Another future article here. Comments welcome. Hope you enjoy reading.
John
The Winchester Model 61 .22 slide-action repeating rifle has long been regarded as one of the best, if not the best, hammerless pump .22 rifles ever made. Totally reliable, very fast for a manually operated arm, slick and accurate, it was an absolute winner. Although it is no longer made, existing specimens in good shape continue to be in high demand, and prices for used ones have risen rapidly to reflect this popularity. Its story is an interesting one.
Back in the 1920s, Winchester Repeating Arms Company recognized that they were behind the times when it came to designing and producing a good hammerless .22 pump rifle. In 1903, Savage had introduced the first of the breed with its Model 1903. In 1909, Remington brought out their Model 12, and Marlin followed them with the Model 32 in 1914. Mossberg also jumped in the water with its Models K and S in the early ‘20s. So where was Winchester when all of this was going on?
In truth, Winchester was coasting and riding on the laurels of its well-regarded Models 1890 and 1906 – both designs featuring more or less open actions using external hammers. It was becoming evident, however, that the public increasingly preferred a streamlined enclosed-action hammerless design that was better protected from the elements and easier to withdraw from a scabbard and handle in the field. Winchester was a late-comer to this contest for a couple of reasons. First, the company was in financial crisis following the Great War (World War I), and found itself embroiled in management problems. After reorganizing in 1929, the Great Depression struck and further wounded the company’s abilities to produce. Winchester went into receivership and was subsequently purchased in 1931 by the Western Cartridge Company. The Olin family, owners of WCC, infused the organization with new capital and management expertise to lead it back to its former prominence. The second factor hindering the introduction of a hammerless pump .22 involved patents held by John Browning. Although Browning had a long relationship with the Winchester organization, he was having a neat little pump gun made for European consumption at Fabrique Nationale in Belgium, starting in 1922. His patents for the “Trombone Model” were also valid in the U.S., although those particular rifles were not marketed at that time on these shores. Any new Winchester pump gun would have to skirt those patents in many important ways.
Winchester’s Research and Development department, headed by T.C. Johnson, was lucky in having two very talented designers on the staff, Frank Burton and Harry Crockett. Two initial working models were generated in the mid-1920s for a slide-action hammerless rifle. These two prototypes of what was to become the Model 61 were submitted to the company patent attorneys, who judged, unfortunately, that they infringed on Browning’s patents. Their re-design efforts finally satisfied the lawyers, and in 1932, the Model 61 was introduced. The patents on this gun were not granted until 1935, but Winchester was so confident of the new design that production pre-dated that patent approval by three years.
Upon its introduction, Winchester advertising stated the rifle “…presents a fast, finely balanced arm that combines the recognized genius of Winchester gun design with the world famous selection of highest quality of materials and Winchester precision of workmanship.” Attention was also brought to the fact that the arm somewhat resembled the famous Winchester Model 12 shotgun in appearance and method of operation. The Model 61 was to be produced for 32 years; its production was ended only by its elimination as being too expensive to manufacture in 1964.
What Burton and Crockett had wrought was exceptionally clever. The cartridge, when fed from the under barrel magazine, was under complete control all the way into the chamber. There was no room for slop or misalignment in feeding and chambering. This system was so good that many years later in 1972, it was used again in the heralded Model 9422 lever action. The rifle’s action, with some specific tweaks, could accommodate .22 short, long, long rifle, .22 WRF, and .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. Rifles were built to utilize all of these cartridges. This “hammerless” gun actually used an internal hammer. By means of a thumb screw on the left of the action, the gun could be taken apart into two major subassemblies, allowing ease of packing in a short space. A transverse push-button safety was located in the upper forward portion of the trigger guard. In 1940, a smoothbore model was introduced that was designed to handle .22 Long Rifle shot cartridges. Some of these miniature shotguns were counter bored at the muzzle by the factory. The receivers on these guns were matted on top with the same tooling used on the Model 12 shotguns. Gallery models were chambered in .22 short caliber only. Barrels in either round or octagonal configuration were available. A very few rifles were offered with telescopic sights.
