I am not an expert at anything anymore but at one time I had a clear understanding of Winchester Model 70s and could quote known numbers of each caliber and variations. A very useful skill in pre internet days when you had to recognize if an example in hand was original and more important a rare find. Youd buy a lower condition rare gun in a heartbeat if you knew it was rare. If a common variant you had to pass because you could not tie up your money in a shooter in case a nice rarer gun came up for sale later.
There are so many refinished examples of both Model 70s and Model 12s, which have been altered or refinished, trying to pass for mint condition guns its a nightmare collecting them. I found, without exception, when a seller would not let me look at his guns it was one or more of three reasons. It was the gun, personal or money. First the gun was not legit, it was altered to a rarer variation or had been skillfully refinished. Second he was a collector who did not want me to improve my collection more that his collection., it was personal. Or three, his asking and intended selling price was outlandish and he knew it. He was trolling for a rich, stupid, sucker.
