SERIAL NUMBERS OFTEN ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE THE YEAR OF MANUFACTURE

Knowing the year your vintage firearm was made makes it easier to decide which gun catalog we sell will give you the best information about the company, models made and more. To help you determine the year made, find your serial number and then select a link from those below to sites that offer serial dates.

The Blue Book of Used Gun Values offers serial numbers for the following makers:

AYA, Boss & Co., Ltd, Browning, EJ Churchill, Colt, Colt Black Powder 2nd Gen, John Dickson & Son, AH Fox, German early Date Codes, German Modern Date Codes, Stephen Grant, WW Greener, Harrington & Richardson, High Standard, Holland & Holland, Italian Year of Mfg. Date Codes, Ithaca Gun Co., Charles Lancaster, Joseph Lang, Marlin Firearms, Mauser Broomhandles, Parker Brothers Shotguns, Piotti, James Purdey, Remington Date Code & SxS Shotguns, Savage/Stevens, LC Smith, Smith & Wesson, Spanish Year of Mfg. Date Codes, Sturm, Ruger & Co., Winchester Rifles, Winchester Rifle & Shotgun 1969+, Winchester Shotguns.

Other websites that may help (Information from websites other than the manufacturer website should be examined with some skepticism):

• American Arms Co. (Identify Variations/Years and Serial Numbers/Years)
• American Standard Tool Co. 1868-73
• AYA Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacturers
• Baker Guns- Models, Descriptions and Serial Ranges
• Beesley
• Boss
• Boss & Co 1830-1901
• Browning Firearms Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture
• Churchill
• Colt Firearms
• Colt Firearms
• Dickson
• Dickson, John & Son (Edinburgh) 1812-1903
• Forehand & Wadsworth (Forehand Guns)
• Fox, AH- Pre WWII Shotguns
• Francotte
• Grant, Stephen
• Stephen Grant & Son 1867-1900
• Griffin & Howe Serial Number Ranges 1930-1967
• Greener, WW
• Harrington & Richardson
• Henry Rifle
• High Standard Pistols Serial Ranges 1932-1942
• Holland & Holland
• Hopkins & Allen
• Hunter Arms Co. and LC Smith Guns Grades, Symbols and Serials before 1950
• Ithaca Guns – Baker, Crass, Lewis, Manier, Magnum, Pre-WWII choke marks, Lefever Singles, Flues, Knick, Lefever Grade A, NID, Western Long Range
• Ithaca Guns
• Ithaca Guns Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture (containing serial information about: Baker DB Shotguns, Crass DB Shotguns, Lewis DB Shotguns, Manier DB Shotguns, Flues SB and DB Shotguns, NID DB Shotguns, Knick SB Trap Guns, LeFever Nitro Special DB Shotguns, LeFever “A” Grade, Western Long Range DB Shotguns, Model 37 Standard Model Shotguns, Model 37 Solid Rib Shotguns, Model 37 All Grade Guns.
• Year of Manufacture for Italian Firearms
• Iver Johnson
• Krags and Trapdoors
• Lancaster, Charles
• Lancaster, Charles (London) 1826-1901
• Lang
• Lefever
• Lefever Sideloack Shotguns 1913 & Later (not serial numbers)
• Lefever Sideloack Shotguns before 1913 (not serial numbers)
• LC Smith & Hunter Arms Co. Guns Grades, Symbols & Serials before 1950
• Luger P-08 9MM Pistol Markings
• Makarov 8mm Pistol Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture
• Manhattan Fire Arms Co. .31 Pocket, .36 Navy ,22 Pocket
• Marlin Model 39 Serial number prefixes
• Marlin- The Collector’s GUide to Serial Numbers and Technical Information
• Marlin Firearms
• Mossberg did not put serial numbers on most long guns until 1968 (GCA 1968 required them)
• Parker Brothers Serial Numbers and Grades
• Parker
• Piotti
• Purdey
• Purdey, James (London) 1814-1900
• Remington – Navy Single Shot Pistols, Model 8, 81, 24, 241, RB Pistols (Types- not serial), RB Rifles- 1870, 71, RB Rifle Models- 1866-1933, Contract Lee Rifles, Pistols and Revolvers 1857-1918 (incomplete serial number for some), Rifles 1866-1933 (ditto), Shotguns 1874-1910 Serial numbers unknown.
• Remington Firearms
• Remington 1921-present
• Rigby, John 1823-1910
• Rigby
• Rizzini
• Ruger Firearms
• Savage
• Scott, W&C Monte Carlo B 1892-1934+
• Scott, WC
• Sharps Rifles Serial Number Ranges
• Smith & Wesson – Single Action Pistols, First Model .22, Second Model .22, New Departure Safety Hammerless, Ladysmith 1902-1911+
• Spencer Slide Action Shotguns
• LC Smith Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture
• LC Smith
• Springfield Model 1873 and 1884 Rifles, Model 1873 Shotgun, Model 1903 Rifle, 1903A3 by Smith Corona Co.
• Stevens (description, illustration and years made)- Stevens did not put serial numbers on all long guns until 1968 (GCA 1968 Required them)
• United States Military Firearms
• Springfield Trapdoors
• Walther P-38 Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture
• Western
• Webley & Scott .455 Automatics (includes headstamps)
• Westley Richards to 1957
• Westley Richards
• Whitworth Muzzleloading Rifles
• Winchester Firearms and Parts Interchangeability
• Winchester Serial Number and Date of Manufacture (PDF)
• Winchester Firearms Serial Numbers Website
• WW Greener
• Woodward