I have a very nice condition 1939 model 62, but the problem I have is the bolt will not stay locked. I can have the hammer on safety or full cock and the slide will still open the bolt fully open. Is this normal on a 62? as my 06 locks until the firing pin is depressed. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Roy,
Welcome to the WACA forum!
No, that is not normal, your 62 should function exactly like your 1906. With the bolt closed and the hammer cocked or on the half-cock “safety” notch the handle should not be able to move rearward and open the bolt.
The firing pin has a small triangular shaped teat on the left side that protrudes out of the left side of the bolt. When the firing pin is pushed forward by the hammer the teat is pushed forward also which allows the bolt to pivot upward and open. When the firing pin is rearward (when the hammer is not resting on it) the teat locks the bolt down.
First check that the firing pin spring is pushing the firing pin rearward and the firing pin is not “stuck” in the forward position. If it is free then remove the bolt and check the teat on the left side of the firing pin as they do break occasionally.
In either scenario I would not use the rifle until it is repaired as a slam-fire or firing with a partially open bolt could occur. Hope that helps.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Here is the firing pin teat I am talking about on the left side of the bolt. The close-up shows the small triangular shaped teat which if worn or broken will allow the action to open with the hammer in the cocked position. You can click on the picture to enlarge it. These photos are from a 1941 Model 62A. Let me know if yours looks different as it may not be a 62. I have seen 62 replacement barrels on Stevens Visible Loaders and a few other rifles. And, of course it is also possible to install a 62 barrel on a type 2 1890 with has the earlier style bolt with recessed lugs.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
roy slover said
I wish I could e-mail you a picture of my bolt as it does not have that slot nor is the firing exposed as in your picture.
If that is the case then your bolt is possibly the earlier style bolt as Rustyjack mentions in the next response.
All of the Winchester 1890, 1906 and Model 62A bolts had the triangular shaped teat and locked the same way. As Rustyjack mentions, the 62 bolts from 20,000-98,000 were changed to a different style with a pin and locking plate.
To prevent confusion I have edited this response to reflect the transitional style bolt described by Rustyjack. I wish you could post pictures also as that is always a huge help in trying to troubleshoot a problem.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
It may be that you have the single pin style breech bolt used on a small number of Model 62’s from ser. no. 20,000 to 98,000.
It has a very different lock up design than the three pin style. I can’t find a picture online, but it is shown in Ned Schwing’s big book on the slide action rifles (model 62 pg 445-446). It uses a flat wear plate as part of the lock up mechanism and has only one pin (extractor pin) visible on the top side.
From the HomesteadParts.com website on the Winchester model 62..
“In 1935 Winchester changed the locking system from a 3 pin to a one pin. (look on the top of your bolt at the number of pins) you will see the one-pin breech bolt from about serial number 20,000 to as high as 98,000. When they did this the facory stamped the letter A behind the serial number of the mod 62s. “
Dang it,
Rustyjack is right, I completely forgot about the single pin early bolts with the funky side plate, 1939 would have been about the last year for them.
I have attached a photo so that you can see the difference but it now seems obvious from your description that you have that odd transitional bolt. As Rustyjack stated, they went back to the original style (with the triangular teat) after about serial number 98,000.
So, with that system, make sure the pin is not worn or broken and the locking plate is in the proper position (not stuck in the “up” position). My guess is that your locking plate bottom “catch” finger is worn or broken (not shown in the picture). I think you will have to remove the bolt from the receiver to check it out.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Also, my bolt does have a single pin in the top of the bolt, and my serial # is 94778A. From the look of the pin in the side, you would have to remove the extractor to get this pin out, because you can push the pin flush in and push it back out by inserting a very small punch by inserting it next to the extractor pin
Hi Roy,
The pin goes transverse through the firing pin so you may be right in that you can push it out next to the extractor but I have never tried it. The pin is straight all the way through the firing pin so if it is in fact worn you can probably just swap it end for end and that will expose a non-worn surface to the plate.
Having said that though, the wear on the pin usually prevents the bolt from unlocking, not locking so I am not so sure that is the problem although if there is visible wear it probably should be replaced or reversed anyway. If the locking finger on the side plate is not worn or broken I would then look inside the receiver at the recess located in the left side rail that the locking finger drops into. If it is worn or chipped (not a sharp well defined corner) the locking finger can ride over the rounded/worn edge and allow the bolt to open. That would be my next guess of your problem.
For parts (in no particular order) I would try:
http://dickwilliamsgunshop.com/
http://www.poppertsgunparts.com/index.htm
http://www.outbackgunparts.com/
http://www.gun-parts.com/index.html/
Hope that helps.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
I would like to thank everyone who took the time to send me pic’s and gave me so much of their knowledge to identify my hard to find locking system on my model 62. As of now Homestead Firearms are gearing up to machine parts for this locking system (bolt) that usually failed. Usually the pin or the locking plate, they also have the firing pin for this bolt. Again thank you all very much. Roy
Glad we were able to help! Let us know when it is back up and running again.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
I had installed a barrel liner and reblued a mistreated model 62. When I reassembled it I found that the breech bolt did not lock. It sat in the cabinet for a couple years until today. I had to weld up and refit the engagement surface on the (bolt lock?) so that it firmly held the action slide firmly in the forward position. A very tedious and time consuming job. Better than new now. I have a picture but can’t figure out how to upload it.
Do NOT use Photobucket as the hosting site as they just shut off all of my third-party hosting. Try Imgur.com, they are still free at the moment but warn against account closure due to third-party hosting as well.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
HELP! I have a customer gun with this same problem. It will not lock up.
One pin bolt 54XXXA
If I put one finger with light pressure on top of the bolt she’s locked up like Fort Knox, but without that she opens if I look at er sideways.
Kimmel
Basement “Hobbyist” NOT a gunsmith…
JUST in case anyone is keeping track I have a mod 62 ser# 181xx that has the one pin breach bolt and no -A on the serial number
I double posted this yesterday, I deleted the first post and the moderator must have deleted the second not knowing I had deleted the first….
Darn shame Cody does not have the records on these, I can’t get over how sweet this little rifle is, wish I had bought one years ago!!
[email protected] said
Found them at Homestead parts. All right!
Glad you found it!
You can copy the links from the above post, most of them are still valid for parts if you ever need anything else in the future.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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