Winchester Model 61 Magnum
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1960
Also known as: Winchester Model 61 WMR, Winchester Model 61 .22 Magnum, Model 61 Magnum
Overview
The Winchester Model 61 Magnum is a hammerless, takedown pump-action .22 rifle chambered for the then-new .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridge. A magnum-chambered evolution of the John Moses Browning-derived Model 61 slide-action design, it fed from a tubular magazine and was introduced in 1960 shortly after the .22 WMR round debuted, remaining in production until the Model 61 line was discontinued in 1963.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2608 g (92.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Pump Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 12 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Muzzle Velocity | 610 m/s (2001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 483 J (356 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 125 m (137 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | 6 Grooves, Right-Hand Twist |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire · primary — also known as .22 WMR, .22 Magnum, .22 Mag
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Trigger Disconnector, Hammerless Enclosed Action
- Features: Takedown Design, Tubular Magazine, Enclosed Hammerless Receiver, Grooved Receiver For Scope Mounting
Production
Production years: 1960-1963
Part of the broader Model 61 line (approx. 342,000 total, 1932-1963); the .22 WMR magnum chambering was offered only in the final years.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Winchester
Discontinued: 1963
Notes
The .22 WMR (Magnum) variant is among the rarer and most collectible versions of the Model 61, produced only in the final years of the model's run before it was discontinued in 1963.
Background
Introduced in 1932, the Model 61 was Winchester's answer to Remington's slide-action rimfires and became a favorite of gallery and small-game shooters for its slick pump action and clean hammerless lines. When the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire arrived in 1959, the Model 61 became one of the first rifles chambered for it, giving the classic pump a genuine magnum punch just before the design was retired in 1963.