Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Pre 64 300 Weatherby History?

I may have to admit defeat but thought I should do the best research I could before giving up...
I have a "conversation" going on with a fellow on another forum about the Pre 64 70 300 Weatherby. I had always heard these were offered by Winchester as an upgrade and sent out to a third party gunsmith to do the rechamber work and the sold/delivered by Winchester to customers. However, I don't own the Rifleman's Rifle book , which I was led to believe contained the information, and the buddy who was a collector and had all these tidbits in his memory passed last year... where would I reference this info and is it true or not? I've heard this same story from many Pre 64 collectors.

Also, I have assumed the 300 Weatherby was developed from the 300 H&H Ackley Improved case as the dimensions are essentially the same except for the Weatherby double S shoulders. Any idea if this is true?

I would say that is a pipe dream. The only ones I've ever seen or heard of were rechambered from 300H&H rifles. Those were very common back in the day, a lot of smiths did them. I have never seen one stamped originally as 300WBY. Never heard of such a beast either. The guy you should ask is Floyd, if you ever go to any collectors west gunshows. I'm sure he still attends as many gunshows in your area, as he can. I believe they are cancelling the gunshow in Carson, which he used to always have a table set up there. He's probably the most knowledgeable winchester model 70 guys you can talk to in person, in your area, or any other area, for that matter. If I'm wrong, someone here can shed some light on this story. Good luck with it buddy..

Pretty sure Floyd has retired from the gun show scene and sold all his sights and other inventory to another gentleman... also, I guess the Carson show is now gone as they are afraid of liability renting the hall to a gun show? At least that is what I heard from a couple members of the club..

I've heard this 300 Wby story so many times from collectors I took it as gospel. This was in the day when manufacturers would accommodate almost any request from customers for a fee, so it doesn't seem so outlandish. Just trying to find a reference that verifies this story...

How's the weather in your neck of the woods these days?

Take care,
Bob

Never heard that story

Yeah, it's interesting for sure. I hope someone here may be able to shed some light.. We have been getting snow for the last 3 days. One day, it snowed all day long, but very lightly, so I couldn't even go to the range!! Didn't want to get the new 52 all wet!!! Looks like we are going to be colder than you guys, for the rest of the week, and with a good chance of snow.

Yeah, a lot going on over there in Washington. Lets both be thankful we don't live in that state, huh buddy? I can look through Rules book, but don't remember seeing any mention of a factory 300WBY. I'm wondering if you could ask guys like Louis Luttrell over at the Winchester Arms collectors site? A member of our club said he knew Bert Hartman, but I can't remember who that was? Only met and talked to that guy once... The older guys like that are sometimes a wealth of knowledge.

I never heard this story but would bet the guns were either bought through or sent to Griffin and Howe for this conversion.

I have one with a griffin Howe mount it was originally a 30 govt 06 1941 model don’t know who did it but it’s well done really smooth and one of my favorite has a Lyman alaskan.

Nothing in Rule about Winchester having done it.

They would know.

I have seen more Remington M721s converted to 300WBY than Winchester M70s

Maybe in your area. I've never seen one. That is like all the 308 Norma 1903's I've seen. May just be a locale thing?? I've seen a few m1917 sporters rechamberd for 300WBY. Actually have had those. The 300wby cartridge was very popular in the later 40's. Roy was like Hornady, and really knew how to advertise. ha ha..

I certainly wouldn't want to say something isn't true without knowing definitively. But I didn't think Winchester offered any factory weatherby chambered rifles until the 70s. I own 4 pre64 re-chambered for various weatherby calibers--240 wby, 270 wby, 7mm wby, and 300 wby, but none are factory.

Lots of pre-64 .300 H&H’s were punched out to 300 Wby.

I bet considering the current value of unmolested pre-64 300 H&H’s, don’t ya think most of the ones converting those guns would like to un-do that decision. I’m sure it looked like a good deal at the time, just wasn’t.

DF

I like mine. The 300WBY is a better cartridge. I have no qualms that it was rechambered. For the price I paid ($499) for the rifle, I'm definitely not complaining.

Not sure when mine was punched out, but it was never remarked so it says 300 H&H on the barrel still. In fact, I didn't know it was altered until we took it out to the range the first time and my son shot it. I looked at the cases he was handing me after each shot and I realized something didn't look right as I handed him 300 H&H loaded rounds. However, the first four shots landed in one small circle just slightly larger than a bullet hole. My son has laid claim to that rifle for our elk hunts for many years now and I doubt I will be seeing it back in my safe any time soon.. Like BSA, I got a great deal on it in a trade with a buddy and can't complain about losing anything on the modification... funny thing is, I went back to the gun shop where my buddy got the rifle and the 300 H&H AI reloading dies were right there in the display case and I was able to purchase them pretty cheap. They probably came in with the rifle and he forgot to include them with it when he sold it...

I have a 300 Wby "dummy round" with no primer or powder that I have carried for years just to verify 300 H&H's weren't rechambered. I have been burned too many times buying an H&H and then take it to the range to find out it had been rechambered.

Sheister: As far as I know the Winchester factory NEVER chambered a pre-64 Model 70 in 300 Weatherby Magnum.
I have seen MANY pre-64 Winchester Model 70's re-chambered (by outside gunsmiths) to 300 Weatherby Magnum.
Never wasted any of my monies on said "converted" 300 Weatherby's.

Jericho: That is just the opposite of my experiences over the last 55+ years of chasing Winchesters and Remingtons - I have NEVER seen a Remington 721 re-chambered to 300 Weatherby Magnum.
And I pay VERY close attention to Remington 721's (especially those in 300 H&H Magnum!).
I guess maybe I just run in different circles than you?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I think the Wby is a better ctg, based on performance.

But, you wouldn't pick up a pristine 300 H&H for $499. Agree you got a lot of gun for the buck.

What would that gun be worth with original chambering? My point isn't which is the better ctg, it's the subsequent monetary loss of value from the process.

There were so many punched out, the originals are less plentiful than they normally would/should be.

A good bud had one. He told me that Weatherby suggested buying .300 H&H's for conversion and that's what he did. He even considered going with the less expensive Remington, but liked the M-70 so much, he went with it. Like someone posted, you don't see many Remington's compared to Winchesters. Back then, that was the thing to do and a lot of folks did it.

DF

I wouldn’t want a pre64 chambered for the 300WBY.

There were a bunch of them done.

DF