Through sheer good luck, I ended up meeting the guy who runs pre64win.com and getting a tour of the shop this weekend. These guys are a one-stop shop for restoring and upgrading pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters.
If you’re not familiar with them, they are a comprehensive resource for pre-64 Model 70 enthusiasts. They’re also a federally licensed type 1 firearms dealer. Things have gone well enough for the founder to add a full-time rifle smith, someone to refinish and checker stocks, and a clerical person to keep the whole thing afloat.
The shop reminded me of the time I got a private tour of the vault at Champlin Arms in Enid, OK. Not the same variety of goods, but they go wide and deep on pre-64 Model 70s: drawers full of parts, dozens of complete rifles, stocks, and barrels, and vintage optics and mounts.
Most of their work is restoration, and the projects I saw in the shop reminded me of the solid, classic, elegant work that you see from Heirloom Precision, Turnbull Restoration, and similar shops. They can also build custom rifles—but only on pre-64 Model 70 Winchester actions.
If you like pre-64 Model 70s, then you need to know about these guys.
Let me know if you have questions.
Okie John