Pre 64 Winchester Model 70 404 Jeffery

[jnelson]

This rifle is kind of like your first high school girlfriend!!!! Kind of chunky, sort of thick, but does lots of fun things!!!!!
I obtained this rifle in a collection from a family friend, It is built exactly as the original rifle builders receipt indicates. It has some positive aspects and some that are not so great!! I am expecting there to be some interesting discussions in regards to what we are all looking at. The stock is horrific, there is a chunk of the crappy recoil pad missing, and the barrel contour is not in my opinion ideal. It also appears to be Mag Na Ported. Actually consistent with the timeframe this gun was built. The rifle builder is Glenn Pearce of Casa Grande AZ. I did fire 4 rounds through the gun in quick succession today without issue or fail. 2x's in a row!
With that having been said lets have fun trying to get this ride a new home. I am willing to gather any pictures and/or info as requested or required, and am completely transparent in representing this one for what it is!!!!!!!!!!!! I do have a hefty supply of brass and bullets that came with the gun. I also have a set of reloading dies, and a swarovski 1x4 scope if a deal is to be struck. I have to list a price so lets go $2500 and then let the dust settle. I have never sold a rifle on this forum. I will offer Professional Hunter Mark Sullivan as a reference to myself being a real person as we have spent 40 or more days on Safari.
PM as needed and thnx for your time and consideration

 

[Andrew62]

Any idea of the weight of this rifle?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Appears to be extended bottom metal for extra capacity magazine? This poor old gal has absolutely zero collector value ... but with time and a lot of money most of it could be restored. Except ported barrel. How much would have to be cut off to get rid of the holes? However, I think the loading components could offset the previous owner's efforts to Frankenstein-ize a beautiful piece of history and craftsmanship. The barrel contour is a bit weighty but not a bad thing when glass stock was added. If the porting is cut away a little more weight in the barrel might be a good thing. My 404 has a heavy #5 contour and at 24" with wood stock it weighs ten pounds and balanced just right at forward half of floorplate. I would NOT want it any lighter. To make this gun respectable again would require a new stock and probably new bottom metal. That stock is worse than useless. Too short, too light, and butt ugly. If you shot it eight times you must be hurting today! That recoil pad ... ugh! Same with the extended magazine. Blech! But you're right. It's typical of the gunsmith butchery of that era. If it was any other action or caliber, I'd say we should leave it alone as a museum piece to illustrate the foolish trend of those days. Could be displayed over a mounted deer head with cigar in its mouth and wearing a Stormy Kromer cap.

So you're essentially selling a barreled action ... maybe not even that, depending on how much of the barrel needs to be removed to get rid of magnaporting. And what if anything can be done to fix the bottom metal. How much loading components are you willing to throw in?

 

[jnelson]

I did speak to Mark Bansner regarding the stock situation about 2 weeks ago. He has a classic style available that would look appropriate to the contour, He also made mention of his services to do a complete full bedding job. And we all know to trust his craftmanship!! I did weighg the rifle this morning and it settles on 9.8 lbs unloaded

 

[rookhawk]

Honestly, not a bad price for what it is, I'm sure it will sell in that arena if it feeds correctly.

If someone bought it for $2500, recountoured the barrel, installed iron sights or quarter rib, reblued, and put a fancy stock on it they'd have $4000-$4500 wrapped into a very nice, mechanically sound 404 Jeff. That doesn't sound crazy at all to me considering 404Js are scarce and desirable.

Retraction, I completely missed the iron sights hiding under the tape measure. Shoot, this thing doesn't need much at all! A pretty stock and you're off to the races. Cut off the porting, redo the crown, re-install the front sight. Presto.

On the other hand, a guy that is tight for cash would be hard pressed to find another functional 404J as-is for $2500.

I'm surprised it didn't sell in the first few hours of the listing.

 

[BJH65]

This is a cool looking rifle with some stories to be told. I agree, it’s imminently fine as is, maybe replace the recoil pad then perfect to take to Africa. Just purchased another large bore rifle recently or I would consider this. GLWS.

 

[Rob404]

A bargain for 2500.00 even with the brake, I have a Winchester Custom shop stock that would look great on that Jeffery

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I did speak to Mark Bansner regarding the stock situation about 2 weeks ago. He has a classic style available that would look appropriate to the contour, He also made mention of his services to do a complete full bedding job. And we all know to trust his craftmanship!! I did weighg the rifle this morning and it settles on 9.8 lbs unloaded

But does your rifle have "classic style" bottom metal? I don't recall seeing guppy belly extended magazines on "classic" Model 70s ... but maybe I'm wrong?

Edit: I just did a quick search for pre64 416 Rigby Model 70 and I didn't see any with that magazine setup. And 416 is a thicker cartridge than 404J. New wood for that action as is would require a custom stock.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

This is a cool looking rifle with some stories to be told. I agree, it’s imminently fine as is, maybe replace the recoil pad then perfect to take to Africa. Just purchased another large bore rifle recently or I would consider this. GLWS.

Perfect if you are a little guy. LOP is only 13" even with an oversize recoil pad.

 

[rookhawk]

Perfect if you are a little guy. LOP is only 13" even with an oversize recoil pad.

The forum allows banter on for-sale threads. It's intended to be helpful banter, not harmful banter. Inferring to everyone a well-priced rifle is undesirable is not helpful, its tortious interference.

 

[BJH65]

Perfect if you are a little guy. LOP is only 13" even with an oversize recoil pad.

Didn’t see that, I prefer 14” minimum but correctable with spacer. I would buy this rifle if I hadn’t just bought one. I think it’ll make an excellent working African rifle.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The forum allows banter on for-sale threads. It's intended to be helpful banter, not harmful banter. Inferring to everyone a well-priced rifle is undesirable is not helpful, its tortious interference.

The OP was very straightforward about what he has. I doubt that he is upset that I have pointed out the LOP on this rifle is exceedingly short. As you must know, very short LOP is cause for concern in a heavy recoil rifle. Also, it is important to point out the extended magazine and the issues that could present for restocking the action. I'm not sure the OP realized the bottom metal had been changed. Seems several posters are not aware of it either. This is NOT an action that can just be dropped in any ordinary Model 70 stock. Prospective buyers should be made aware of that. Again, the OP seems to want to ensure clarity.

As just a shooter, crude as it is, this gun might be do the job. However, increasing the LOP will require more than just adding a slip-on recoil pad. Too much recoil pad is not necessarily a good thing in a heavy recoiling rifle. A scope with sufficient eye relief suddenly becomes dangerously insufficient when fired. And the trigger guard will do a number on middle finger!

Pre-64 Model 70 is a very desirable action and 404J is a very desirable caliber. 404 was my choice when I decided to build a DGR rifle. OP says it shoots okay which implies it cycles okay. Cycling properly has always been a it of a temperamental issue with 404 so that is definitely a plus. Sounds like this would be a good project rifle to rebuild into something special or after extending the LOP a shooter to jump into the safari truck and go. Would it be worth it either way? I don't know. But everyone should know what will be required to make this rifle work for them. That's fair. And the OP seems to be a fair guy.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

According to the invoice, the action was rebarreled to 404J. Wondering what it was originally?