Win mod 53

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pwl44m
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Win mod 53

Post by pwl44m »

Hi, I am new here but old to guns. I just aquired a Win mod 53 in 25-20. In looking at blue book and others they make no mention of a stainless steel barrel. this one does say stainless steel on the barrel. also it has a crescent butt which isn't mentioned.The barrel is super clean but the reciever is missing blue in the usual place, ie where one would carry it. as best I can tell it was manufactured in 1926 with a 8XXX ser # any help with a value and the S.S. would be appreciated.Will try to post some pics if I can figure out how.
Looking forward to hearing some feed back. Perry



Well after turning the resolution down on My camera I was able to post pics
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Last edited by pwl44m on Sun Sep 05, 2010 6:02 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Hobie
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by Hobie »

Winchester tried the stainless steel barrels but I don't think they were all that successful so far as sales went. Some collector might pay a premium. The crescent butt would have likely been a replacement.

It is easy to post pics, attach them to the post from your computer. Just look below the reply box where it says UPLOAD ATTACHMENT...
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Welcome aboard! Sounds like a heck of a nice gun you inherited!!! 8)
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pwl44m
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by pwl44m »

actually I had to buy it, but I think I got a pretty good deal
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KirkD
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by KirkD »

Perry, I am compiling a database of surviving Winchester Model 53's as part of the research I'm doing for a couple articles I plan to write later this winter. I currently have 160 Model 53's in my database and only two of them have stainless steel barrels, both in 25-20 caliber and both well separated in serial number. The Model 53 is a pretty rare Winchester, with only a total of just over 15,000 made between 1924 and 1930 (I've found no barrel dates later than 1930). That stainless steel barrel makes your Model 53 a rarity among the rare..

If you are curious, you can take a peek under the forearm at the underside of the barrel near the receiver. There will be a two digit date stamped on the underside of the barrel. It will likely say '26' but there is a chance it may say '25'.

As for the crescent butt, the Model 53 had a special stock with a fluted comb, shotgun butt with steel buttplate. Anything different is most likely a replacement. Yours might be an exception since the stainless steel barrel is obviously a special order. That would make your Model 53 a very rare rifle, assuming the buttstock is not a replacement.

As for value, I would need to see some photos. It would also depend upon whether the rifle has been refinished, or the stocks refinished or the metal re-blued. Any of that will drastically reduce the value. In monitoring auctions over this past year, the Model 53 is averaging a bit higher in value than the Model 65, which is also a rare Winchester Model.

I would love to add your Model 53 to my database. Please PM me.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by KirkD »

Perry, those photos are helpful. I can see by the different wood colors that the buttstock is not original to the gun. It appears that both have been sanded a significant amount, leaving the wood quite a bit lower than the metal at the wood to receiver fits. The wood should be slightly proud of the metal to be original. It looks like someone has cut some checkering into the forestock after sanding it. The bad news about this is that the collector's value is diminished considerably. The good news is that you do have a stainless steel barrel, itself very rare, and it should give you an excellent bore once it is cleaned. The stainless steel barrels did not hold blue, so they were not blued. Some or all were coated with a black paint or coating that quickly wore/flaked off. So you should not expect to see any blue at all on the barrel; that is normal. Unfortunately, I see four extra holes in the left side of the receiver. There should only be four holes, you have eight.

The bad news is that your Model 53 has lost its collectors value due to the sanding, buttstock replacement, and the extra holes in the receiver, although it might still be worth a few hundred dollars. The good news, however, is that you still have a excellent rifle that has its own history. There are stories behind each aspect of the old rifle. It is a rare old rifle that can still give another hundred years of enjoyment and use.

I would be grateful if you would PM me with the complete serial number for my database (I won't be posted it here). If you do PM me with the full serial number, I will be able to tell you the exact day, month and year it was entered in the Winchester Polishing Room record book.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Sixgun
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by Sixgun »

Let me just cut to the chase. Can I have it? $500 :D ---------Sixgun
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pwl44m
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by pwl44m »

@ Kirk, actually there are 9 screws on the left side. What would they have been for , a scope maybe ? I just picked up a 94 with xtra holes but I got the scope and mount too, I think an old Lyman 4X. The 94 by the way was manuf in 1966 and in pristine cond other than the scope mt.
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by Bluehawk »

WOW I leave for a bit But sixgun Jack is sitll trying to steal guns :lol:
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Re: Win mod 53

Post by KirkD »

pwl44m wrote:@ Kirk, actually there are 9 screws on the left side. What would they have been for , a scope maybe ?
That brings the total of extra holes to five, the most I've ever seen on a receiver, by a long shot. It sure does make me curious what they were all for.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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