Winchester Model 61: Passing the Torch with the Winchester Model

After my father was discharged from the Army Hospital in Fort Pickett, Virginia he used the G.I. Bill to attend college. My mother and he were married shortly after. Dad worked odd jobs in order to continue his education. Grandpa gave them a Winchester Model 61 because they loved to go hunting. They didn’t have much money but they loved it. After Dad earned his degree and started teaching, they saved enough money to purchase matching Winchester Model 12 Shotguns. The couple was “living high on a hog” at that time. When I arrived, Mom and Dad had a Model 61, but not much money. I shot my first critter with that rifle when I was barely a stirrup-high child. I shot a Raccoon from a tree while about half of the family watched. When our family went raccoon hunting with hounds, we would take turns shooting the raccoon from the tree. I was the youngest, and I quickly learned that if I missed the shot, the gun wouldn’t return to me. The author with the rifle he used to learn how to shoot. It’s still teaching lessons. That rifle and I grew together, but for a short time a shotgun tried intervening in our relationship. Mom had an old Model 37 Winchester.410 bore that she used to hunt with until she and Dad got their Model 12s. If you haven’t guessed, we were a Winchester-only family. Mom expected me to follow form. One can only imagine how many rounds the author has dropped down his old Winchester Model 61 magazine tube. Dad took me squirrel-hunting and, after an hour and a box of.410 bullets, we found no dead squirrels. On the way home, I asked if my.22, the Model 61, could be used for squirrel hunting. Dad was a little dejected but agreed. That was the beginning of me becoming the rifleman that I am today. The Winchester Model 61, introduced in 1932, was a lean and trim pump-action.22 capable of handling.22 Short,.22 Long, and.22 Long Rifle cartridges. It was a trim and lean pump-action.22 capable of handling.22 Short and.22 Long cartridges. The Model 61, unlike modern.22 rifles that have shorter barrels, had a full length, 24-inch tube. It was available in an octagonal and round configuration. It was even possible to order a smooth-bore Routledge barrel that, after 12 to 17 inches, opened up to 0.375-inch in diameter to stop shotshell payloads from spinning. These special 61s are a favorite among exhibition shooters. The joy that a young boy, or even an old man can find with a few cartridges and a.22 rifle is unmeasurable. The Pre-War model had a straight-grip and a steel-plated buttplate. Standard version has a larger forend circumference and a pistol grip. The WMR version is chambered for.22 WMR cartridges, as you may have guessed. The Model 61 is a takedown gun. It was loaded and fed with a tube magazine. One of the coolest features was the large thumbscrew on the left side. This screw on the left-hand side of the action was what held it all together. Many considered the Model 61 a rimfire counterpart to Winchester’s iconic Model 12 Shotgun. My parents may have bought their Model 12s because of this. Both models were identical in operation; the safety and action release were located exactly the same. Model 61 production ceased around 1963. During its 31-year lifespan, approximately 342,000 61s were produced. Model 61s in good condition will sell for around a grand. However, 61s with Routledge barrels can cause a divorce or break a wallet. These little rifles were amazingly accurate. Over the years, I had some amazing shots with my 61. This Winchester Model 61, which had rudimentary sighting, was a great rifle for squirrel hunting. With a good eye, a fine bead and a good eye, it was unbeatable. Even my father who was deadly at open sights could not beat me. Around the time I kissed and meant it my first girl, that old Model 61 passed to my sister. My time with the Model 61 seemed juvenile and unimportant as I began to enjoy new adventures with my scope sighted.22 Magnum, and a new Remington Model 700. By the time I reached my 20s, I had mostly forgotten about that old rifle. But a few years later, my sister surprised me by giving my son my father’s Winchester 100. She also gave my oldest daughter my mother’s Model 12 while my youngest daughter received our family’s Model 61. It’s hard to imagine a better Christmas present, but my kids have grown up with much more modern firearms. The gesture was more about nostalgia than it was to create excitement at the range. The 61 was a popular rifle for many years, but its 24-inch barrel made it a bit muzzle-heavy for youths. Here is the author’s oldest child plinking with his family’s 61. Last year, my son shot his first spring gobbler using his grandfather’s 16-gauge Model 12. I think that this achievement, along with its nostalgia, inspired him to inquire about the Model 61 that had been hidden in the gun cabinet. After a few minutes of plinking at the range, he suggested that we have a shootout. Remembering the relationship I had with that rifle, and the things that we had been capable of, I agreed with the intention of showing him a few things. This Winchester Model 61 may be in its last days on the field, but it is still capable of ringing or capping squirrels. Maybe my eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be. My son and I both performed well with the old rifle, but it seemed that it found the target more often and better in his hands than mine. Was I no longer as good as I used to be? Or, maybe my son is just a better shooter? It’s not possible that I’m not as good as I was when I was younger. I’m much better at shooting now, and have proven it numerous times. I’ve been trained by some the best rifle shooters around the world. I still–routinely–outshoot my son when we have these little competitions. Oh, he is good, but not always good enough. What was going on? Maybe it had nothing to do with my skill as a shooter. A good rifle will never lie. It will tell you when it’s the right time to pass the baton. I remember sitting around the campfire many years ago with my father. We used that Model 61 to shoot clothing pins off the clothesline, while Mom and Grandma were not watching. After about 10 pins, I believe the score was Dad 3 and me 7. He said that was when he thought we should stop. It might have been the last time dad & I had a little shooting contest. It was also around the time he started bragging about how good a rifle shot I am. As I put the old Model 61 into the safe, after its first range outing in many years I realized that perhaps it’s time to take something else from my dad. I should probably stop trying to outshoot him and start bragging about the rifleman that he has become. I’m sure that’s exactly what I should be doing. I’m sure because one of my childhood buddies, a friend I hadn’t seen in a very long time, told me that. You should listen to a rifle that you trust. So, let me tell about how my boy shoots a gun. The target grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.