Winchester Model 64 .219 zipper

[Steely]

Looking for a little info on a winchester Model 64 in .219 zipper

gun is in working condition, however there is a lot of surface rust
original peep sights are missing and a side mount scope has been added
serial number is 1300XXX

can anyone tell me the approx age and value?

and more importantly:
what should I do with this gun?
how should one go about refinishing it without risking loss of value?
Thanks all
Steely

[muddober]

Steely: 219 Zippers were offered form only about 1937 and the chambering was dropped in 1941. One in real nice in all original condition will bring upward of $4,000.00, Yours because of the drilling of receiver for the scope and its over all condition would put it in my opinion of about $900.00 to $1,000.00.

I don't think you can hurt the collector value by refinishing it because that was already done when the holes were drilled for the scope.

Ron

[Steely]

Thanks Muddober,

If I were to remove the rust and re-blue the rifle,
what would be the best way to go about doing that?

Also, I keep reading how the .219 Zipper was a round nose bullet,
due to the tubular magazines of the lever guns, which affected the ballistics in a negative way

has anyone ever built a floor plate to make the rifle work as a single shot?
that would allow the use of more accurate bullets

Just a thought
Thanks again
Steely

[muddober]

Originally Posted by Steely

Thanks Muddober,

If I were to remove the rust and re-blue the rifle,
what would be the best way to go about doing that?

Also, I keep reading how the .219 Zipper was a round nose bullet,
due to the tubular magazines of the lever guns, which affected the ballistics in a negative way

has anyone ever built a floor plate to make the rifle work as a single shot?
that would allow the use of more accurate bullets

Just a thought
Thanks again
Steely

Steely: Just based on your question tells me a lot. I would suggest you find someone who knows what they are doing to blue your gun and be prepared to pay 400-500 dollars for a good job. What I can see from the pictures is that the rust is not all that bad making your gun a candidate for something other than a kitchen table top blue job. I could walk you through it if you wanted to go over it on the phone but no matter how good you can take instruction, skill is a key issue. I use to blue guns as part of making a living and the preparation of the metal is the most important part of the process. To do it right most of it has to be done by hand and NOT with electric buffers.

As for your floor plate idea I would suggest you just get another gun. The trigger mechanism in a model 94 is very crude when compared to a gun that would give you the accuracy that I am assuming you are trying to achieve. While the 219 Zipper is a cool little cartridge the fact that Winchester only offered that chambering for 4 years in a gun that has survived three different centuries has to tell you volumes that gun and caliber are far from a good match.

PM me if you want to share phone numbers and I will do my best to walk you through the bluing process. It will take more than one call but I am happy to do it.


Ron

[muddober]

I was trying to edit my post and accidentally did two separate same ones because I cannot figure out how to delete this one.

Sorry,

Ron