A number of changes occurred during the production life of the Model 61. Over the years, several different lengths and styles of fore-stocks were produced. In 1939, transition began from machine bluing to dip bluing, using Du-Lite blue. By the post-war years, all bluing on the gun was accomplished in this manner. From 1932 to 1957, the buttplates were checkered blue steel. Later ones were black composition plastic. Triggers were grooved beginning in 1950 at around serial number 144,000. Receivers were authorized to be grooved for tip-off scope mounts in 1954, in line with that practice on other .22s of the era including the Models 77 and 63 autoloaders, and the bolt actions such as the Model 69A and Model 75 sporter. It’s estimated that about 125,000 “grooved tops” were produced. In 1960, the .22 WMR was introduced, and that required some changes to a significant number of internal parts. “WMR” was stamped on the carrier for this cartridge, and the letter “A” was stamped under the serial number on the bottom of the trigger guard assembly. The magazine was longer than that used for the shorter .22 cartridges, and the placement of the magazine tube rings was farther out towards the muzzle. The .22 WMR cartridge enabled use of the rifle on small game out to 150 yards.
The rifle illustrated for this article had its receiver serial numbered in August, 1951, but it was not assembled and shipped until 1952. It’s chambered for .22 LR, and the barrel markings indicate it will handle .22 short, long, or long rifle interchangeably. This it does flawlessly.
Retail price for a Model 61 in 1932 was $24.65. This was a premium price, and an expensive one for a quality rifle in those days. By 1941, the price had jumped to $32.55. In 1946, when post-war production began, the price was $40.45. At the end of production in 1963, the Model 61’s price had been raised to $69.95.
From the beginning of production until WWII brought a temporary halt to manufacture in 1943, Winchester sold 59,871 of these rifles. Production resumed in 1946, and until final production in 1963, something over 280,000 were produced and sold. The actual grand total is unknown, but including parts clean-up guns made in 1963, it’s estimated that the total may have topped 349,000.
The Model 61 is a revered gun among collectors today. It was made painstakingly with skilled labor from quality materials, operated very reliably and smoothly, and handled nicely. As they say, they don’t make ‘em like that anymore. Owners treasure them, and in spite of generally high asking prices, they are still being snapped up when found on the used gun market. They are much-admired classics.
(c) 2013 JLM
John
The Winchester Model 61 .22 slide-action repeating rifle has long been regarded as one of the best, if not the best, hammerless pump .22 rifles ever made. Totally reliable, very fast for a manually operated arm, slick and accurate, it was an absolute winner. Although it is no longer made, existing specimens in good shape continue to be in high demand, and prices for used ones have risen rapidly to reflect this popularity. Its story is an interesting one.
Back in the 1920s, Winchester Repeating Arms Company recognized that they were behind the times when it came to designing and producing a good hammerless .22 pump rifle. In 1903, Savage had introduced the first of the breed with its Model 1903. In 1909, Remington brought out their Model 12, and Marlin followed them with the Model 32 in 1914. Mossberg also jumped in the water with its Models K and S in the early ‘20s. So where was Winchester when all of this was going on?
In truth, Winchester was coasting and riding on the laurels of its well-regarded Models 1890 and 1906 – both designs featuring more or less open actions using external hammers. It was becoming evident, however, that the public increasingly preferred a streamlined enclosed-action hammerless design that was better protected from the elements and easier to withdraw from a scabbard and handle in the field. Winchester was a late-comer to this contest for a couple of reasons. First, the company was in financial crisis following the Great War (World War I), and found itself embroiled in management problems. After reorganizing in 1929, the Great Depression struck and further wounded the company’s abilities to produce. Winchester went into receivership and was subsequently purchased in 1931 by the Western Cartridge Company. The Olin family, owners of WCC, infused the organization with new capital and management expertise to lead it back to its former prominence. The second factor hindering the introduction of a hammerless pump .22 involved patents held by John Browning. Although Browning had a long relationship with the Winchester organization, he was having a neat little pump gun made for European consumption at Fabrique Nationale in Belgium, starting in 1922. His patents for the “Trombone Model” were also valid in the U.S., although those particular rifles were not marketed at that time on these shores. Any new Winchester pump gun would have to skirt those patents in many important ways.
