Hello,
You had me curious about your S/N# 184,8xx
So I looked up my Win62A (same slide as your rifle), its S/N is 114,7xx (corresponding to 1940 production).

You can see pics of it here;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/etbldl9842cgz4b/IMG_7473.JPG?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i3avd62fwi6ebfz/IMG_7477.JPG?dl=0
(the second pic shows the "62A" stamping)

I'm certainly no expert on the history of these rifles, and will be interested to see what other more knowledgeable folks will say.

Best regards,

 

More pictures if that helps

 

Are there any screw heads on the bottom tang of this rifle (except for the through screw holding the stock in the tang)? If there are screw heads then the rifle has a flat mainspring and is a Model 62. If there are no screw heads then the rifle has a coil main spring and is a Model 62A.

 

I just checked a the only screw is the one that holds the stock to the receiver. No screws on the bottom tang. So I have a 62a that was marked incorrectly at the factory? Is that common? Also, I need some experienced eyes to give opinions on condition. To me it looks almost pristine, but I understand that a more trained eye can grade it more accurately than me.

 

Could have been using up old barrels under the waste not/want not theory, could have been rebarreled, or could have been mismarked. Part of the charm.

 

Many 1000's made like that. As mentioned they were using up older barrels from the stock room.

 

Funny how there are many anomalies like that with these old guns. I am now wondering if that has a negative effect on the value. I was not "looking" for a winchester 62 but I stumbled upon someone selling this and they were asking less than 4 1/2 bills so I knew enough to know that I could not go wrong buying it. Looked like someone who inherited it and is not interested in guns and not wanting to do any legwork to sell it for top dollar. Just looking for a quick sell and I accommodated him. I bought this one and two others that I plan to sell down the road to recoup my money I have into this 62 (62A?)

 

Take the stock off and see which screw is in there.

 

Is the muzzle crowned or cut off straight? Original 62 barrels were cut off straight.
Is the comb of the stock rounded or fairly sharply shaped. The 62A butt stocks had gently rounded combs. Is there a reenforcing collar on the end of the magazine tube? Original 62s had the reenforcing collar until 1935.

 

I have one that's set up like that. It's a 62A (coil mainspring--no extra screws on the lower tang), matching ser#'s upper and lower.
But the bbl has 'Mod 62' marking on it.

Not nearly as nice condition as yours though!

They shoot just as good no matter if the 'A' is there or not.

 

so there are more out there like mine!! haha. I figured this has probably happened enough times that it is not that rare. I am convinced that it is exactly as how it left the factory because the numbers match, the bluing matches, the wood matches, etc. It is not likely that this is a frankengun.

Yes, the next thing I need to evaluate is condition.... It is not new or unfired, but it definitely looks to be in "collector" condition to the point where I may just shoot it once in a great while and let it sit and become more collectible. I am still just trying to figure out what I have and if it is too collectible to shoot or if there are tons of them in this condition and I should just enjoy. Either way, I try to respect examples that I come across in great condition. I don't want to be careless and destroy a survivor.

 

As old 39 indicates, you have a model 62A, since the defining characteristic is the type of mainspring....flat for a 62 and a coil spring for the 62A....easily identified by the number of screws in the bottom tang. I think it was in 1939 that Winchester began the changes from the 62 to the 62A. These changes included changing the mainspring, changing the shape of the forearm, changing the hammer from checkered to grooved, ending the tapping of the upper tang for a tang sight, and so on. There were a total of four forearm styles made beginning with the smaller prewar forearm, going through two larger round forearms, and ending with the flat bottomed forearm.

As indicated, these changes were not abrupt but occurred over a period of several years with Winchester utilizing existing older parts until they ran out. In other words, yours is an example of a transition gun.

James

 

[...] I think it was in 1939 that Winchester began the changes from the 62 to the 62A. These changes included changing the mainspring, changing the shape of the forearm, changing the hammer from checkered to grooved, ending the tapping of the upper tang for a tang sight, and so on. [...]

That's neat to know, thanks; my 1940 M62A has the checkered hammer of the M62.

 

More detailed pics. Let me know if any other details stand out that I should be aware of.

 

There is a difference between prudence and ignorance. You are not ignorant at all.

Removing the outer magazine is not that hard. There is a pin on the barrel band that encircles the outer magazine tube. Drive it out. It is not tapered. It is just a friction fit so it comes out easily and goes back in without any trouble. Pull the outer tube out of the receiver and it is done. To put things back, line up the groove on the tube with the pin hole on the band and push in the pin.

Just a hint. Sometimes those magazine tube pins can get loose and back out. To fix that, run a thread through the hole. Then put in the pin. Trim off the thread. The thread will provide sufficient friction to hold the pin. This trick usually works for tightening up sight dove tails as well.

I may be a bubba but I am a prudent one.

 

Just more info on these rifles.

I have a barrel marked 62A with a 1946 serial number.

Yet it has a checkered hammer. I"m sure mine has been rebuilt at some point so the hammer may, or may not, have been changed.

Manufacturers do NOT waste parts just because management declared a new and improved model.

I also have a S&W Model 19-2 with all of the 19-3 upgrades.........

 

S&W is good at mis marking their guns. I have a very late, one of the last 100 made, Model 53's. It is marked M53 and should be marked M53-2. There is no M53-3.
Ant yes, Winchester never threw anything away. I have a very late M62-A with parts from 4 different eras. It is a parts cleanup rifle with a Model 90 receiver. Big Larry