Winchester 64 M64 Deluxe & Lyman Model 66 Sight, Pre-1964, Blue 24 ¼” Lever Action, Tube Fed Rifle, MFD 1949 C&R
Sold For: $1,315.00
LSB#: 161004CT01
Make: Winchester
Model: 64 Deluxe Rifle
Serial Number: 1582637
Year of Manufacture: 1949
Caliber: .30-30 Winchester
Action Type: Top Ejecting Lever Action with 2/3 Length Tubular Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S. OF AMERICA / WINCHESTER PROOF STEEL”, “WINCHESTER / TRADE MARK” and “MODEL 64 – 30 W.C.F.”. The top of the barrel and the receiver chamber ring are marked with a “WP” proof. The underside of the receiver is marked “1582637”. The lower tang behind the trigger with “v”.
Barrel Length: 24 ¼”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a steel bead dovetailed into a raised finely stippled ramp that is fixed to the barrel. The rear sight dovetail is filled with a blank. The left side of the receiver is mounted with a Lyman Model 66 receiver sight that has micrometer adjustments for windage and elevation. The slide has a push-button release that allows quick removal of the slide for access to the base mounting screws, and a return to zero if detached. The inside surface of the slide is marked “66 A” and “U 73” and the left side of the base is also marked “U 73”. The slide has a screw-in aperture with an outer diameter of 0.386”.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are dark checkered walnut with a lacquered finish. The buttstock has a pistol grip with black hard rubber grip cap marked “WINCHESTER REPEATING / ARMS CO.”. There is a shotgun style serrated blued steel buttplate mounted on the butt. The forend has a blued steel nosecap with a hole for a sling swivel in its bottom surface and there is a sling swivel base mounted in the belly of the buttstock. There is oil staining in the wrist around the receiver and its tangs. There is a thin perfectly round ring of oil staining in the top of the comb that could be a plug, but we can see no line other than the oil staining: if this is a plug, it is the best job of wood fitting we have ever seen. There are several light handling marks and shallow dings in the buttstock. The forend shows thinning in its finish, and a bruise and a few light marks in its underside. The checkering shows moderate wear with a spot of heavy wear on the left rear of the forend checkering. The LOP measures 13 ¼” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows surface loss on its edges and at the heel and toe. There are four spots of solid erosion on the left edge and toe, with a larger spot at the heel, which is also developing a plum colored patina. The checkering shows light wear. The buttplate is in about Very Good condition. The stocks rate in about Very Good to Fine condition.
Type of Finish: The rifle is blued.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion. Our bore gauge measures a ME of 1.0.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its metal finish. There is thinning at the front of the barrel and magazine tube, the edges of the magazine hanger, the top rear of the barrel, the edges and underside front of the receiver, the lever link and the edges of the lever. There are a few spots of thinning in the barrel, a strip of surface loss and several tiny marks behind the rear sight blank and several light scratches in the magazine tube. There are several light handling marks in the sides of the receiver, a few tiny marks in the chamber ring, a long scratch down the upper left shoulder of the receiver, and a few spots of pinprick surface erosion on the left side behind the receiver sight. There is also a ding in the lower tang from contact with the lever and a tool mark around the stock screw hole in the upper tang. The hammer serrations and the screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions smoothly and correctly, and the trigger is crisp. This rifle has lever and half-cock hammer safeties. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: This is a Winchester Model 64 Deluxe Rifle in .30-30 Win. that is in about Very Good condition with about 80% of its original finish remaining. The bore is bright with sharp rifling, no erosion, and a ME of 1.0. Winchester’s venerable Model 94 rifle, long a favorite of hunters and outdoorsmen, was beginning to lose sales in the early 1920’s, although the shorter barreled carbine was still popular. More people were travelling by motorcar and railroad, and Winchester thought a takedown rifle based on the Model 94 would sell well. 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 66,783 manufactured. The Model 64 was also made as a Deluxe Rifle with checkered pistol grip stock, but sales only accounted for a small percentage of the 66,783 manufactured, making it one of the rarer lever action rifles made by Winchester. We expect the Winchester collectors to be very interested in this rifle, and its Lyman Model 66 receiver sight will be an added bonus.
