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Winchester 62 to 62 A change?

brier-49
My son has a model 62 ser# 180979. For some reason I thought the change was earlier than 1946. So when was the change?
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Comments

18 comments

Date Votes
  • brier-49
    btt
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  • Stack
    The Winchester Model 62A was approved for manufacture in 1939 and was first listed in Winchester's 1940 catalogue. Your serial number indicates July 1946 production.
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  • brier-49
    Why is my sons a 62 and not 62A? Or were both made at the same time?
    Hoping Bert will pop in on this.
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  • Bert H.
    Serial 180979 is an August 1946 production rifle. Accordingly, I would expect it to be a 62A.

    Does the rifle have a flat main-spring or is it a coiled main-spring? That was the major difference between a 62 and a 62A.

    There was a period of time when both the 62 and 62A were made, but that was pre-WW II (1939/40).

    It is important to understand that production of the Model 62/62A was halted in late November of 1942 and did not resume until January of 1946. It is entirely possible that the rifle in question is a hybrid, and was simply a case of Winchester using up old parts stock.
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  • brier-49
    Thank you Bert. This is the first time I have seen this gun in 25 years. I gave it to my son 30 years ago when he turned 12 in 1981.He shot the daylites out of it to start with, then put it away.He brought it out Sunday because I had one the week before. Now it makes sense.
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  • brier-49
    oops
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  • Stack
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    Serial 180979 is an August 1946 production rifle. Accordingly, I would expect it to be a 62A.

    Ned Schwing's book "Winchester Slide-Action Rifles" indicates that Winchester Model 62A August 1946 production began with serial number 181210. Was Schwing incorrect in stating serial number 180979 was manufactured in July 1946?
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  • merrbarb
    Hello Brier 49: It is not uncommon to have a 62 inscribed barrel on a Model 62A. How does one know the 62A from a 62? By - what Bert says - the flat main spring vs the coiled spring. This is not the only difference, BUT here's how you tell from the outside: The flat mainspring has one (1) hole in the bottom tang - the Model 62 - while the coiled spring has four (4) holes - the Model 62A. Regardless of what the barrel model says, the holes tell the story. Again as Bert says, parts left-overs were used up in the transition between the two models, starting in 1938.

    There are those who will sell you a Model 62 - some unwittingly - when the firearm is really a Model 62A. Now you know the difference.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Stack
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    Serial 180979 is an August 1946 production rifle. Accordingly, I would expect it to be a 62A.

    Ned Schwing's book "Winchester Slide-Action Rifles" indicates that Winchester Model 62A August 1946 production began with serial number 181210. Was Schwing incorrect in stating serial number 180979 was manufactured in July 1946?


    I do not know what version of Ned's book you have, but my copy clearly states that serial number 179090 was the last one serialized on July 31st, 1946, and that serial number 181210 was manufactured on August 29th, 1946. My personal review of the Polishing Room Serialization Records confirmed that Ned used the same records to create the tables in his reference book.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    Originally posted by Stack
    Originally posted by Bert H.
    Serial 180979 is an August 1946 production rifle. Accordingly, I would expect it to be a 62A.

    Ned Schwing's book "Winchester Slide-Action Rifles" indicates that Winchester Model 62A August 1946 production began with serial number 181210. Was Schwing incorrect in stating serial number 180979 was manufactured in July 1946?


    No, Ned Schwing was not incorrect, but you are. I do not know what version of Ned's book you have, but my copy clearly states that serial number 179090 was the last one serialized on July 31st, 1946, and that serial number 181210 was manufactured on August 29th, 1946. My personal review of the Polishing Room Serialization Records confirmed that Ned used the same records to create the tables in his reference book. I suggest that you recheck what you think you read in his book.
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  • Stack
    quote:No, Ned Schwing was not incorrect, but you are. I do not know what version of Ned's book you have, but my copy clearly states that serial number 179090 was the last one serialized on July 31st, 1946, and that serial number 181210 was manufactured on August 29th, 1946. My personal review of the Polishing Room Serialization Records confirmed that Ned used the same records to create the tables in his reference book. I suggest that you recheck what you think you read in his book.

    Someone disagrees with you, so you turn it into a personal attack? That is something I don't subscribe to. Here is the portion of my Schwing book that shows the monthly starting serial number for the Winchester Model 62.

    Model-62-1.jpg
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Stack
    quote:No, Ned Schwing was not incorrect, but you are. I do not know what version of Ned's book you have, but my copy clearly states that serial number 179090 was the last one serialized on July 31st, 1946, and that serial number 181210 was manufactured on August 29th, 1946. My personal review of the Polishing Room Serialization Records confirmed that Ned used the same records to create the tables in his reference book. I suggest that you recheck what you think you read in his book.

