Make: Winchester
Model: 64
Serial Number: 1207973
Year of Manufacture: ca.1940-42
Caliber: .32 Winchester Special
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle fed by a Two Thirds Length Tubular Magazine
Barrel Length: 24” Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed to a textured, ramped base forged to the front of the barrel. The front sight has a protective hood. The rear of the barrel has a dovetail flat installed. The rear left of the receiver is installed with a Redfield aperture peep sight. The top tang has a drilled, tapped, and filled hole.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a beavertail forend, pistol grip, straight comb, and checkered steel shotgun-style buttplate.The stocks have been refinished. There are some scattered compressions, nicks in the wood, and a few scratches. Most marks have aged and discolored. There are some areas of discoloration and finish wear. There is a small chip loss on the edge of the pistol grip. There are a few minor grain splits at the toe. The LOP measures 13 1/8”from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has finish loss, faint freckled scabbing, and a few areas of surface erosion. The wood is slightly proud to the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There are a few small spots of minor surface erosion. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates a 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 75% of its metal finish. There is finish wear on some of the edges. There are scattered spots of oxidation. There are areas of thinning and finish loss. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs, and light scratches. There are some areas of patina, most notable on the lever. There are a few spots of minor surface erosion. There is operational wear. There is wear on the edges of some of the screw holes, most notable on the right of the receiver toward the front. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: At a time when more people were traveling by motorcar and railroad than by horse and stagecoach, Winchester thought a lever action rifle based on the Model 94 (it would fill the gap between the 26” barrel sporting rifle and the 20” barrel carbine) would sell like hotcakes. The Model 55 was introduced in 1924, but never sold particularly well, and was discontinued in 1932 when it was superseded by the Model 64. The Model 64 was a redesign of the Model 55 with a longer magazine tube, and made with a solid frame only. The Model 64 stayed in production until 1957, with a total of only 66,783 manufactured, making it one of the rarer Winchester lever action models.
This Winchester Model 64 Rifle is in Very Good condition, showing wear consistent with responsible use in the field. It retains 75% of its original blued finish, nice stocks, and a stellar bore, and is chambered in .32 Winchester Special, a necked up .30-30 cartridge. This would make a fine addition to a Winchester lever action collection, and would still make for a very nice deer rifle.
RIFLE