USMC Winchester 70 Target Rifle

[JRice79]

I purchased a "U.S. Property" marked Winchester M70 National Match rifle manufactured in 1957. I have a USMC Unertl but no scope blocks. I have a set of O and E blocks but I don't think these are correct for the rifle. I'm also considering buying a M70 in 220 Swift from the same period just for the blocks and I'll resell the rifle. Does anyone know what blocks are correct for a USMC sniper rifle and if the 220 Swift blocks will fit? Thank you.

[Promo]

Have you tried asking Steve Earle? And did you try to fit the scope blocks to the rifle first, or do you only believe they won't be correct?

[Bill Wylde]

There should be plenty of loose M-70 blocks around. The hole spacing might be the same between the O and E and one of the M-70 blocks, but I understand those original blocks are scarce. A search for a pair of M-70 originals should quickly produce the proper blocks.

[RCS]

This Winchester Model 70 came out of a lot sold by the US Navy in the mid 1960's There were
a dozen M70 rifles in the group, a few has standard weight barrels. All were 30-06 calAttachment 31041Attachment 31042Attachment 31043Attachment 31044

[JRice79]

Who is Steve Earle? I'll try the O and E mounts to see if they fit. Pretty certain they used factory mounts on these. I don't think they were lettered though?

[JRice79]

I've searched for M70 blocks but the seller told me they're post 64. I have no idea what the difference is though.

[JRice79]

Beautiful gun. I'll post pictures of mine when I get the mounts. I also have a spotter barrel in the 45000 serial number range and another "U.S. Property" marked 150000(?) range that has been glass bedded - I bought at RIA in 2010. Beautiful guns and very accurate.

[PhillipM]

Who is Steve Earle? I'll try the O and E mounts to see if they fit. Pretty certain they used factory mounts on these. I don't think they were lettered though?

He makes high quality reproduction scope mount blocks

http://www.steveearleproducts.com/scopeblocks.html

[five 0]

This Winchester Model 70 came out of a lot sold by the US Navy in the mid 1960's There were
a dozen M70 rifles in the group, a few has standard weight barrels. All were 30-06 calAttachment 31041Attachment 31042Attachment 31043Attachment 31044

Do you have the serial numbers of the dozen rifles sold in the 60?

[Herschel]

I have Lyman chart that I believe is from 1952 that shows the Lyman blocks that fit various rifles from that era. It show the Win. Model 70 Natl Match uses a Lyman "H" for the front base and a Lyman "U" for the rear. The dimension from top of the barrel or receiver to the top of the base for the "H" is .415 inch and for the "U" .167 inch. The blocks for the Model 70 had a rounded groove running front to rear in the top. According to information I received from C. O. Smith in 2008, the groove was to allow early use of early Fecker mounts which used the groove to mount target sights lower due to low combs of early target rifles. The term "block" is what I learned to call them from my target shooting years. Lyman calls them "bases" in describing them in their chart.