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Winchester 62A Identification & Value ?
RLL2966
Member Posts: 46 ✭✭
Hello, all. I was wondering if anyone could help me with a 62A that I just purchased? I looked at the other posts first on 62A's, but didn't find the information that I was looking for. The serial # is 100402 and matching on both halfs. I found a website and ran the serial #, it gave me a 1940 DOM. The markings on the barrel are to the left of the rear sight on the side, first line, (Made In New Haven. Conn.-Winchester-Model 62A.-) second line, (U.S. Of America.-Trade Mark-22S.L.OR L.R.-). My rifle has the small oval shaped pump handle 6" w/10 groves like I've seen on the model 62's. I think that it is original, because the blue wear on the 23" barrel matches the shape of the pump handle, like an arc and not a straight line. All of the other 62A's that I have seen, have the larger straight 17 grove pump handle. I read in my book, 2003 Standard Catalog of Firearms, 13th Edition, that "Collectors will concede a premium for guns built prior to WWII with small slide handles". I read that the 62A's started around serial # 98,200. I was thinking that Winchester had leftover small pump handles from the 62's and used them up first on the earlier 62A's? What do I have? Is this rifle worth more because of the small pump handle? I would say that the condition is at least 95%. The only blue wear is on the barrel from the pump handle, sharp edges, and a couple of small scratches on the magazine tube. No rust or pitting anywhere on the rifle. The stocks look like they have been revarnished with the buttstock being lightly sanded. The bore is shiney with good rifling. It looks to be all original, including the sights and buttplate, which has no cracks or chips. The screws aren't boogered. I found it in a pawn shop and paid $500 for it. I figured that was about the going price. Thanks, Rob
Comments
The Model 62A is just a modified continuation of the Model 62 (coil hammer spring versus the earlier flat-spring), and is otherwise identical. Collectors do pay a premium for the pre-war (small slide handle) rifles, but only because fewer of them were made. It was not a case of "leftover" slide handles, but simply a case that when Winchester resumed production after the war, they decided to change size and shape of it. Later this evening I will look in my copy of Schwing's book to verify the manufacture date, but without looking, my guess is that it was actually made sometime in 1939.
As for the collector value, if the stocks were sanded and refinished, that negatively impacts the desirability and value. Generally speaking, when someone expends the effort and $$$ to refinish the stocks, they also have the gun reblued. Your comment about the sharp edges showing wear leads me to believe that is the case. If I am correct in my assumption, the $500 you paid was top dollar. If you can post pictures of it (or send them to me at Win1885@msn.com), I can usually spot a refinish job.