Winchester Model 53 32 W.C.F. (32-20) made in 1929 range report (photos)

[KirkD]

Well, I’m taking a couple weeks of vacation and basically planning to do not much other than a few things on my wife’s ‘To Do’ list so she doesn’t begin to think I’m a derelict. I sleep in every day until 8:30 am and stay up late at night until 11:00 or so. I felt like going to the range today to do some shooting so I figured I’d blow the dust out of my original Winchester Model 53 32 W.C.F. (32-20) made in 1929 according to the barrel date. The Model 53 is essentially an extra light version of the Model 1892 that Winchester produced from 1924 until 1930 or shortly after, judging from the latest barrel date I’ve ever been able to find, although the catalogues list it for a few years after that.


The Model 53 is a joy to hold and use, light, fast, and the Model 1892/92/53 double locking lug action is slick. They were chambered in three calibers: 25-20, 32 W.C.F. (32-20) and 44 W.C.F. (44-40). Total production was around 15,000 and special order Model 53’s are very rare. I’ve owned four Model 53's, in all three calibers, but right now I only have one, a special order, solid frame version with fancy wood. Here’s a photo ….





… and here’s a better one of the tang sight …





My current pet load consists of 9.5 grains of 5744 under a 115 grain Magma plain base cast bullet sized to .312 for a velocity of 1,260 fps. My little Model 53 has a slugged groove diameter of .3115. I have been using a mix of Winchester and Remington brass, but the Winchester brass is shorter than the Remington by about 1/32” which is frustrating because I have to readjust the seating/crimping die between the different types, making consistency hard to achieve. I decided that enough was enough and I ordered in 100 spanking new Starline cases which are awaiting their debut load. I figured that today was the day to shoot off all the remaining cartridges using the old Winchester and Remington brass, so I loaded up and headed off to the range. After a bit of shooting to get the tang sight adjusted for 100 yards, I shot all the Winchester brass cartridges into one target and the Remington brass cartridges into another.


I had eight remaining Winchester brass cartridges to fire at this first target. Range was 100 yards. Here is the result ….





I had fourteen Remington brass cartridges remaining, and fired all of them into this second target. Range was 100 yards. Here’s the target ….





One can see that the longer Remington brass seemed to give a tighter group than the shorter Winchester brass. I haven’t checked the Starline brass to see how long it is, but I’m hoping it is the same length as the Remington brass. Having all Starline brass will enable me to have all my brass the same length, a constant die seating and crimping, and hopefully better accuracy than what you see here.

[Jack Stanley]

Be still my heart !!!!!!! what a lovely rifle !!!

Jack

[fouronesix]

That's a dandy. Bottom group with the Rem brass is outstanding! I only have one 53. I think Winchester couldn't quite give up on the fine 92 so gave it one last gasp go with the 53. I noticed, for a while at least in the lever gun market, they were kind passed by in favor of the 92s. Come to think of it, the last really good deal I got on a Win "92 type" was a 53 in 25-20. Mine is in nearly unfired condition but still has the "flaky" Win receiver bluing of that era- just like yours. During a short time the bluing chemistry didn't get along with the receiver chemistry. Better for those looking closely though as they are more often overlooked and may not carry as high a price tag-- even in top condition .

[Idaho Mule]

Beautiful rifle!! and not bad for groups. You will find that the Starline brass is same length as Winchester tho. I love shooting 32-20's too. Don't have a 53 but would like one for sure and am always on the look out. JW

[rintinglen]

Oh, that's a sweety. I have a Browning 53 in 32-20 which also prefers Remington brass. The WinchesterBrass goes in my revolvers

[Olevern]

What a beautiful gun. The wood is stunning (and I'm jealous). I guess I don't have one of everything just yet, so maybe....someday.... I do own an old Marlin lever in .25-20, a newer Marlin (mid 80's) in .25-20 and a Marlin .32-20. Great guns, all, but there's something special about the winchester levers.

[KirkD]

Fouronesix, near mint Model 53's have been going for between $4,000 and just over $6,000 in recent auctions, depending upon the configuration and caliber. As part of my research for a couple articles on the Model 53, I am building a database of surviving Model 53's. I would be grateful if you would PM me with the data on your 53 (serial number, takedown or solid frame, caliber and any other details) for my database.

[fouronesix]

KirkD,
Be happy to do it. Will dig it out and PM the specs.

Might as well add pics and some info here:
I picked these up about 10 years ago for exceptionally good $ for both. The 53, DOM 1927, (top rifle) appears unfired and the 92 SRC, DOM 1925, is near mint, fired little but shows some rubbing and the flaky receiver. I got the two mixed up in previous post with the 92 showing the flaking not the 53, my mistake. Both are 25-20.

[KirkD]

Fouronesix, your Model 53 is, indeed, a very high condition rifle. I recently sold a high condition Model 53 for just under $3,000, but it had some large flaking on the receiver and a couple dings in the buttstock. Yours is in higher condition than the one I sold. I sold mine because it was just too high condition to hunt with. The one I have now is beautiful, but has some wear at the normal carry point under the receiver, so I don't feel bad about carrying it (even though it is probably worth significantly more than the one I sold). Yours is a beaut. I can tell you that of all the Model 53's I've seen in the last couple years (a few hundred), the condition of yours would be in the top ten, at least so far as I can see from the photo.

[fouronesix]

KirkD,
I do feel fortunate in finding it when I did. Fewer and fewer Win levers slip through the cracks in the current market. This one has flawless metal and bore and the very slightest small number of handling dings in the wood.

[Marvin S]

Kirk, I sent you a PM on my mod 53. It's the one in my avitar.