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January 27, 1992
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Curious description of a Model 61 coming up for auction at Rock Island Auction Co. 5-20-23. Lot 3043 is described as an experimental Model 61 chambered in 22 W.R.F., with a round barrel serial #141314. I have a Model 61 round barrel chambered in 22 W.R.F. serial #68151. The description says it is stamped “EX” on the receiver front after the WRF marking making it an “Experimental Model”. Does this seem correct? Thanks, RDB
November 7, 2015
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Roger-
I can only guess that the chambering was not the “experimental” feature. RIA will have a large presence at the TGCA Waco Show in two weeks, if the gun is there I’ll try to learn more about it.
Mike
January 27, 1992
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Thank you Mike. That would be great. Just curious. I have managed to pick-up a few unusual Winchesters and am always drawn to the unusual. RDB
March 20, 2009
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That is a new rifle for my survey but certainly nothing unique about it in the production time frame. Here is a small portion of my spreadsheet showing the other RB .22 WRF configurations that I have seen.
Lot 3046 is also “interesting”! This is the fourth time it has been auctioned at RIA! Dec 2017, Dec 2019, Sept 2020, May 2023
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
November 7, 2015
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I did not see the rifle in question at RIA’s tables at the TGCA Show in Waco today.
Mike
January 27, 1992
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Thanks for trying. The mystery remains. 
RDB
January 7, 2014
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I own a model 61 standard 22 S.L.LR S/N 105173 with letters EX stamped on the front of the receiver. I believe to be an inspectors mark. Not being able to see the location and size of the letters on the RIA’s 61, I am lead to believe that the EX is an inspector’s mark. Within my collection of 61s of over 35 owned at one time I have seen the inspector mark EX several times.
There is also some confusion between WRF and 22 Magnum in RIA’s description.
Another question!! I own a round barrel WRF S/N 151448 that is stamped on the side of the receiver front with an inspector mark stamped over the F which makes it difficult to read the inspector’s mark. I posted this a couple of weeks ago on the forum (maybe in the wrong place). There was only one comment made. Is this rifle a fake? Has anyone seen a round barrel WRF stamped this way? By the way it shoots WRF ammo great.
March 20, 2009
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Win61 said
I own a model 61 standard 22 S.L.LR S/N 105173 with letters EX stamped on the front of the receiver. I believe to be an inspectors mark. Not being able to see the location and size of the letters on the RIA’s 61, I am lead to believe that the EX is an inspector’s mark. Within my collection of 61s of over 35 owned at one time I have seen the inspector mark EX several times.There is also some confusion between WRF and 22 Magnum in RIA’s description.
Another question!! I own a round barrel WRF S/N 151448 that is stamped on the side of the receiver front with an inspector mark stamped over the F which makes it difficult to read the inspector’s mark. I posted this a couple of weeks ago on the forum (maybe in the wrong place). There was only one comment made. Is this rifle a fake? Has anyone seen a round barrel WRF stamped this way? By the way it shoots WRF ammo great.
I have SN 151448 in my survey and it is the last round barrel WRF rifle in a group coving almost 100 SN’s that are identical. Most likely it is real. I rarely have sufficient images in the auction listings from which I gather data from to be able to comment sufficiently on the “EX” stamps. But I will take a look at my 30 Model 61’s when I get back home in a few days.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
