TXGunNut said
Michael-

Do you have some idea how many 61 Magnum rifles were built? Maybe even how many had the early barrel marking? Madis’ treatise on the subject is lacking and only somewhat correct.

Thinking pretty hard about adding Schwing’s second volume on the 61’s and 62’s to my growing library.

 

Mike  

Good morning Mike,

I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Schwing’s book.   But, I will warn you that they do come cheap when you find one.  

I started my Model 61 survey in an attempt to answer questions just like this.  For as good as the Schwing book is there is little accurate population statistics based on a large sample of known rifles.  Here is a reply to the same question asked back in November 0f 2016.  I will work on recalculating the numbers for the larger sample I have now and also post that data.

The magnum version of the Model 61 was introduced during 1960 and therefore made for the last 4 years of production. Based on the data I have collected the production range is from SN 284081 (the earliest magnum chambered SN I have catalogued) to SN 349288, ( the last magnum recorded and also the highest serial number I have) for a total production range stretching over of 65,207 rifles. In this range I have catalogued a total of 969 representative rifles of which 653, or 67.4% are magnums. That percentage of the total 65207 would result in 43,949 magnums having been produced between mid 1960 and the end of production in 1963.

And do be aware of this post which I put up on the RFC forum in December of 2016.

If you look at the data presented by Schwing regarding the number of individual rifles produced there is a problem. For the year 1960 he shows on chart 61-3 on page 125 that the Standard rifle in S,L,&LR sold 9,848 units. On page 126, chart 61-4 indicates that 14,154 Magnums were sold. That is a total of 24,002 total rifles produced. There were a few LR Shot only but that number is minimal. Now, if you go to page 120 and look at “end of year” serial numbers that “data” shows that there were 30,322 total rifles produced! Houston, we have a problem because there are then 6,320 rifles unaccounted for!!!!! 

If you look at the same data for the year 1961 it works out to there being 1,142 less rifles produced than were sold!!

I can not speak to the viability of Ned’s work or the accuracy of his data. In my survey, and the results I derive from it, are based using the end of year SN information in Schwing’s book (supported by PR records from up to 1954 and “records kept by the production manager” from 1954 to 1963 p. 116) and then sampling the rifles that we collectors are exposed to in the auction world. I have no reason to think that one Model 61 chamber variation would be preferentially being sold and thus skew the results.