    Someone disagrees with you, so you turn it into a personal attack? That is something I don't subscribe to. Here is the portion of my Schwing book that shows the monthly starting serial number for the Winchester Model 62.

    Model-62-1.jpg


    The information you just posted agrees exactly with what I previously stated... serial number 179090 was the last serial number made on 7/31/1946!

    You are acting like a complete fool, and you owe me an apology!
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  • Stack
    The information you just posted agrees exactly with what I previously stated... serial number 179090 was the last serial number made on 7/31/1946!

    You are acting like a complete fool, and you owe me an apology!/quote]

    Name calling? I wouldn't apologize to you if I was wrong. Apparently, you can't even agree to disagree. As I stated in my previous post, those serial numbers are the starting serial numbers, not the ending serial numbers as you're stating, for the indicated month. The same Winchester 62 chart shows for 1932 the date 3/1 and serial number 1. That is a starting number, not an ending number. Or did the month end with serial number 1? The chart, in Schwing's book for the Winchester Model 61 for the year 1932 has the date 2/18 and serial number 1. Again, a starting number, not an ending number. Or did the month end with serial number 1? In the same book, the chart for the Winchester Model 1890 for the year 1890 and the date 11/26 shows serial number 1. A starting number. Or did the month end with serial number 1?
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by Stack
    The information you just posted agrees exactly with what I previously stated... serial number 179090 was the last serial number made on 7/31/1946!

    You are acting like a complete fool, and you owe me an apology!/quote]

    Name calling? I wouldn't apologize to you if I was wrong. Apparently, you can't even agree to disagree. As I stated in my previous post, those serial numbers are the starting serial numbers, not the ending serial numbers as you're stating, for the indicated month. The same Winchester 62 chart shows for 1932 the date 3/1 and serial number 1. That is a starting number, not an ending number. Or did the month end with serial number 1? The chart, in Schwing's book for the Winchester Model 61 for the year 1932 has the date 2/18 and serial number 1. Again, a starting number, not an ending number. Or did the month end with serial number 1? In the same book, the chart for the Winchester Model 1890 for the year 1890 and the date 11/26 shows serial number 1. A starting number. Or did the month end with serial number 1?

    You are totally contradicting yourself! You state that the numbers are starting numbers. That means the starting number on 7/31/46 was 179090 and the starting number on 8/29/46 was 181290. Therefore, serial number 180979, which falls between those numbers, had to have been manufactured in August, 1946 and not in July as you previously claimed. As usual, Bert is correct and you are wrong by your own statements!
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  • Wease01
    Merrbarb is correct in stating that the easiest way to determine the difference between the 62 & 62A is generally by examining the lower tang but he has them backwards. The 62 has a flat mainspring indicated by four (4) holes in the lower tang and the 62A later model has a coil mainspring indicated by only one (1) hole. At least this is what I learn from examining page 456 of Schwing's book Winchester Slide Action Rifles Vol. I & II. My .02c and the debate continues.
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  • Stack
    [/quote]You are totally contradicting yourself! You state that the numbers are starting numbers. That means the starting number on 7/31/46 was 179090 and the starting number on 8/29/46 was 181290. Therefore, serial number 180979, which falls between those numbers, had to have been manufactured in August, 1946 and not in July as you previously claimed. As usual, Bert is correct and you are wrong by your own statements![/quote]

    Thank you Spider7115, at last, someone who makes sense. If only Bert could have done what you did. This thread has less to do with who's right or who's wrong. It has more to do with Bert being the rudest and most condescending individual I have ever encountered on the many forums I participate in. I suspect others would agree with me. Again, thank you Spider7115
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  • Bert H.
    Mr. Stack

    Let me point something out to you that you apparently can not see and understand.

    I did not start this personal vendetta between the two of us... that event falls squarely on YOUR actions.

    In my first reply to this topic string I provided brier-49 with the correct information in a simple and frank manner. It was YOU who took it personally and replied in a challenging manner by intentionally posting your reply in larger than standard text. In addition to calling me out, you again posted inaccurate information. Instead of just simply being ignorant of the facts, you at that point identified yourself as a fool. I will not entertain a belligerent fool on this forum, and by openly challenging me, you have violated the posted forum rules.

    At this point you have exactly two choices to make; (1) make a public apology on this forum, or (2) you get your user ID banned. It is just that simple, and I could care less which one you choose.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Wease01
    Merrbarb is correct in stating that the easiest way to determine the difference between the 62 & 62A is generally by examining the lower tang but he has them backwards. The 62 has a flat mainspring indicated by four (4) holes in the lower tang and the 62A later model has a coil mainspring indicated by only one (1) hole. At least this is what I learn from examining page 456 of Schwing's book Winchester Slide Action Rifles Vol. I & II. My .02c and the debate continues.


    You are correct... 4-holes is the flat-spring Model 62.

    And with this reply, I am locking the topic.
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