Make: Winchester
Model: 64
Serial Number: 1899104
Year of Manufacture: 1952
Caliber: .32 Winchester Special (WS)
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 rear sight is a "U" notch elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The notch is fine adjustable for elevation. The left of the receiver is drilled, tapped, and filled for a receiver sight (none present).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a beavertail forend, pistol grip, straight comb, and checkered steel shotgun-style buttplate. There is a chip loss on the wrist to the left of the top tang. There are some scattered compressions and draglines. There are some scattered nicks, scratches, and areas of light finish wear. There are light handling marks. The LOP measures 13 1/8" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has some areas of finish loss, light erosion, and scratches. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates a 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. There are a few small spots of minor surface oxidation, mostly on the receiver. There are a few little nicks and hairline scratches. There is finish wear on some of the edges. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine Plus 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 The Model 55 was introduced in 1924, but never sold particularly well, and was discontinued in 1932 when it was superseded by the Model 64.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 Fine Plus condition, showing very little wear. It retains about 97% of its original blued finish, a very nice bore, and strong mechanics, and is chambered in .32 Winchester Special, a necked up .30-30 cartridge that had about 10% more muzzle energy than its parent, making it a nice choice for hunting in brush. While this would still make for a very nice deer rifle, with its high condition, it would be an even better addition to a Winchester lever action collection.
RIFLE