How can you tell if a rifle was from the custom shop at Winchester? Is it stamped on the barrel?

Thanks,
John

It usually comes with a certificate.

regards
JohnT

You can call and have the serial number checked..

Yes, it is stamped on the barrel. On top of the barrel, in front of the receiver are TWO proof marks. All Winchesters have one proof mark located there. The custom shops have an extra one. A circle with the letters "CS" inside.

Thanks.

Do the custom shop guns use better barrels then a typical Win?

John

I don't know about ALL custom shop barrels. Mine (and I think all for a good while) is a Krieger barrel.

I am pretty sure I remember one selling on Gunbroker that had a Lilja barrel.

Of course, these are considered premium barrels. It is hard to guarantee what you are getting unless you can locate the certificate of authenticity that came with the gun. Hopefully, Winchester still keeps records of these and you can get the info from them. This is pure speculation on my part. I wish you the best of luck.

Custom Shop Winchesters are truly a prized possession, and mine is far superior to my Super Grade. I wish I had purchased them on a regular basis when they were being produced. Hindsight may be good, but it can sure make you sick.

Mike

So I examined this gun a bit more closely.

It has a polished crown. The action is matte black. It has a plastic follower and is push feed.

The wood is clearly custom shop.

It looks to me like a Black Shadow fit in a custom shop piece of wood.

What do you guys think?

It doesn't sound legit. If it doesn't have the custom shop proof mark or a letter of authenticity, I would highly doubt it was from the custom shop. And remember that customized rifles generally have pretty poor resale value unless that are world-class.

Still, if YOU like it, go for it. Just don't pay too much.

I left it in the store and got my deposit back. It has to be controlled feed for me. That's okay, I will use the funds for a deer hunt next month instead

Could someone post pics of the custom shop proofmark or give a link?

I have an "oddity." It's a 30-06, 23 inch barrel and express sites. Two folding leafs and a fixed blade. Marked Super Grade and has a great piece of wood on it.

It has two proofmarks on the barrel, but I currently don't have any other Winchesters with stock barrels for comparison.

Sorry for hijacking your thread JohnHunt!

MikeG50 ----- Thanks for the information about the proof make on the barrel. I shoot a .358 STA that came from the Winchester Custom Shop and had never noticed the proof mark before, but lo and behold there it is. Let me add that my scope bell is so close I really cannot read the mark, but there is a proof mark there. Some years ago I noticed in the Winchester catalog that they produced the .358 STA and just chalked it up to an interesting Big Bear round. I then found out that the Custom Shop produced 58 rifles for Art Alpin of A-Square and he promoted them for Winchester. I was lucky enough to find one at a bargain and when I bought my rifle it had a card for a free box of ammo from A-Square in it. The rifle shoots lights out and has one of the most stunning pieces of wood I have seen on a rifle. Thanks again for the info. Good shooting.

My Custom Shop Model 70 has what looks like a C over a GS in an oval on the barrel, right next to the standard Winchester proof mark.

Thank you Mike!

That was what I was wanting to hear. I finally took the scope off and got a good look at the two proofs.

No problem, Joe. I should thank you. Before I read this thread, I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a custom shop mark on the barrel!