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Since there is no off-set WP proof mark on the barrel, the proof mark is probably under the vent rib, which leads me to conclude that the vent rib and smooth bore work happened after the rifle left the factory. It’s still interesting, but I am dubious that it left Winchester in its present state.
BRP
99.999% odds that it was put together by somebody other than Winchester. Seriously… a solid rubber recoil pad 
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I have to say that all the above comments are accurate.
I know the rifle, and I know the guy who did the work, a long time ago, and passed it off as being correct. Back before computers, I phones and such.
As a matter of fact, I haven’t spoken to the gentleman in years, or dealt with him.
Anthony
Anthony said
I have to say that all the above comments are accurate.I know the rifle, and I know the guy who did the work, a long time ago, and passed it off as being correct. Back before computers, I phones and such.
As a matter of fact, I haven’t spoken to the gentleman in years, or dealt with him.
Anthony
Aaaaannnnddd BAM! A sharp stake of pure Silver driven straight through the heart of another Undead Winchester. Kudos to our friend and vampire nemesis, Anthony. Thanks to you, the poor thing can now rest in peace.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Bill,
That’s funny! I didn’t even have to use my Silver Bullets. LOL! 
It’s amazing how I not only remember everything about the gun, but the small screw holding the vented rib on top of the barrel, in front of the receiver, has the same buggered marks on the screw head, that is ingrained in my mind!
I remember Ned Schwing’s book, Winchester Slide-Action Rifles Vol. 1 models 1890, and 1906, had just come out, (early 1992), and this guy just got it, and made a big deal, about being, a possible, “One of One”, as no model 62 in the book had a vented rib, let alone being a, “smooth-bore”, rifle! A lot of talk in the book, as well as parts of Madis book, back in the day, about possible, “experiment or prototype rifles”. In 2003, Ned Schwing put out his Winchester book Volumes 1&2. including the models 61,and 62. No where is there mention of a vented rib, on top of a model 62, let alone a very desirable squiggly lined matted type rib! This guy had three Winchester .22 caliber rifles, in his collection, all that we’re fussed with in one way or another, yet the same prototype experimental rifle story would come out.
Anthony
Actual Winchester .22 Smoothbore diameter is .221″ which is the bore size on a rifled barrel before the rifling is put in which of course makes the bore larger in the grooves. So it is easy to tell an original with this information. The gun shown is not even close to original.
cjs57,
You make some very good points, bringing up some very valuable information, as you always do, and I can truly appreciate it.
I’m sure that the factual information, you bring to light, is more current, and from more reliable sources, than we’re available, some forty years ago, when I first noticed this .22 caliber model 62 rifle.
Years ago, all we had was the George Madis Winchester Book, that most of us grew up on, and I’m sure that you understand that also. First seeing a, “smooth bore”, rifle in .22 caliber was astonishing to say the least, and in this configuration, as a possible experimentation, or proto type rifle that even the current seller claims at the end of his description, whether it’s negligence to be informed, or to make money, and cover his poor purchase. Probably the later, unless he’s selling it on consignment for someone else, who has made a poor purchase.
Blue Ridge Parson said
Since there is no off-set WP proof mark on the barrel, the proof mark is probably under the vent rib, which leads me to conclude that the vent rib and smooth bore work happened after the rifle left the factory. It’s still interesting, but I am dubious that it left Winchester in its present state.BRP
If memory serves me correct, I think I can recall, a barrel proof mark, under the rib, in front of the receiver, as BRP, indicated in his post. We understand, that if Winchester did in fact do any of this work, the proof mark, would have been offset!
Anthony
All valid points.
The first detail I caught was the price.
The “field style loading port”, more closely resembles that of a gallery gun suited for 22 short, loaded via tube loaders.
Darrin
Darrin,
I forgot about that, and totally missed it, in the pictures.
My mind seems to be cluttered with different thoughts currently, as I remember this guy being big on the trick shooters, back in the day, and might have mentioned the possibility of being used for trick shooting! A lot of stories and conjecture went on in that small shop years ago!
Anthony
The tonic for this Adam Henry and his fraudulent wares is 18 to 24 months in the tender care of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, assigned to the Daniel or Briscoe units that engage in contract farming.
Chopping cotton during a couple of Panhandle Summers can get even the most devious and stubborn con man’s mind right.
The cuisine and social opportunities are nothing to write home about either, unless it’s to beg his wiser siblings to apply for a writ of habeas corpus in his behalf on the Constitutional ground of cruel and unusual punishment.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
If you can share the info Anthony, where did that gentleman that did the work ply his trade..? I ran across a very similar Model 62 at an East Tennessee gun show early last year. It looked a little better than this one and even had an the Winchester butt plate…I saw it on Saturday afternoon for $1200 at one of the tables a young vendor was set up at. I hadn’t seen him at any local shows before. He had 8-10 more nice old guns for sale besides the 62. I didn’t make an offer then, as I thought I’d come back Sunday and if he still had it see if he would do any better.
