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Winchester Double Feature |
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Dave Tennent
On Point Joined: Jan 02 2016 Location: Maryland Status: Offline Points: 261 |
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Posted: May 21 2020 at 8:45am |
2020-D Winchester Double Feature By Dave Tennent The serial number block issued to Winchester beginning with 5,549,922 and ending with 5,834,618 is commonly referred to as Winchesters second block. The carbines produced during Winchester’s second block began appearing in late December 1943 and ran into November 1944. Here we have two excellent examples from Winchester’s Five Million Serial Block The carbines featured in this article are the number’s 5,636,953 and 5,662,163 and were manufactured roughly one month apart. These are examples of carbines that were produced near the middle of this serial block. The following photos and observations from these two carbines are consistent with the Winchester Manufacturers Update from Carbine Club newsletter #237-6 as well as the Carbine’s of the Month (COM’s) from this block, found throughout the Club’s newsletters. Type II barrel bands with wire sling swivels, low-wood oval cut stocks, and ‘++’ markings on the heads of the recoil plate screws, make their appearance in this serial number block. These two carbines are typical of those produced at Winchester in the early spring of 1944. Winchester parts found on these carbines that are marked ‘W’, include the barrels; stocks; handguards; operating slides; bolts; sears; trigger housings; hammers; extractors; recoil plates; and the magazine releases. Unmarked piston nuts were also made by Winchester. Both safeties are marked “EW”. The tang impressions on the recoil plates match the receiver tangs. Both carbine rear sights are staked in place on the left and right front of the dovetails Flip sights were used until the fall of 1944; after that adjustable sights began appearing in this serial number block The circle punch staking was used on both sides of the rear sight pins. Both milled front sights are unmarked and have the same rear slope detail. Remnants of black or grey lacquer paint can be seen on the top and front of each of the sight blades. This paint is believed to have been applied after the sighting in and filing process, to cut down on sight glare. Measured muzzle wear is minimal on both barrels. Notice the chisel staking on the barrels behind the front sights. On the left is carbine 5.63 the ‘W’ is stamped 4” from the muzzle, and the ‘WP oval’ is stamped 6” from the muzzle. On the right is carbine 5.66 the ‘W’ is stamped 4 ½” from the muzzle and the ‘WP oval’ is stamped 7 ½” from the muzzle. Both charcoal-colored unmarked type 2-barrel bands show a very slight overhang between the outer part of the band and the inner part. Identical front ring stampings are seen on these two carbines. Notice the right sides of the E’s in CARBINE and that the ‘1’ has serifs. Short barrel skirts are found on both carbines. The two E379 slides with 9/16” arm joints both have letters on the top of the slide box, the ‘J’ mark is on the 5.63 slide and the 5.66 slide is marked with a faint ‘X’. Carbine 5.66 has a type 1 firing pin, and 5.63 has a type 3. Both blued flat bolts are marked ‘W’ on the right lug and type 3 extractors are also marked ‘W’. The two milled trigger housings contain type 4 magazine catches with an ‘M’ stamped on the face and ‘W’ stamped on the front. Notice that the hardness punch marks are in different places. Both trigger housings contain type 3 safeties marked “EW”. Both sears are blued with polished ends to improve trigger pull. Both are the no-hole style. Both walnut low-wood stocks are marked with similar stamps on the bridge. Nearly identical tooling marks are seen on the two handguards below the step. Both non-bullnose handguards have identical deep sighting grooves, and both are marked with a small ‘W’ as well as a larger letter ‘A’ in the channel. On the left, Carbine 5.63 has the late style butt plate. Carbine 5.66 on the right has the transitional splatter pattern butt plate. The Carbine Collectors Club Copyright© 2020 www.USCarbineCal30.com This article and/or its images are the property of the author. They're not to be copied without prior written permission (Title 17, Chapter 5, Section 501(a) U.S. Code) Edited by moneawon - May 24 2020 at 11:12am |
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1st M1 88
On Point Joined: Aug 26 2016 Location: illinois Status: Offline Points: 279 |
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Wow! What great looking Winchesters. Thanks for sharing.
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W5USMC
Moderator Group Joined: Apr 29 2017 Location: Missouri Status: Offline Points: 2959 |
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Lots of great information in this article, beautiful carbines!
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Wayne
USMC Retired NRA Life Member |
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Ricci1165
On Point Joined: Aug 10 2018 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 87 |
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Outstanding representation! Thank you for sharing.
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old59porsche
On Point RIP Joined: Jan 31 2018 Location: Central Florida Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Dave, very well done article. Worthy of old club newsletter.
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Retired Army Guy
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jangle
On Point Joined: Jan 13 2016 Location: Ohio Status: Online Points: 147 |
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Fantastic presentation.
Thank you for putting your time and effort into posting them!
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Horrible_Aim
Recruit Joined: May 02 2020 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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Thank you for this! I just got my first Winchester with serial 5622xxx. Not far down the line.
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welbytwo
Hard Corps Advanced Collector Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 803 |
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great comparison-nice winnies!!
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carbinekid
On Point Joined: Jan 24 2016 Location: SE Michigan Status: Offline Points: 438 |
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outstanding! Great detail.
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Charles
Grunt Joined: Mar 21 2016 Location: Maryland Status: Offline Points: 587 |
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Hay Deva, They are one beautiful pair of Winchesters. I have just one criticism, they are not in my gun safe. I'll bet your wife and cat felt neglected for a week after bringing them home. Take care and stay safe, Charlie
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Charles
Co B 1st Batl.115 Inf. Reg. 29th. Divi. 4.2 Heavy Mortar Co Retired Life member NRA |
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Dave Tennent
On Point Joined: Jan 02 2016 Location: Maryland Status: Offline Points: 261 |
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Thanks everyone for the nice feedback! Thanks also to New2brass, M1A1fan and MB for putting up with all my texts and emails adding to their already busy workloads. This couldn't have happened without all the back and forth suggestions, revisions and layout help. I waited a year to acquire the 5.63 that lived in SoCal and it almost didn't happen because the Baltimore Antique Arms show was cancelled. Disappointment turned to joy when a deal was struck and the carbine arrived by mail (a first for me). I know how everyone, including me, loves photos and it was great fun and challenging attempting so many side-by-side pics. I'm also sure that Marty is glad that all this didn't have to get squeezed into a Newsletter.
Keep collecting and sharing, Dave T |
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Dave
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Jamesicus
On Point RIP Joined: Jan 21 2020 Location: Tucson AZ Status: Offline Points: 89 |
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A great post with superb photographs. Thank you!
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jim77cg
On Point Joined: Jan 14 2016 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Hi Dave, Just had a chance to review your outstanding article!! Thank you very much for sharing these great WRA carbines and also to acknowledge the time and effort it took to put this presentation together. Everyone is a volunteer, and I'm sure you spent numerous hours to put everything together to both educate and entertain the CC members. Thanks Again, Jim P.S. - Even though I stay at home more with this virus thing, I find I have less time to spend on the things I would like than before everything changed.
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