Odd Duck

[Howland937]

I think @.308 Norma has mentioned having one of these. Maybe I'm mistaken.
Models 55 Winchester (no, not the lever gun)
.22 semi-auto single shot. Picked it up today just because it was there looking all lonesome and scared, surrounded by black plastic at a shop I'd never been in. Needs a little cleaning, but it's tight and functions flawlessly.
I do find it confusing as everything I've seen says you must pull the lever back to open the loading ramp, then load it which automatically engages the safety. I've found I can just load it by sliding a round down the ramp which pushes the ramp down, cocks the gun and engages the safety. No lever use at all.

 

[Pat Riot]

A semiauto single shot? Not sure if I have ever heard about these. Is it considered semiauto because it automatically engages the safety when loaded?
Nice looking rifle, by the way. Very Spartan but nice.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

A semiauto single shot? Not sure if I have ever heard about these. Is it considered semiauto because it automatically engages the safety when loaded?
Nice looking rifle, by the way. Very Spartan but nice.

It auto-ejects, but must be manually loaded each time.

Definitely an odd duck, but kinda cool.
Ive seen a handful over the years. My buddy Roger thought highly of them.

Nice score, OP. Looks to be in beautiful condition.

 

[Howland937]

considered semiauto because

auto-ejects, but must be manually loaded each time

Yep, manual load, auto eject. Right into the palm of my hand...but only once.
It's pretty solid. Really nice bluing, pretty decent finish on the wood. One small crack on the left of the stock. Has a bright silver front sight I'm assuming isn't original.

 

[.308 Norma]

I think @.308 Norma has mentioned having one of these

Yes sir, I do. Mom and Dad bought it for me for my 10th birthday in 1958. It still works great.

I do find it confusing as everything I've seen says you must pull the lever back to open the loading ramp, then load it which automatically engages the safety. I've found I can just load it by sliding a round down the ramp which pushes the ramp down, cocks the gun and engages the safety. No lever use at all.

I don't know what that "pulling the lever back to open the loading ramp" is all about. I'd never heard that before.
I will take a guess about it though - you do have to cock the rifle by "pulling the lever back" for the first shot (after which it recocks itself just like all semi-autos), and if you already have a round in the chamber when you go to cock it, that round will be ejected.
You can also push the loading ramp down and pull the lever back (gently) to hold the loading ramp open while you are cleaning the barrel (from the muzzle) if you want to.
Also, you might have already heard this, but that loading ramp is nylon or plastic, and it's prone to cracking right where the pin to hinge it goes through it. Mine's cracked, and one of these days I'll get around to building a new one out of a piece of aluminum - I'm pretty handy with a file. Either that, or I've heard replacement loading gates for Model 55s are available somewhere.
Oh, and one more thing - as I've mentioned before, the spent cases drop out of the port in the bottom of the stock, and they're HOT!!! When I was 10, I wore an almost permanent blister in the palm of my left hand because I was short, and under that port was where my left hand naturally fit. I sure killed a lot of jackrabbits with that .22 when I was 10 though (my folks and I used to spotlight them out on the desert back then) and I eventually grew - so my left hand wasn't under that port anymore.

 

[.308 Norma]

Yep, manual load, auto eject. Right into the palm of my hand...but only once.

Been there!

 

[Howland937]

you do have to cock the rifle by "pulling the lever back" for the first shot

Ok, that explanation makes more sense than what I'd read earlier. So the firing and ejection causes it to cock again and loading a fresh round doesn't cock it? Then it would seem it's constantly cocked after the last round unless it's either dry fired or an empty case is placed inside.

 

[.308 Norma]

So the firing and ejection causes it to cock again and loading a fresh round doesn't cock it? Then it would seem it's constantly cocked after the last round unless it's either dry fired or an empty case is placed inside.

Yes sir, that's right - firing and ejection causes the Model 55 to re-cock, and all pushing the loading gate open does is put the rifle on "safe." And it will remained cocked after the last round unless you dry fire it, or fire it with an empty case/snap cap of some kind in the chamber.
I've always just dry fired mine after the last round. Dry firing doesn't seem to have hurt it any - like I said, I've had my Model 55 since I was 10, and I'm 75 now.

 

[mshootnit]

Just interesting on a couple different levels....

 

[Howland937]

said, I've had my Model 55 since I was 10, and I'm 75 now.

So does or did yours at any time have a bright silver front sight?
Since it's a straight blow back function I can't imagine that HV ammo would bother it but I'll likely stick with SV anyway.

 

[.308 Norma]

So does or did yours at any time have a bright silver front sight?

I think the front sight on mine is just blued.

Since it's a straight blow back function I can't imagine that HV ammo would bother it but I'll likely stick with SV anyway.

I doubt HV ammo would hurt it. When it comes to LR ammo though, all I've ever run in mine was SV. However, my Model 55 runs "shorts" and "longs" well too.

 

[jmr40]

Ruger makes a 1 shot magazine for their 10/22. I could see it as useful when teaching young shooters.

.22 LR 1-Round Rotary Magazine

shopruger.com

 

[theotherwaldo]

New one on me.
Neat!

 

[Howland937]

I think the front sight on mine is just blued.

I doubt HV ammo would hurt it. When it comes to LR ammo though, all I've ever run in mine was SV. However, my Model 55 runs "shorts" and "longs" well too.

Well, as quickly as I got into the model 55 business I'm back out of it
I kind of went the opposite direction as you. I gave mine to my dad. He was pretty enamored with it and it's not often I stump him with something he hadn't encountered.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Nothing wrong with that! My Dad can afford whatever he wants, so Ive fixed up a number of guns and gifted them to him. He gets a kick out of old guns and appreciates the effort that goes into them.

 

[CptnAwesome]

. Picked it up today just because it was there looking all lonesome and scared, surrounded by black plastic