I came home and researched some internet stuff, several books and references I had, and couldn’t find anything on a 62 smoothbore (I wasn’t a member of this good old site back then). I begin to think it might have been a very, very special Winchester, kind of like that one off thing, and I decided if he still had it, I’d just go ahead and buy it. I went back Sunday morning early and he wasn’t even set up anywhere at the show. The vendors on each side said they hadn’t seen him that morning.
I’ve wondered for two years if that old 62 was legit and still around this area. Thinking back on it. the rifle sure did look factory and original, but after reading these posts I’m glad I still got my $1200…!
Dennis
drice0517,
I thought that I did share the info! At least as much as I’m willing to indulge!!! I will say that he, “plied his trade”, in his shop! You get my point! No good can come out of anything more revealed. Enough was said, and the mission was accomplished.
There’s many Winchesters out there that aren’t correct, or right, but there’s also a lot out there that are. Albeit many might be in collections, but so be it.
We try to help each other out here, as members, and even the guests that visit. That’s what makes this World Wide WACA Forum, with approximately, a little over 3000 members the, organization that it is. So many current, and previous members here, have helped me, as this lifelong hobby, is as good as we make it, or not. We have to give back, but in a careful way. IMO! 
Anthony
One of the dilemmas I have is with the receiver stamped, “W”, in most cases we know that it indicates, a special and different bluing testing that Winchester was trying out, and mainly, from 1939-1941, or there a bouts, as Bert can confirm this. In that regard, I can’t make out the serial number on this rifle, to validate, the time of mfg! Any help with this would be appreciated.
Anthony
Anthony said
One of the dilemmas I have is with the receiver stamped, “W”, in most cases we know that it indicates, a special and different bluing testing that Winchester was trying out, and mainly, from 1939-1941, or there a bouts, as Bert can confirm this. In that regard, I can’t make out the serial number on this rifle, to validate, the time of mfg! Any help with this would be appreciated.
Anthony
Serial # 97714 (1939)
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Anthony said
One of the dilemmas I have is with the receiver stamped, “W”, in most cases we know that it indicates, a special and different bluing testing that Winchester was trying out, and mainly, from 1939-1941, or there a bouts, as Bert can confirm this. In that regard, I can’t make out the serial number on this rifle, to validate, the time of mfg! Any help with this would be appreciated.Anthony
The “W” marking was stamped on the Model 94 and Model 64 receiver frames from March 1939 through February 1941 (based on the PR dates). I suspect that it was the same date range for all other models, but I cannot definitively assert that.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Thanks Bert,
You’re information helps out tremendously here as I’m trying to prove a point, based on facts, and not add to any possible mystery.
I had my friend stop by, with another example, of what I can call a sister to the rifle in question. He chose to make a deal for this, so called, “Experimental”, rifle, in his words, for about half of, or maybe a little more than half, of what the Gun Broker rifle, is the Buy Now Price!
Serial number # 96836A. With all the same similar comparable added similarities, as the one on Gun Broker. This one was looked at by, the Late Felix Bedlan, years ago, at an OGCA show, in Cleveland, that I suggested, to my friend to, get an opinion from, who purchased this from the same guy, that I claimed, the other one came from. Felix said, “No way Winchester did this work”! For those that don’t know or heard of Felix Bedlan, from Fairbury, Nebraska, he was a very well respected, and older gentleman Dealer, from years ago. His wife was a sweetheart to talk to and deal with, as they we’re at many shows back in the day. A no nonsense Dealer that knew his Winchesters! IMHO!
Facts;
I never saw any of these guns put together. Nor did I ever see these two guns together as a pair or set, etc……….
Both of these we’re mfg. in 1939, based on their serial numbers that put them, 878 digits apart.
One of the only differences that I noticed, was the copper solid rivet , in the middle of the top of the vented rib, on the second one my friend owns. The first one shows a small screw, matching the other fasteners on the rib.
Anthony
cjs57 said
Actual Winchester .22 Smoothbore diameter is .221″ which is the bore size on a rifled barrel before the rifling is put in which of course makes the bore larger in the grooves. So it is easy to tell an original with this information. The gun shown is not even close to original.
cjs57,
I did measure the bore at the muzzle. 0.215″, which is pretty close to you’re, .221″, but not being the owner of the rifle, I didn’t want put scratches in the bore, or at the end of the muzzle. I guess what I’m saying is I tried for an accurate, yet what might be a loose measurement. The bore has a nice shiny appearance to it, also!
Anthony
Blue Ridge Parson said
Since there is no off-set WP proof mark on the barrel, the proof mark is probably under the vent rib, which leads me to conclude that the vent rib and smooth bore work happened after the rifle left the factory. It’s still interesting, but I am dubious that it left Winchester in its present state.BRP
BRP,
To me, this is where I start to wonder what’s up with this rifle! If Winchester did the work, wouldn’t they put an offset proof mark, left of the rib, in front of the receiver?
Anthony
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