Survey of Surviving Winchester Model 65's

[Win 38-55]

With the encouragement of a member of WinchesterCollector forum, I have decided to put together a database for existing original Winchester Model 65s made during the late 1930's and early 40's. (Not the Browning repros). Your personal information will NOT be part of the database. The information I am collecting is as follows:

serial number:
caliber/cartridge:
the two-digit year stamp on underside of barrel:
additional information: (e.g., refinished, shortened barrel, etc.)

For the year stamp, I understand if some collectors do not want to remove the forearm wood. For those who wish to, since the Model 65 has a button magazine, it is a simple and safe operation to remove the forearm. The thing to remember is that there is a spring under the button, so as you remove the two screws holding the forearm tip, hold the tip in place. Once the screws are out, I remove the button, forearm tip, and spring in a controlled fashion. The two digit year stamp should be under the barrel near the receiver (e.g., '39').

You can PM me with the information. This database will be available to any member of this forum who wants an update.

 

[MadDog]

I'm thinking this is one tough gun to find with all the replies your getting, hahahaha.

 

[Win 38-55]

MadDog, you are very right. In various forums in the USA, and this one, and with the data of a very serious collector in the USA included, I've only found 24 Model 65's that I can get the serial number off of. I've found a half dozen more, but don't have the serial number. There were only supposed to be just over 5,000 ever made back in the 1930's, but you sure wouldn't know it by the few I'm scrounging up. Here's what I have so far :

The earliest serial number I have is 1,000,927 with a 1933 year stamp under the barrel (straight grip, crescent butt). It is currently in Australia. The latest one is a Deluxe 1,007,560 (do not know what the stamp under the barrel is).

One thing that is surprising so far is the scarcity of the 25-20's. According to Madis, the rarest Model 65 was the 32-20 and the most common was the 218 Bee. My small sampling of 24 rifles confirms thus far that the 218 Bee is the most common, but those 25-20 seem to be the most rare. Of course, my sample size is pretty small so far. The range in serial numbers is 6,633 however, if I understand correctly, there are Model 92's numbered into the same series.

 

[senior]

There's a very old guy (75-80?) here in town that has a very nice 25-20 in a 65.
He sold me a 25-20 Marlin hex barrel short rifle (20") in really nice shape yrs ago but won't part with the 65, not that I can blame him. His father used to shoot & semi collect small cartridge rifles.

 

[Win 38-55]

If you get a chance to talk to him sometime, let him know about this survey and see if he'd be willing to at least give you the basic info I mentioned above, so that we can add it to the survey. I'm not keeping track of names or personal info, so he needn't worry about that.

 

[Win 38-55]

Well, it's July 7, 2009 and I've been working on this for months. Those Winchester Model 65's are doggonned hard to find. Anyway, here is the updated data I've obtained thus far.

 

[Win 38-55]

Please un-sticky this thread and let it sink into oblivion. I have passed this project on to a fellow in the USA. I want to thank the moderators for making this a sticky up until now. Someday, the results will be published in an article on the Winchester Model 65.