Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 63 serial number help

I have a nice little M63 carbine with a serial number 24XXXA marked on the receiver. The serial number is also marked right below it on the trigger housing but does not have the "A" after it.

Does anyone know what the "A" means? Does it designate a duplicate serial number or a gun that went back for re-work? Or is it just the way Winchester marked them on the M63s?

winchester marked them like that for updates.Yours appears to be a 1938 gun,but why do you think its a carbine?

According to the dates of manufacture in the back of the Blue Book it shows my gun as a 1937 model. It has a 20" barrel so that would make it a carbine wouldn't it? I don't know much, hardly anything in fact, about M63's so I'm just getting this information from the blue book.

I am going to try to sell this gun and was just wondering if the "A" made it something rare. I know if you find a Pre-64 M70 with a letter after the number it generally means that it was duplicate serial number and commands a little premium.

The model 63 had the A added after the serial # around 1935 and is encountered after (approximate) serial numbers above 18000. The "A" does not in this instance mean that it was a duplicate serial number, but rather a minor parts or design change. The 20" bbl. was discontinued about 1941 or serial number range of 50000. Serial numbers were 5/64" high with the "A" stamp following on number the receiver. Interesting note that the late model 63's with grooved receiver tops, after approx. serial #'s 162000 had the "A" omitted in the serial numbers again.

30WCF, thank you for the information.

Reelman,
Poor info from 30WCF that.
My 1958 produced model 63 with grooved receiver ser# 164XXXA has the "A".
All 13 of my 63's have the "A" with the exception of my 20" barrelled model produced in 1937.
Cisco

Cisco,
In my post I mentioned after APPROXIMATELY serial 162000 the "A" was deleted from the model 63 serial numbers. Yours is close at 164XXX. I do have a 63 Grooved top that is numbered 173xxx which has the "A" omitted. Winchester DID remove the "A" from the later model 63's, at exactly which serial number they did this is not known, but at or around 162000, which is an approximate. Also Winchester did NOT place the "A" on serial numbers up to APPROXIMATELY 18000 on early model 63's.
Reelman, you are welcome for the information.

30 WCF
My '58 model 63 SN 164XXXA has an A, and I had to dig out a newer 63 grooved still a '58 year I believe SN 172XXXA.
I believe the last couple years Winchester produced the 63, about '58 ,'59. and '60 may have had a bit of clean up parts thing going on.
As I stated before of the bakers dozen I have the only one doesn't have a "A" is a '37 model.
I don't know where you get the 162000 number but 172XXX isn't real approximate as only 175XXX produced.
Cisco

Cisco,
Sounds like you enjoy the Model 63 which is one of my favorite Winchester rimfires. I know of several Winchester reference books out there, but I used "Winchester For Over A Century, A Complete Detailed Description of Each Variety of Each Model of Winchester Firearm Produced Between 1866 and 1967" to obtain the information I have provided. This and the fact I have not owned a 63 in the 162000 range, but have owned 173XXX, which is not stamped with the "A". The info provide in Bill West's book on the model 63 states that from serial #'s approx. 162000-174900 were grooved receiver and no letter "A" on late guns., (pg 48-5). Serial 173XXX is about 11000 away from 162000. When you estimate 175000 total model 63's that puts Mr. West's approximate number off by 6 percent. Based upon the available records from Winchester that sounds approximately enough to me. With that I respectfully wish you the best and hope you continue to enjoy your model 63's.

30WCF,
Yes. I have a fondness for the 63's.I think it is a unique , durable design.
I could only admire them years ago. When I was able to lay out some cash for them I made up for not buying the 63's sooner.
Although I have read a little , even though, I have stacks of reference books, I for sure am not any kind of authority. Hell, I can't even find all my guns.
All I know, is the S.N.'s I related.
I still believe that at the end of a model production cycle lots of mismatched parts get used up.
I prefer to do more shooting than research, and I can't remember much.
I have much interest in 71's still hunt 'em. 52's are always interesting , and too many variations to keep track of. The older levers, and of course the 70.s.

Then we get into the European stuff.
I appreciate your input, you are quite knowledgeable.

Cisco

I have SN 1764XX with no A suffix....proving more than 175K were made, I guess....IF SNs started at 1.....or none were skipped....

If Bill Wests book is correct, this particular listing is not a grooved reciever, as per serial numbers?

http://www.gunauction.com/Search/DisplayItem.cfm?ItemNum=10721091

watch,
The 63 you are looking at is not grooved. Grooved 63's were the last few years production. This one is about '53.
Still nice gun. The Weaver scope and mounts show it to be barrel/ receiver mount better than side mount, where left side of receiver was D&Ted.
I have several with Weaver scopes and in various mounts, funny thing, I shoot them and never had to adjust the old scopes. I have a couple favorites with modern scopes I shoot the most, however.

Cisco

There are lots of ersatz "carbines" floating around, genuine from the factory carbines will always have these three features.
#1-a flat muzzle rather than a radiused sporting crown, #2-a smooth rather than grooved trigger and #3-a smooth buttplate rather than checkered. If it lacks these three features I would be highly suspect that the rifle had been cutdown.

Merry Christmas Bob,
The carbines were all lower S.N. such as the one I bought from you.
Hope all is well,
Chuck

Mine has all of those "features" that you listed. Any idea what on like mine is worth in abut 95% condition? I have to many guns and this is one I'm thinking of getting rid of.

After contacting the seller with that info, he changed his add to non-grooved reciever.

Reelman,
Some of my 63's {long barrel models, not carbines} have smooth, uncheckered buttplates.
Cisco

30WCF, I have a 63 SN 159XXX that has a grooved receiver and have been told that the late model 162000 up was not set in stone as far as the grooved receiver. It does have the A after the SN. I was curious if you or anyone had come up with any more info since this forum was last visited? Appreciate any info on this topic. Thanks.

I have an early carbine (SN 29xx) that has a smooth trigger and smooth buttplate but the end of the barrel has threads for a silencer. The stock also has a flip lid compartment to store the silencer. Has anyone ever seen one like this or is my gun modified? The silencer is gone but all of the parts look old.