Hi Byron,

Sorry for the delay in responding, I was eating turkey yesterday.

There are two different versions of the Model 62 chambered in .22 short only.  Your rifle is Winchester catalog symbol number G6202R (chambered in .22 short).  It should have a 75C front sight and 32B rear sight.  It was made in 1937 and is the “standard” (non-gallery) version of the .22 short Model 62. 

The .22 short Model 62’s with the triangular loading port are catalog symbol number G6204R and were made for use in shooting galleries.  In addition to the triangular loading port the early rifles were equipped with a counter fastener and some rifles were roll-marked with the Winchester logo on the side of the receiver.

Let us know if you have any other specific questions regarding your rifle.

Best Regards,

Beaterbiker said
Cool thanks for the info.Any idea of numbers of these made ???  

Over 412,000 total Model 62’s were produced but I don’t have separate production sub-totals for the G6202R and G6904R in .22 short (not sure I have ever seen that production break-down) if that is what you were asking. 

Best Regards,

Bert H. said

Jeff,

Ned Schwing has sales numbers listed for the 22 Short rifles for the years 1953 – 1959 in his reference book.  It appears that approximately 3% of the total production in those years were 22 Short only rifles (2,294 sold).  I suspect that production and sales of the 22 Short only rifles was similar in preceding years.

Bert  

Hi Bert,

Yes, I have those totals.  I guess I worded my previous response poorly, what I meant was that I have not seen the .22 short model production segregated between the G6202R “Commercial” .22 short and the G6204R “Gallery” .22 short. 

Schwing only lists the totals for the G6202R “Commercial” .22 short, not the G6204R “Gallery” .22 short.  In fact, he does not mention the catalog symbol G6204R at all in his work and states there were only two different catalog versions of the Model 62/62A when, in reality, there were three (G6201R, G6202R and the G6204R Gallery).  He tends to refer to the G6202R generically as a “gallery rifle” although the differences between it and the G6204R are obvious and documented in the sales catalogs as well as evident in physical specimens.

His research and work is usually excellent but none of us are perfect.

Best Regards,

Beaterbiker said
Jeff, 

Thanks for the info,another question, what is the counter fastener you’re talking about???

Bryon  

It was a safety device that kept the rifle pointed down-range.  The counter fastener was supplied by Winchester to attach the rifle to the gallery counter to prevent someone from pointing the rifle into the surrounding crowd.  It was an option that could be ordered either separately or attached to the rifle.  Many gallery owners simply fashioned their own from chain or other components.

Best Regards,

Beaterbiker said
Never seen that before,interesting. Looking for the schwing book also,any leads???  

The gallery fasteners and gallery loading tubes are mentioned in most of the period catalogs alongside the Model 62/62A. 

The book that Bert was referring to is by Ned Schwing and is Volume II of a two book set titled Winchester Slide Action Rifles.   The original hard-back first editions are quite pricey but there was a paperback reprint (with both volumes combined) which can be found for less $$ although still expensive.  In general, Schwing did cover the slide action rifles better than any other author and it is a good reference work.  All are out of print but can be found on eBay, Amazon and used books stores occasionally.

Best Regards,