Winchester Model 62

[DocB]

My wife gets annoyed when things come up in the yard and she can't run them off with the BB gun. Two days ago she told me to bring up her Nylon 66. It's just too loud with neighbors and all. Semi-auto 22's are about worthless to me, and I have them stacked up to the ceiling. Every rifle and pistol ever made. All they will shoot is Long Rifles and that's not good for backyard shooting where I live. So, off to the LGS knowing exactly what I wanted for her. These are very pricy, but it's for the wife, so who cares. . .right? This one was made pre-war in 1939. It is a machine! You could probably shoot it 1000 times and never have to clean it. Not at all like guns made today. It is unmessed with. . .all original finish and internals. The wood is absolutely perfect. The metal is maybe 90%. I took her out to shoot it. Usually she will shoot one or two shots, and say that's enough for now. She shot this rifle as long as I would let her. For now I'm settling on standard velocity 22 shorts. The CBees were a bit long for easy chambering as were the Quiet 22's. The short CB caps were silent which she didn't like even though they chambered perfectly every time. She liked the ones that were running around 1000 fps. I had to pay a big old $600 for it which is about half of what they sell for. As usual, I never pay the prices that everybody "thinks" their guns are worth. Not even for the wife.

 

[Usmc5811]

That’s a beauty and great price too!! My dad still uses his 62 for squirrels. They are fine shooting rifles.

 

[OldChief]

Nice rifle and, from what I can see of the condition, a good price. Model 62s and 61s are getting hard to find and becoming more pricey all as time goes on. I was lucky I just purchased a 1957 model 61 for $400. I hope that was a good price because it's really dirty from just sitting in a closet for a long time. I'll find out just how bad when I can finally pick it up and begin working on it.

 

[italiansport]

Why don't you buy some subsonic 22LR ammo? The stuff I've shot out of a rifle is a quiet as a pellet gun.
Jim

 

[mauser9]

Nice! Love the build and the quality of those old rimfires. Recently saw a old Mossberg Model 41 or 46 I think that was a target model. Looked more like a howitzer compared to .22s built these days.

 

[DocB]

The gun was originally designed for 22 Shorts. When they lengthened the chamber to accept 22 Long Rifles, the Browning action was not changed. This makes chambering a little rough with longer cartridges as they pass from the action into the chamber. It works OK with them, but you can see the longer cartridge struggling to make the move from action to chamber. With 22 Shorts, it is so slick, you can even slam fire it. That's why I am sticking with a "short" length cartridge for the wife. The same LGS had a 1903 Winchester automatic rifle in 22 Winchester Rim Fire. I could have had it for $400. . .factory peep sight and all. I have a bunch of 22 WRF ammo that I shoot in my 22 Magnums. Problem was that another guy who I sort of know was drooling over the gun and trying to save up the money to buy it. Otherwise, I would have bought it too. I'm going to give it a week so he will have a fair chance to get the gun he really wants. After that, I will have to re-evaluate and reconsider buying it based upon his circumstances.

 

[wazmancom]

Careful!
Be very careful..... the Winchester .22 Automatic is not the same as the .22 WRF. They are totally different cartridges. Also, the .22 WRF made by CCI is not to be shot in revolvers/pistols!!!

 

[2152hq]

Shouldn't be any struggling at all in feeding any length of the 22rf's in a 62 or 62A. They all have the cartridge stop fitted to the carrier so as to accept any of the lengths in any order from the mag tube.
The Model 1890 orig design didn't have that feature and were caliber specific.
Great rifles,,hard to put down at the range once you start plinking with one.

Aguila has recently made runs of 22 Winchester Automatic ammunition.
But it's still hard to find. Usually priced about $18 or $20/box 50.

You can still sometimes find some of the more recent mfg Winchester 22 Automatic ammo that was run maybe 12 or 15 yrs ago. But it isn't just lying around on shelves that's for sure. Pricey too.
Original old stock boxed ammo is collectible as is and better sold that way.
22WRF is different from 22Winchester Automatic as stated.
There's a 22Remington Automatic also For their Model 16 semi auto.
Same odd type RF cartridge. Similar but not identical to the Winchester 22 Auto. The Remington 22 Auto being just slightly smaller in dimensions all around will chamber and usually work reasonably well in the Winchester 1903 rifle,,but not the other way around.

Both are early smokeless rounds in RF specificly to avoid the common at the time BP loads in 22rf that would bind up the semiauto rifles actions.

