[RayfromNZ]

These arrived today
Bought with postal bids, always a a chance of a "pig in a poke" but I am well pleased with these
They certainly lived up to their descriptions

Two Winchesters; M 63 which I have long wanted, the M 61 rounds out my Winchester pumps, both 1937, very good bores and super good wood

The other two are a Stevens Favourite with a tang sight and a Remmington No 4 also with a tang sight (the simplest version of a tang sight you will ever see)
Both fall into the boys rifles that are one of my interests

 

[KILBO]

Very nice find Ray :bthumb: The wood on the Winchesters looks great and I know that pictures never do the guns justice so I bet they look awesome up close. Again great find and I hope they shoot good for you.


BRIAN

 

[22AGS]

Very nice indeed Ray. The 61 and 63 are my favorites. That Remington peep looks like it's just a piece of flat steel with a hole in it?

 

[Nobody]

Some guys have all th' luck! Congrats Ray, nice haul :bthumb: . I do believe however that the rifle in bottom of the pic is a Remington Model 6 The #4's were just small versions of the large Rolling Block rifles. I have a model 6 with most of the case colors still intact, & a couple of Improved model 6's. Have a model 4 rolling block & a model 2 sporting rifle & they're definitely different from the #6's. In any case, you acquired some nice 'iron'.

 

[rafter-7]

nice addition,

what caliber is the stevens in?

rafter-7

 

[RayfromNZ]

Nobody, yes you are correct the Remington is a No 6 but I do really want a No 4 which as you say is a scaled down Rolling Block
Just hard to find them with a good shootable barrel

Took them all out for a try out and the M 63 really lived up to my expectations
It makes such a distintive noise/clang and never missed a beat
I tried Sub sonic amunition in it just to see how far down I could take it and still have it function
No problem not much noise apart from the clack/clang of the action

I had the sub sonics to use in the older worn rifles (not the Winchesters) as the lead bullets seem to be more accurate and the lower pressure safer

Loved the sights, old eyes don't normally like them but the golden/silver front sight seems to really help just a matter of seeing that and centering it in the black fuzz at the back
We were shooting into 2 inches at 30 yards standing and calling the shots very quickly

The M 61 worked ok but did swallow the second round, I was counting so was aware of its not firing.
Found it stuck up the magazine tube, so that was soon fixed
This of course one of the dangers of pump actioned, tube feed rifles and being hammerless only makes it worse
I have long wanted the M 63 and this one with only honest wear is just so good and so great to fire I am well pleased ( and a great pricebut that is another story))

 

[boley]

That's a great assortment of rifles Ray!Congratulations!I'm envious,especially so after reading your range report.Your use of the term "pig in a poke" was amusing and informative.I'd wrongly thought that was a term used here in the southeastern US almost exclusively.Surprised to see a gentleman half a world away say it. boley

 

[kixonrt66]

Gun Buy

Nice Haul Ray!
The Model 63's and 61's are IMHO the finest examples of semi auto and pump rimfires out there. They are easily my two favorite Winchester rifles. I have a 1957 model 61 with a grooved reciever and a 1958 round top model 63. The model 63 does indeed have a very distinctive "crack clank" sound, and it is one of the most reliable and accurate 22 autos I have ever had the pleasure to shoot. The model 61 has a silky smooth action and is IMHO the finest pump 22 rifle ever made. The boys rifles are really nice also! Did you buy these as a group or separately?

Nice finds all!

Cheers!
Kix

 

[Jeepranch]

ditto, believe the Winchester 61 to be one of the best rifles ever built, miles ahead of any other pump 22

 

[RayfromNZ]

I have been doing some research on the Model 61

In the US the Browning pump was not sold (imported) while the M 61 was in production

Meanwhile in New Zealand they were, so consquently M 61s are quite rare while the Browning pump are common
As to the best I am not sure on that.

I can see another rifle purchase in my future

 

[M2HB]

I have been doing some research on the Model 61

In the US the Browning pump was not sold (imported) while the M 61 was in production

Meanwhile in New Zealand they were, so consquently M 61s are quite rare while the Browning pump are common
As to the best I am not sure on that.

I can see another rifle purchase in my future

I'm sure that they were both derived from John M. Browning patends. The Browning Trombone is nowhere near as common in the US as the Winchester 61 is. I have been looking for a 99-100% Browning Trombone for years. They are both excellent rifles.

 

[22AGS]

The reason the 61 was so late to market was because of the Browning patent--it had to stand on its own merits outside of the Browning patents. Kinda ironic that the Browning trombone never sold here in the states during that time period. A team led by TC Johnson created the 61 in the style of the model 12 shotgun and it was marketed to appeal to adults. My number one rifle, except that I have two of them

The styling is pure class, it has the best balance point of any rifle I've ever toted afield, and the design is rugged enough to continue seeing these rifles, being used, well into the future.