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I have a Winchester model 61 that I bought from an estate sell along with 36 other Winchesters some 20 years ago. I have recently decided to sell the 61. It is in very good condition-bluing,bore,wood,sites, and action. The serial # is 51183 and it has a grooved receiver and a Winchester plastic butt plate which I am told can not be original to this gun which was manufactured in 1941. I have had 2 refinishing experts look at it and their opinon is that the gun is all factory original. I have not been able to get any help from Winchester! Can anyone give me positive facts on this rifle? If photos are needed it is listed on Gunbroker. Ray Mooring,919-920-3855; email:[email protected]
April 15, 2005
Online
Ray,
The butt plate should be steel, and it should not have a grooved receiver based on the serial number you mention.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 17, 2012
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The plastic buttplates were used on some of the late production Model 61’s and the 61 receivers started to be grooved in about 1955. Double check the serial number to make sure it is posted correctly here. The receivers definetly were not grooved in 1941 since the tip-off style rings were not even invented yet.
Regards
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
March 20, 2009
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[email protected] said
I have a Winchester model 61 that I bought from an estate sell along with 36 other Winchesters some 20 years ago. I have recently decided to sell the 61. It is in very good condition-bluing,bore,wood,sites, and action. The serial # is 51183 and it has a grooved receiver and a Winchester plastic butt plate which I am told can not be original to this gun which was manufactured in 1941. I have had 2 refinishing experts look at it and their opinon is that the gun is all factory original. I have not been able to get any help from Winchester! Can anyone give me positive facts on this rifle? If photos are needed it is listed on Gunbroker. Ray Mooring,919-920-3855; email:[email protected]
Hello Ray,
I have been working on a research survey of the Model 61 rifles for several years now and have cataloged almost 4,600 individual rifle to date. Based on the serial number your rifle was manufactured during 1941. Based on my work the rifle should have the following features: 17 grooves slide handle, drilled and tapped upper tang for mounting a peep sight, a “W” under the serial number, a checkered steel butt plate, and a smooth topped (non grooved) receiver. Is the gun chambered for short, long, and long rifle or is it possibly a long rifle shot only rifle? Please send several detail photos to me at [email protected] and I will be happy to take a look at it.
WACA 61 Survey
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-22-rim-fire/model-61-research-survey/
Model 61 Interim Results
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=534703
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
