Dating a firearm … and is it important?

Frequently auctioneers ask, “When was any certain firearm manufactured?” or “What is the age of this firearm?”

This can be challenging primarily because firearms in the United States were not required to have serial numbers until October 22, 1968. Many did prior, but many others did not. Further, many early firearms manufacturers kept no records of serial numbers whatsoever.

For that matter, in many cases the year of manufacture isn’t necessarily material. For auction marketing, maker (company,) model, caliber or gauge and condition are probably far more important; serial numbers can certainly be advertised (and documented if sold by an FFL) — and then the buyer can decide if they’re significant.

We wrote previously about firearm serial numbers here: https://mikebrandlyauctioneer.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/firearms-serial-numbers-and-auctioneers/ with notation on NFA and non-NFA firearms laws.

This is our best effort (thus far) and we’ll update as we’re able. Many of these links give specific date lookup tables while others provide contact information in order to ask the manufacturer. A few sites require a small fee to receive information or merely provide some hints to date ranges:

1. A. H. Fox https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

2. American Arms Co. https://gunvalues.gundigest.com/american-arms-co/

3. Auguste Francotte https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos2.htm

4. AYA Firearms http://www.shotguns.se/html/aya_serial_numbers.html

5. Baker Guns https://gunvalues.gundigest.com/baker-gun-forging-co/

6. Barrett Firearms https://barrett.net/support/contact-us

7. Benelli https://www.benelliusa.com/customer-service/contact-us

8. Beretta https://www.berettasupport.com … search_new.htm

9. Browning Arms Company https://www.browning.com … your-firearm.html

10. Boss & Company https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

11. Charles Lancaster https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos3.htm

12. Churchill Ltd. https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

13. Colt Defense https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup

14. FN Herstal https://www.fnherstal.com/en/contact

15. Frederick Beesley https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

16. Fox Sterlingworth FoxFirearms

17. Glock Ges.m.b.H https://stakhaus.com … glock

18. Griffin & Howe http://secure.griffinhowe.com … make=16

19. Harrington & Richardson https://gun-data.com/harringtonrichardson2

20. Heckler and Koch https://www.hk94.com/hk/topic/3426-heckler-koch

21. Henry Rifle http://www.savage99.com/henry_dates.htm

22. High Standard https://www.bullseyeforum.net … hi-standard

23. Holland & Holland https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos2.htm

24. Hopkins & Allen https://www.gunvaluesboard.com/how-old-is-a-hopkins

25. Ithica Guns https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos3.htm

26. Iver Johnson Arms http://www.american-firearms.com/american-firearms

27. James Purdey https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos4.htm

28. James Woodward https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos5.htm

29. John Dickson https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos1.htm

30. John Rigby https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos4.htm

31. Joseph Lang https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos3.htm

32. L.C. Smith (Hunter) http://www.lcsmith.org/shotguns/manufacture.html

33. Lefever Arms Co. https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos3.htm

34. Luger https://www.ruger.com/dataProcess/customerService/

35. Makarov Pistol http://makarov.com/makfaq.html

36. Manhattan Fire Arms Co. http://www.manhattanfirearms.com/index.html

37. Marlin http://oldguns.net/sn_php/marlinlookup.php

38. Mossberg https://www.mossberg.com/contact-us/

39. Parker https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos3.htm

40. Piotti https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos4.htm

41. Remington http://oldguns.net/sn_php/remdates.htm

42. Rizzini https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos4.htm

43. Savage Arms https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=contact

44. Sharps Rifle Manufacturing http://www.american-firearms

45. SIG Sauer https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-sauer/

46. Smith & Wesson http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/info.html

47. Springfield Armory, Inc https://www.springfield-armory.com/contact/

48. Stephen Grant https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos2.htm

49. Stevens Firearms https://www.gunvaluesboard.com/firearmsstevens

50. Sturm, Ruger & Co. https://ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/

51. Taurus International https://www.taurususa.com/support

52. W.&C. Scott & Son https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos5.htm

53. Walther P-38 https://waltherarms.com/ & P38ProductionDates

54. Webley & Scott https://www.armsresearch.co.uk/

55. Western Long-Range (Ithica Guns) https://www.doublegunshop.com/

56. Westley Richards https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos4.htm

57. Whitworth Muzzleloading Rifles http://www.researchpress.co.uk … whitworth

58. Winchester Repeating Arms https://winchestercollector.org/dates/

59. W.W. Greener https://www.doublegunshop.com/dgsnos2.htm

60. Various firearm serial lookup documentation serialization-date of manufacture

Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, CAS, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at: Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, RES Auction Services and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. He serves as Distinguished Faculty at Hondros College, Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School, an Instructor at the National Auctioneers Association’s Designation Academy and America’s Auction Academy. He is faculty at the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University and is approved by the The Supreme Court of Ohio for attorney education.

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