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Here is a nice M69-A I bought off the Rimfire Forum. It has the serialized bbl. and the grooved receiver is one of the M75 cleanup types with the Lyman rear sight holes. Stock is NOT cut for a rear sight. Got a great deal on this minty M69-A. $355 shipped. Number on the bbl. is # 27446. Just another M69-A variation. Big Larry
Welcome to the club! I have 27675 and 27832.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
cranky2 said
So did Winchester serial number or a dealer?Thanks Jay
Excellent question, wish I knew regarding the barrel numbers but haven’t been able to track it down.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
It has been stated in the past that the numbers are for import to places where a serial number is required, but it seems there is no proof to substantiate this.
If anyone finds out, it will be JWA. Big larry
Thought this may be of interest. Just checked my 69As and found seven with factory serial numbers, the other couple have had numbers put on over here in Australia, as all our guns have to be registered. The numbers are… 22616 23045 23079 23271 23638 24298 25997. Trace
Thank
Michael Brown said
Thought this may be of interest. Just checked my 69As and found seven with factory serial numbers, the other couple have had numbers put on over here in Australia, as all our guns have to be registered. The numbers are… 22616 23045 23079 23271 23638 24298 25997. Trace
Trace,
Thanks for the additional numbers. I have been tracking these for awhile but have not found any in Australia until your post.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Michael Brown said
Thought this may be of interest. Just checked my 69As and found seven with factory serial numbers, the other couple have had numbers put on over here in Australia, as all our guns have to be registered. The numbers are… 22616 23045 23079 23271 23638 24298 25997. Trace
Michael,
Can you give us more information on the ones that were numbered in Australia…such as the number of digits in each serial number, or better yet, a picture of them?
Thank you,
James
Looking at Larry’s rifle I believe they are hand stamped. The numbers don’t look like they are in a straight line.
Do they all look like that?
Thanks Jay
James, As far as the rifles go that were numbered here in Australia, it came about that every firearm had to have a serial number when registration came in. Those that didn’t have a number then it was put on by the owner themselves. As you can imagine they come in all shapes and sizes depending on what stamps you had at the time. Trace.
cranky2 said
Looking at Larry’s rifle I believe they are hand stamped. The numbers don’t look like they are in a straight line.Do they all look like that?
Thanks Jay
Jay,
I have logged several hundred of the those 69A numbers here in the US. All of them are 5 digit and hand stamped. They are all in the same location on the barrel as Larry’s photo. NONE of them are import/export marked which they would have been if sent out of the country and returned. It is possible that they were destined for export and never shipped but I have found way more here in the US than abroad. Most of the 5 digit numbers I have seen appeared to have been stamped prior to bluing (or were touched-up after stamping).
Now, please don’t confuse these numbers with the VERY similar hand stamped numbers on the barrels of the rifles that were shipped to the UK circa WWII. Those numbers are 4 digits or less and are on the early 69’s and 69A’s. They are located on the barrel, slightly closer to the receiver and are not as precise. Those numbers appear to have been stamped after bluing as indicated by the bluing loss in the letters.
I have spent considerable hours of research and record diving to try to definitively establish the origin of the 20,000 series 5 digit numbers on the late 50’s, early 60’s Model 69A’s but cannot find any reference. I only have unproven theories and always looking for more info. Interestingly, almost all of the rifles I have seen with the 5 digit numbers are in excellent condition which may or may not be a clue.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Jeff
Looking at the serial number range you could be talking about several thousand rifle. Odds tell me we should find some in the well used category at least.
As you know Jeff I collect Winchester single shots. Mainly the model 67 but will start paying more attention to the model 69A.
How is the book coming?
Thanks Jay
November 7, 2015
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Another Winchester mystery, hope you address the theories and your research on this subject in your book.
Mike
Stamping import numbers and names on bbls. started in 1968. At least, those coming back. I have a Thompson SMG that was imported back in around 1963 by Interarmco. It is unmarked. We are also familiar with all the M1873 Muskets that were imported in, sometime in the 50’s. None of these rifles are marked.
