Yes I agree with your basic premise. A similarly vintage sightless in those 3 calibers could be thought of as a "Gopher Special" or a Class 4 Variant. One of my local gunshop owners, now deceased, new the deceased owner of Gopher Supply. It has been discussed many times that GS never kept track of the s/n Gopher Specials (300 total) that came through his shop. He sold all over the nation, not just locally. If by chance someone had the rifle AND a receipt that would be a documented find, add the box and look out!
I don't doubt something like that doesn't exist. Its still tucked away in someones closet.
The reason there is a little doubt lingering is that soon after the GS were made, the idea caught on and the public ordered them. So, with the delay and cleanup of serial numbers, you could have a '59 action with a /60 barrel, made in 1960 but close enough to be called a genuine GS. You can argue it either way!
Also I was told that the records of what s/n guns were shipped to Gopher Supply was either non-existent or certainly never kept as a permanent record at Winchester.
Who knew that the interest and value would ever develop?
