It's just an incredibly under-appreciated rifle TwoPonies. One day it will have its respect elevated to where it belongs. The gun was engineered to be an economical alternative to the highend 63 semiauto, and filled the niche with panache. There are many unique elements to the 74, the most notable being the way the entire bolt assembly comes out of the back of the receiver to clean, without having to take the gun down. $350 would be high for the model in less than really minty condition at present, most average decent shape examples go for a mid-200's price, and down. There were maybe more of these drilled and tapped after purchase than any other Winchester 22, as the grooved receiver modification arrived only one year before it was discontinued in 1955. These factory grooved guns are hard to locate but out there. And really are worth the 350 region in good shape. But again, its value hasn't caught up with the reality yet, so by all means seek a good one out. They came in both short only and long rifle only. And the later ones came with several improvements, including a larger loading port in the stock, an improved ejector, and shorter barrel. Only one caveat about the 74, and it's been preached hard here on RFC---never attempt to cock the action with the safety in the "SAFE" position, it jams up the mechanism. Otherwise, a terrific product from the golden days of yore. I own 2, one in each caliber choice, and had three but weakened and sold a close friend my only grooved receiver version, in 98% condition. As it's his favorite semiauto, I have never minded a bit.

 

22AGS, that's about as good as it can be summed up about the 74. I agree, its a very under appreciated firearm.

 

Thanks 021! :bthumb:

 

 

Gawd, we get a lot of mileage out of that grainy closeup.

My grooved gun with a couple of other classics

"Long Tom" minty early LR

Picture of an early small loading port

The Flysalot Special. Shorts Only early 74, originally with the long barrel as shown above, turned into a carbine, with a later large-port stock.

 

Model 74

Both of the guns I have are the small loading port type. Please explain the procedure to me for removing the bolt from the back.

 

Better to see it taken down for cleaning. Search Youtube videos. Some are better than others, but after playing a video once or twice you can do it. Follow the advice you will hear for placing a twisty-tie around the bolt assembly to save yourself the headache of parts falling out of place.

 

Forgot to mention that I have seen a couple of Shorts versions in which the loading port was up on the wrist of the pistol grip!

Ponies, make sure the gun is unloaded. Point the muzzle in a safe direction, because the gun has to be fired first. Now use your finger to push that little recessed button on the rear of the receiver from the (edit correction: left to right, courtesy of Nobody) .The bolt will pop open just a little bit unless it's dirty and thus stuck. Hold the button open (to avoid scratching the bluing) and grab the charging handle and pull rearward. The entire bolt assembly will come out. Unless something like a pin or two is missing, nothing will fall apart when you do this, but do have a good grip on the bolt to avoid dropping it. You will be thrilled to see how easy it is to access the dirty areas for cleaning. To insert, reverse the procedure.

Also forgot to mention that my Shorty LOVES the Aquila brand ammo, and it's cheaper than the rest. I bought a brick from Midway and the gun just rolls with it.

Also should mention that the Shorts Only version was discontinued and not produced after WWII. And there was a gallery gun made up, some in chrome trim.

 

Two Ponies, just want to throw in a little hint. After cleaning bolt area and re-oiling use oil very SPARINLY because this guy likes to shoot oil back at you when its got to much, only flaw in the rifle that I see.
I'm like Sargent Alvin York from Pall Mall, Tenn. he loved his and so do I.
WC

 

22AGS wrote

- - - - Now use your finger to push that little recessed button on the rear of the receiver from the right side to the left. - - - -

Uhmmm, You must've been up real early 22AGS, on both of my 74's (22Short & 22LR) I hafta push the release button from left to right...

 

22AGS wrote

Uhmmm, You must've been up real early 22AGS, on both of my 74's (22Short & 22LR) I hafta push the release button from left to right...

Hahahaha, at least I didn't say push it up or down. Yes, it's getting to where I forget more than I know. Thanks Nobody!

 

Thanx

THANX :bthumb: to all of you for the good suggestions. By the end of today I will know a lot more about my 74's. At my age (74) I seem to forget more than I learn. At the rate the prices are going for, I may have them a lot longer then I wanted too.

 

May get an argument here, but my 1947 vintage M74 will outshoot my 1950 vintage M63 at 1/2 the price. My bro in law picked up one of the last ones made at Reno for $200 and it is really a nice one. I think it is within 25 numbers of the last one listed. Big Larry:t:t:t:bthumb:

 

Big Larry, no argument here. All the mid-1900 Winchester 22 barrels were first rate quality, and with that longggggg barrel (look again at mine above I dubbed the "Long Tom"), the extra sighting radius is bound to improve the tightness of a group. Winchester probably should have figured out a way to put another dovetail on that extra-length receiver to increase it even more with open sights. But at least for the few who have it, that odd rear peep mounted on the rear of the bolt must be an amazingly effective group getter.

 

The rare rear sight, Model 88A

Yes I know the holding screw is back to front, that's the only way it works

 

Thanks Ray for the illustration. Shows just how much variety we can find in our rifles. Now if someone would come along and show us one of those fully chromed gallery guns! I've never seen one. Oh, and regarding the reversed holding screw, we see so little of this sight that it could be upside down and most of us wouldn't know the difference!
Also, between you and Big Larry's contributions, maybe we should have a separate thread discussing which 22 rifle has the longest iron sight radius. A topic that I've never seen. Your 74 with that simple but rugged rear peep sight on the rear of that longggg barreled receiver could probably take home the gold. The old 69 with the 96B mounted almost as far back might be a close second. Another contender: I had a 52A target version that not only had the rear Lyman peep sight rig, but it was mounted about two and a half inches behind the rear of the bolt on an extension rod, and my hand would fit under it on the pistol grip.

 

Funny you should ask about loong sight radius
I was just giving a Vickers Armstrong martini a good clean and I had to get the extra long cleaning rod,
32 inches, 35" from sight end to end
As compared with a Single shot Winchester since we are on a Winchester forum
which is 27"

You guys are lucky I have some old measures lying around becuase we have been metric for some time although I am old enough to think in either measure
Go to the Martini Forum up above if you want to know more about these interesting firearms