Gunshow Find – Winchester 63 with a Noske Scope in Stith Mounts
I rescued this lovely little rifle yesterday at the local jerky, jewelry and BDU Gunshow. It was walking the aisles neglected and filthy. There was dull scaly surface rust on the metal, 20 years of dust on the objective lens and the wood was bone dry and had some white paint splattered on it. $300 and it was mine!
I took some 0000 steel wool, solvent and oil to the metal and gently cleaned and waxed the stock. The scope shows no sign of internal fogging or damage.
Rudolph Noske’s Field Scope was praised by Elmer Keith and Jack O’Connor. His was the first successful internally adjustable American made rifle scope. According to Nick Stroebel in his book Old Gunsights and Rifle Scopes, the Noske’s were handmade and in 1939 cost $52 when a German made Zeiss Zeiklein was $36. This particular scope is calibrated out to 800 yards for a 220 gr .30-06 bullet traveling at 2400fps, so it should hold up OK on a .22! I have always liked Stith mounts and this Streamline is no exception. I’m sure a lot of prospective buyers were turned off by the extra holes in the rifle and didn’t know anything about the scope. I basically bought the scope and mount and got the rifle for free. I can't wait to shoot it!
Thats a really exceptional scope and mount combination you've acguired. I've wanted a Noske scope in good shooting condition for years. I have a 1931 Rem 14 in 35rem and I saw a picture of one in an old gun book with a Noske scope and Stith mount on it. I have never been able to locate either a scope or mount for it. When I see a gun like that I always say to myself " Somebody loved that gun" and I get an almost uncontrollable urge to rescue it. Good job, well done.
Thats the kill of the year! I got lucky around 1987 or so. I bought this 1957 made 63 new in the box. I have no Idea how the gunshop got it 25 or 30 years after it was made! Still had the hanging tags and card board box! One day I came home and found the cardboard box in the had trash barrel! My nanny-house keeper crumbeled it up too! I doubt I have over a few boxs through it. Made it a safe queen. Now my attitude is different. I think I will start shooting it more and also many other safe queens! Mine is one of the last made. It has the grooves for a clamp on scope and I put a old scopechief on it. It deserves better.
I have one and it's one of my all time favorite long guns.
I have a picture around here somewhere of me taken in the fall of 1963, just shy of
my 6th birthday, holding the Model 63 & my first squirrel so the gun & I go way back.
Gunshow Find – Winchester 63 with a Noske Scope in Stith Mounts
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