Winchester’s Research and Development department, headed by T.C. Johnson, was lucky in having two very talented designers on the staff, Frank Burton and Harry Crockett. Two initial working models were generated in the mid-1920s for a slide-action hammerless rifle. These two prototypes of what was to become the Model 61 were submitted to the company patent attorneys, who judged, unfortunately, that they infringed on Browning’s patents. Their re-design efforts finally satisfied the lawyers, and in 1932, the Model 61 was introduced. The patents on this gun were not granted until 1935, but Winchester was so confident of the new design that production pre-dated that patent approval by three years.
Upon its introduction, Winchester advertising stated the rifle “…presents a fast, finely balanced arm that combines the recognized genius of Winchester gun design with the world famous selection of highest quality of materials and Winchester precision of workmanship.” Attention was also brought to the fact that the arm somewhat resembled the famous Winchester Model 12 shotgun in appearance and method of operation. The Model 61 was to be produced for 32 years; its production was ended only by its elimination as being too expensive to manufacture in 1964.
What Burton and Crockett had wrought was exceptionally clever. The cartridge, when fed from the under barrel magazine, was under complete control all the way into the chamber. There was no room for slop or misalignment in feeding and chambering. This system was so good that many years later in 1972, it was used again in the heralded Model 9422 lever action. The rifle’s action, with some specific tweaks, could accommodate .22 short, long, long rifle, .22 WRF, and .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. Rifles were built to utilize all of these cartridges. This “hammerless” gun actually used an internal hammer. By means of a thumb screw on the left of the action, the gun could be taken apart into two major subassemblies, allowing ease of packing in a short space. A transverse push-button safety was located in the upper forward portion of the trigger guard. In 1940, a smoothbore model was introduced that was designed to handle .22 Long Rifle shot cartridges. Some of these miniature shotguns were counter bored at the muzzle by the factory. The receivers on these guns were matted on top with the same tooling used on the Model 12 shotguns. Gallery models were chambered in .22 short caliber only. Barrels in either round or octagonal configuration were available. A very few rifles were offered with telescopic sights.
A number of changes occurred during the production life of the Model 61. Over the years, several different lengths and styles of fore-stocks were produced. In 1939, transition began from machine bluing to dip bluing, using Du-Lite blue. By the post-war years, all bluing on the gun was accomplished in this manner. From 1932 to 1957, the buttplates were checkered blue steel. Later ones were black composition plastic. Triggers were grooved beginning in 1950 at around serial number 144,000. Receivers were authorized to be grooved for tip-off scope mounts in 1954, in line with that practice on other .22s of the era including the Models 77 and 63 autoloaders, and the bolt actions such as the Model 69A and Model 75 sporter. It’s estimated that about 125,000 “grooved tops” were produced. In 1960, the .22 WMR was introduced, and that required some changes to a significant number of internal parts. “WMR” was stamped on the carrier for this cartridge, and the letter “A” was stamped under the serial number on the bottom of the trigger guard assembly. The magazine was longer than that used for the shorter .22 cartridges, and the placement of the magazine tube rings was farther out towards the muzzle. The .22 WMR cartridge enabled use of the rifle on small game out to 150 yards.
The rifle illustrated for this article had its receiver serial numbered in August, 1951, but it was not assembled and shipped until 1952. It’s chambered for .22 LR, and the barrel markings indicate it will handle .22 short, long, or long rifle interchangeably. This it does flawlessly.
Retail price for a Model 61 in 1932 was $24.65. This was a premium price, and an expensive one for a quality rifle in those days. By 1941, the price had jumped to $32.55. In 1946, when post-war production began, the price was $40.45. At the end of production in 1963, the Model 61’s price had been raised to $69.95.
From the beginning of production until WWII brought a temporary halt to manufacture in 1943, Winchester sold 59,871 of these rifles. Production resumed in 1946, and until final production in 1963, something over 280,000 were produced and sold. The actual grand total is unknown, but including parts clean-up guns made in 1963, it’s estimated that the total may have topped 349,000.
The Model 61 is a revered gun among collectors today. It was made painstakingly with skilled labor from quality materials, operated very reliably and smoothly, and handled nicely. As they say, they don’t make ‘em like that anymore. Owners treasure them, and in spite of generally high asking prices, they are still being snapped up when found on the used gun market. They are much-admired classics.
(c) 2013 JLM
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