Talk to me about Winchester 69A

My first rifle from my parents one Christmas. You are golden if it is grooved for a scope. These are very nice rifles, you can get 10 round magazines too, tho not common. Very accurate, very sweet.

I have one that is in beautiful condition and even have a single-shot adapter, which is kind of rare. I use the adapter when shooting at the range because it's really handy not to have to reload magazines after every 5

That’s a great rifle! My first one! It was a hand me down. Started shooting that at about 14 and it went everywhere with me! Mine is scoped but don’t ask me who’s it is since it hasn’t been out in many many years I can’t remember.
I have a 5 round and a 10 round magazine for it.
Good luck with should you get it, it will be enjoyable
Intend to teach my grandsons with it when they get of age.

That rear sight is the Lyman 57 E with the option "target" adapter disc that takes different standard thread inserts. it fits the standard factory two rear screw holes and the adapter on it keeps it above factory stock line. It was sold from the factory with a Lyman 17 front site on the "target" version which was very popular among Boy Scouts . I had to tap mine for it as mine had no holes nor scope groove. My rifle is from late 50s right before such things were standard. I have a Remington 513 T and it is slightly more accurate, but a larger gun. I had a 75 Winchester and my Model 69 is slightly more accurate, both with peep sights. I have two Model 67s and one is on loan and one I shoot more than any other .22. The 67 has a 27" barrel and the 69 a 25" . The 67 is quieter with sub sonic ammo , I think all the weight of the firing mechanism has something to do with it along with the 2" longer barrel, but the 69 is plenty quiet !

Picked mine up at a pawn shop about 6 years ago. They are man sized rifles. the clips are the same as for the 52 and 75. Mine came with the other peep sight

Gordon said:

That rear sight is the Lyman 57 E with the option "target" adapter disc that takes different standard thread inserts. View attachment 832447 it fits the standard factory two rear screw holes and the adapter on it keeps it above factory stock line. It was sold from the factory with a Lyman 17 front site on the "target" version which was very popular among Boy Scouts . I had to tap mine for it as mine had no holes nor scope groove. My rifle is from late 50s right before such things were standard. I have a Remington 513 T and it is slightly more accurate, but a larger gun. I had a 75 Winchester and my Model 69 is slightly more accurate, both with peep sights. I have two Model 67s and one is on loan and one I shoot more than any other .22. The 67 has a 27" barrel and the 69 a 25" . The 67 is quieter with sub sonic ammo , I think all the weight of the firing mechanism has something to do with it along with the 2" longer barrel, but the 69 is plenty quiet !View attachment 832449

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My rear sight is a Lyman 57 EW and the front doesn't have any markings, but it fits the front dovetail. I think it came with open front and rear sights, but it's been quite a while since I bought it and don't have any records regarding the front sight, but I inserted the rear dovetail blank.

The single-shot adapter came with a Win 52 C that I had (picture below), but kept it when I sold that rifle, which had been converted to a Rimfire Benchrest rifle.

I think the 69A is a very nice little rifle. Many years ago I picked up one from a hock shop that had led a rather tough life. I knew nothing about them but it looked like something I could clean up and turn into a very nice rifle. My idea worked. It was made before scope grooves and it only had the arm for the factory rear peep sight and no front sight at all. I installed a Lyman target peep rear and globe front sight. It turned out to be a very accurate little rifle. I used to shoot the NRA indoor course with it. Now I just shoot it at the range, sometimes groups on paper, sometimes reactive targets.

my two 69-A,s, older one not grooved for a scope and a later one grooved for a scope. both fine shooters. I think the receiver sight is a md. 80

They’re stunning accurate, for what they were. A popular priced mid grade utilitarian rifle.

My older brother had one he picked up at a pawn shop just off McDill AFB in late ‘70’s. He had shot on the AF sec. rifle team and was home for a month in mid ‘80’s. We decided it would be a hoot to try an NRA small bore silhouette match with a local club. His wore an older 6x Weaver scope.

