Google Winchester 99 thumb trigger
http://armscollectors.com/ph/read.php?f=25&i=734&t=728
Author: DENNIS (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 07-12-04 20:29
Mike: The orginal fatory name for your piece was :THE THUMB TRIGGER MODEL 99. It was made from 1904 to 1923. A total of 75,000 was "officially" made, but with usage of extra parts, etc, the actual total was 77, 584 made.
With some "#### Tracy" work we can pin down a close time of when your piece was made. (the weapon was not serial numbered).
o Orginally, the barrel was marked with a 1899 Pat. Date. The piece was rushed into production so fast that it was only after the first 3,000 was made that it was discovered that there was no patent applied for. This was then accomplished and was received in 1905. So, we now know, yours is older that the first 3,000 made. They then marked the barrels after 1905 as "Pat. Pen." (So, yours was made after 1905).
o Next, the 1905 patent date was applied (yours).
o After the 52,000 gun, new barrel markings appeared: ".22 Short, Long, or Ex. Long" and Trademark Reg. In U.S. Pat Off." So, we now know your piece was made after 1905 and before 1911 (Production run data shows gun 52,000 occured in mid-1911).
o So, we have now narrowed it down to the period 1906 - 1910. To get a possible closer date, note that at gun # 38,400, the sights were changed from open all-steel sights (Series 21) to series 21 steel rear sights and a tin bead front sight. # 38,400 occures around 1906/07. So if you can determine your sights, you can pin the date of your piece even closer.
Hope this helps,
Dennis
o The first
