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I have seen several early (1930’s) model 64’s and that have some missing blue areas on the receiver. When questioned, the answer is that Winchester had a problem with receiver blue flaking on early in the 1930’s. The issue was later corrected. I have more experience with model 70’s and I do agree that the very early rifles (serial numbers less than 20,000) usually have some blueing lose on the floor plate. In fact I have assumed a very low serial number model 70 has a re-blued floor plate if it looks too good. The troubled bluing process included using bone and heat? What is the truth?
If there was a bluing issue with very early 64’s, did Winchester factory re-blue the receivers if a customer had an issue?
Any answers would be appreciated.
Winchester used carbonia bluing from the end of WW I up through 1938. In early 1939, they switched to the Dulite bluing (which eliminated the flaking problem). The flaking problem was at its peak during the mid 1920s through the early 1930s. When Winchester began using Proof Steel (chrome-moly), the flaking problem abated somewhat, but did not completely disappear until the bluing Dulite.
If a customer sent a gun back to Winchester because the bluing was flaking off, Winchester would have refinished it. That stated (and based on personal observation), very few were ever sent back because of the bluing issue.
From February 1939 – February 1941 (after the switch to Dulite bluing), Winchester stamped a “W” below the serial number on the Model 64 and Model 94 after the receiver frame was blued as a quality control check of the bluing. I have documented (505) Model 94 & 64 Carbine & Rifles with the “W” stamp on them in the 120000 – 1267500 serial number range.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Thank you for the reply. That also solves the mystery of why those “W”s are on both a 1940 .20ga and 1941 .16ga model 12’s.
FLT said
Thank you for the reply. That also solves the mystery of why those “W”s are on both a 1940 .20ga and 1941 .16ga model 12’s.
I have observed the “W” stamp on several different Winchesters; e.g. the models 12, 55, 61, 63, 64, 65, 94, and 97.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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