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Yet another great Winchester .22 rifle found, 1945 vintage Model 61 (pics) UPDATE: Model 63 pics and Winchester family photo added on page 2! YET ANOT

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canoeguy

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Yet another great Winchester .22 rifle found, 1945 vintage Model 61 (pics) UPDATE: Model 63 pics and Winchester family photo added on page 2! YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Range report on Model 63, page 3...

I had almsot given up on finding a good Winchester Model 61 for my collection, this is the hammerless one. A shop near me had one but he never priced it, I think he wanted to keep it for his own collection. They are going for crazy money on the auction sights, so it wasn't looking good.

I put the word on the street at my gun club that I was looking for a Model 61, that same evening I was contacted by a member who had one he hadn't shot in over 20 years. We agreed on a very fair price, and the rifle was mine! Here's some pics:

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Took it to the range this morning, shooting it at 25 and 50 yards. What an excellent rifle, super trigger, a gold bead sight that works instead of obstructing the target, flawless operation. Here's some pics of groups shot prone and sitting at 25 yards:

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Now, I have a line on a Model 63 semi-auto, I'll have the whole family from the 50's era anyway, a Model 61, 62A and a 63.
 
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Another good looking Winchester! Sounds like you've hit the jackpot!

Here's a pic of the only one I have... a .22 pump with a hammer. It has a lyman peep tang sight and a marbles front sight.

PM sent.. :)

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I am so envious! :)

Talk about a beautiful rifle.
Actually, both of y'alls are!

I've got to thinking...when the price of these guns go up so much, the little rifles get shot so little- which is a crying shame.
 
Andy: That is exactly why you have two Model 61s; one to shoot and one to admire. After dinner I might just post a pic of the 'admire' one. ... Big Cholla
 
Nice Winchester! I've watched them on Gunbroker, and yes, they aren't cheap!
 
The M/61 and the M/63 are two of the finest .22 sporting rifles that Winchester ever made. I have a M/61 about the same vintage as yours and two M/63's. My shooter 63 has been reblued, I checkered the stock & forearm and added a Redfield 3/4" 4X scope in a custom mount that I made. It goes to the range about every trip, everyone loves to shoot it. My other M/63 is a Deluxe Model circa 1936, it features checkered 3X wood and super grade style swivels. Winchester never cataloged the Deluxe Model and most collectors have never seen one, most "Deluxe Models" that show up at gunshows are put together guns using wood off of the more common '03 Deluxe.
 
Great 22 rifles.

My father had over 50 at the time of his death. Per his wishes, I sold them and give the money to my mother. Prior to that Dad and I used to plink with a few of them. I preferred the 62 and 62a because I am left handed. Dad like the 61s. He had a couple that had Model 61 marked octagon barrels.
 
Thanks for the pictures folks, it is feeding my Winchester hunger....

Today I was able to consummate a deal on a Winchester Model 63 semi-auto that I have been working on for two years. A local shop has had one on consignment, it had been way over-priced, but the price has steadily come down. Yesterday, I met the man who owned the rifle, talked with him a bit and he lowered the price into the "Reasonable and Do-able" range.

I had to sell one of my revolvers to a forum member to fund the buy (at least the revolver went to a good home), bought the rifle and ran a few rounds through it in the field behind my house to make sure it works. Works fine, looks good, I'll post pictures of it later tonight. I'll take it to the range tomorrow fo a full test. Serial number range puts it at being made around 1947. They sure made a lot of guns post war to sell to returning G.I."s.

Now, guess I'll be looking for a good Winchester 1890 in .22 short....
 
I am particularly fond of the earlier vintage M/63's, the buttstock had a really classic shape with a nicely shaped and defined comb to the stock. The later ones had the stock lines sort of blurred in the interest of ease of manufacture I guess. I picked up my shooter M/63 at a gunshow several years ago, the finish was kinda trashed but hey it only cost me $350.00 OTD. I had the metal reblued without excessive polishing, refinished the stock with a classic hand rubbed oil finish and added checkering in a classic Winchester point pattern. I made a rather unique one piece scope mount for it, the rings and base are all one part and the attaching screws are in the bottom half of the rings. When atached to the rifle the are no visible screws, a Redfield 3/4" 4X scope completes the package. I take it to the range most every trip, everyone loves to shoot it it's the rare trip where it doesn't go thru a carton of ammo. It would be one of the last .22's that I would sell. I also have an early vintage M/61 with checkered steel buttplate that I have similarly checkered and scoped. Both these rifles come from back in the day when you could find worn examples to customize for reasonable prices, i believe that the M/61 also was purchased for $350.00.
 
Here's a pic of the Winchester Model 63 semi-auto I got today, this is the one I've been working on for two years to get the price right. It is not 100%, sling swivels have been added, and a crack has been repaired on the butt stock. I ran a few rounds through it today to make sure it works (it does), so it's off to the range tomorrow to wring it out.

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A family picture with it's post WW2 1940's cousins, a 1949 Model 94 in 30/30, a 1949 Model 62A pump, a 1945 Model 61 and the 1947 Model 63:


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I tried to find the most original and unmolested example of each of these rifles, only the Model 63 has warts to be explained, and not many of those, only the sling swivels and repaired crack.

All of this Winchester love started a year ago when I picked up a Winchester "Ranger" 30/30 as a cheap, knockabout beater rifle. Had so much fun shooting it, I started looking for more Winchesters. I already had a thing for interesting .22 rifles, so the Models 61, 62A and 63 came naturally.....

I think a Model 1890 .22 short is next, and off course a 94/22 when I can find one at a reasonable price.
 
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I posted a picture of a model 74. I don't have any of mine. The finish on mine is not in great condition but it is all original. This model was offered in .22 short and .22LR with the .22 short being the rarer of the two. Mine is a .22 short with a 4 digit serial number which i believe is a 1939 manufacture. I picked it up off a guy who really needed money at the time. I have no real use for the rifle but would like to see it go to someone who will appreciate it for what it is. If you want pics of the actual rifle i take some and send them to you.
 

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Canoeguy,

Wow, that model 63 sure looks like a nice one! I'm glad you were able to get it.

It's too bad you had to part with one of your revolvers... :)
but I can guarantee it went to a very good home. :D
 
Great tread and nice guns. Very timely, must be something in the air about Winchester 22s.
About a week ago I saw a shop on line had a model 74 in 22 short 90% for $230. I wasn't familiar with them and by the time I researched it, the gun was sold. So the 74 became my Holy Grail gun until last saturday when I stopped in a very large gun shop in mid state Michigan and found a 74 on the rack listed in 22 LR close to new condition and a first year gun for $350. I put it in layaway and while doing so I took a real good look at the stamping on the barrel and it was a 22 short!
Then today I went for groceries and on the way stopped for a look see at another local shop. A nice tight 1915 built 1890 in 22 short for $300.
Yep, another layaway.
 
Nice photos of some great old guns.

About a month ago I stopped at the local Gun/Pawn shop to pick up a bottle of Tru-Oil, and saw a 63 on the shelf, marked $495. I've been going to this shop for nearly 5 years, and usually ask about old Winchester .22's and S&W's, but no luck, so this one was a surprise.

Overall good condition, but left side of the receiver has some rust freckles, front sight is a Marble Sheard (a replacement, I presume). S/N dates it to 1957, and it is a great shooter.

At $450 OTD it came home with me.
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