Winchester 61

[jirish617]

Hey guys! Looking for some insight here! So my parents very recently decided to retire and move across country, ever since I was little I remember my dad having a 22 in his closet but I never thought anything of it. Anyways, as I was helping the pack and clean my childhood house, my father asked if I'd want his Winchester 61 22SL/L/LR. He got it in 1962 when he was 12, and it hasn't been fired in over 40 years. I just dropped it off to have it disassembled, ultrasonic cleaned. The gun is in great condition. When I pick it up I will provide more info. So I'm just curious as to how "rare" or what they are worth these days. I plan to keep it forever and probably will plan to pass it on to my kids if I ever have any lol.

Attached is a link to picture of the gun!

https://i.imgur.com/EGhq7f9.jpg

 

[DWalt]

Unfortunately, no one can see your picture. High-condition Model 61s are very desirable and bring high prices, and some are rarities, such as those made in .22 Short only. The complete history of these can be found in Ned Schwing's excellent book "Winchester Slide Action Rifles." Unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be) the book itself is sort of a collector's prize and also brings big bucks. If you have some specific questions about the Model 61, PM me and I will look up anything you may need to know in my copy.

 

[dubtap21]

Nice rifle....I'd keep it and pass it down when the time comes.

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[jirish617]

Unfortunately, no one can see your picture. High-condition Model 61s are very desirable and bring good prices.

I just updated with a new link!

 

[lebomm]

Rare ? Not especially. Desirable ? You betcha ! One of the best-regarded rifles Winchester ever produced.

Larry

 

[jirish617]

I am beyond excited to get it back and shoot it!

 

[DWalt]

I notice from your picture it has a scope mounted. That probably indicates it has the so-called "Grooved Top" receiver, which began in mid-1954 at SN 225000.

 

[Lostaro]

I have one that was my father's...not sure of the age, way older than me for sure.

It's well used...the 1st gun I ever fired at age 6.

Taken a pile of squirrels with that gun over the years...great shooting guns...you have yourself a true heirloom

 

[2152hq]

A truly high condition and matching ser# (upper & lower) can easily bring $1000 these days. More if it's an early production & high condition or one of the smaller production editions like the oct bbl, LR only or 22short only guns, or a 22LR shot model.
22WRF and 22Mag caliber rifles command premiums.\

Ser#/yr of production can be found here:
Winchester Dates of Manufacture
click on Winchester 61 and enter the ser#

There are several other online and book sources of the data. They can vary a little from source to source sometimes depending on which data is used.

The rifles w/the grooved top rcv'r are very sought after (later models) as you can easily mount a scope w/a tip-off mount on them.
Most everyone seems to like a scope on a rifle and there's no drill&tap required. The one you have is probably like that.
Earlier production is the so called smooth top rec'vr. Just iron sights on the bbl. Many of those you find with aftermarket drill&tap holes for scope and rear peep sights.

Early rifles have steel checkered butt plates, later production have plastic plates. Stock shape changed a little from pre-war to post war. Collectors can quickly spot the differences. On a shooter grade rifle to a hunter/plinker it would make little difference but the value would go down to a collector if the correct parts weren't there.

Great rifles.
Keep it in as nice & original condition as you can. Shooting it certainly won't hurt it at all. Enjoy it. It's $$ value will do nothing but go up.
It's sentimental value will always be priceless.

 

[DGinVT]

Keep that win 61. it is an excellent shooter. in my opinion it is better than some on the market today. i started out with a WIN Model 69 back in the late 1930s.
DGinVt

 

[jirish617]

A truly high condition and matching ser# (upper & lower) can easily bring $1000 these days. More if it's an early production & high condition or one of the smaller production editions like the oct bbl, LR only or 22short only guns, or a 22LR shot model.
22WRF and 22Mag caliber rifles command premiums.\

Ser#/yr of production can be found here:
Winchester Dates of Manufacture
click on Winchester 61 and enter the ser#

There are several other online and book sources of the data. They can vary a little from source to source sometimes depending on which data is used.

The rifles w/the grooved top rcv'r are very sought after (later models) as you can easily mount a scope w/a tip-off mount on them.
Most everyone seems to like a scope on a rifle and there's no drill&tap required. The one you have is probably like that.
Earlier production is the so called smooth top rec'vr. Just iron sights on the bbl. Many of those you find with aftermarket drill&tap holes for scope and rear peep sights.

