Dubbed the "Van Orden Sniper", this is a very rare and obscure version of the Winchester Model 70 rifle. After World War II, retired Marine Corps Colonel George Van Orden opened the Evaluators Gunshop in Triangle, Virginia, outside the Quantico Marine base. Van Orden's shop evaluated and sold equipment to police forces and to the military as well as to civilians all over the world. After the Korean War, the company began selling the special ordered Model 70 rifles in his own favorite configuration, which became known as the "Van Orden Sniper". During World War II, then Captain Van Orden and Chief Gunner Calvin Lloyd recommended the use of the Winchester Model 70 rifle with an Unertl 8x scope as a sniper rifle to the Marine Cops Equipment Board President, however, wartime production delays caused the Corps to favor the Springfield Model 1903A1 rifle. Although dubbed the Van Orden Sniper rifle, the rifle was never purchased by the Corps. The key features of a Van Orden Sniper rifle such as this example, are a clip slotted receiver, 24" medium heavy target barrel chambered in 30-06, and a heavy marksman type stock as well as Lyman scope blocks (not included with this rifle). This rifle is equipped with a Williams rear peep sight and an empty front sight block, sling swivels, and a trigger shoe. The rifle shows standard Winchester barrel and receiver markings, including the factory oval proofs. This rifle is listed by serial number as a Van Orden Sniper which was sold to Haggerty Tool, of Detroit, MI, in June of 1955. on page 41 of Norman Chandler's "Death from Afar, Volume 1."

Excellent, retaining 97% plus original blue finish with a few very light scratches on the metal surfaces. The wood is very fine with a few scratches and pressure dents and an area of absent wood under the rear peep sight. Mechanically excellent.