A gaggle of learned detail in your narrative iskra. Thanks for your effort and time toward this post.

Many people are not going to agree with the following comments that you are about to read, that being said... I'd also like to add that there have been some very good points made here in the earlier posts with regards to collectability, diminished values from modifications etc.
To start with, I believe the "current condition" evaluation of your rifle should be quite a bit higher than $500-$600. According to my 2014 edition of Guns and Values, ... any "useable pre-64 model 70 action" is worth $500.
I also have a similar rifle to yours, mine being a 1942 model 70 in .300 H&H, it also had the safety modified at some point in its life and (sadly) came with 2 extra holes already drilled and tapped in the rear bridge for scope mounting. Although it is not a pristine collector piece, I have still been offered double the amount of your current condition $500-$600 assessed value.
Yes, I could fill the extra holes and replace the parts to restore it to original... but why ? I will never own a finer hunting rifle, so I choose to carefully use it for its intended purpose and enjoy it. I just cant imagine leaving one of my best hunting rifles at home because its rare or desirable to someone else. I also hunt on occasion with my 1876 in .45-75 caliber , it originally belonged to my great great grandfather. Mfg in 1881 and still going strong today, I will never own a "Safe Queen". I take care of my rifles, and enjoy them all and use them as they were intended. No matter what the perceived value or the condition of any rifle that I own might be, its worth more to me to have it by my side while hunting than to have it locked away somewhere waiting for someone else to enjoy when its sold or passed down. This is especially true for me when the rifle has been a family hunting rifle. I hope you find a suitable scope mount at a reasonable price that will allow you to carry it, hunt or shoot it when you like, and be proud to tell its story, and most of all.. enjoy it.

skinner-t wrote:Many people are not going to agree with the following comments that you are about to read, that being said... I'd also like to add that there have been some very good points made here in the earlier posts with regards to collectability, diminished values from modifications etc.
To start with, I believe the "current condition" evaluation of your rifle should be quite a bit higher than $500-$600. According to my 2014 edition of Guns and Values, ... any "useable pre-64 model 70 action" is worth $500.
I also have a similar rifle to yours, mine being a 1942 model 70 in .300 H&H, it also had the safety modified at some point in its life and (sadly) came with 2 extra holes already drilled and tapped in the rear bridge for scope mounting. Although it is not a pristine collector piece, I have still been offered double the amount of your current condition $500-$600 assessed value.
Yes, I could fill the extra holes and replace the parts to restore it to original... but why ? I will never own a finer hunting rifle, so I choose to carefully use it for its intended purpose and enjoy it. I just cant imagine leaving one of my best hunting rifles at home because its rare or desirable to someone else. I also hunt on occasion with my 1876 in .45-75 caliber , it originally belonged to my great great grandfather. Mfg in 1881 and still going strong today, I will never own a "Safe Queen". I take care of my rifles, and enjoy them all and use them as they were intended. No matter what the perceived value or the condition of any rifle that I own might be, its worth more to me to have it by my side while hunting than to have it locked away somewhere waiting for someone else to enjoy when its sold or passed down. This is especially true for me when the rifle has been a family hunting rifle. I hope you find a suitable scope mount at a reasonable price that will allow you to carry it, hunt or shoot it when you like, and be proud to tell its story, and most of all.. enjoy it.

Someone else finally "gets it".

I have 2 other modern deer rifles in the safe that I use.
I WILL be carrying this for a deer harvest, that is what my wife's grandfather would want.
I suppose a session at the range is in order to see what my grouping would be at 100 yards with the iron sights. I may shock myself and feel confident after shooting a group.

I was offered $950 by a local gun shop without much of a fuss. I figure he either wanted it personally really bad, or obviously would re-sell making a profit. I have watched enough pawn stars to know how it works. Maybe I could get on a pawn star episode? LOL. I don't need the money, so it will stay in the family. Unfortunate I do not have any children to pass it on to though. So I'll be selling it at some point in my life, probably when I'm too old to hunt. In the meantime, I will be waiting on that perfectly sunny day deer hunt.

Valid points from skinner and flyinglion. However, both are commenting as hunters and have earned the right to do as they please with their firearms. I am not a hunter, therefore I have firearms for target shooting and firearms for saving as is. If I were a hunter, would have firearms for hunting and others saved as is.

Even if you use a mount that utilizes the receiver sight holes you will probable have to remove wood from the stock for the base to fit. My prewar had a mount(think it was Tilden) like that when I got it with a Lyman Alaskan on it (gave it to my brother-in-law). I am not a collector so (sacrilege I know) had the rear bridge D & T'd and installed a Redfield 2 piece base. Also replaced the original safety with the newer type to clear the scope (had a friend whose original safety broke and gave it to him). Mine was in no way near as nice as yours and have to agree with other posters, keep it as it is.

First Gentlemen... Just to set the matter straight, I never said the subject rifle was worth five to six hundred dollars. Nor did I mention any opinion of value per se. I only referenced an opinion of diminished value from a collector perspective. The rifle, nice as it is, achieves “highest and best value” as a collector item. It could be used as a boat oar, but that doesn’t change the maximum valuation characterization.
I’m not in a position to discuss applications beyond the comment that as previously noted, fielding the rifle to any extent will likely diminish value. Well, a lot of words! But rather irrelevant to reference values in a collector context IF in fact the rifle will be subject to hunting stresses.

As far as any offers on the rifle, such is no better than the expertise (and integrity of course) of the offering party. Many buyers probably wouldn’t necessarily notice the apparently well done modification.
In a Machiavellian sense, for every pristine collectible gun that’s ‘lost’ to the market, the market base shrinks and the finite number of existing guns within that base incrementally push values higher!

I’ve very much enjoyed seeing this fine, early Model 70 and the discussions here! Various poles presented and all to be respected!

And now flyinglyon, I can’t resist a 'parting shot'. If you lament having no offspring to whom to pass your guns, my situation a greater paradox! Sons from mid-forties to preteen. None with a whit of interest in guns AND ‘dad’ just struggling to keep abreast at some level of their constant ‘computer speak’!
Good luck with that beautiful Winchester.

All here…
Just my take

Thanks Iskra, having re-read your earlier post I'd have to agree with your comment you made from a collectors point of view. The modifications made to the safety could see collector value diminished by $500-600 from a pristine example. My mistake.

skinner-t wrote:Thanks Iskra, having re-read your earlier post I'd have to agree with your comment you made from a collectors point of view. The modifications made to the safety could see collector value diminished by $500-600 from a pristine example. My mistake.

Absolutely no problem skinner-t. Perhaps you, like me, often quickly surveying materials with the increased hazard of misinterpretation!
Also another positive note flyinglion. Assuming it's functioning properly, that striker assembly you now have in your gun should be worth perhaps a couple of hundred dollars to the right party... or perhaps even more valuable to you in the context of mounting a scope. Often that's all about 'clearances'. That 'low scope' safety perhaps a valuable asset. And best of all 'non-original worlds, a 'fixable' alteration! In any case, a truly nice rifle of which to be justifiably proud!
My take