Hey gang, been meaning to write up what I know about this gun so it'll be remembered, and I thought some of you might enjoy seeing it.

My father was never much of a sentimentalist. When something stops being useful, he throws it away so our family doesn't have a lot of heirlooms hanging around. However, he did decide to keep his Winchester model 62A and I'm very glad he did. If my research is accurate this particular gun was built in 1941, and was purchased by my grandfather for my father and uncle in the early 60's in Ardmore Oklahoma where he grew up. The previous owner was a Native American gentleman who used it to hunt deer for the twenty or so years preceding that. It is in really excellent shape, though it has some interesting (to me) damage that doesn't really show in the picture. Once my uncle dropped it and broke part of the stock, so it has been repaired and you can still see the fracture. Another time rain got into the basement it was kept in and it rusted, so my great grandfather re-blued it for them so some of the serial number and model engravings are a little blurred. I love it this way, as I would much rather have a gun that shows evidence of my fathers childhood than a pristine museum piece anyway.

It was the first gun my father ever shot, the first gun my sister and I ever shot, and if I ever have kids it'll be the first gun they ever shoot. Sadly, it is currently non-functional though, so I've some work to do before that can happen. When I was around 10 I think (so 94 or 95 maybe) we were up shooting in the woods when the pin that holds the magazine cap came out. It's a tube magazine, so as you would expect the spring and follower came out after it and flung the cap off into the forest, never to be seen again.

We took it to a gun shop, but they said it would be very difficult and expensive to replace and he decided it just wasn't worth it. Took it home, cleaned it and stuck it in the bag where it remained for another twenty or so years.

Fast forward to about three months ago: We were discussing me purchasing my first rifle and my dad offered to let me take the Winchester to see if it would be possible to fix now. Turns out, this wasn't the only gun running this tube magazine, so it won't be hard to source. The only thing stopping me is the fact that the magazine is technically variable capacity as the gun will take .22 S, L, or L.R. and we have a 15 round magazine cap limit in Colorado. If you load L.R. we think it's a 15, but it'll hold more short or long I believe. I don't want the law knocking on my door because I accidentally mail ordered an assault clipazine for my ghost gun after all. I'll figure it out, just want to play it safe.

Here is a picture, and thanks for reading! I hope it was somewhat interesting. I am always fascinated by the elegant simplicity of guns, and this is such a good example. An almost 80 year old gun, and I am certain it would work flawlessly if the magazine would hold cartridges in. I wish everything in my life could be built to that standard.

Attached Images

62A.jpg (34.2 KB, 218 views)

That's a great story. Thank you for sharing it. I wish you the best of success in getting it running. You will probably get several suggestions from your post. I have my Dad's Mossberg 46b, .22 rifle and have great fond memories of my Dad hunting rabbits with it. I also have fond memories of my Mom's excellent preparation of those rabbits for dinner.

__________________
I'm gonna grow fins.

Nice old gun with memories...the best kind of gun!
I would think the magazine wouldn't be a problem legally since that's how it was made. It's not detachable. If necessary, you could always put a plug in it, but doubt if you'd have to.
You could always just load it with LR. Hard to find anything else these days, anyways.

This is from the CO section of the Wikipedia gun law page:

"After July 1, 2013, magazines holding more than 15 rounds may not be sold, or transferred within the state. Specific exceptions exist for family members and antique firearms. LCMs lawfully obtained prior to July 1, 2013 may be kept and used."

That page, btw, can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_la...tates_by_state

It sure seems to me you don't have a mag capacity issue: It was made before the enforcement date *and* I would bet you're covered under the family exemption stated.

You are good to go. See the last two points below:

18-12-301. Definitions. As Used In This Part 3, Unless the Context Otherwise Requires:
(1) "Bureau" means the Colorado Bureau of Investigation created and existing pursuant to section
24-33.5- 401, C.R.S.
(2) (a) "large-capacity magazine means:
(I) a fixed or detachable magazine, box, drum, feed strip, or similar device capable of
accepting, or that is designed to be readily converted to accept, more than fifteen rounds
or ammunition;
(II) a fixed, tubular shotgun magazine that holds more than twenty-eight inches of shotgun
shells, including any extension device that is attached to the magazine and holds
additional shotgun shells; or
(III) a nontubular, detachable magazine, box, drum, feed strip, or similar device that is
capable of accepting more than eight shotgun shells when combined with a fixed
magazine.
(b) "large-capacity magazine" does not mean:
(I) a feeding device that has been permanently altered so that it cannot accommodate more
than fifteen rounds of ammunition;
(II) an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22
caliber rimfire ammunition; or
(III) a tubular magazine that is contained in a lever-action firearm.

__________________
Some collect art; I shoot it!

The Winchester 62A is a great rifle, certainly one of my favorites. It
shouldn't be difficult or expensive to get the magazine tube repaired.
If I understand your post correctly it's just the cap, spring and follower
of the inner tube that are missing. It should be just a matter of
replacing the missing parts.

try gunparts.com. or type in numrich arms.

Brownell's sells repair parts for many tube feed magazines. Also, Rossi makes an excellent copy of the 62 and I'll bet their mag tube would fit right in your rifle.
You need to get that old girl shooting again.

nobounty



Congrats on one of the greats on .22 rifles. The 62A was the only gun my dad ever owned and he kept us feed during WWII with it. Too bad he sold it somewhere along the line!!

Wander around this site for awhile and I think you will be able to find the parts you need:

Magazine tube - Inner- complete with spring and plunger Winchester 1890 - 1906 - 62 - 62A - 61 and Rossi pumps (MT1) Gun Parts antique firearms, Winchester, Marlin, Remington Jimenez, Bryco Jennings, Buttplates, Barrels, Sights, Screws

Awesome stuff, thanks gang! I actually have the follower and spring, though they spent the last two decades crammed into the bag with the rifle so it probably couldn't hurt to replace them as well. I think I have some research to do tonight after work... Can't wait to shoot this thing again.

Very nice gun. I would bring it back to original. I believe your law only applies to new guns and magazines.
Either way, I've never heard of anyone monitoring gun parts.