Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Winchester 62A question

I have a very interesting 62A. Rifle has a 4 digit serial # which obviously dates to 1932. However Winchester didn’t produce any 62A’ that early. I’m thinking that I have a 62 “lower” that was mated to a 62A “ upper “ …wondering if others have seen mismatched rifles and if this was/is common with these ?

Could be that someone simply replaced a cracked or broken slide forearm with the larger 62A forearm.

The barrel is stamped 62A...only way I can see this happening is either the rifle had the barrel replaced or the entire upper section of a 62a was mated to the 62

That certainly could be factory. Its not uncommon to find older dated receivers with newer features. Yours is likely an early 62A made on an 1890 receiver. You would likely have to go to Cody Firearms Museum to find out for sure if that's how it left the factory, but its at least a 50/50 chance that's the way it left the factory.

I ran across this...

"If it has an “A” underneath the serial number on the frame, its a Model 1890 receiver. If it has a “B” in that position, its a Model 1906 receiver. Either way, it sounds like you indeed have a Model 62 barrel attached to one of the older frames."

But of course an A suffix serial number is different that an A in the actual model marking.

Some pics…

No lettered prefix anywhere near sn#. Forearm is 8”…

Malaga,
Your Winchester Model 62, Four Digit serial #, like you said was mfg. in 1932. At approximate serial #100,000, (1940) the "A" was added to the Model 62 designation,
indicating a change to the mainspring, from Flat to Coiled. The Model 62 designation had 4 holes in the lower tang. The Model 62 A designation had 1 hole in the lower tang indicating,
the Coiled Mainspring. Model 62's can be seen as late as serial # 120,000. An approximate total of 412,000 Mode 62 and 62-A's were mfg. until 1958 including parts clean-up.
Cody Museum would refer you to the Winchester Collectors ass. (WACA), WHERE YOU WOULD GET YOUR MOST RELIABLE INFORMATION! Several survey's and updates are constantly being done, and their are some pretty good and informative gentlemen on that Forum site. Many are Authors of very reliable, and informative Reference Books. A very good reference on the Winchester Slide action .22 caliber Rifles is Published by Ned Schwing, on the Model's 1890, 1906, 61, and 62, which used interchangeable parts, and many rifles were mixed and matched over the years by Hobbyists, Gunsmiths, Collectors, and even Sheisters, to try to make extra $$$$$ ! Jeffery W. Abenshein, (JWA), The current author on the Model 69 Book, is a wealth of knowledge on the Forum, besides others. As a guest you can go on the Forum and ask questions, and they are glad to help.
Good Luck,
HS58

Thank you for that info..this one has me confused 🙏

Interesting. I have a barrel marked 62, but serial # 174xxx. Inherited from my grandfather in about 1962. Just one hole in the lower tang. So I guess its a 62a, with earlier 62 barrel??

Malaga,
Be patient, as JWA, is out of the country until mid August, and I'm heading out also! I saw your posting on the WACA Forum, and am anticipating some updated info. soom,
for all to share as we can relate it here!

HS58

Thank you 🙏