Winchester Model 61 .22 rifles

rchall · Aug 29, 2011

Have been checking out the prices of Win. 61 rifles on some of the on-line gun sites. It seems they have gone through the roof in the last year.
I bought 2 a few years ago and had less than $1,000 in both combined. Now you can't find one for less than that amount that has any condition to it. Has there been a run on 61's that I missed??

canoeguy · Aug 29, 2011

I looked and looked for one for years, couldn't afford the auction site ones. Finally put the word on the street at my gun club that I was looking for a Model 61, and a club member sold me one in excellent conditon for $500, he hadn't shot it in 25 years. It's a great rifle, one that every Winchester collector has to have, or anyone that values a great .22 rifle.

There are fewer of them out there because they were so expensive compared to their competition. In 1961, you could buy a Sears brand .22 repeater for $16.50, a Winchester Model 61 was $75 or so (I remember seeing a reciept for one from that time period). The only folks who could afford a good Winchester were folks making good money...

Good condition Model 61's and Winchester 9422's are like money in the bank, you can't go wrong.....

rchall · Aug 29, 2011

I sure would like to find one for $500 now. These auction prices are like almost ridiculous. I keep kicking myself for letting go of the ones I had. Sure wish I had them back now. So, guess I'll keep looking till I find one that's in good, original condition and can afford it.

Quiet Man · Aug 29, 2011

Last 61 I have seen locally had approximatley 70% blue and some finish wear on stocks. Price was $600 and it sold very quickly. I have kept an eye out for some time for a 61 .22WMR, the very nice ones seem to be $1800 +. It seems the 9422, since it was discontinued had taken large increases in price also.

2152hq · Aug 29, 2011

61's seem to have taken the biggest jump in price. The 63 and 62 and 62A aren't far behind though.

Add in a few things like pre-war mgf,,oct bbl, 22short or a 22shot and prices really sky rocket.
Lots of recently upgraded 'Deluxe Grade' Winchester 22's of all 3 models around complete with 'original' boxes and paperwork. Just be aware.
There's no factory records on these to confirm originality, just experts telling you so.

feralmerril · Aug 29, 2011

Dad bought this one new in the late 1930s. I grew up with it and probley learned to shoot with it. It is .22 LR but shoots shorts and longs fine.
It has the rare octagon barrel. Dad was 6ft 5"s and added the wood block for extra LOP. I also bought NIB this model 63 that was made almost at end of production in 1956 or 1957. Somehow I found it still NIB with the hanging tags somewhere in the 1980s. I havent fired only a couple of boxs through it. The 1890 was 22 wrf and someone before me had put some nice wood on it with a cheekpiece. I went ahead and had the chamber reamed out to 22 wmrf. Works.

frbeall · Aug 30, 2011

I think I'll hang on to my 52.

feralmerril · Aug 30, 2011

All winchester pumps and autos were made for carrying, plinking, hunting and aerial shooting. They built the 52s for bullseye.

crsides · Aug 30, 2011

I saw one at a gunshow last week. Nice gun , 99% groove top receiver. $1250.00

Oh, it was on my table.

Charlie

feralmerril · Aug 30, 2011

But did it sell? (What model, 61, 63 or 52?)

News Shooter · Aug 30, 2011

The 61 was my first gun

My father gave it to me when I was ten in 1960. It stood in the corner of my room except when my dog and I would go walking in the Smoky Mtns.

Knowing me and how I never took care of things and all the traveling it did, the gun is astonishingly pristine.

About 6 or 7 years ago I looked up the value and it was around $600.

gunlovingirl · Aug 30, 2011

I think a lot of Winchesters have gone up a lot lately. I bought my 9422 Magnum XTR last year. Beautiful wood and looks like it was seldom, if ever, shot. I recently saw one that could be it's twin sell for almost double what I paid a year ago. I've been half heartedly lookng for a nice matching 9422 LR XTR to go with it. But those seem to have gone up a lot too. Thanks for the pics everyone! I LOVE old .22 rifles!

