Thread: Winchester 69A 5 shot bolt action 22LR - advice welcome.

A mate has asked me to sell his Winchester model 69A 5 shot bolt action 22LR - short-long-long rifle. Am uncertain about value - whether best sold as is or refurbed. Appears to be a 1935-1954 model - no grooved trigger or receiver grooving. No serial but may have year under barrel - when I remove woodwork.

Rifle condition is fair only - at present. Woodwork is sound - nice looking timber with no big dings - but needs refurb. Blueing mostly gone. 5 shot magazine is new and bolt has weld as shown. Rifle apparently cycles and shoots. Barrel shiny. Will respond well to a restore job. And I do know these old Winnies can shoot very well.

Open sights only at present. But does not have high lift bolt so either dovetails or side mount could poss be used for scoping.

Questions: it is a classic now - how to determine year of manufacture more exactly? And what best to do with it - sell it as is or refurb. And what is the value either way? Some might buy it as parts rifle but too good for that, and genuine Winchester mag alone worth a buck or two.

Appreciate any informed advice on this 69A, And if anyone keen on doing a small project please contact me..

Thanks, Mike

Doesn't look like it was serial numbered. There's no photo of your example.

Thanks zimmer.. it does have a number under barrel which rimfirecentral says indicates year made. This number is 227 - but not obvious what it denotes. More rfc time I think...

Mate is just removing the brazing on bolt handle - will refinish tidily with Tig. He said also he's put rounds through i and it cycles/shoots well. An easy job to strip down and refurb this one if it's best option. That tiger stripe timber will come up very well.

Mmmm...I'll probably refurb it. Won't take much -metal and timber will come up well.

There's a heap of info online. Here's a bit a about serial numbers, or lack of.

Good stuff zimmer - I'm thinking its 1937-45, 75-85 years old. Straight bolt handle (pre 46) but very early example.

Short, long and long rifle, straight pre 46 bolt, bolt handle braze being fixed. It was a gift to mate and if it comes up well - which it will - he'll probly keep it. Just get it dovetailed.

When set up I will test this 69A on range - supposedly good. Last Winnie I refurbed was a 9422XTR several years back. Sold a brace of them not long after - one in 22LR and the other a WMR for about 1k each then. Near double that now.

My preference is the Remingtons of 40s/60s - specifically 511 Scoremaster and 512 Sportsmaster. Delightful 22s. Real character.

As Muzza and XR500 know, I'm completely redoing a 69 that was owned by my older clubmate who recently passed on. He was a top guy, a Ballinger Belt winner, and it's going to his grandsons. I've made a new stock and the barreled action is with Allen Carr who will do a complete rebluing. She should look great when complete so I'll put a posting up.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

When set up I will test this 69A on range - supposedly good. Last Winnie I refurbed was a 9422XTR several years back. Sold a brace of them not long after - one in 22LR and the other a WMR for about 1k each then. Near double that now.

My preference is the Remingtons of 40s/60s - specifically 511 Scoremaster and 512 Sportsmaster. Delightful 22s. Real character.

Greetings @mudgripz,


Photo's are of my wife's M69 made either 1936 or early 1937 which is in well used but original condition. I suggest that for scope mounting a couple of Weaver or other bases would be preferable to grooving the receiver. The M69 receiver is very short and will result in the scope being set well back if the front base is on the receiver ring. My bases are No 12 rear and No 13 front. For some reason Weaver specifies a No 17 front base for the M69A. The scope is an old Lyman 8 power with an adjustable objective and the rings are a low type. Going from the photograph the slot for the bolt handle is cut higher on your rifle to make room for the safety. The rifle has a little erosion in the chamber from shooting shorts and the headspace is a little generous but it shoots extremely well. I used it for about 25 years shooting rabbits, silhouette, running boar and 4P. With the wider ring spacing it is much easier to single load as I did for target shooting.
Regards Grandpamac.

Thanks for tip on mounts gpmac - I see what you mean.

Grandpamac was super helpful letting me examine his specimen as I needed to figure out the details of the mag release (unusually, on the stock side).

Easier to drill and tap than set it up to mill grooves in suppose. Less liability?

Many years ago I refurbished a Remington Scoremaster or Sportsmaster, single shot anyway. Had no dove tail and the local gunsmith wasn't interested in milling some in for me. So I found a local guy, bit of a part time engineer, and very very clever. Told him what I wanted, gave him the rings to check out, and he said no problem. He understood the concept even though he had no interest in firearms. Understood it had to be the right width, and parallel on the action. While Im standing there talking he sets up the mill, clamped the action in, checked all his measurements etc. I stopped talking and watched on. After lots of checking and trial passes etc he just dialled it in and 10 minutes later I had dovetails on my rifle. That rifle went on to be very accurate and the scope never moved.

I shortened and suppressed one, sanded down the grip area for a better hold and fitted an old Tasco 4x32 world class. I same for scope bases, I believe mine was already tapped but base were relatively easy to obtain. Stunning little shooter if I remember.