Early rifles have steel checkered butt plates, later production have plastic plates. Stock shape changed a little from pre-war to post war. Collectors can quickly spot the differences. On a shooter grade rifle to a hunter/plinker it would make little difference but the value would go down to a collector if the correct parts weren't there.

Great rifles.
Keep it in as nice & original condition as you can. Shooting it certainly won't hurt it at all. Enjoy it. It's $$ value will do nothing but go up.
It's sentimental value will always be priceless.

Wow! Thanks for all the info! I'll be honest I'm relatively newer to firearms. Only other gun I have is the m&p9c, this is my first rifle. What exactly are tip offs? I don't plan to make any changes to it all to be honest! I imagine the gun is okay I just wanted to have it looked at by a gun smith who is familiar with older firearms. I called a couple places, some by recommendation, the one I settled on sold me since they told me they will completely disassemble and ultrasonic clean everything. Seems petty but I liked it. I spoke with the gentleman when I dropped it off and he seemed well versed.

 

[murphydog]

"What exactly are tip offs?"

They are rings that clamp onto both sides of two milled grooves on the top of the receiver. In theory you loosen the bolt/screw that attaches them, and this creates enough play to tilt them to the opposite side and remove them.

 

[DWalt]

I have related this story previously, but I'll repeat it. About a year ago, one of my wife's friend's son had a Model 61. He is not a shooter, and he had never fired it. It came to him through the family. While at his house one day, he showed it to me. It showed a lot of neglect, was dirty, and the metal had a fine coating of rust all over it. He mentioned something about being interested in selling it as he never used it. I offered to take it home and clean it up for him. I did the usual Chore Boy/light oil treatment on the barrel to clean off the rust and went over the wood with mineral spirits to remove the dirt, followed by waxing all of the metal and wood with Johnson's Paste Wax. I also cleaned the bore, no damage there. Except for a few small dings in the wood fore-end, it looked like new. When I returned it, he was so impressed by its looks he decided he wanted to keep it. So I actually worked myself out of getting a very nice Model 61, probably cheaply. But that's fine.

 

[H Richard]

If you plan to shoot it quite a bit, I would consider replacing that scope. The little vintage scopes with 7/8" tubes are usually very dim and not very good clarity. O.K. for occasional plinking use, but for any hunting or more serious target shooting I'd look for something better. That's a very nice one, will have some decent value, so follow the directions for keeping it in good condition so you can pass on to your children.

 

[jirish617]

If you plan to shoot it quite a bit, I would consider replacing that scope. The little vintage scopes with 7/8" tubes are usually very dim and not very good clarity. O.K. for occasional plinking use, but for any hunting or more serious target shooting I'd look for something better. That's a very nice one, will have some decent value, so follow the directions for keeping it in good condition so you can pass on to your children.

I won't use it all the time, just here and there. My father said it was a cheaper scope. I don't hunt, so I'll just be plinking or shooting paper. I'll probably just leave it as is. It just sat in his closet this whole time. No rust, wood looks good. I went and bought a case for it to keep it in.

 

[jirish617]

When I get it back I'll provide better pictures of it!

 

[dave1918a2]

Keep the scope. Some of the vintage 'cheap' scopes are not so cheap anymore. The 61 is one of the most accurate 22's Winchester ever made and is by far and away the most accurate slide action. the grooved receiver 61's are bringing $1000 to $1250 around here if in good shape. Pristine they bring almost double that. I like Your idea of handing it down.

 

[Faulkner]

Very nice . . . I'm very fond of the model 61. My best friend growing up had one that I shot a lot. Seems I recall it is a John Browning design.

 

[Texas40]

Well I have this old 62A my dad had as long as I can remember. Not sure exactly when he bought it but Im 1961 and remember it as a boy so it was in 50s sometime. Love this gun one of best shooting most accurate 22 rifles.

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[Drm50]

I've got a older 61 with non grooved reciever, about 95%r. One
of my favorites for plinking. When I thinned down the 22 rifles
to a couple dozen, I kept 61-62-63 Winchesters 3 of the best 22
repeaters ever made.