Back in 1972, Winchester Repeating Arms, in New Haven, Connecticut was making a valiant attempt to modernize their plant with some pretty nice new CNC milling equipment. In that year, they had taken the design for the old pump-action Model 61 which had been abandoned in '64 as too expensive to produce, and updated it into a look-alike of the Model 94 lever action. The objective, which was refreshing after years of cost-cutting, was to make a premium .22 lever rifle of the best materials. It was to be reliable, accurate and something that could be passed down from generation to generation proudly. And they succeeded. Real milled steel. Traditional half-cock safety. Cut-checkered walnut on some models. Grooved for scope mounting (if you wanted to). It had a take-down feature, and the barrel could be cleaned from the breech. The new rifle was made right, looked right, and performed admirably. It was christened the Model 9422. It was made until 2005, shortly before USRA closed the doors of the old Winchester plant in New Haven. Production figures are unknown, but there were probably around 850,000 made (my estimate). The last ones were special tribute models, of which 9,422 were made, and these were so inscribed on the barrels, together with the horse and rider logo on the right side. They were last offered in the 2006 Winchester catalog.

In early 2006, realizing that these classics would probably never be made again, I wasted no time going down to my local gun store. I found a tribute model, new in the box, complete with accessories, papers and hang tag. I was one happy camper except for one thing. It was a safe queen. I needed a shooter.

Not long after that, I found a shooter, a traditional XTR model, which had the high polish, glossy stock and checkering. It was in excellent condition, and I snapped it up. What a fun gun!

I thought I'd post a picture of the two .22 LR guns. The differences are actually few - the tribute model has a satin stock finish, while the standard model is glossy. A small difference is that the earlier gun has a steel inner magazine tube, while the 2005 model has a brass one. Although it looks like the lower rifle is a bit longer, that's just an optical illusion created by the camera angle.

I don't know if Winchester will ever resurrect the 9422 - if they do it will probably be made in Japan. I'm sure happy that I have mine. If you find one or more at gun shows, you'll be looking at a modern classic, and one well worth considering. Values have taken off in recent years; they were never cheap, so be prepared to do some heavy negotiating.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I had one from the mid 70's in .22 WMR. It was a tackdriver. Traded it off to my cousin for a 4" M-66 several yrs abck. he still has it and it's accounted for quite a few MT varmints.

They don't build them like THAT anymore.

Good stuff,I've always wanted to put a collection of Winchesters repeating .22s together.Pumps and Lever's for me.What an evolution.

I just took some pics of my 62a today but they won't load.I'm gonna have to learn photobuck or something.

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Dum vivo cano

My Dad has the standard version with gloss finish; he bought it in the mid-70s. Probably the only firearm of his I hope to inherit some day. Great little rifle!

I had a standard model that I bought in about '73. Sold it in '79. Boy, that was a mistake!

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Never owned a 9422 but have shot them. Great little guns.

Paladin,

Thanks for the great information, I thought the 9422 had a similar mechanism to the Model 61, but wasn't sure.

If the 9422 is ever made again (in Japan), I bet it would cost over $1200 new. Makes what seems to be high prices for the 9422's out there a relative bargain. I'll pick up another shooter grade if I can find one...

Canoeguy

I have a pre '64 Model 94 in excellent condition that was given to me by my Grandfather before he passed away. I wanted to go deer hunting and I didn't own a deer gun. He loaned it to me and when I killed my first deer with he told me to just hang onto it, I might need it again. I miss that man. It was a long time before I realized what I had. Fortunately in my ignorant youth (I'm still ignorant by the way) the one thing I did was take care of my guns. Its still in excellent condition after all these years. I think I dated it via the serial number somewhere around the mid 1950's years. (I can't recall the exact year right now.)

Anyhow, all that being said I learned of these 9422's about a year ago at a gun show in Birmingham. (I never was much into lever guns, or long guns for that matter) but I had been bitten by the rimfire lever action bug after I saw a buddy had a Marlin in .22lr. I wanted a lever rimfire but I wanted something cool. I felt like the 9422 fit the "cool" niche perfectly. Since that time I have picked up 2 model 9422's. One in long rifle and one in magnum. Both first year 1972 production with 5 digit serial numbers. The magnum is in better shape cosmetically, but both are in great shape. I hope my son will appreciate his triple set of 94 model levers when he gets them.

