Make: Winchester

Model: 1906 Expert Grade

Serial Number: 535251, 535252

Year of Manufacture: 1918 / ATF Classification: C&R

Caliber/Gauge: .22 Short, Long, & Long Rifle

Action Type: Pump-Action (Slide-Action) Rifle, Tubular Magazine

Barrel Length: 20"

Sights/Optics: The front sighs are blades dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sights are adjustable elevation U-notches screwed into the barrel. The rear sight on 535252 has been filed into a square notch, its front sight is installed backward.

Grip/Stock Configuration: The stocks are wood, the buttstocks have straight combs, semi-pistol grips, and checkered Winchester buttplates. The LOP measures 12 3/4" from the front of the triggers to the back of the buttplates. 

535251- The buttplate shows moderate wear. The furniture shows scattered pressure dings, scuffs, and scratches mostly located on the buttstock. Most notably, is a small ding on the lower right side of the grip, a scuff at the bottom of the grip, and another scuff at the bottom of the butt where it meets the buttplate. There are no cracks. This furniture rates in Good condition.

535252 Grip/Stock Condition: The buttplate shows heavy wear with a crack at the top. The furniture shows scattered pressure dings, scuffs, and scratches mostly located on the forend. Most notable is a crack running from the right side of the tang towards the receiver. There are no chips. This furniture rates in about Good condition as refinished.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: 535251- Original, 535252- Some remaining finish is Original, worn areas show treatment with cold blue.

535251 Bore Condition: The bore is grey and the rifling is worn. There is moderate erosion and spots of oxidation throughout the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 5/10.

535252 Bore Condition: The bore is dark and the rifling is faint. There is heavy erosion throughout the bore with spots of oxidation. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 3/10.

535251 Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 50% of its metal finish as much has worn off or turned to patina. The two portions of the receiver are serial matching. The finish shows scattered scuffs and scratches throughout. The areas showing the most finish loss include the magazine tube and barrel. The receiver shows freckling atop the action. The screw heads are lightly tooled, but retain strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good condition.

535252 Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 30% of its metal finish. The barrel has most of its finish worn off along with a few scuffs and scratches. The magazine tube shows operational wear and has also lost most of its finish. The remaining receiver finish shows thinning, edge wear, and scattered scratches. Worn areas show treatment with cold blue. The screw heads are lightly tooled and retain strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Fair condition.

Mechanics: Both actions function correctly, but 525252 is more stiff to cycle. We did not fire these firearms. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: A remarkably uncommon sequentially numbered pair of Winchester's Expert Grade Model 1906 rifles, each presenting the refined stock shaping, improved finish, and elevated aesthetics that distinguished Expert Grade examples from standard production. The compact 20" barrels keep both rifles lively and well-balanced, while the exposed action bars, takedown receivers, and tubular magazines retain the mechanical charm and practical utility that made the 1906 a defining small-bore rifle of the early 20th century. Sequential serial numbers impart unusual collector appeal, linking the rifles together as a preserved snapshot of Winchester’s 1918 production line.

Produced during the final year of World War I, these rifles embody the transitional moment when Winchester maintained civilian rimfire output alongside wartime manufacturing. Their ability to chamber .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle gave them the versatility prized in an era of inconsistent ammunition availability. Sequential serial numbers from this period are scarce and highly desirable, they suggest the rifles may have stayed together through distribution, ownership, and decades of use, making them an unusually intact, historically resonant pair from Winchester’s golden age of rimfire slide-actions.