Another Bee to Add to the Mystery!|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

That’s probably because that’s probably because your honest. The model number looking the way it does on the barrel would make me stroll the other direction.Might be a case of building a rifle to match the letter?

Do we know of any legitimate examples where Winchester changed the model number from 43 to 92 in the manner this rifle was?  To me, it sure doesn’t look like something Winchester would do.

I think I will stick with my 1951 M43 in 218 Bee and try to keep up with Bert and his M43 Hornet 

Old-Win said
From what I can tell, I believe that’s a barrel for a model 65 Winchester. Why would anybody go to all the trouble of using model 65 parts with a bolt peep sight to make up this rifle? Everything looks model 65 but the barrel which is now marked Model 92. The factory must have taken that 92 receiver and used it when assembling the rifle and remarked the barrel to match the receiver stamp.  

I think the simple answer is, they did it for the $$$$$$$$$$

Maverick

rogertherelic said
Regarding Bert’s mention of the “possible” Winchester assembly:  Here are the markings on my ’92 218 BEE.

 I hope this sheds some light on a cloudy subject.  Roger B.  

Roger – I remember your rifle now from previous discussion.  The model marking on yours looks much more professional than the recent example on gunbroker. 

steve004 said
I see it sold for just over $4000.  In my opinion, that is a very ill-advised amount to pay.  I would have passed at $2000 – probably even less than that.  

I’m glad I didn’t pay $4000 for this rifle. Too many red flags, whistles and bells. 

Mike

Bert H. said

Yes, there a few factory converted (and remarked) Model 43 barrels, but the work looks much more professional than the rifle in question.  I am not of the opinion that it is legitimate factory rework.  We discussed this very topic a few years ago here on the WACA forum, and several pictures were posted.

Bert  

All-

If I may ask a naive question…  Here the discussion revolves around the possibility of M43 and/or M65 barrels in 218 BEE being “factory converted (and remarked)” to M92 to match a M92 receiver during parts clean-up assembly.

How did the factory accomplish this?  Presumably these M43 barrels were already roll marked “MODEL 43”, which would require the “43” had to “go away” and then a “92” stamped in its place using separate number die(s).  Bubba, of course, would have just ground the number off, while a forger might use a modern welding technique to fill it in… 

But I’m not seeing any sign in most of these photos that a pre-existing Model number was ground off (resulting in depression in the barrel at that spot).  Was it somehow “built up” to fill the original marking (without disturbing the surrounding roll mark), restamped and reblued?  Did they start from unmarked barrel blanks (no exposed roll markings) and add all the markings at the same time using a roll marking die w/o Model number, which was hand stamped?  Did the factory ever have barrels (for any Model) around that were already roll marked except for the Model number?

Just curious…

Lou

Maverick,  That is a fabulous carbine.  I have never seen the 218 BEE in a carbine configuration.  Especially with a plain pistol grip.  Do you know the serial number?  Roger B.