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Hi everyone.
I was hoping Jeff (JWA) can advise me on the manufacturing year for a .22 Winchester handed down to me by my father.
It has a Weaver scope and 10 round clip.
[Image Can Not Be Found]
[Image Can Not Be Found]
Apologies… I cannot figure out how to add images… I entered the drive path with file name and it does not work that way. Guidance?
Hi Rod,
As a guest you have to host them on another server/site and then share the link here (click the “chain” link icon above and insert your image link). If it is easier for you, email them to me at Abendshien at AOL dot com and I will post them for you (and comment as well).
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Here are Rod’s pictures –
Wow, that looks like a great shooting rifle that was tailored to someone’s specific needs. Unfortunately, due to the modifications and parts replacement it will be very difficult to nail down a production year. The barrel “may” have a 2 digit date stamp on the underside but in this case that is about as close as I can get. If the receiver is grooved for the scope it is post-mid 1954.
The receiver is a Model 69A G6901R (originally with the 80A peep sight) but the stock is from a 69A G6902R (with the barrel mounted 32B rear sight). The stock has been customized which has obscured the telltales which identify the various styles by date. The barrel has been shortened on the rifle which eliminated the front dovetail and the bolt has either been polished or swapped from a later vintage rifle. In essence, everything we use to reference a production date has either been modified or changed.
In reality, none of that matters and in fact makes the rifle even more desirable as it was your father’s and likely some, if not all of that, was done by his hand. That is a very special heirloom indeed and is probably a tack-driver.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 7, 2015
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All I can say is that Rod’s dad was tall, stocky, good with his hands and good with a rifle. Rifle’s pedigree is more of a recipe but I like it.
Mike
JWA said
In reality, none of that matters and in fact makes the rifle even more desirable as it was your father’s and likely some, if not all of that, was done by his hand. That is a very special heirloom indeed and is probably a tack-driver.
Customized rifles intrigue me–not that I necessarily like all the modifications, but even when I don’t, I’m still interested in observing what someone has thought worth doing–their pet projects. For this reason alone–not because I’m looking to buy more than I already own, which is quite enough–I have a saved search on GB for Model 52s. The custom work I see on them is sometimes very well done, sometimes crude & clumsy, but interesting nevertheless, mostly stock mods such as checkering, grafted cheekpieces, & (most common) built-up PGs, along with purely decorative mods like inlays. Now I wish I’d copied photos of them, but my policy is always to close the barn door after the horses have run away. Somewhat surprising is that the impulse to do this custom work, strong through the ’20s & ’30s, seems to fade away rapidly after WW II, speaking strictly of 52s; seldom see custom work on Bs & later, except for the ones turned into heavy BR rifles.
Jeff, thanks very much for your reply and insight. This rifle performed well for my father when we lived on a farm in Nebraska in the early half of the 1960’s, where large jack-rabbits were such numerous pests. That was where I first learned the habits of proper firearms safety and use from my father. Later as a teenager in the early 1970’s, the rifle was used to sharpen my skills when hunting orchard varmints in eastern Washington. Given that the 69A ceased production in 1963, I figure this rifle has had a productive life for at least 60 years. I will pass it on to my grandsons when they get a bit older.
Rod Hoffman said
I figure this rifle has had a productive life for at least 60 years. I will pass it on to my grandsons when they get a bit older.
Perfect, that is exactly how it should be!
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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