Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Hello. Any opinions regarding the above insofar as collectibility/desirability albeit first manufactured in 1964 and not the typical older Winchester rimfire?
Thanks.
Judging from the sound of crickets I think most of the people here are interested in pre-64 Winchesters. I don’t know anything about the 255, sorry.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
What a way to start off the year! This is the type of question that can really start something, so divide up and get in your corner
– Only Winchesters made by the original Winchester Repeating Arms Co are collectable, pre-divion of Olin.
– Only Winchesters up untill the second world war are collectable.
– Only pre-1964 Winchester are collectable.
– Only Winchesters made in the US are collectable, no Japanese production.
– All Winchesters are collectable.
Did I miss anyone? All joking aside, I love the 200 series of 22’s . They are fairly accurate and extremely reliable. And a blast to shoot. They will become more valuable as time goes by.
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
Offline
I’m totally ignorant of the Model 255, would like to hear more about it. I’m a pre-64 as are almost all of my Winchesters. Which way to my corner, Vince? 😉
TXGunNut said
I’m totally ignorant of the Model 255, would like to hear more about it. I’m a pre-64 as are almost all of my Winchesters. Which way to my corner, Vince? 😉
Sounds like you are in MY corner as a “pre-64” with pre-64 Winchesters. I never really thought of it that way but I only collect Winchesters older than myself.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
I am going to split my corner… I collect only Pre-WW II Winchesters, but I do believe that all Pre-64 Winchesters are collectable. No Model 255 for me!
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
TXGunNut said
I’m totally ignorant of the Model 255, would like to hear more about it. I’m a pre-64 as are almost all of my Winchesters. Which way to my corner, Vince? 😉
Nice to see SOMEONE is open minded enough to be interested to learn something about them. The 200 series was Winchester’s effort to get into the affordable aluminum receiver small arms that were taking the market by storm. They brought out a nice design set of 22’s, the 250 semi-auto right after their plain 150. The difference being a pistol grip pressed-checkering stock of some decent unknown hardwood. Joining the 250 is the 270 and 290. A pump action and the first lever-action modern 22 from Winchester. It is funny that Winchester, and everyone else, seems to have forgotten all about that gun when they came out with the 9422 as they advertised and called the 9422 the first lever-action 22 from Winchester. Anyway, a couple of years into the series they added the 255 , a 22 mag. Semi-auto. They also had deluxe edition too.
The 200 series had some terrible advertising with outrageous depiction of American Indians with the rifles. But the guns were good plinkers. Never had a miss feed or failure to eject from any of mine, with any ammo. The simple blow back action runs real fast and reliable. The black finish on the alluminum does scratch but wears well. I don’t know what wood was used but the deluxe has some figure, as does a few random examples of the rest of the series.n Towards the end of the run, Winchester replaced the forend on the pump model with a black plastic one. I don’t know why, and I haven’t been able to convince myself to add that synthetic abnormality to my complete 200 series collection. Enough off the top of my head.
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
Vince said
TXGunNut said
I’m totally ignorant of the Model 255, would like to hear more about it. I’m a pre-64 as are almost all of my Winchesters. Which way to my corner, Vince? 😉Nice to see SOMEONE is open minded enough to be interested to learn something about them. The 200 series was Winchester’s effort to get into the affordable aluminum receiver small arms that were taking the market by storm. They brought out a nice design set of 22’s, the 250 semi-auto right after their plain 150. The difference being a pistol grip pressed-checkering stock of some decent unknown hardwood. Joining the 250 is the 270 and 290. A pump action and the first lever-action modern 22 from Winchester. It is funny that Winchester, and everyone else, seems to have forgotten all about that gun when they came out with the 9422 as they advertised and called the 9422 the first lever-action 22 from Winchester. Anyway, a couple of years into the series they added the 255 , a 22 mag. Semi-auto. They also had deluxe edition too.
The 200 series had some terrible advertising with outrageous depiction of American Indians with the rifles. But the guns were good plinkers. Never had a miss feed or failure to eject from any of mine, with any ammo. The simple blow back action runs real fast and reliable. The black finish on the alluminum does scratch but wears well. I don’t know what wood was used but the deluxe has some figure, as does a few random examples of the rest of the series.n Towards the end of the run, Winchester replaced the forend on the pump model with a black plastic one. I don’t know why, and I haven’t been able to convince myself to add that synthetic abnormality to my complete 200 series collection. Enough off the top of my head.
Vince,
I am glad you are the champion of the 200 series since there should be a collector for every model. But, the same reasons you mention above are the exact reasons I have no love for the 200’s; aluminum receiver, pressed checkering, unknown hardwood instead of walnut, “black” receiver finish and of course, some plastic parts. Additionally, the ones I have shot had poor triggers (hard to pull) which were not adjustable.
