Help me date this Winchester 38-55.

[huntinlever]

Hello, my son's 38-55, from his great grandpa. I've looked through Winchester's serial lookup but am not seeing it, might have passed right over it. Anyone know when this would have been built? Sometime between 1917-1919?

[relics6165]

1901

[huntinlever]

1901

Thanks.

[missionary5155]

Yep.... My old book says the same.

[huntinlever]

Thanks guys. I'm so gratified he's got this, from the great grandpa he never met, old Arcadian stock - got it through his grandpa who now passed it down to our son. In such great condition. Action is beautiful. That heavy, balanced octagonal barrel. I had a Marlin '97 .22 LR that reminds me here. Even looking at the stock to receiver/barrel fit - fine craftsmanship, after almost 1 1/4 centuries.

I do want to load it for him but will keep it to low trapdoor levels.

[Shawlerbrook]

9-10 grs. of Unique under your favorite cast bullet.

[Pereira]

Nice looking old Winnie, and in a fine caliber.
Agree with SB's,^^ statement.

RP

[huntinlever]

9-10 grs. of Unique under your favorite cast bullet.

Great, thanks!

[huntinlever]

Nice looking old Winnie, and in a fine caliber.
Agree with SB's,^^ statement.

RP

Thanks RP. My son's also got his grandpa's older 336, and from his other late grandpa, old Estonian guy, he has a vintage Savage 24, over/under .22LR/.410. He'll have mine too, which includes my 45-70 gg. Hopefully, it, and I, will be vintage some day.

[Easty]

Whoa! Actually that gun was made in 1905. The only accurate source for dating Winchesters is the Winchester Collector site that sources back to the Cody Museum. That info was discovered in the New Haven Polishing function records. Your gun may or may not have the Winchester proof stamps on the receiver and barrel. Winchester started stamping those in July of 1905. Your 267 serial was number prefix puts it into at about that time. I have the same gun with a 287 prefix and it has those stamps.