Hey Bert, Win ser# ?

TRAP55

Serial numbers on Winchesters with a letter suffix, denotes a production change(see, I remember most everything before the 4th beer and the first shot [:)]) Are there any surviving records of what those production changes were for any of the various models?

Bert H.

No, at least no records that I have found yet. That said, for some of the models, it is known what the production changes were.

Ray B

So is the question referencing guns such as a Model 54 with serial Number XXXB or the various Models that included Letters such as Model 52 B?

TRAP55

The first part Ray, where it's either a direct suffix to the serial number itself, or in some cases, above or below the serial.
A Model number suffix usually means a change to the design itself, or a variation of the model.
Production changes could range from how the rifle was assembled, to how a spring was tempered. The subject came up after dinner one night at the Outback, and when Winchesters come up as the subject, and Bert has a few beers in him, you better have your notebook ready.[:D]

Bert H.

Next time, there will be a test, so you had better take some really good notes![}:)]

The following is an example of Winchester using both an "A" serial number suffix, and then at a later date, changing the Model designation to include an "A".

The Model 62 Slide-action rifle;

For serial numbers 1 through approximately 24000, the serial number did not have an "A" suffix.

At approximately serial numbers 24000, the "A" serial number suffix was added (on the receiver only), and it indicates that the rifle has the improved bolt locking system. On the original Model 62, the breech bolt had three pins (identical to the Model 1890 and 1906), which allowed the slide handle to be moved approximately 1/4 inch to the rear before the bolt began to open. On May 12, 1935, Winchester improved the locking system such that the bolt now opened with the initial movement of the slide handle, and the breech bolt now had just one pin versus three (the pins or pin are viewed from the top and are mounted vertically in the bolt).

The Model 62A (which will be marked on the barrel) was born on September 8th, 1938. The serial number range is approximately 98,000 to the end of production. The change from the 62 to the 62A is very easy to identify. The Model 62 used a flat hammer mainspring, whereas the 62A used a coiled hammer spring. The lower tang on the Model 62 has four screw holes in it (two entering from the external side, and two from the interior side, with three of them located behind the serial number, and one in front of the serial number). The 62A lower tang has just one screw hole in it (entering from the interior side of the tang) located very near the bitter end of the tang behind the serial number.

seewin

The only surviving records that I aware of are the various component blueprints. These will usually give a fairly good account of what revisions took place in the part. When parts were changed, a synopsis of the change was recorded along with the date of change on the drawing in the drawing revision block.
Steve