Winchester Model 65 Standard .218 Bee Lever-Action Rifle, 24 in Barrel (1937)
This 1937 Winchester Model 65 Standard in .218 Bee pairs classic Winchester design with a desirable chambering and clean mechanics. It features a 24 inch round barrel marked "Winchester Proof Steel Model 65 ... 218 Bee," Winchester oval proof stamps on the barrel and receiver ring, and a factory-style sight setup with a hooded ramp front and tang-mounted aperture rear sight. The bore is excellent, and the rifle retains its original blued steel and uncheckered walnut stock configuration.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Metal and wood surfaces show marks from prior handling and use. The rear barrel sight dovetail is filled with a blank. See the photos for a detailed view of the markings and surfaces.
What's Included
- Winchester Model 65 Standard rifle chambered in .218 Bee
- Hooded ramp front sight (installed)
- Receiver/tang-mounted aperture rear sight (installed)
- Rear barrel sight dovetail blank (installed)
- Sling swivels (installed)
Built on Winchester's short, top-eject receiver derived from the Model 1892 lineage, this Model 65 retains the smooth, compact lever-action the platform is known for. It feeds from a tubular under-barrel magazine via a right-side loading gate and holds 6+1 rounds of .218 Bee.
The 24 inch round steel barrel is correctly marked "Winchester Proof Steel Model 65 ... 218 Bee" and carries Winchester oval proof stamps that match the receiver ring. The original blued finish on the steel receiver and barrel complements the uncheckered walnut stock and forend.
The sighting arrangement consists of a hooded ramp front sight and a receiver/tang-mounted aperture rear sight, with the rear barrel sight dovetail filled by a blank. This setup provides a clean sight picture appropriate to the rifle's period configuration.
Furniture details include a pistol-grip stock with a shotgun butt, a checkered steel buttplate, and factory sling swivels. Length of pull measures 13.0 inches, reflecting the rifle's full-size format and traditional handling characteristics.
Made in the United States in the 1930s, this Model 65 Standard presents as a well-kept example with an excellent bore, period-correct markings, and the sought-after .218 Bee chambering.