16-TPI V thread, while the Sprinfield uses a 10-TPI square thread.

And I believe that the thread shank on the Springfield is larger than on the Winchester.

How could that be done? are there adapters?

[FrankenMauser]

The barrel could be cut to be 'set back', threaded, and then have the chamber re-cut (deepened). It's not ideal for chamber wall thickness, but I've seen it plenty of times with various rifle/barrel combinations. I've also seen barrel shanks turned down, thread adapters installed, and then the assembly torqued into the receiver. (I came across a guy doing this to a Marlin 336 as part of a take-down conversion, a few years back. Talk about pushing the limits of thin chamber walls in a model already known for lacking 'strongness'!...)

As always, a good photo would probably quickly reveal whether or not that was done.
Posting photos sticky: Posting pictures