Winchester Model 68

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Winchester Model 68
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Unit cost	US$6.35 (1934, retail); US$8.15 (1945, retail)^[1]
Produced	1934-1944
Number built	c.98,496^[2]-100,730^[3]
Specifications
Weight	5 lb (2 kg)
Barrel length	27 in (690 mm)

Cartridge	.22 Short, .22 Long, or .22 Long Rifle interchangeably (standard); .22 WRF (1938-onwards, optional)^[4]
Action	Bolt-action
Feed system	Single-shot
Sights	Aperture rear sight, hooded post front sight

The Winchester Model 68 was a single-shot, bolt-action .22 caliber rimfire rifle sold from 1934 to 1945 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company. While almost identical to the slightly cheaper Winchester Model 67, it offered an aperture sight.

Origins and design

The early 1930s were a period of intense competition amongst American rifle manufacturers such including Winchester, Iver Johnson, and Mossberg. In an attempt to win the loyalty of entry-level single-shot rimfire rifle buyers, these companies continuously cut production costs and pared profits down to the bare minimum. Winchester already offered a single-shot rimfire rifle aimed at the competition market, the Model 60A, but it had failed to win significant market share due to its relatively high price and was considered a disappointment.^[5]

Winchester had already embarked on a program to reduce the production costs of the entry-level Model 60, resulting in the new Model 67, and the design of a similar lower-priced target rifle was a logical next step. As with the Model 60 from which they were derived, the cocking piece at the rear of the bolt had to be manually drawn rearwards to cock the action after closing the bolt, but the new rifles featured a wing-style safety with more easily visible "SAFE" and "FIRE" indications. The front sight of the Model 68 was a Model 97A with a removable sheetmetal hood and the rear sight was a Model 96A,^[2] featuring a removable disc, which had a smaller aperture better suited for target shooting. With the insert removed, the sight was less accurate but offered more light—making it better for small game hunting and informal plinking. Both rifles featured a stock made of plain uncheckered walnut with a pistol grip and finger grooves, and both were takedown designs; the barreled action was easily removed by turning a screw under the stock using a penny.

Production

The Model 68 was introduced alongside the Model 67 in May 1934 and both rifles immediately proved popular. The Model 68's sales rapidly outpaced the more expensive but slightly better-equipped Model 60A, which was still being sold from inventory, although production had been placed on hiatus in April 1934. The Model 68's sales eventually undercut the Model 60A to such an extent that production of the latter rifle was never resumed.^[6]

Production changes to the Model 68 generally paralleled the Model 67. The finger grooves in the stock were omitted starting in mid-1935, the bolt retaining spring was eliminated in August 1937, and the sear and extractor were modified in January 1938 to throw ejected cases farther when the bolt was opened. An optional .22 WRF chambering was added in April 1938, somewhat later than its 1935 introduction on the Model 67.^[7]

Winchester-branded telescopic sights were first offered in 1937. Options were a 2¾-power scope with crosshairs or a vertical aiming post and a 5-power scope with crosshairs. Open sights were retained; the scopes were boxed separately and attached to integral bases on the barrel by the rifle's buyer. The telescopic-sight options were discontinued in 1939.^[3]

In August 1943, Winchester management decided to offer the same peep sights used on the Model 68 as options for the Model 67, effectively rendering the Model 68 redundant, although it was curiously not formally discontinued until September 1944. Sales from inventory continued into 1945 and the rifle was listed in the 1946 price list although stocks had already been depleted. Approximately 98,496^[2] to 100,730^[3] Model 68s were produced. The Model 68 was never produced with serial numbers, which were not required on American firearms prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968.

Prices of the Model 68 on today's collector market are comparable to the Model 67, but the relatively rare .22 WRF chambering triples the values of the rifle, a larger premium than the same chambering commands on the Model 67.^[8]

References

↑ Houze, p. 164.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Houze, p. 154.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Henshaw, pp. 105-106.
↑ Houze, p. 163.
↑ Houze, p. 147.
↑ Houze, pp. 146-147.
↑ Houze, pp. 160-163.
↑ Fjestad, pp. 2025-2026.

The First 100 model 68 rifles were serial numbered

Bibliography

Henshaw, Thomas, The History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1992 6th Ed. Clinton, NJ, USA: New Win Publishing, Inc. 1993. ISBN 0-8329-0503-8.
Houze, Herbert G. To the dreams of youth: Winchester .22 Caliber Single Shot Rifle. Iola, WI, USA: Krause Publications, Inc. 1993. ISBN 0-87341-237-0
"COLLECTORS CORNER: Collecting the Bolt-Action Winchester .22 Rifle" http://www.ogca.com/boltaction22rifle.htm
Fjestad, S.P., Blue Book of Gun Values 30th Ed. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Blue Book Publications, Inc. 2009. ISBN 1-886768-87-0.

Winchester Firearms and Cartridges

Rifles

Lever-Action	Henry rifle Model 1866 Model 1873 Model 1876 Model 1886 Model 1892 Model 1894 Model 1895 Model 53 Model 55 Model 64 Model 65 Model 71 Model 88 Model 150 Model 250 Model 255 Model 9422

Bolt Action	Model 1878 Hotchkiss Model 1895 Lee Navy Model 1900 Model 1902 Model 1904 Model 43 Model 47 Model 51 Imperial Model 52 Model 54 Model 56 Model 57 Model 58 Model 59 Model 60 Model 60A Model 67 Model 68 Model 69 Model 70 Model 72 Model 75 Model 121 Model 131 Model 141 Model 320 Model 325 Model 670 Model 770

Pump-Action	Model 1890 Model 1906 Model 61 Model 62 Model 62A Model 270

Semi-Automatic	Model 1903 Model 1905 Model 1907 Model 1910 Model 30 Model 63 Model 74 Model 77 Model 100 Model 190 Model 490

Falling-block action	Model 1885

Shotguns

Pump-Action	Model 1893 Model 1897 Model 1912 Model 25 Model 42 Model 1200 Model 1300

Lever-Action	Model 1887 Model 1901 Model 9410

single-shot	Model 20 Model 36 Model 37 Model 37A Model 41

double-barrel	Model 21 Model 24 Model 96 Model 101

Semi-Automatic	Model 1911 SL Model 40 Model 50 Model 59 Model 1400 Model 1500 SX-1

Cartridges

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.