Hello Bill,

Bert forwarded me your inquiry about your Model 40 Skeet Gun.  

First of all, several bits of information would be of great interest to me for my census (I’ve been tracking Model 40’s since 1995. And currently have data on some 150 examples – I would very much like to add yours to the archive):

a)Serial number. 

b)Cutts expansion chamber:  Steel (blued), Alum. Alloy Bright, or Alum. Alloy Blacked?

c)Cutts Pattern Control Tubes:  Ditto…. (tubes that accompanied the gun when purchased new should be of the same material/finish as the expansion chamber, and also be of the hex-head variety with six wrench flats – not the later round-head variety with only two wrench flats). 

You asked about valuation and disposition….

The Model 40 is perhaps the second-least appreciated Winchester firearm (that designation arguably goes to the Model 40’s predecessor, the Model 1911/11). 

Given the fact that only approximately 12,000 were manufactured in 1940, and that many were returned to the factory in what could possibly be described as the first firearms industry “recall”, they don’t turn up all that often. But scarcity is only one factor.  Demand must also be addressed:  Taking into account zero hunting/target interest, and near zero collector interest, understandably the Model 40 market is extremely “soft”….

Recent Model 40 Skeet Gun sales noted: •SN7, two-barrel set, Ulrich factory engraving, Rock Island Auction $5,500.

• SN1966, Bismarck ND gun show, $700 
• SN304, Sioux Falls SD gun show, $800
• SN51, private sale $1,200. 
• SN1194, aftermarket engraving & wood upgrade, with provenance establishing General Curtis LeMay ownership, ProxiBid auction $4,000. 

As indicated, these are retail gun show/auction prices.  Because of the difficulty in marketing this model and assuming you wish to sell, I’m guessing that if you were to walk into a gun shop or gun show with your gun, you would probably be offered less than half of these retail sales figures. Perhaps you have access to placing this example on a friend’s gun show table. 

Depending on where you live and local gun laws in effect, perhaps a private sale through a newspaper or marketplace ad might also be a sales venue. 

Looking forward to learning more about your example. 

Sincerely’

Greg Dockter

[email protected]

Greg-

I suspect Bill was one of our drive by posters. I found your post interesting and informative, FWIW. 

Mike

Hello Erich & Jeremy,

You’ve both no doubt reviewed posting #2 with my thumbnail history of Winchester’s second ill-fated attempt at marketing a self-loading shotgun, along with suggestions for marketing. 

GunBroker.com currently has a field grade Model 40 offered for sale. The asking price must be a deterrent factor, as this example has gone through multiple auction cycles. 

Erich, thanks for the Serial Number and barrel choking information on the example from your grandfather. Before I can add it to my census listing, I need to know the barrel length, 28” or 30”. One more bit of information would be the barrel date code (39 or 40) on the underside breech end. 

Likewise Jeremy, the same information on your example would be most appreciated. 

Sincerely,

Greg

Here’s Erich’s pics:

Looks like a pretty nice example. I think mine also has a butt pad installed, I think that’s pretty common since they have a reputation of being a mule kicker!

Greg Dockter said
Yes Jeremy, I believe you’ve already given me your data. Thanks for the repeat!

Your five gun lineup sounds like the making if a killer gun-show display, perhaps at the WACA gathering some summer at Cody??????

Sharing this information Jeremy with a suggestion to round out your collection with a1400, as they were produced beginning 1964 – after the 50/59’s, and before the SX-1’s.

 

No problem! Yes I would like to display it at Cody (went last year), not sure when I’ll make it back up there, at least more difficult until my first retirement here in about 5 years…maybe I’ll refine at something down here in Tejas and then go big later!

You know, I looked at the 1400 as part of the timeline before and think I just plain forgot honestly. Don’t threaten me with a good hunt! 🙂

Zebulon said
Good morning, guys. I’ve enjoyed looking at your Model 40 images.  I’ve never seen one in the flesh. Wasn’t this Winchester’s second attempt to break into the automatic shotgun market that …. uhhh, didn’t do so well?  My paternal grandfather owned a  Winchester 1911, the first attempt. He died about a year before I was born, so I never knew him or saw the shotgun. My Dad, who was not a gun nut but hunted waterfowl and small game, could only describe it by saying its  barrel had a knurled section near the muzzle that you grasped to push the barrel down, to unlock and charge the breech.  No charging handle. It wasn’t until decades later I could show him a photograph from Ron Stadt’s book of a 1911, which he recognized. 

It’s a curious coincidence that yesterday the mailman delivered Shirley and Vanderlinden’s third edition of Browning Auto-5 Shotguns: The Belgian FN Production. It may seem almost sacrilegious but, for a display of Winchester automatic shotguns to be truly complete and educational, the first gun in the display ought to be an early Standard Twelve Auto-Five, followed by a Winchester 1911, 40, 50, 59, 1400, etc. 

Jeremy, if you wind up with that or any other Model 40, I will say bad things about your ancestry if you don’t eventually let me shoot a magazine’s worth of shells at clay pigeons with it. That would check off a long-standing item on my bucket list.

  

Bill that’s exactly the plan, I’m on the hunt for a very nice condition Belgium-made auto-5 to include in the “story”, although it won’t likely be a turn of the century one….I’m good with a nice 50’s to 60’s example. There are a few good ones out there, just been waiting for the right deal. Now I have to get a 1400 too HAHA it never ends.

…and I can do you one better and let you shoot both my 1911 and my model 40! 🙂

That sums it up well.  I flinch every time I see an old ’97 because my uncle’s was the first one I ever shot, at age 12, and was the last 12 gauge I shot until I was 23 when I bought my first Browning Light Twelve. The unpleasant memory of that hard steel buttplate stayed with me for quite a while.