www.homesteadfirearms.com

Winchester Model 62

 Images can usually be enlarged by clicking them

I. History of the Model 62 | II. Determine Type Model | III. Factory Variations | IV. Condition of Gun |
62 Models (Outline) | Gun Parts Diagram | Timeline of Winchester Gun Production |Home


A Brief History of Winchester Rifles and the Model 62

The Winchester Rifles and Shotguns Co.  was established by Oliver F. Winchester on February 20, 1866.  The first gun model produced under Winchester's name was the Model 1866, a lever-action .44 caliber rimfire rifle.  There had been earlier rifles produced using lever action,  including the Rocket Ball and Volition Repeater in 1848, Jennings Rifle (patent 1851), Smith and Wesson pistol, and Volcanic Repeating Arms (New Haven Arms Company and Henry Rifles).  When the design was improved by B. Henry Tyler (shop foreman at the New Haven Arms Company), the .44 caliber metalic rimfire cartridge became powerful enough to compete with the single shot (e.g., rolling block) rifles of the day.   Winchester Repeating Arms Company established itself as one of the world's leading firearms manufacturers of the world, and the subsequent rifles produced by Winchester are highly prized today by collectors all over the globe.

 

 To See a Timeline of Winchester Gun Production, Click Here.

 

About Model 62 Winchester Rifles

The Winchester Model 62 was the third in a series of Slide-Action rifles that Winchester produced.    It was the replacement for 1890 and 1906 models, when these two models were dropped from production in 1932.    Like its two predecessors, the Model 62 had an exposed hammer.  The Winchester Model 62 was produced from 1932 through 1958 with over 409,000 guns sold. 

All Model 62 guns were of the take-down variety and fitted with a 23 inch round and tapered barrel.  The gun had a straight-grip walnut stock and grooved slide handle.  The  gun was chambered  for short, long, and long-rifle interchangeably, continuing the standard set by the late 1906 Model, and this helped to assure the continued success of the Model 62.   There was, however, a 'Gallery' Model 62 that was chambered for .22 short only, and some had 'WINCHESTER' stamped on the receiver's left side.  This Gallery model had a triangular loading port on the magazine loading tube.

A name change, from the Model 62 to the Model 62A, occurred in the middle of 1940 when Winchester changed the breech bolt mechanism.  This occurred around serial number 98,200.  All Model 62 guns produced prior to this change had a  slide pump forearm that was 5 3/4" long.  After that date the slide pump forearm increased to 8" and the number of grooves cut into the wood on the forearm were increased from 10 to 17.

 

Appraisal - How to determine a value for your gun 

To determine the value of your firearm, you must first analyze it carefully.  There are three recognized (models) types of the 62 Winchester Rifle, and they vary somewhat in value.  In appraising the value of your gun, you must initially determine if you have a pre-war or a post-war production gun, and then if it is a Standard or Gallery .22 Short-only model.  Then, if the gun has any factory variations.   After selecting the appropriate Model, you will be easily guided to the value range.  There are 4 steps to this process.

Step 1: Determine the Model of your 62 Winchester firearm
Step 2: Determine any Variation of the model type
Step 3: Determine Condition of your 62 Winchester firearm
Step 4: Determine the Book Value of your Model 62 

Click Here to Begin at Step 1.

 


Introduction | I. Models | II. Variations | III. Condition |62 Models (Outline) | Gun Parts Diagram | Home