Marksman · Aug 30, 2011

Winchester M/61 & M/63...........

Here is a pic of my Model 61 and Model 63, both were cosmetically challenged when I bought them. I reblued both and refinished and checkered the wood on the M/63, wood finish on the M/61 is original. I made the scope mounts which are all one piece, mount and rings and feature screws hidden within the rings for a very clean appearance. The scopes are Redfield 3/4" 4X.

crsides · Aug 30, 2011

feralmerril said:
But did it sell? (What model, 61, 63 or 52?)

It was a 61. No, didn't sell. No, I didn't care.

But I got to meet a lot of nice people looking at a nice 61.

feralmerril · Aug 30, 2011

I think the 61 winchester was the finest pump 22 ever built. Sure wish I bought a few in the late 50s to hang on to. I recall them being $55 to $65s new. I told this before. Back around 1955 when I was 14 or so, I went with my dad to a local turkey shoot. I noticed guys were dragging out scoped bolts. I mumbeled something to dad about it as he was going to use the open sighted 61 I showed. Dad just said, "yeah?, well they still have to hold em. Dad won the turkey shoot! Dad always was a great shot with any type gun. I several times seen dad knock off flying blackbirds with it! When I was young he would throw medicine bottels in the air at the town dump and had me hitting them regularly in the air. Thats something you have to keep up, I know I couldnt do it now.
The 61 handels great. At the same time I had several marlin levers in 39A and the hamerless model 62, they werent as good for that type shooting. The winchesters 61, 62 and 63s were built for instict shooting I always thought.
I also had a single shot winchester model 67 with the rarer longer barrel than the shorter more common ones. I left that one home with dad. Actualy I think he shot that more around the place than his 61. I noticed he had written on tape on the stock telling where it hit at various distances. He was a practable man that way.

reddogge · Aug 30, 2011

I am fortunate to own one. Not pristine by any means but all original. I paid peanuts (<$200) for it many years ago. The only pump to rival it is a Remington 121. A friend gave me this one years ago too.

crsides · Aug 30, 2011

The 121 is why I had the 61 at the gunshow to start with. I like both, but the 121 has a tang folding peep sight which I can still see. I am lost with open sights.

Charlie

2152hq · Aug 30, 2011

I sold my M61 in 22shot earlier this year.
But first used up any 22shot rounds I had lying around first trying to hit some skeet targets on a miserable January day.
Hit a few,,stations 1,7 &8.
Expensive novelty in that caliber,,but beautiful rifle(?) just the same.

Northerner · Oct 12, 2012

i grew up shooting a model 61 that my father gave me and i love the gun but the scope has seen its better days and im trying to put a new one on but cant figure out what to use for scope rings? i just got a new simmons scope today but the rings that came with it dont fit my grooves on top.

the grooves are pretty fine and the rings are kind of rounded where they should be sharp so they catch good if you know what i mean?

i might try to see if i can do a little sanding and see how the rings fit then?

does anyone know of any 1" rings that fit the grooves good on a model 61??

im also thinking of selling it or trading it for a tricked out ruger 10/22. a nice target plinker that i dont have to be so careful with and worry about damaging the stock or something.

JoseyWales2 · Oct 13, 2012

Interesting and timely thread. My father recently gave me his Model 61 that is in nearly new condition... some very minor marks on the wood. The bluing looks so good that when I took it to the LGS to get an estimate of what it was worth, he thought it had been refinished. But I know that it has not been refinished. No loss of finish except on the action bars. It has the grooved receiver which I understand is less common. He thought it would sell for about $1000, which is around what I estimated looking at completed GunBroker auctions. My father said he bought it in 1955 for around $50. Unfortunately, there is no box.

I have no plans on ever selling it, regardless of the price, and intend on keeping it in the family when the time comes.

Winchester Model 61 .22 rifles

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