22 | WINCHESTERCOLLECTOR.ORG • Winter 2023 Also with the introduction of the 219 Zipper, Winchester began offering a new style of rear sight for the Model 64. A No. 98A boltmounted peep sight (originally introduced for the Model 71) was added to the Model 64 as an optional sight. Based on what I have observed thus far, it was very frequently ordered on the rifles chambered for the 219 Zipper cartridge, and when present, the drilled and tapped holes for a receiver mounted peep sight were sometimes (but not always) omitted. In the October 1, 1946, Retail Price List of Winchester Arms and Accessories, the Winchester No. 98Apeep rear sight is depicted as the standard sight for the Model 64 219 Zipper rifles (order no. G6419C) with a Winchester No. 22H open sporting rear sight as an option. Of the 280 Model 64 219 Zippers rifles I have surveyed thus far, 190 of them have been verified to be factory equipped with the No. 98A bolt-peep. Of interest, I have also found three Model 64 rifles in other calibers with a factory installed No. 98A bolt-peep sight. Winchester continued production of the Model 64 through World War II (though none were manufactured in the year 1943) but sales were very slow. In January of 1946, production was significantly ramped back up and a substantial number of Model 64 rifles were manufactured through the year 1953. Sales apparently slowed down again in the mid-1950s, causing Winchester to eventually pull the plug on production of the Model 64 rifle in January 1957. Even though regular Factory installed No. 98A bolt peep sight, receiver not drilled and tapped for a No. 56 sight The 219 Zipper rifle as shown in the October 1st, 1946, Retail Price List of Winchester Arms and Accessories production was halted in January 1957, a few hundred parts clean-up rifles were assembled into the early 1960s. Thus far I have documented (surveyed) six parts-cleanup Model 64 rifles that were manufactured in the years 1957–1961. In January of 1948, and in concert with the physical change made to the shape and dimension of the Model 94 receiver frame, the Model 64 receiver frame also changed shape. To the observant eye, the contour of the transition from the upper tang to the rear of the receiver frame was altered to make it a much sharper radius. This machined alteration required a corresponding change to the butt stock that precludes someone from readily swapping butt stocks from a pre-1948 to a post-1947 production Model 64 rifle. Early in the year 1950, and in unison with the exact same change made to the Model 94, the caliber designation stamps were changed from 30 W.C.F., 32 W.S. and 2335 W.C.F. to 30-30 WIN., 32 WIN. SPL. and 23-35 WIN. respectively. These changes began very near serial number 1688000. The following images show the early and later caliber markings used by Winchester (sorry, I do not currently have a photo showing a late 25-35 WIN. marking).
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