November 7, 2015

Then again, maybe not. Last night I thought it was a pretty strong 95% gun, figured some optimistic souls might call it a 97 or 98% gun. Came home and did my research and decided to go back for another look. Today it’s maybe a 90% gun. What I thought was handling marks on the side of the barrel turned out to be light rust under my LED light. All the screws were slightly buggared. Not a big problem but not what I want to see on gun in the $1600 price range. It’s a standard rifle in S, L & LR, sn 271154. Bluing, for the most part, was very good. Still had the brushed texture but there was almost no wear on even the edges of the receiver. Manager pointed out the receiver serial number, I’d seen it earlier but dismissed it. Proof marks were a bit suspect but couldn’t say for sure and pics weren’t conclusive. It’s all a moot point anyway, they had too much in it for me to get it at a price I could live with.
I’ll try (again) to post pics, we’d be interested in what the experts think. Probably should have taken more pics but I’d lost interest in the gun.
Rather weird place for a serial number, on the bbl. It appears to be what is commonly thought to be an import serial number, but then, it matches the number of the factory number. There would be no need to put an import number on an already numbered gun. This is a little strange. Maybe JWA has an answer for this one. Big Larry
I’m puzzled at the look of the serial numbers also. I’ve noticed that serial numbers on the model 62,62A are often crooked and larger than the numbers on the earlier 1890 and 1906 models (which are usually smaller, very straight and evenly spaced). Was there a different method used in stamping the serial number on these later guns?
David Gilliland said
Okay throw me a bone here! Don’t claim to be no expert, but the only thing funny looking to me is the 2 “1”s of the SN on the receiver SN. ………..
Dave
I think the two number 1’s is the effect of a phone camera at close up. They are for mid-distance photos. Wish he had shot the proof marks.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
November 7, 2015

No, the “1”s are indeed different heights. The proof mark on the barrel had a bit of a “shadow” at the top. Best I could tell it was stamped after bluing. I wish I had shot the proof marks but lighting wasn’t great in the office and I could only see the shadow with a magnifying glass and my flashlight. Photos may indeed have shown what I’m describing but I didn’t think so. The metal around the tang serial number looks a bit odd as well, some metal was displaced/peened around the numbers and I thought that a bit odd. I’ve looked at a few other 62A’s on the GI sight and the receiver numbers seemed straight and uniform. With the curves in that part of the receiver I imagine it would be a bear to hand-stamp the numbers individually. I’m wondering if that part of the receiver could have been replaced.
I think the proof marks are applied after bluing. That one way to tell a reblue , the marks are blued over.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
November 7, 2015

Guess I’ll just wait for the next one, more than I want to spend right now anyway. Really nice looking rifle but it just didn’t feel right. If they hadn’t put too much into it I’d probably be more interested in it. I’ll post a link when it comes up on their site. There were other guns in the collection but I never got around to prying those out of him. Just as well, I think I need to find a pallet of trap ammo.
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