It was in these articles and books that the Winchester Model 70 shone as the great American rifle, (with the Weatherby getting honorable mention also). So it was that during high school and college years it was the books and magazines I read, with articles by Jack O’Connor, Elgin Gates, Elmer Keith and others, featuring fascinating people, such as Prince Abdorreza of Iran, exotic places, and equally exotic game. But, instead of a real rifle and real hunting, there was “Guns and Ammo” magazine, and there were the books: books that would transport a teenage wannabe big game hunter to the heights of the Tien Shan, to Persia, and to the wilds of Africa.Įlgin Gates with a fine Argali ram, pictured in his book “Trophy Hunter in Asia”. So there was no way for a spotty English teenager to get started in big game hunting. There are no exotic Argali sheep to be found grazing along Pall Mall or The Strand: and if there were, and you wandered around Hyde Park with a loaded rifle looking to score yourself one of those majestic elk a British Bobby would soon be on the scene to put an end to your trophy hunting expedition. But in London there are no majestic elk wandering around in Hyde Park.

London was home to some of the great gun and rifle-makers so there were gun shops one could visit and gawk at the gorgeous blued steel and fine walnut offerings on the gun racks. Living in London had some advantages, and some disadvantages.

My own first connection with the Winchester Model 70 came in my teenage years growing up in London, England, in the early 1960’s. Advertisement for the Winchester Model 70 from September 1950.

Winchester model 64 serial numbers