model 90 win. .22 cal
i am cleaning up an old shooter for a friend and for all practical purposes it is a mod. 90 win. in .22 cal. except stamped on the barrel is "winchester proof steel- model 61- 22 S. L. or LR" in that order, This shooter has an "S" cut crescent butt w/metal butt plate, and the dove tail screw on rear sight, and a 24" barrel, all typical of the mod. 90. What I read in the blue book about the mod. 61 is that there were about 350,000 made starting in 1932 and the mod. 90 was discontinued in 1932 with a total number around 683,000. The serial number on this one is 682,095. So, my question is, what am i looking at? Everything on this firearm has the same patina, factory looking stuff, so i am certain the barrel was never swapped. This shooter has been in the same family for about 70 yrs. It just got passed from father to daughter. Would a mod.61 barrel even fit a mod. 90 ? I'm trying to post some pictures from my e-mail but until then any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
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parts clean-up
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i can only get one image to download so this seems to be the most pertinent. this is what is on the barrel of what i believe to be a mod. 90
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thanks mike whiskey, would there be many of these in captivity or is this a rarity? I'm assuming then the barrels of both models are interchangeable ?
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"I'm assuming then the barrels of both models are interchangeable ?".......yup, within reason (barrel dimensions, oct, round, ect.). keep in mind this was the start of the depression and they were pushing everything out the door they could as cheaply as they could.
"rarity?".....not a ?
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Hard to believe the factory could let a gun such as this out of the factory. So, according to the barrel, you have a hammer-type Model 61 in factory original condition. I would think this would be highly desirable to serious and wealthy Winchester collectors. Also, you state that Mod. 90 serial numbers ended in 1932 at circa 683000 yet I have one with a SN of 707777 bought by my grandfather in 1928.
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when it comes to 'Winchester" there is nothing 'cut & dried', while receivers were serial numbered in 'order' they were not completed in 'order'.
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With old guns, especially those made before roughly WWII, it is important to remember that (1) Records were all kept by hand, and there certainly were errors; (2) Manufactures seldom threw away perfectly good parts simply because a few changes were made, or a new model became available; (3) "Factory" records available in a variety of sources such as books and museums (for a price) are at best a guideline.
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I would like to see a picture of the receiver, if it's truly a square type with an exposed hammer as typical of a model 90, or
has a rounded hammerless receiver of a model 61. If you have a square type of exposed hammer receiver with the curved buttplate of a model 90, then the barrel was replaced with a model 61 barrel in its life sometime. You've had it for 70 years, that would be from 1950, and this one was made around 1930-32. A note in the blue book tells to look for rebarreling as the guns were heavily used, as it would be more certain the barrel was replaced than leaving the factory as a frankenchester. Sorry but I don't believe you have a rare Winchester as more probable the barrel was replaced. IMHO.
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To thorhammer; my father bought it from a neighbor in 1942, i m not sure how to add a picture as I am new to this group. I was interested in the history of this, it's a treasure for me because my Dad passed away last year. I received my love of the outdoors from him. Thanks to all that have given input on the gun.
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Yes, in over 50 years of looking at 62A's, 62s, 90's in short or long or long rifle, or WRF and 06's in short, long, and LR, I have seen several 61 barrels on Winchester 1890's. All were changed out barrels. It would be interesting to have a real Winchester guy tell you if the bullet lifter is for a 61 or 1906. It couldn't be for an original 1890, because they were specific to the bullet ( short, long , long rifle or WRF) it was built for.
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