Winchester Model 63 [.22LR semiauto, 10 rds]

[200Apples]

Thanks to Chris @ M.B.Retting who brought this one out from some place in the store, with it's box... He said I'd have to buy it so that he didn't have to...

This is a Winchester Model 63. It's a .22LR semiauto, has a 10-round internal magazine, a 20" barrel and uses a blow-back style action based on the Model 1903. The Model 63 was made from 1933 to 1958... then, over three decades later, the 63 was manufactured again (in Japan) sometime during the late 1980's.

The rifle pictured here is a clean example from that later run, 35 years after the fact. It's almost mint, and was sold with the box and manual. This was it's first trip to the range after I cleaned it. The range is LAX Firing Range on Manchester in Inglewood/Westchester.



Better pics coming soon.

Picked it up a few days ago, cleaned it, oiled it and ran some snap caps through it to cycle the action and check cartridge feed. This gun might have been near-new.



The above image is the result of 50 rounds of standing, unsupported shots to 15 yrds (bottom green square) - the three upper circle areas of the paper target have holes from shots taken at 25 yds.

LAX Firing Range is currently remodeling their lanes. The target hangers are now hung from what looks like cold-rolled 2" square tube and are digitally-controlled with the yardage readout at the lane's new, digital target carrier control panel (I don't know what this stuff is really called, so bear with me).

What a neat little rifle! Can't wait to get back there and shoot it again!

[RamonSJC]

really nice!

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Nice find! I have one of the older versions. Put a good scope on it and shoot it from a bench and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how tightly it will group.

[redcliff]

I really like the solid, full size feel of the Winchester 63 also; truly classic rifles and considered by many as one of the finest .22lr semi-auto's ever made.

[dfletcher]

Is this a Browning made Winchester 63 and does it have a grooved receiver? I have a "Browning 52" (basically a remake of the Winchester 52B) & have handled quite a few of the other Browning reissues and they're high quality, excellent rifles. I keep poking around for a 63 but prefer looks & function over collectibility.

Shooting a nice 22 never goes out of style. Great rifle.

[200Apples]

Is this a Browning made Winchester 63 and does it have a grooved receiver?

Yes, this particular rifle does have a grooved receiver top for scope mounts.

As mentioned in an earlier post, this rifle was made in Japan (dunno by whom). I'd like to know more about this later production run...

Thanks for the replies!

[Asphodel]

I've one of those also.....a 'common or garden variety' one, from the 1940's.

They have a different 'balance and feel' compared to many other 22's, which makes them more 'comfortable' for 'snap' shooting, at least for some users.

There is one thing to remember about these, tho, which is important. Unlike other types of actions, the M63 is 'delayed blowback', or 'counter-weighted blowback', meaning that there is no 'locking' of the action when the weapon is fired.

The practical result of this is that there is still some firing pressure in the cartridge case when the action opens to eject the fired case. This causes a teeny-tiny bit of fired powder residue to be thrown into the working parts of the action in the micro-second of time in which the case leaves the chamber and is brought back to the ejector.

Over many rounds of fire, this residue builds up, and will eventually 'gum up the works' if those parts aren't regularly cleaned.

Fortunately, that bit if maintenence is easy....in times past, we used sharpened toothpicks and Q-tips dipped in powder solvent. Now, cleaning solvents in spray cans with plastic tubing 'nozzles' made especially for rifle action cleaning (additives to prevent 'after-rust') are an 'off the shelf' item at any good supply house.

After careful cleaning, a little drop of oil at every place where one part moves relative to another is necessary. That 'little drop' is important. Too much oil can contribute to the 'gumming-up' condition when its mixed with the powder residue.

Little oil dispensers with a 'needle tip' are the optimum tool for oiling the M63, with 'just enough oil, where it is needed'.

Given that regular cleaning and oiling, the M63 is as nearly 'unbreakable' as any rifle could ever be, but there is another 'caveat' to consider.

Being a 'delayed blowback' mechanism, it can only function with ammunition of a certain pressure range. The counter-weight system was based on the pressure level of the 'Winchester High Velocity' 22 rounds of its time. Using 'standard velocity' rounds will usually cause a 'failure to cycle' or 'failure to feed'. Using the modern 'extra power' or 'super' 22 rounds may cycle the action too fast, which also can cause 'failure to feed'.

Using 'dirty' high velocity 22 of some cheap foreign makes may or may not cycle the weapon correctly, but will have it malfunction from 'gumming-up' much more quickly than will use of best quality rounds......usually Winchester, Federal, or CCI 'high velocity 40gr.'

Some 36gr hollow point rounds work well, others will do feed failures intermittently......I'd suspect that simply varies with different 'lots' of rounds.

If your M63 is not one of the late ones with the scope dovetails on the receiver, consider fitting a Redfield model 70 or 80 'receiver sight', a high quality aperture sight system, with accurate 'click' adjustments for elevation and windage. Using a large aperture, the combination of the M63 and its aperture sight is.....in my personal opinion anyway.....the optimal 22 for 'moving target' work. Those sights have been out of production for some years now, but new-old-stock ones can be found, with a bit of looking.

cheers

Carla

[chozenfew805]