The Brits did a good job when they sent their stuff back. As far as I know, the markings were applied after they were getting ready to ship all the guns we gave them, back. Metric tons and all that defacing garbage. Sub guns, Garands, M1917’s, M1903’s, and all the pistols and revolvers we sent them. That also includes all the M67 , M68, and M69 22 rifles with scopes. More than likely, many more types.
I am not a fan of import marked guns and do not own any. None of my cheepo 22’s are marked in any way and a lot were sent to Australia and back.
Some research has been done on this subject, but nothing conclusive.
The numbered M69-A’s I have seen were all near to mint. Not at all like the M67’s that the Brits had. Most of those were junkers.
BTW, FWIW, a straight US combat weapon is worth more than a import marked gun. Even the Brit markings tend to lower the values. Big Larry
I agree with you Larry. These model 69A didn’t go to England or I don’t think any other country. Who marked them and why still remains a mystery as well as how they remained in such good shape.
Jay
cranky2 said
JeffLooking at the serial number range you could be talking about several thousand rifle. Odds tell me we should find some in the well used category at least.
As you know Jeff I collect Winchester single shots. Mainly the model 67 but will start paying more attention to the model 69A.
How is the book coming?
Thanks Jay
Jay,
I agree about the thousands of numbers and the unusually high percentage of nicer specimens with the serial numbers. Can’t explain it, that is just what I have observed. Here is the scruffiest one I have in the survey (and even it is not that bad) –
I have seen lots of the same era Model 67’s with the 5 digit numbers also. I own 67A with 30273 on it which is the highest number I have seen on a 67 or 69.
The book is moving slow due to an excessively heavy “regular” work schedule. Have not been home hardly at all this summer. It is almost done but it seems the last quarter mile to the finish line is always the hardest.
Mike,
Without additional hard information there is not much I can say in the book about the 5 digit numbers other than what we have stated here, they may have been stamped prior to bluing, are reasonably consistently located on the barrel with the same font/stamps and are all 5 digit numbers. Anything other than that is just a guess. Wish I knew more.
Here are pictures of 2 of my 69A numbers.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
I guess I should also mention that I have seen a number of the same vintage Model 77’s with similar numbers (same font and location) beside the rear sight but on the opposite side of the barrel due to the charging handle. The 77’s have 6 digit numbers which is also confusing. Here is an example –
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
JWA said
I guess I should also mention that I have seen a number of the same vintage Model 77’s with similar numbers (same font and location) beside the rear sight but on the opposite side of the barrel due to the charging handle. The 77’s have 6 digit numbers which is also confusing. Here is an example –
Best Regards,
Hi JWA. On your marked M69-A’s, are they the very late rifles with grooves and the two blind screws on parts cleanup receivers from the M75 series? I think we opened a can of worms here. BTW, if I didn’t mention it, my M1873 22 short is the sweetest shooting Winchester 22 I have ever owned. It is a lot of fun to shoot. Also did the trigger adjust on the M69-A. Didn’t help much. Have not tested the pull on my M69-A Match rifle yet. Haven’t even fired it. Thanks, Big Larry
Jeff
Hard to tell from the pictures if they were stamped before being blued or after. I’m betting on after. Have you found them in any area of the country or all over?
If you find another numbered 67A keep me in mind. I’d like to have one.
Jay
Hi Larry,
No can of worms here, just a good ‘ole Winchester mystery. All of the 69A’s I have seen with the 5 digit numbers have been grooved (post mid-1954). Not all of them have had the receiver screw holes since that was circa 1959ish and relatively short-lived. Most of them have been catalog model G6902R (like yours) but not all. The 2 rifles I listed from my collection both have the receiver grooved and were Model 75 parts clean-up receivers. One of them even has the Model 75 “Winchester Trade Mark” roll-marking on the receiver which is pretty rare on a Model 69 receiver.
Best Regards,
PS, You have way too many questions my friend. I am calling you with the Ma Bell instrument now. DON’T hang up on me (again)! 
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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