Heading says it all, what are your thoughts? It’s a question I’ve pondered for quite some time…..
They did it with the 61 in the same time frame, why not the 62-62A?
Lost the drawings for the WRF lifter specs?
Not enough market share or competing against their own 61? They could of used the same barrels and magazine tubes as the 61….
Erin
Erin,
My theory is that the Model 62/62A was designed as an improved Model 06, and the Model 06 was never made for the 22 WRF. Winchester continued to manufacture parts clean-up Model 90 rifles in 22 WRF as late as November 1940.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert,
I can go along with that, however if you take the walnut stock and the lengthened barrel I would call it more of a compromise between the 1890 and 1906. When the 06’s and 90’s were discontinued the 61 picked up the WRF chambering and as you mentioned the 62/62A stayed with the 06 chambering. Yep, sound theory.
Thanks for the input!
Erin
jban said
When I read this the other day I wondered if sometimes decisions like this might not have just been a matter of designers at Winchester accepting the fact that 22LR was the direction things were heading. Was there anything about the WRF cartridge that was an advantage?
Why sure… a 45-grain bullet (vs. a 40-grain bullet), and with a slightly higher velocity (1,320 fps). It also uses a non heeled bullet, and newer ammo is jacketed. While I do not always agree with Chuck’s analysis, his description here is accurate – .22 WRF (.22 Rem. Special) (chuckhawks.com)
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
rogertherelic said
This would have required additional changes to the carrier and receiver design as well as the different bore size. RDB
The 1890, 1906, 62, 62A carriers are interchangeable between any of the models. The only difference in the receiver is the hole diameter in it the cartridges pass through coming out of the magazine tube and it’s not much of a difference. They were making .224 Dia. barrels for the model 61 WRF so not a big deal there to fit it to a 62. Same with the magazine tubes, they were making them for the 61 in WRF. It would of been very easy for them to adapt the 62 to shoot WRF’s but evidently Winchester figured one pump 22 WRF in their lineup was sufficient.
Erin
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