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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.
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