When we got there, everybody was helpful and cordial. I was using an older Mossberg 24” 346KA. I had taken a Bushnell Banner 4-12x AO off another rifle and stuck it on it.
When we checked in to have rifles weighed, Mine was green lighted.
RO looked at his Winchester and loudly proclaimed “You CANT SHOOT THAT THING”! Said barrel was too long!

We both shot anyway. He was “out” of competition. I took third with a A class score, first time (only time) out. My brother shot what would have been a AA- class score and won. His liked the Winchester Super-X at the time. Mine liked CCI, but was shooting some Hanson Yugoslavian ammo (allegedly bootleg SK from E.Germany).
They weren’t as cordial when we got through shooting... I think we hurt their feelings, what with their Anshultz’s and Win M54’s and Eley 10X ammo.

A nice one is a great find. I should have bought my brothers from my SIL after he passed. But, I have a CZ452 American. How accurate? How accurate is the ammo lot#? One hole at 50yds with most better ammo.

That 69A went from Florida, to Alaska, Maine, New Mexico, Montana, and back to Alabama. It fed his family well during hunting seasons. He did swap it out for a Ruger 10/22 shooting CCI stingers for Jack Rabbits in NM.

You tug at my heart in this thread. My fathers 69a was the gun by the back door through the 1970's. I was quite the dead eye with it at age 17 back then.
ONE DAY:
The old man called me to his observation post by the second story window and pointed out a feral cat about 125 yards away, by our old barn , that was obviously stalking our ducks and geese. He took a swig of his whiskey and water and told me to go take a shot at the cat with the 22.( I think he was too lit up to shoot ) I went out below the window and got down on one knee. Pop! 100 yards away the cat ceased to be a threat to our livestock. I think the old man choked on his drink with surprise.
This is the most accurate 22 rifle I have ever fired.
I bought most of my fathers guns from him. After his death I was given the 22.. Of three sons I was the only one who cleaned all the guns and took care of them for my folks. MY mother recognized this and made sure I got the 22.
If you recognize any features of this rifle please let me know about it.
About a year ago I took out a squirrel at 75 yards with it and was amazed it could shoot as well. What surprised me most is that as a teen I remember the rifling on the Winchester seemed to be very shallow. It looked almost worn out. That must be some kind of standard with the piece.

Nice story ! I beat you by more than a decade but similar experiences. You 69a has the factory optional rear peep sight.

Thanks Gordon, I've been told the rear micrometer sight is a Williams. I have never adjusted it in over 50 years, as there was no need. The stock is, as you can see, is old, oiled, and oxidized. Should I have it re finished?

Yesterday, I took the 69A for a walk-about down the woods road and along the blueberry fields. It was fun to plink at various inanimate objects along the way. The road and adjacent areas were quite soft and in one place my L.L.Bean boots sank into soft, muddy ground along the road.

A while back, I pulled the front "peep" disk, replacing it with a steel "post and dot", which worked pretty well in the various light conditions. The rear aperture was a more open, smaller one, which is better for field conditions. There aren't any houses within a mile in most directions, so I don't have to worry much about shooting a varmint out of a tree, but didn't encounter any. Still, I managed to find a few inanimate "targets" and enjoyed trying a few shots offhand to see how the rifle and I were getting along.

It was great to plink at lichen spots on the sides of some of the plentiful large boulders that surround fields and line the access road. I need to do walkabouts more often as the weather warms.

In this thread we have seen at least three different variations of the Winchester Model 69 in one by Sarge7402 we have a very good picture of an earlier striker assembly , almost model 67 like manual cocker. The later 69(a) had a chromed bolt handle and the striker flat . Also on Sarge's picture we see the take down knob where later ones had countersunk screws. I like 69s ! I am not scoping mine that I have now , the open rear sights are actually quite good on them , especially for younger eyes, there is a reason the common open rear sights were so popular for a century