When was your Model 70 produced? Production Type by Year of Manufacturer: 1935-1963: Pre '64 Winchester Repeating Arms Company 1964-2006: USRAC (U.S. Repeating Arms Co.) 2008-Current: New Winchester Production. While dating your Model 70 by serial number can be difficult, and there are many 'legends' about why the historic serial number records.

What year was my Winchester manufactured? (Serial Number Reference)

Model 70 Model 72 Model 75 Model 99 Thumb Trigger Model 121 $ 121T Model 131 & 135 Model 141 & 145 310 And 320 Models Model 670 Model 670 Mag 770 & 770 Mag. The Model 70 was produced from 1935 until Winchester closed their Connecticut factory in 2006, with approximately 700,000 Model 70 guns sold prior to 1964. This self-appraisal course deals with all Model 70 Winchester rifles, but focuses on the pre-64 Winchesters, or those guns produced prior to 1964. The cross reference below provides an estimated production date by serial number, based on model 70 polishing room room records. Polishing room records documented when each receiver was polished and are the most complete model 70 records in existence. However, polishing was just one step in production, and not the final step. According to Winchester production records, which are reproduced on the accompanying chart, the last Model 70 made in 1963 bore Serial No. As is the case with most Winchester rifles.

Winchester Firearms Manufacturing Dates by Serial Number and Year 1866 through the early 1990s

Below is the download link for a special resource for dating Winchester firearms. These pages were scanned from documents compiled over the years by the customer service department of Winchester Repeating Arms. None of the page scans are of original documents but are simply transcribed information typed into a word processing program. In general, this information is the same that you would get if you called our customer service department and asked them for the information. They use these documents as a reference and the documents should be limited to that use.

Click the image below to download the PDF document containing the serial number date-range information on many Winchester firearms. You will need the Adobe Reader program to open this file. Adobe Reader is available free from Adobe.

THE HISTORY OF WINCHESTER HISTORIC SERIAL NUMBER RECORDS.
There are many “legends” about why the historic serial number records for Winchester rifles and shotguns are not complete or why they are not always verifiable. A few reasons cited are:

A fire at the factory
Inadvertent destruction (during office cleaning)
Records simply lost in filing
Records misplaced between ownership transitions
Documents borrowed but not returned

There is probably some kernel of truth to all of them. But the fact remains; there is no original, single, totally accurate database of serial numbers from 1866 forward that we are aware of. But perhaps these pages can help you somewhat in your research.

Please keep the following points in mind as you explore these pages:

Winchester Model 70 Serial Number Lookup Post 64

Many of the Winchester brand firearms produced over the years are included, but not all. If your firearm is not listed, we probably do not have any additional information.
Before the 1990s the Winchester Repeating Arms firearms brand transferred ownership several times. Any information before the 1990s is always difficult to verify.
In general, only serial number ranges with an approximate year are provided in this document. There is no other detail beyond this that we can provide.
Since this information was provided through old documents (both official and otherwise), no representation is made that all serial number and year combinations are totally accurate.
In some exceptional cases, a more detailed, accurate determination can be made by calling the Winchester Repeating Arms Historian at the Morgan, Utah office. 800-333-3288. Ask for the Winchester Repeating Arms Historian.
For any other questions: 800.333.3288 or 801.876.2711. For Parts and Service call: 800.322.4626
For questions related to Ammunition don’t call us. Contact Winchester Ammunition directly.
No attempt has been made to determine the value of any guns listed.
The Cody Firearms Museum has more information on Winchesters produced before 1900.
This late historian George Madis compiled extensive histories on Winchester firearms. www.georgemadis.com

There are other outside resources – including the Cody Firearm Museum -- which can be excellent for determining date of manufacture and value: Click here to go to our gun values resource links.

Click below to download a PDF overview of Cody Museum serial number resources.

(Please remember that this information is a compilation over time -- collected from secondhand information. No confidentail records were used. We reserve the right to make changes at any time and make no claims as to accuracy. No attempt has been made to determine the value of any Winchester products.)

Winchester Model 70 Serial Number Location

Winchester Model 70 Serial Numbers Wssm

To the maximum extent possible, the dates of manufacture shown were obtained from the original Winchester Factory Polishing Room serialization records; otherwise estimates were made using multiple sources of information (e.g. George Madis, Ned Schwing, etc.), in which case the data was extrapolated to the best of our ability. This information is no substitute for obtaining a Winchester Factory Letter from the Cody Firearms Museum (available for certain models and serial ranges) which in addition to the Serial Number Application Date, normally provide the original Received In Warehouse Date and Date Shipped from Winchester factory. For purposes of determining if your gun is legally considered an “antique” (pre-1899 DOM), the BATF has told us they use the DOM dates published by the manufacture (Winchester). Those dates coincide with the Madis dates and can be viewed on Winchester’s site at:Winchesterguns.com
If you would like to obtain factory research on your Winchester, we urge you to join WACA and the Cody Firearms Museum. WACA members who are also CFM Members will receive 15 additional record searches on top of the regular quantity of searches included in the standard CFM membership package, regardless of membership level.