My dad who no longer hunts has from I can tell (serial no 183xxx) a pre-64 Win 70 in .270. It's still in good working condition but is really beaten up.

No plans on selling it now or in future, but would it be a mistake to 1) recondition it by refinishing stock etc, or 2) using its action as foundation for a build?

Thx

The wear tells a story.

Why erase the history that your dad wrote with each trip?

Exactly, probably will still kill deer dead enough. Unless there is a function issue leave it as is.

Was thinking about fixing it up to give to my brother as a gift -- he already has a .270 so I was thinking about rebarrel/rechambering

Just give it to him as it is.....I think he would appreciate it more as it is....I know I would.....but you know him better than us.....

Personally I don't like changing original guns....especially heritage guns....

I see it the same way. It would be a shame to erase that little smidgen of legacy, plus, they're not making pre-64 M70s anymore.

Good points. Thx fellas

I'm different than everybody else. I enjoy refinishing old guns, even when it hurts the value. I have a savage 99f that was my great grandfathers. I refinished the stock a few years ago, and I have no regrets.

Find another factory stock if you want to sand and refinish but those marks are memories we only wish we could experience. Rebarreling and rechambering has just made doaner action out of the rifle. 270's are caliber 2 or 3 isn't too many of in a cabinet, bet we have 7 or more in dads safe! You can find factory stocks so don't nobody tell me they don't exist. Just need to figure out standard, low comb, feather weight...there were options.Keeps it as is would be my vote.

RedSnake-- I have and still hunt with the Model 70 .270 that my Dad bought in 1949, shortly after I was born. It's a little worn too, since Dad, his brother, and I have harvested a truckload of deer (and a few pigs) with it.
Dad is gone now, but that rifle, as is, holds too many memories to change anything on it.

I have an old early Remington 22 that I had restored to like new condition, but knew up front it would destroy any collector value. I wanted the gun to last longer and never leave the family. When you think about it, the lower price that collectors will offer for a gun that has been re-blued or refinished can discourage it's future sale while actually increasing its sentimental value.

Course should your brother take it and trade it for one of those fiberglass Tekkis in a 6.49 Smeedmackeral calibers the whole decision making exercise is somewhat moot. My point being, have you discussed with your brother what he might do with the gun? He might like a savage axis in a .223 for his daughter or young son. Or trade it for a 4wheeler? Just saying ....

Hmmmm. Maybe I should just keep it for myself.

Well I didn't want to just come out and suggest you buy your bud a 4 wheeler or savage axis but unless he will keep dad's gun then I would sure try to feel his thoughts out about a exchange.

Also, just because a stock is beat up, doesn't mean it's full of memories. Unless you can look at a scratch or a ding and remember how it got there, it's just a blemish. It's unlikely any ding on a stock has an amazing story behind it. It's a lot more likely it happened in a safe, or while loading it in a truck than it did running from a grizzly bear, or using a tpost as a rest to kill his biggest buck ever.

Disclaimer: I'm not a sentimental person unless it's a major event.

I am a sentimental person, but I have zero issue taking sentimental guns and refinishing them so they look good again. The gun doesn't lose sentimental value just because it looks good. Still the same gun your dad held and used.

I guess all points of view on the subject are valid...just comes down to personal preference. I still wouldn't alter a pre-64 Model 70, though, unless it was really trashed.

I graduated from high school in 1964 and personally believe the pre 64 phenom on Winchesters is greatly over rated, especially on guns with power of 30-06 and under. Good guns yes but not that fantastic. JMO. At that time the 22-250 was still a wildcat IIRC. I remember all the comments of dedicated Winchester fans about the new rifle.

it has no collector value, its a family keepsake, but imo, I would refurbish either to keep or give to your brother.