Winchester Model 69

I always loved 22s. They make just enough noise to be interesting and they're accurate as hell. 

Plus you can shoot all afternoon for cheap.

I'd just moved out to the woods and had a little spare cash in my pocket, so I decided to buy a "meat and potatoes" 22. I hadn't set out specifically looking for a Winchester, I just wanted a long barreled target rifle.  This one was a little more then I wanted to spend, but exactly what I was looking for. It was in nice shape and I liked the lines of it and the light stock gave it a nice balance.

It didn't have a serial number, in those days they only serialized high end rifles. The model 69, (which cocks on the close stroke of the bolt) came out in 1935. Winchester came out with the model 69A (heavier stock and cocks on the open stroke) in 1937, so that narrowed the date of manufacture down pretty close.  

It had the original 5 shot box magazine, but the stamped steel factory peep site was gone. It had been replaced with this odd ladder type site that looked like it came off an Enfield.

I replaced that with a Lyman micrometer peep site with a large globe up front. The bolt handle hit the windage knob when I worked the action (grrrrrr). A taller front site would have solved the problem, but I was already worried about having something that big out there on the nose and I figured anything bigger was sure to get knocked loose, so I ended up cutting the knob down. 

It wasn't pretty but it turned the old girl into a tack driver.

This is 15 .22LR rounds in pistol target, shot a 40 yards.
Not bad for an 80 year old gun.