Yours are very nice by the way, I wouldn't mind having one those XTR models myself.



Here is a photo of the 9422 .22 magnum.

I was just shooting my 9422 today. I put 350 rounds down it at the right for plinking at metal gophers. Lots of fun and boy is it quick with the peep sights.

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SWCA 1646

My dad was a scout master for many years and for his birthday one year we got him one of the Boy Scout 9422's. I still have it and it is a fine looking rifle.

My all-time favorite gun is a 4-digit 9422 with non-checkered stock that I bought at age 14 with money from a summer job in 1974. Tens of thousands of rounds later it is still my favorite. Taught my kids to shoot with it. Now my son lusts after it and won't settle for anything else but a non-checkered gun just like mine. No luck finding one in my parts.

Luckily it is such a well made gun it should still have plenty of life left in it when my son talks me out of it someday (not soon though )

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Jon

I couldn't agree more! They are classic rifles and still pretty easy to find the standard models from $500 to $900 for a NIB one.

I have two: one trapper model XTR (checkered wood) and an earlier model w/o checkering.

On the early one I have installed the long nose forearm from one of the special models that also came with a 24" barrel. And I replaced the buttstock with a spare one I picked up and trimmed to the pre war carbine shape butt with carbine curved buttplate. It's my favorite and has the looks of the original 30-30 Saddle Ring Carbine.

Both are tack drivers with flawless carftsmanship.

A full collection of the various standard and limited edition models made over the 33 years of production would be about a dozen versions.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I have one of the Model 9422 Classics from 1986. It's the model with the non-checkered pistol grip stock, steel crescent buttplate and curved lever. It looks like a scaled down Model 64. It's a beauty and shoots very well with open sights.

Nice! The "Legacy" model with long forearm wood?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I bought my 1973 9422 on the internet here in France back in 2007. Paid 600€ for it. Very expensive but I wanted it, so I paid. A nice gun. Fairly accurate, considering I am not the most accurate shooter in the world. The blueing is perfect, but there are a couple of marks on the wood. I don't shoot it as often as I should.

By comparison, I bought my 94 30-30 a year earlier for 300€, shortly after I heard the factory had closed. It came complete with original manual (but not the box), brass cleaning rods and carrying case. It also came with 5 boxes of Winchester ammo. Now that was a bargain. The ammo alone would have cost me about 100€. There was a slight rust mark on the outside of the receiver and a couple of marks on the wood. I asked a local gunsmith to treat the rust mark. When I got it back he had simply rubbed it down to bare metal. Never mind. I love shooting that gun.

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Kill it, cook it, eat it.

I feel like such a dummy on this. I passed up the 9422, a Browning BL-22, and a Marlin 39A for a Henry... It works fine and it shoots straight but it will NEVER be the equal of that 9422. At the time I just didn't know why one was so much more expensive. Sigh...

In 1972,while attending TCU, five of my classmates and I went to the Cullem and Boren store at Seminary Southand bought the first six 9422M's they got in. Two went to Florida,one went to Colorado,one made a short trip up to Saginaw, one to Midland,Texas and and mine to east Texas...At our 35th reunion the llitle rifles came up in conversation and all are still owned by the original buyers-all are quiet well used as they were carried daily as ranch guns...wonderful little rifles

Just like ol'geeser, I also got mine, new, in Ft Worth about the same time. The s/n is F247XX, so I'm assuming it was about that 1972 time frame. Mine is also well worn, with miles of memories attached. It is, by far, my most favorite open-sight rifle. My kids will enjoy it. Is there a S/N DOB list available for Winchester 9422 rifles????

Found one today for $450. Smooth wood stocks and pretty decent condition. Should I be leaping through my butt right now?

Snatch it up or tell me where it are......

Here's one that may be be helpful:

94/22 Dates Of Manufacture - RimfireCentral.com Forums

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Thanks for the link. It looks like I did get it in 1972. My, how time flies! Oh, I forgot....Great article!!

Please post 2 pictures: #1 being the rifle I'm sure you will be buying, and #2 being the anal gymnastics you described.

From the rimfire.com link it looks like my 4-digit rifle is a first-year of manufacture gun.

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Jon