A Look Back at the Winchester Model 61. Winchester didn’t care for its stodgy image with the Models 1890, 1906 and 62 rifles, so it brought out the Model 61 in answer to the racy Remington and Marlin rifles. The Model 61 featured a streamlined, internal-hammer receiver combined with the ringtail-grooved fore-end. Winchester Model 62 Pump Action.22 caliber Rifles. The Winchester Model 62 had a straight walnut stock and grooved slide handle. The number of groves in the slide action handle changed over time, with earlier versions having less groves. Winchester chambered the 62in.22 caliber and could feed short, long, and long-rifle interchangeably.
Winchester Model 1903 | |
---|---|
Type | Semi-automatic rifle |
Place of origin | United States |
Production history | |
Designer | T. C. Johnson |
Manufacturer | Winchester Repeating Arms Company |
Produced | 1903 to 1932 |
No. built | 126,000 |
Variants | 'Plain' and 'Fancy Finish' rifles |
Specifications | |
Mass | 6 lb (2.7 kg) to 7 lb (3.2 kg) |
Length | 37 in (940 mm) |
Barrel length | 20 in (510 mm) |
Cartridge | .22 Winchester Automatic |
Action | Blowback |
Rate of fire | Semi-automatic |
Feed system | 10-round tube magazine |
Sights | Open iron sights and optional tang or receiver-mountedaperture sights |
The Winchester Model 1903 was the first commercially available semi-automatic firearm made by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
History[edit]
The Winchester Model 1903 was designed by T.C. Johnson, who had joined Winchester in 1885 and had become nationally known as an inventor of successful rifles. It was first chambered for the .22 Winchester Automatic cartridge.
In 1919, the Model 1903 moniker was shortened to Model 03, and following a partial redesign in the 1930s, was renamed the Model 63. In addition to other changes, the model fired the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. This cartridge was more popular than the .22 Winchester Automatic cartridge, and was demanded by customers.
The Model 63 was first available for purchase in 1933 and remained in production until 1958.
Production totaled approximately 126,000 Model 1903 rifles and approximately 175,000 Model 63 rifles.[1]
Design and Features[edit]
The Model 1903/Model 63 featured a 20-inch (510 mm) round barrel. A 23-inch (580 mm) barrel was approved for manufacturing in 1933, and the 20-inch (510 mm) barrel was discontinued in 1936.
The Model 1903/Model 63 had a tubular magazine in the butt stock. The magazine held ten cartridges, and was loaded through a slot in the right side of the butt stock.[2]
The Model 1903 and Model 63 were takedown rifles. The takedown mechanism on the Model 1903 required the user to press the takedown screw-lock down through a slot in the tang to release the lock from the ratchet. The Model 63 featured an improved mechanism that required the user to simply turn the takedown screw to the left until the mechanism released.[3]
The self-loading feature of the Model 1903/Model 63 was accomplished by use of a simple blow-back operated mechanism. This mechanism featured a balanced breech bolt, meaning that the breech bolt contained a quantity of metal proportioned to the weight and velocity of the bullet. This balances the recoil forces so that the breech bolt does not move rearward until the bullet has left the muzzle of the barrel, and therefore allows the bullet to be fired with no loss of energy. The original design of this self-loading mechanism required Winchester to design a custom cartridge (the .22 Winchester Automatic) to go along with it. This mechanism was redesigned for the Model 63 to allow it to fire the .22 Long Rifle cartridge, which by then had become much more popular.
The Model 1903 was advertised as an 'automatic rifle'. In modern times, it is more appropriately referred to as a semi-automatic rifle since the loading mechanism required the trigger to be pulled for each shot.
Variants[edit]
The Model 1903 was available in a 'standard' and a 'deluxe' version (also called 'plain' and 'fancy' versions). The standard version had a plain walnut stock with a plan straight grip. The deluxe version had a checkered walnut pistol grip stock with a checkered forearm. A tubular magazine located in the buttstock held ten cartridges.[4]
The first 5000 rifles were produced without a safety mechanism. After this, a cross-bolt safety was added.[5]
The Model 63, introduced in 1933, was chambered for the popular and widely available .22 Long Rifle cartridge. It was initially made with a 20' barrel, then with a 23' barrel from 1936 until the end of production in 1958. About 175,000 Model 63 rifles were manufactured, with the last 10,000 having grooved receiver tops for scope mounting.
References[edit]
- ^'The History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1992' By Thomas Henshaw
- ^'Standard Catalog of Winchester Firearms' By Joseph Madden Cornell, Paul Goodwin, 2007
- ^'The History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1992' By Thomas Henshaw
- ^'Standard Catalog of Winchester Firearms' By Joseph Madden Cornell, Paul Goodwin, 2007
- ^http://aaa-webs.com/aaa/webs/homestead/courses/1903/1903-History.htm Retrieved 2010-12-6
Answer
According to the 30th edition of Blue Book, this little rifle isworth $130, if it still works and has 10% of the original finishand up to $1500 in 100% new condition, with the original box andpapers. The Model 62 pre-WWII rifle will bring a 30% premium. The'gallery' version marked '.22 short only', will bring a 50%premium, if it has the gallery triangular loading port, in themagazine tube. The gallery models were made right up to the end ofproduction, in 1959. Not all gallery models were imprinted with thename 'WINCHESTER', on the left side of the receiver, as this wasdone at the request of large shooting galleries. More post-war 62Amodels had this feature, than pre-war 62 models. It is verydesirable to some collectors and warrants a premium.
The rifle was originally designated a Model 62 and was phasedout of production in 1939, as the 62A was being phased intoproduction. The correct model number will normally appear with thebarrel address. The major difference between the Model 62 and theModel 62A was going from a flat spring and small forearm, to a coilspring and larger forearm. This change is what determines thecorrect model number of the rifle and not what may appear in thebarrel address.
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With the serial number that you have provided,your Winchester model 1890 pump action .22cal rifle was made in the year 1913. Read More
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Winchester did not make a model 1911 pump action 22 cal rifle,They did make a model 1890,a model 1906,a model 61,and a model 62 pump action 22 caliber rifle.Please include the amount of original finish remaining on your rifle,and bore condition to get a accurate value,once the model number is determined. Read More
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