What are the odds

[Elroy]

Only gun forum I belong to and simply wish to pose a simple "gun" related question. Sorry it's not S&W related but you guys are as knowledgeable as any

I obtained this cool little Winchester about 6 months ago. This pre-war model 62 Winchester is chambered in 22 short. Came from a estate that was based on a farm in Midway, Kentucky.

Notice the fill plug in the stock:

Well we doing some research on model 62 Winchesters with single caliber markings and came across this sale:

Rare Pre-War Winchester Model 62 Slide Action Gallery "5 Spot" Rifle

Notice the location of the 5 Spot cartouche burned into the stock. The serial number on my example is just a few hundred earlier. So what are the chances we have one of the few model 62's that were originally employed at the 5 Spot shooting gallery??

The stock repair is in the right location and the serial numbers are very close.

What are the odds ?? What do you say??

How would you authenticate any association ??

 

[-db-]

I find online a number of references to a supposedly famous "5 Spot Shooting Gallery" in Michigan but unfortunately they all come from the same source, Ned Schwing's book titled Winchester Slide-Action Rifles Volume II: Model 61 & Model 62.

You'd think if this place truly existed, and was even "famous" at one time, it would be mentioned somewhere else outside of gun auction listings quoting the book.

In any case, fabricated history or not, the guns bearing the mark do indeed appear to be valuable. Yours sure looks like one of them, but I would assume collectors of such pieces would prefer the marking intact. Interesting find nonetheless.

 

[s&wchad]

It's possible, but I doubt you'll ever find out. Someone went to a lot of trouble to splice in that plug and I don't think they were filling a hole from a compass! 62's in Short only are fairly scarce and to my eye the pre-war guns with the short forearm are the prettiest of the bunch. Does yours have the cartridge shaped or triangular mag tube cutout?

There are several good photos of "5 Spot" rifles in Ned Schwing's book Winchester Slide-Action Rifles, Volume II. He states that all the known 5-Spot guns are in the low 50,000 serial number range. Unfortunately, the only Winchester records housed at Cody that date after 1906 are for the Model 21 SxS.

 

[feralmerril]

I dont know. However when I was a boy in the 40s and early 50s just about every fair and circus`s had shooting gallerys and they all seemed to use the winchester 62s in .22 short.

 

[Stonecove]

Elroy, neat gun. What does the right side look like; does the plug go all the way through? This may not be a plug at all, but just a recess cut to put a painted brand. Maybe it was done at the factory where it would be easier to do in large numbers. The lack of brand might mean it was never delivered, or if delivered, never painted. Looking at the crudeness of the 5 spot brand, I can't imaging anyone taking the time skill or money to do a PERFECT inlay. That woodworker would have to work for Purdy's or otherwise be a MASTER woodworker to make a large inlay. It looks like the grain in the wood somewhat matches that in the "inlay" Might be my eyes, but I don't think it's an inlay, just a milled recess
Stonecove

 

[feralmerril]

Could the "plug" have covered some type of aparatess to keep the gun chained to the counter? All the rifles I shot as a boy at those gallerys had a chain to them so you couldnt run off with em.

 

[Elroy]

Does yours have the cartridge shaped or triangular mag tube cutout?

The loading port is cartridge shaped and will only accept a short as one would expect. I understand the other "5 Spot" examples are similar.

does the plug go all the way through?

The "repair" plug is blind as it's only visible on the one side and it's fitted very well.