I don’t consider myself close-minded but I guess I never really got over the shock and dismay of Winchester discontinuing the quality blued steel and walnut Model 69 (among others) and replacing it with the new series of rifles designed primarily to reduced manufacturing costs. In 1964 Winchester did not allow anyone to even make a choice between a quality .22 or the low-cost new rifles, seemingly overnight they discontinued EVERYTHING except the Model 52 and replaced it with the new-fangled stuff. Maybe I have just been holding a grudge for the last 54 years……I will get over it eventually. 😉
A lot of collectors seem to gravitate towards the rifles (especially .22s) that they grew up with. My Dad taught me to shoot with his Model 74 and my first Winchester was a Model 69 so that is what I like. There are younger guys who grew up with the 200 series so those seem to tickle their fancy.
There is room for all of us here at WACA, no need for separate “corners” 
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 7, 2015
Offline
Thanks, Vince. Can’t recall ever seeing one. Will keep an eye out for them. Not a fan of aluminum (alloy) receivers as I feel that was an important landmark on the road away from the guns that I enjoy. I think the whole industry changed when metallurgists developed an aluminum alloy strong enough for a receiver and the resulting cost savings started a “race for the bottom” where little other than price matters. Don’t get me wrong; most of my “social equipment” is built around aluminum alloy receivers. Ruger SR1911, Ruger LCP, Colt Defender .45 (series 90), S&W M&P 15, S&W M37 and a few Winchester 1200/1300’s stashed here and there.
Times change, manufacturers have to keep up. Collectors don’t.
Mike
TXGunNut said
Times change, manufacturers have to keep up. Collectors don’t.
I’m more of an accumulator than a collector. I like them all.
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
Offline
Vince said
TXGunNut said
Times change, manufacturers have to keep up. Collectors don’t.I’m more of an accumulator than a collector. I like them all.
I resemble that, lol. I’m trying to be a collector but I find so much neat stuff out there that doesn’t meet the “collector” criteria. My downfall is “character”. Guns 90% and above generally don’t have it. 70% guns generally have loads of it. I like character. I’m trying to focus my efforts on higher end guns but right now I have some other irons in the fire. In recent weeks I bought a trap gun that has likely seen hard use (long ago) for 10-15 years so I balanced it out by snagging a minty 69A.
I think the purists have lost interest in this thread, would you mind posting a few pics of a few representatives of the 200 series, Vince?
I’d have to use tablet camera, someone liked my digital camera and thought they needed it more than me. I’ll try tomorrow.
—-UPDATE—-. Raining no light for photos
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
Offline
Vince said
I’d have to use tablet camera, someone liked my digital camera and thought they needed it more than me. I’ll try tomorrow.
No biggie, figured you had some filed.
Thank-you all for your collective replies. My question was precipitated by the supposition of it being a rare model and lack of interest from the collecting community at large.
Vince, thank-you. I sent you a PM?
Richard.
I had a Winchester 150 .22LR when I was a kid , one of THE most accurate Rifles I ever owned I am searching for them all the time…..
I made shots with that LeverGun that were just phenomenal, probably was a case of excellent fit , that .22 shot right where I looked,…… straight stock ,internal Hammer , that rifle was almost part of ME I shot it so much, brick after brick of.22LR ,running Rabbits, swimming snakes , thrown tin cans , didn’t matter ,I hit everything I shot at.
I actually shot so many rounds I had to have the ejector &spring replaced
I have had two 200 class .22 calibre rifles.Both were self loaders.They did have terrible triggers,but both never failed to fire.Its too bad Winchester was in their cheapen everything up as much as they could phase .If these guns would have been made of quality steel parts ,the trigger had a little work done to it and better sights installed,I believe they could have been a true classic today,right up there with some of Winchester’s other .22 calibre rifles.
The ones I have shot were accurate,but many of them had poor sights affixed to them.I have seen a few,I am guessing later 200 series rifles, that had up graded sights.
TXGunNut said
No biggie, figured you had some filed.
Here at last are pictures of my 200 series Winchesters: 290 semi auto, 270 pump, 250 lever action
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
Offline
Thanks, Vince. Only the auto looks vaguely familiar to me, can’t say I’ve ever seen the other two. I’ve read about the lever but not the pump. Very interesting! All three appear to be in very good condition, thanks for remembering and sharing those pics.
Mike
Have had two Model 190 Winchester self loading 22 rifles.They were the cheap end of a cheap line of 22 rifles.However ,I could never get either of them to jam or malfunction,no matter how dirty or fast or slow I fired them.
Still have one of these rifles and when I bought it ,it was the dirtiest action I ever saw on a 22 rifle.Doubt it had ever been cleaned.Took it to the range before cleaning it, just see if it would work.To my great surprise it did.Not one problem loading or firing with any ammo I put in it, or firing fast as I could or slowly.
It amazed me how such a cheap rifle could work so well.Cannot say that of other self loading rifles I have had, that cost much more.Sights and trigger pull are not the best.Been thinking at some point in time ,I will put a scope on this rifle. Prefer open iron sights,but as I get older and my eye sight gets worse with age,a scope might have to be in the works.
28 gauge said, It amazed me how such a cheap rifle could work so well.Cannot say that of other self loading rifles I have had, that cost much more.
But after all, it’s a Winchester.
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
1 Guest(s)
