[BillB]

Winchester Model 55: .22 Top-loading Single Shot Automatic Rifle.
Not numbered, about 47,000 (45,000?) manufactured.
Manufactured between 1957 (1958?) and 1961.

Load a single round through the loading gate on top of the receiver, opening the gate engages the safety, slide the safety off, pull the trigger, fires from an open bolt, blowback cocks & locks the bolt back, empty is ejected out the bottom of the stock.

I purchased one of these at a gun show today for $300. It is in great condition, I guess about 95%, the bore looks like it was never fired.

Does anyone have any more information on this rifle? Manual? Takedown instructions? Drawings? Schematics? Anything?

Regards Bill

 

[BillB]

I did find the schematic and parts list at http://stevespages.com/ipb-winchester-55.html

Also found conflicting information: one site says Mfg 1957 - 1961 & about 47000 made, another says 1958 - 1961 & about 45000 made. Oh well.

Regards Bill

 

[Ziplok]

Good Schematics = Thanks!

Got a 55 = one of my favorite shooters. The action is nearly unique, but I _Do_ have another singleshot auto-eject rifle, a H&R Model 755 Sahara. Both rifles function flawlessly and are very accurate with their iron sights... never heard of one of the Winchesters being scoped - it would be interesting to see just how accurate they can be.
OBTW: I got mine for cheap because the shop thought it was missing it's magazine
The 55 is the only .22 I know of that fires from an open bolt - pure blowback = no extracter or ejector the recoil just dumps the expended case down the hole in the bottom of the stock. The tang safety resets after each shot and it must be manually taken off before each shot, good feature:t

 

[Ziplok]

Oops! Crave yer Pardon

After checking the schematics, I took a closer look at my rifle - There _is_ an extracror!
Missed it when I had the bolt out, as it's attached to the action slide not the bolt. No ejector though, so I was at least partially right