Sorry for the crap picture. Most likely 2nd year of production and all original with all matching numbers, sights etc.
Very pleased.
Homer actually published 3 books on the Browning 22s. The first was a small soft cover and then 2 hardcovers-one with a brown cover and the other with a black cover. I feel fortunate to have all three-the 2 hardcovers were signed by Homer.There is a great book on Browning 22s labeled:
BROWNING .22 CALIBER RIFLES 1914 - 1991 BY Homer C. Tyler.
A mixmaster, I would think.The 69W number indicates that it was produced for Browning,to be sold in the US by Browning as a 1969 model.So....I ordered a Trombone off the internet from a LGS (not local to me) and from the less than ideal pictures I could see that it was marked unusually from what we normally see in Canada. The sights and wood are correct although the rear sight elevator is missing. The receiver is factory grooved for scope rings.
The s/n is 69W14XX (on the under side of the barrel in front of the magazine tube) and it only has the Perron inside a circle with PV surmounted by a crown. This proof mark is on top of the receiver and on the just in front of it on the barrel. One would suppose 1969 manufacture?
So far so good.
The lower receiver however has a s/n of 518 (the preceding numbers are left off which is often the case), the butt plate is marked 407, the carrier retainer/assembly piece is marked 19X (the last number has been over stamped and looks like an 8 on top of a 0 on top of a 6) and as a grand finale the pump handle has a serial number of 1335XX ~ the last two numbers are not 18 as in 518 like the pump handle.
Crack me up.
My initial suspicion is that this is more than two rifles which have been mis-assembled at some point. Usually in this case the uppers match and the lowers match but I have never seen such a variety of s/n on a Trombone. Additionally there is a distinct lack of inspectors marks as compared to any other Trombone as far I can recall. I will have to go look at some of the later ones to refresh my memory on this point.
However a 1335XX is in the region of being made no later than 1968 so it is possible that this is a factory rifle made up of whatever was at hand for whatever reason.
Always an adventure with Trombones!