Winchester Model 70 Featherweight

[Leadmad]

Hello Guys, I just bought a Featherweight in 30-06 and cant make heads or tails of Reading the serial number / Manufacture dates on various sites could someone help maybe ? Its serial number G88844

Lovely Rifle by the way no marks on wood or metalwork just some loss of blueing on the magazine floor plate from carrying but apart from that perfect, spent a hour de coppering the barrel yesterday and loaded 30 odd cases today with Lyman 311041 and 314299 sized to 309 both over 4198 and looking forward to trying them out Rifle will be cast dedicated

Thanks and Cheers

[M-Tecs]

https://winchestercollector.org/dates/ 1948

https://www.winchesterguns.com/suppo...r-firearm.html 1947 or 1948

[FLINTNFIRE]

Well I bought a winchester model 70 dates to 1949 no G in the serial number range , Mine also was a featherweight , but they were not released in 30-06 until I believe in 1955 , so mine has been rebarelled .

The G in your serial number and the 5 digit number add confusion , are there more numbers ?, and is it a push feed or controlled round , some pictures would help and you can google winchester model 70 with a G prefix and there is some debate on when and why the G was added to serial number .

[Leadmad]

Well I bought a winchester model 70 dates to 1949 no G in the serial number range , Mine also was a featherweight , but they were not released in 30-06 until I believe in 1955 , so mine has been rebarelled .

The G in your serial number and the 5 digit number add confusion , are there more numbers ?, and is it a push feed or controlled round , some pictures would help and you can google winchester model 70 with a G prefix and there is some debate on when and why the G was added to serial number .

The previous owner claimed he bought it new approx 15 to 20 years back and have no reason to disbelieve him so think its one of the later "G" prefix serial numbers, the serial numbers are correct and no other numbers visible, the action is Controlled round feed

Thanks

[M-Tecs]

The previous owner claimed he bought it new approx 15 to 20 years back and have no reason to disbelieve him so think its one of the later "G" prefix serial numbers, the serial numbers are correct and no other numbers visible, the action is Controlled round feed

Thanks

Yes, that is the current production-controlled feed. The dates I provided are incorrect.

[Gtek]

Found this-
The last serial numbers listed in the Winchester DOM documents goes to 1992, and that is "G2037985". As you can see, that is a 7 digit serial #. The classics started with a 5 digit serial # in 1992. 6 digits were built from about 94-99, 7 digits were 2000-2006 etc. etc.... Now the new ones (BACO) started with 35AMP....(2008 models). You'd have to check with BACO to see what they were after 2009.
When Classic's started in '91 they started at G1 or G1000 somewhere around there. They continued their progression until beginning of 2003 when something big happened. Don't know what but one of the things that changed was Classic's went from around G380000 to seven digits overnight. Just so happens that is the exact same time quality fell off the ledge.
Pre '64's/'68's didn't have a G.
Five digit Classic's went till about late '94, six digits through 2002

[Leadmad]

Thanks for all your help and replys Guys, going to range tomorow and see how it shoots

Cheers