Winchester Model 70 Sniper?

[robh5]

A friend of mine was offered (for sale) a pre war Win. model 70, that supposedly is, or was a sniper rifle.
Marked on the side of the barrel is "Cal 30 M1".
He said, marked on the stock, bolt, and I think the barrel, is "Frankfort Arsenal".
Has scope blocks mounted, but no scope.
No Gov't markings at all. And the finish is blued.
It is not a heavy barrel.
Any ideas what this rifle was used for?
I am thinking, for testing ammo, since it is marked Frankfort Arsenal.
Thanks.

[Sunray]

Very much doubt there was such a thing prior to W.W. II. No budget or interest from the Ordnance Dept. for sniper rifles at all. The M70 only existed for 3 years prior to W.W. II starting too. Said war didn't start in December of 1941. Police maybe, but unlikely for the same monetary reason.
I'd guess it might be an Frankfort Arsenal employee's hunting rifle. .30 M1 wasn't exactly common stuff on the civilian market(doubt it was ever released except maybe for National Match shooting.) and was mostly discontinued around 1936 due to its excessive range. As I recall, it was around 1935 or so that stocks of W.W. I ammo started to finally dry up and the .30 M1 was found to have too much range.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

If it were one of the Vietnam era Model 70 sniper rifles, it would not be marked Frankford Arsenal.

jt

[Jay Johnson]

I once had a US marked pre-war M70 target gun, the stock was marked with a cross cannon cartouche, it had been re-barreled at some point into 7.62 x 51; with a Unertl 15x Programmer on it that gun would shoot 1/2 MOA at 200 yards with my hand loads using Berger 168gr. Match VLD Target bullets.

[usmc69]

I once had a US marked pre-war M70 target gun, the stock was marked with a cross cannon cartouche, it had been re-barreled at some point into 7.62 x 54, with a Unertl 15x Programmer on it that gun would shoot 1/2 MOA at 200 yards with my hand loads using Berger 168gr. Match VLD Target bullets.

7.62X54? Russian? That seems an odd caliber for a Model 70.

[Jay Johnson]

^^ LOL... No, I goofed, 7.62 x 51mm, it actually had "7.62 NATO" stamped on the barrel.