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Wonderful discovery–so exceptional even JWA may be (slightly) envious. (Though I know he has a trove of boxed 69A Match models.) As with all new-in-box guns, however, nothing to DO with it but put it on display.
Ben Tolson said
Thought I’d share over here…. last weeks gun show find. Appears unfired….
Gots to know? How much? Big Larry
All I can say is WOW!!! I’m not a collector of model 69’s etc., but I would’ve been tempted to buy that because it is boxed!
Big Larry said
Ben Tolson said
Thought I’d share over here…. last weeks gun show find. Appears unfired….
Gots to know? How much? Big Larry
pm sent
Hi Ben,
I am envious, nice box! That is the early version picture box (1935-1937), the depth of the 69 picture box was increased in 1938 to accommodate the thicker stock on the Model 69A.
The interior dividers are not quite right, I will send you a photo of the correct layout of the components. Also, the wrapping paper is not original (it should be an oiled Kraft paper) but it will be fun to read the vintage newspaper, is there a date on the newspaper?
It should have come equipped with a -69 marked LR magazine and a -69 marked Short only magazine wrapped in the box as well.
It also would have had the first version of the Model 69 Instruction pamphlet (marked “Winchester Repeating Arms Company – New Haven, Conn. U.S.A.”). Some of mine also came with the Model 69 brochure but I think that was only during certain years.
It should make a nice display, thanks for sharing the photos.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 5, 2014
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Hi JWA-
General question… When did Winchester change from pasteboard to corrugated cardboard in their boxes? If this is a pre-war (1935-37) box it would suggest it happened pretty early.
I have some M70 boxes (sans guns) from as late a 1956 that are still pasteboard. So I’m confused… Pic shown is a legit M70 Varmint rifle box from the 393XXX range. It’s NOT original to the 395XXX gun I’m displaying in it but I’m pretty sure the box is legit from the Corporate address printed on top and the fact somebody wrote the original S/N on top of the box…
Thanks,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Hi Lou,
I am certainly not a box expert and can only speak about the .22 rimfire boxes. I have not seen a pasteboard box used for the .22 models pre-war. All of the pre-war “picture” boxes are corrugated as well as the later plain boxes with the red “W”. The pasteboard boxes that I have are all post-WWII and it “seems” as if Winchester used pasteboard on the larger/longer .22 boxes which contained heavier rifles (they were probably structurally better). I have at least a half-dozen pasteboard boxes from the late 1940’s-early 1950’s for the 69A Match rifles. Corrugated boxes still continued to be used on most .22 models up into the 1960’s, especially for the take-down models in the smaller boxes.
The assembly cost ledgers at Cody contain the packing information for each rifle, including the box number, corrugated (or not), wood insert sizes (if used), dimensions of the Kraft paper and other interesting details. If you have not seen them, they contain a wealth of information. I have posted a simple example of the Winchester Model 63 packing information below, the same information exists for the Model 70, I just didn’t copy it as there are hundred’s of pages and it was not my focus at the time 😉 The more complex packing lists include the stapling of the carton, wood blocks, tape instructions and other details.
Sorry I couldn’t be more definitive for you.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 5, 2014
Offline
Thanks, Jeff!!!
I’m not box expert either, and it’s been pretty near impossible to (accurately) reconstruct the sequence/timing of changes in Corporate address, box end label style, tags, manuals, etc. from existing examples. Too many “NIB” M70s cobbled together using (sometimes real, often fake) boxes/tags/manuals (with “reproduction” end labels), without regard to whether the box is period correct for the contents… 
As far as M70 packaging, I have the (probably incorrect) sense that pasteboard boxes were used up into the red W overprinted “WRACo. Division of Olin-Mathieson Chemical” boxes, although that address appears on later corrugated boxes as well. The change in cardboard seems to have been around M70 S/N 390,000-ish (late 1956 into early 1957). But I’m probably WAY off base…
I’d love to see those assembly ledgers. Thanks for pointing out that they exist. I take it they’re not part of the on-line digital collection? At least I’ve never found them. Just another thing to look for in Cody!!!
Cheers,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Hi Lou,
No, unfortunately they are not available online, they are bound books approximately 11×17 and were not part of the previous scanning project. They disassembled the books to make the copies I requested but it was somewhat detrimental to their condition to do it so I am not sure they allow copies any more. They are well worth perusing as there is a fantastic amount of component and assembly information contained in them.
They are in the MS20 Series listing, let me know if you need a more specific location.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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