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About 10 years ago, I purchased from Randy Shuman of Newville PA, a very high condition Winchester Model 61 pump .22. It is chambered for .22 Long Rifle only so it has the higher optioned octagon barrel. The gun has serial number 10943 which makes it a 1934 production gun.
There was some crud in the checkered pattern of the steel butt plate so I removed it to make it easier to clean.
Inside the draw bolt access hole in the stock was a variety of stuff as pictured below.
And which turned out to be: 3 locks of very fine light brown hair wrapped inside some newspaper and a Series 1935A $1.00 Silver Certificate. I decoded some of the print in the newspaper, specifically, the programming for Thursday July 16th on station KOA. Turns out Thursday July 16 occurred in 1936 (my birth year), KOA was and still is a Denver Colorado radio station and the newspaper was the Denver Post.
Be pretty neat, but highly unlikely, if this triggers a search which results in finding the lad or lassie who originally owned this sweet Winchester .22 pump.
WOW!!! What an amazing find! I have never removed a Model 61 butt plate, but I have a strong feeling that will change. I believe that I may start looking under all of my Winchester butt plates. I did remove the butt plate on my model 54 with a Stainless Steel barrel and found the hole was stuffed with wooden kitchen matches wrapped in what appears to be old waxed paper. Neat idea for fire starting in a pinch! Thanks for sharing. RDB
Thats a really neat find. I always look under the buttplate on anything I get. The more interesting things Ive found was 11 32-20 rounds under an 1873 buttplate and a Marlin that had a note explaining that the 25-36 was a present from grandfather to grandson for graduation. There are the occasional initials either written or etched. Im holding out for that cache of diamonds.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
My exciting find under the buttplate of an old M1897 shotgun was a 1927 Colorado hunting license. Big Larry
Good morning,
You could always run a DNA check on a stand of hair from each lock! Never know where it might lead.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Wow neat find! i’m afraid to look under any of my gun’s butt plates. Might find a note from my wife asking, so how much did you pay for this one?
joe45c said
Wow neat find! i’m afraid to look under any of my gun’s butt plates. Might find a note from my wife asking, so how much did you pay for this one?
Joe,
Now that is funny! My wife has different methods to find out how much I pay for them.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Joe,
Now that is funny! My wife has different methods to find out how much I pay for them.
Bert
Bert,
Please, please don’t publicise her method.
Jolly
Jolly Bill said
Bert,
Please, please don’t publicise her method.
Jolly
OK… I guess I will just have to bear the weight of that cross all alone.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Not sure I agree with removing rifle buttplates unless neccessary. For the number of times that a pot of gold is found there is a chance of damage to the rifle.
I removed a buttplate from a Pre 64 Mdl 70 and a splinter of wood fell off. Anytime a screw is touched there is a possibility of damage ( yes- with the proper screwdriver too.)
Just my thoughts. Dick
November 7, 2015
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Bert H. said
Joe,
Now that is funny! My wife has different methods to find out how much I pay for them.
Bert
Reminds me of the two old gun collectors talking about estate matters. One tells his buddy: “please don’t let my wife sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them!”
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