 

[MOONDAWG]

They're great little guns. I have a circa 1986 Rossi M-62 which is a faithful clone of the Winchester.

Over the last 32 years it's devoured countless numbers of .22 shorts, longs and long rifles with so much as a burp.

It's a keeper that will be passed down to my great grand son.

 

[DocB]

I didn't know that the 22 Winchester Auto was unique. . .now I do. This is probably why the 1903 doesn't command a really high price. I will have to check it out next week, if it's still there.

 

[HARDWARE]

love those sliders. i have a win. 61 and a pair of rem. model 12's. i shoot em in the yard with CCI quiet

 

[LoboGunLeather]

From the OP's photos I would say the old Model 62 is in very nice condition, perhaps 90%. In my opinion the $600 price is very good for a 62 in the condition shown.

I have a 62A made in 1940, condition is excellent (95%-plus). Great rifle for small game and pests (as the OP noted). I wouldn't take $1000 for mine because I know how difficult it would be to replace it, even with one in lesser condition.

 

[jimmyj]

over the years My Father gave each of my five children a Winchester Model 62. However #6 child (who came 11 years after #5) was gifted with a Winchester Model 61.

 

[29aholic]

Back when I was in the pawn business I had a customer bring in an absolutely mint 62. I mean MINT. He needed to borrow $50.00. I told him I would easily loan a lot more. He told me "No the more I borrow the harder it is to pay back, I just need $50.00". He had been a pretty good customer and never left me with anything until then. 90 days later I owned that gun. Never saw him again.

 

[OldChief]

Mod 61

The gun was originally designed for 22 Shorts. When they lengthened the chamber to accept 22 Long Rifles, the Browning action was not changed. This makes chambering a little rough with longer cartridges as they pass from the action into the chamber. It works OK with them, but you can see the longer cartridge struggling to make the move from action to chamber. With 22 Shorts, it is so slick, you can even slam fire it. That's why I am sticking with a "short" length cartridge for the wife. The same LGS had a 1903 Winchester automatic rifle in 22 Winchester Rim Fire. I could have had it for $400. . .factory peep sight and all. I have a bunch of 22 WRF ammo that I shoot in my 22 Magnums. Problem was that another guy who I sort of know was drooling over the gun and trying to save up the money to buy it. Otherwise, I would have bought it too. I'm going to give it a week so he will have a fair chance to get the gun he really wants. After that, I will have to re-evaluate and reconsider buying it based upon his circumstances.

Doc, it's too bad someone had your rifle re-chambered for the longer .22s. The rifles chambered for .22 short bring a premium price. Then again, since you just purchased it, maybe it a better deal re-chambered! Anyway, I can't wait to get mine so I can begin working on it. Here in my area of California, I have to wait until the city allows the shop to put the rifle up for sale (consignment) and then the 10 day wait after I do the state paperwork. I may get it by the middle of next month.

 

[crsides]

I have had 63's and 61's and one 62 that was NIB so didn't get to shoot it.
Just bought one from a friend at the gunshow in Jan. Really nice condition, 1953 gun. It eats shorts, long, lr, and CB caps with equal aplomb (my word of the day). Has the best trigger pull of any of those winnies I have had. It is right up there with my Rem 12c. These winchesters were very pricey but have come down in last couple years ... corresponding with the high cost of 22 ammo. The Rem 12 and 121's have seem to increase during that time, where nice ones have caught up with the winnies. I got my 62 for $700 and well pleased.

Charlie

 

[crsides]

Doc, are you saying your particular rifle was originally chambered for the short, or the design going back to the 1890 ?

Charlie

 

[DocB]

It's chambered for S, L, and LR. Marked specifically on the barrel. I wish it was one of the gallery guns in short only. I just like the way it runs on shorts. Much quicker with less cartridge to chamber.

 

[DocB]

Here are the markings on the barrel.

 

[wundudnee]

There has always been a lot of confusion about the model 1903 chambered in Win. .22 auto. Many know it is not chambered in .22LR so it is assumed to be WRF.

It looks like you have acquired a very nice Model 62, for a very fair price. If you want to be shocked take a walk at Tulsa and look at asking prices on 62s and 61s.

If you want to be really confused there was at one time a .22 cartridge called .22 extra long. It is often confused with .22 Long rifle. I have a pretty nice group of single shot Winchesters and a few are chambered .22 short, long and extra long. Last fall I finally saw a nice full box of extra longs and they only wanted $400.00 for the box. I still don't have any.
A fellow collector told me that was cheap.