Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Any love for the model 55 lever action?

I just completed my set yesterday. Picked up a really nice TD in 32 spl. I picked up the solid frame 32 spl last year. Cant believe I got the solid frame for less than the more common TD variation. The guy that sold me the solid frame was convinced that the TD model was much rarer! So i questioned his logic one more time and couldnt pull the cash out fast enough. Was the only solid framed 55 rifle id ever seen. I will gladly send pictures if someone wants to post em. Just PM your cell #. ty

Congrats!
Pm sent - I’ll post em for ya

TY sir! Pictures sent

I have a few of the other 55, SSA’s
Nice rifle’s

Nice Find! Congrats.
I do agree with you that the solid frames are harder to find.
Approximately 20,500 mfg. between 1924-1932. 3 calibers mfg. 25-35 WCF (RARE), 30-30 (Take down only), or .32 Win. Spl.
The extremely Rare and hard to find part about the Win. Model 55 is, besides the Solid Frame Part, is the Serial Number started and ran until 2,865 and then just blended into the Serial numbers of the Model 94 and the Model 55 couldn't compete with the Win. Model 94 and ceased.
24 inch Round barrel, shotgun Butt stock with the Steel serrated butt plate, tube mag. naturally that held 3 rounds.

What's interesting about the serialization to Collectors is the Winchester Model 55 mfg. approximately less than 1400 in it's first year of production and the rest of it's total mixed into the Win Model 94 at about Serial number 980,000 in 1924. The information discrepancy that is known to date is at what number did Winchester mix the Serial number into the Production after Model 55 serial number 2865 if it was made up until 1932.

Winchester Model 1894 Serial number 1 Million mfg. in 1927 and Serial Number 1100000( 1 Million and 1 hundred thousand) was mfg. in 1936.
(Great Depression 1929-1939)
With all of that being said, and the highest known number being 2865 and not sure what year mfg. date was.
What Serial Number Do you Have???
So to answer your Question Yeah there's love for the Model 55!

HS 58

I've seen a few model 55s over the years all in poor condition

I like them! i have several in all three calibers, solid frame and takedown. Last year i actually got a factory engraved one. The only one i have ever seen,Its in winchesters lowest grade engraving. Don

Why does the blueing always fall off the recievers? From being carried?

High nickel content in the reciever steel, doesn't hold the bluing well.

Loggah, arent some Model 94 receivers difficult to re blue?

The post63 M94 sintered metal receivers were difficult to re-blue

TY. Huntershooter both my 55s ser #s are above 1 million.

A lot of the early winchester 55,94 style actions held there blue poorly because of the high nickel content. Most often those will show the blue flaking on a rifle that has perfect bluing on the barrel and magazine tube. Don

My serial numbers on 4 rifles are

3502

6080

7247

1023789

Two 30wcf
1-32ws
1-25-35

all are takedowns, no solid frame,counted one of my early 64's by accident !!

Such problems you have Loggah! LOL

I picked up a first year Model 55 last year. I wanted a take-down model for my collection and I happened upon it at my LGS. I have to say I'm not overly thrilled with its handling traits, I think it has to do with the buttplate angle? I much prefer my crescent butt/button magazine 1894s. As was mentioned, the blue doesn't hold up well to use on this vintage '94, the OPs appears in really nice shape, congrats! Mine has the "been there" look.

Anytime. It's enjoyable.


Loggah
The Serial number information that you provide is interesting as most of the current information is sketchy to say the least, mainly due to the time period, Winchester's Economical circumstances at the time, and more than one Fire at the Factory, wiping out some important Records information.



It was very common early on in production of the 1892 and 1894 Winchester Rifles predominantly to have their Bluing Flake of in an extreme worn appearance.
As you mentioned due to the high Nickel Content in their steel, and their Nickel Steel Rifles.

Once again I agree with you Sir, and Winchester was testing their Bluing processes in the Late 30's and into the early 40's and you can usually Find a "w" stamped on the underside of the receiver's usually under the Serial Number.

HS 58

I ran across a 55 take down last Friday at a gun show, nice but used guy wanted 2K for it!

TY saddlering. Wow I guess I did really well than for both of my 55s!!