Some weeks (months?) ago I made reference in this venue about the Winchester pre-64 Model 70's that are referred to as "Gopher Specials".
I also mentioned that I had an original Gophers Shooters Supply catalog from the 1950's.
Well I finally found that catalog and as best I can ascertain it is from the year 1958. The only clarification on that is a handwritten note of same on page 2 - and on the face of the catalog it refers to itself as "catalog No. 12".
Anyway on page 31 of this catalog it shows the "Gopher Special" Rifle and gives a lengthy description under the Rifles picture, there is a bold faced heading "Something Special" under this picture.
I assume that is where the term "Gopher Special" originated as the Rifle was NOT described or named as such (Gopher Special) in the catalog.
The Gopher Special Rifle was priced at $129.95 (the same as the normal Featherweight Rifle offerings) that year.
The Gopher Special was offered in only 3 (three) calibers that year: 243 Winchester, 270 Winchester and 30/06.
The Gopher Special only came with the Monte Carlo high comb stock where as that year (and in this catalog) the normal Featherweight was offered in both high comb Monte Carlo stock and in a standard low or straight combed stock - both styles at $129.95.
There is an absolute wealth of information in this large format, 173 glossy paged, well done catalog - it covers all merchandise of the shooting nature of the day including guns (pistols and Rifles), Rifle scopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, munitions, reloaders and dies, calls, knives, archery equipment, iron sights and on and on!
On the first page of the catalog is what appears to be an introductory advertisement for the Ruger Bearcat pistol - that cute little pistol is priced at $49.00!
The section of this catalog that contains all of Smith & Wessons offerings for that year simply makes me swoon and drool!
One offering was for the 1955 Model Smith & Wesson Model 22/32 Kit Gun "Airweight" weighing 14 ounces and priced at $75.00!
The standard 22/32 Kit Gun of that year weighed 22 ounces and cost $70.00 or $75.00 for the nickel plated version.
Anyway I believe the original discussion regarding Gopher Specials (IIRC) had to do with what calibers it was offered in by the Gophers Shooters Supply Company - this may answer that.
Indeed other Rifles of this type are known in OTHER calibers than what I have referred to but those would have been special orders from the Winchester factory, I believe.
In the past I have owned two other Gopher Specials but as of today I only have the one Gopher Special type Rifle in caliber 243 Winchester, it has serial number 543562 which puts its manufacture date right at December 4th of 1961 (half a century ago now - where does the time go?).
In other words I doubt if it was one of the original 300 (total) Gopher Specials contracted for by the Gopher Shooters Supply Company back in 1958 or 1959.
Merry Christmas and Happy Winchester Collecting to all here in the coming year.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
