Winchester Model 63

[fourarmed]

Recently got a 1949 vintage 63. I have wanted one for years as a companion to a 1907. It is very accurate, but shows the age of the design every time there's a feeding bobble. My substitute for a "forward assist" is the tip of a screwdriver against the rear edge of the extractor. Also, mine refuses to feed hollowpoints. The tips are just flat enough that they catch the bottom of the chamber every time.

I bought a new recoil spring that I use with high speed ammo, and CCI Blazer functions and shoots very well. I shortened the original for use with standard velocity ammo, and it is quite accurate with those.

Like other things I could name, it's very likeable in spite of a few annoying habits.

[bedbugbilly]

J have my Dad's Model 63 that he purchased new in 1956 - has a Weaver scope on it that I believe was factory mounted on it? It has had maybe 500 rounds through it (if that) - I can only remember him taking it out of the gun cabinet three or four times to shoot cans and usually he might use a box of 50 rounds when he did that. It was "hands off" when my brother and U were kids as it was "Dad's gun: - we had other 22s to use for squirrels and rabbits, and then he only allowed us to use shorts. The rifle is about as pristine as you can get. They are a GREAT rifle! Enjoy!

[2152hq]

Many of the Model 63's have problems feeding HP ammo. Others don't seem to be phased by the slight difference in bullet shape.

One thing to check for on the 63 is that the rear face of the chamber has not been damaged by the firing pin striking the metal and turning in a burr towards the chamber itself.

Since there is no last-shot-hold open on the design, the rifle gets dry fired a lot over their life time. When originally assembled, the firing pin was fitted so that when fully extended it would fall just a few .000" shy of striking the bbl/chamber face.
That's the way all .22rf actions are supposed to be made but many fall short.
Over time and with wear, the simple cross pin in the bolt that limits the forward travel of the firing pin along with the slot in the firing pin that also has a say in how far it travels freely get battered. It only takes a few .000 wear to make the chamber damage appear.

That burr punched into the edge of the chamber is right where the rim of the case sits. The burr extending downward into the area where the body of the case would be blocks the round from easily chambering, so you can get fail-to feed.
If large enough it can also effect extraction.

Be careful using a screwdriver against the back edge of the extractor to push against.
The extractor is held in place in the bolt by a simple L shaped leg in it's design. To disassemble / remove the Extractor from the bolt, the same motion is used.
BUT the extractor spring and plunger is to be held back first to release the tension. The very small screw right on the bolt is a 'stop' to keep the Spring & Plunger' in place.
But it's possible that the action of the screwdriver against the slight raised edge on the back of the extractor could flip the extractor free from the bolt.

I'd look for the cause of the fail to feed problem.

Check the Bolt face itself, they sometimes are deeply imprinted from heavy use slamming against bbl with the mirror image of the bbl breech face. That can cause feeding problems.
Also the Cartridge Stop and/or it's Spring can be worn or damaged

[fourarmed]

Thanks 2152. That's good info. To be fair, most failures to chamber that I've had have been with standard velocity ammo and the shortened spring. The 63 was meant to fire only high speed ammo, and mine does pretty well with most of that, except for a batch of Remington Golden Bullet stuff I got years ago that must have been defective. It neither functions nor groups well in anything.

[15meter]

My Model 63 came from an uncle via my dad. It was my primary woodchuck gun when cultivating soybeans. It's a low 4 digit serial # rifle.

It still shoots well for a close to 90 year old gun. Only problem, well sort of a problem, it will every once in a while, empty the magazine.

Like right now empty the magazine, as in the first empty is 2 feet off the ground and the last is clear of the gun.

Gives new meaning to the term "golden shower".

Considering having it re-blued and refinishing the wood. It's not a collectable piece in anybody's book. I have no interest in selling it and I suspect my daughter is going to want it, just because it's a cool little rifle. I won't be destroying a valuable irreplaceable vintage rifle.


And mine has swallowed just about anything I've run through it. And it's seen 10,000+ rounds over the decades.

[fourarmed]

LMAO at "golden shower." I read a story -- it may have been in "Unintended Consequences" -- where the protagonist was able to make his 63 do that at will by holding the trigger a certain way. I discounted it at the time, but maybe the design is early enough that the disconnectors weren't as foolproof as now.

[georgerkahn]

Recently got a 1949 vintage 63. I have wanted one for years as a companion to a 1907. It is very accurate, but shows the age of the design every time there's a feeding bobble. My substitute for a "forward assist" is the tip of a screwdriver against the rear edge of the extractor. Also, mine refuses to feed hollowpoints. The tips are just flat enough that they catch the bottom of the chamber every time.

I bought a new recoil spring that I use with high speed ammo, and CCI Blazer functions and shoots very well. I shortened the original for use with standard velocity ammo, and it is quite accurate with those.

Like other things I could name, it's very likeable in spite of a few annoying habits.

Congrats on obtaining this fine .22! Mine has a few more years on it -- a 14,0xx serial numbered 63 purportedly made in 1936, and mine sports a Nikon rimfire scope on it. My go-to ammo is CCI Standard Velocity lead 40 grain round nose, and I've had zero feeding/functioning challenges. Mine made the first or second years of production has the 20" barrel, but that should have no effect on functioning. I do recall having quite a few issues with hollow-points, too, but it was the occasional ftf. A range buddy professes that copper-jacketed/coated .22's should be used in semi-autos, and the only only ones I could find in that flavour had hollow-points. I switched back to the plain-Jane 40-grain round nosers and again, no problemos!

[Rapier]

The old Winnie's 22 rifles were rust blued and with walnut stocks, they used the "red" Win die.
Sounds like a 22 LR chamber reamer hand turned for a turn or two to clean up the chamber might be in order if you have a firing pin dent issue. I keep one in my shop for that very purpose.

[txbirdman]

Those old ‘63’s were expensive a few years ago. Haven’t seen any for sale lately. I bought it’s cheaper relative (model 74) a few years back at a gun show. Those old 22’s are really handy when using iron sights. I like the look of those that load through rear of the stock

[fourarmed]

Wife and I were shooting it recently, and it was stovepiping every round. It's always had a tendency that way. I pulled out the ejector (what a design...pure steam punk) and filed a few thousandths off the guide rib to make the tooth more prominent. I ran ten rounds through it without failure. Cleaning probably helped too.