How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Rimfire bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action and self loading rifles. Air rifles.

How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by BrentonSpear » 05 Sep 2022, 5:43 pm

Hi All,

I just applied for my VIC license which should come through in the next 4-5 weeks.

Also put in a PTA for a 22LR and 12G over under. I will be starting with range shooting with the 22 and then onto small game. The 12G will be for clay targets.

I am now keen to find one of each and wanted to know how you tell the year of manufacture of second hand guns?

BTW, looking out for a CZ 457 22LR Lux and a Yildiz SPZ :)

Thanks.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by No1Mk3 » 05 Sep 2022, 6:58 pm

G'day mate,
Welcome to the forum. As to your question, in many cases it is simply impossible to tell the year of manufacture as makers either keep no records of that data or won't release it. It several cases manufacturers will supply this info on request, and for some there are collectors who have gathered this info and share it on their websites. Once you find a particular firearm you want, the age could be determined by examining the Proof marks, checking websites or collectors forums etc. In some cases such as Brno 22RF rifles the date was stamped on the left side of the action. Winchester publish serial numbers by year for most models. Best of luck
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by Lazarus » 05 Sep 2022, 7:07 pm

G'day Brenton, welcome aboard.

On this subject I also have a question.

My first gun was a Winchester Model 04 that my Mum gave me for my 13th birthday, still have him.
It is pre serial numbers but I'm told that there were two versions, one marked 22 short and 22 long and another marked 22 short, long and long rifle.
Mine is in the second group, does anyone know the date ranges of the two series?
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by Lazarus » 06 Sep 2022, 9:20 am

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Stupidity is the same
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by No1Mk3 » 06 Sep 2022, 11:19 am

Lazarus wrote:G'day Brenton, welcome aboard.

On this subject I also have a question.

My first gun was a Winchester Model 04 that my Mum gave me for my 13th birthday, still have him.
It is pre serial numbers but I'm told that there were two versions, one marked 22 short and 22 long and another marked 22 short, long and long rifle.
Mine is in the second group, does anyone know the date ranges of the two series?


G'day Lazarus,
Is your rifle marked MOD.1904 or MOD.04? Are your calibre markings actually ending in Long Rifle or Extra Long? The change in date from 4 digits to 2 digits occured in February 1919, and the calibre was marked- 22 Short, Long Extra Long from 1914 until 1927 then it was changed to Long Rifle, the Model designation changed that same year and aftter 1927 they were marked MOD.04A, hope this helps.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by Lazarus » 06 Sep 2022, 11:34 am

No1Mk3 wrote:
Lazarus wrote:G'day Brenton, welcome aboard.

On this subject I also have a question.

My first gun was a Winchester Model 04 that my Mum gave me for my 13th birthday, still have him.
It is pre serial numbers but I'm told that there were two versions, one marked 22 short and 22 long and another marked 22 short, long and long rifle.
Mine is in the second group, does anyone know the date ranges of the two series?


G'day Lazarus,
Is your rifle marked MOD.1904 or MOD.04? Are your calibre markings actually ending in Long Rifle or Extra Long? The change in date from 4 digits to 2 digits occured in February 1919, and the calibre was marked- 22 Short, Long Extra Long from 1914 until 1927 then it was changed to Long Rifle, the Model designation changed that same year and aftter 1927 they were marked MOD.04A, hope this helps.


G'day No1Mk3

Thanks for that info
This is the marking
20220722_164025.jpg
20220722_164025.jpg (230.22 KiB) Viewed 1153 times


So if I understand correctly that would be some time between 1914-27?
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hurt, and doing it anyway.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by bladeracer » 06 Sep 2022, 2:04 pm

BrentonSpear wrote:Hi All,

I just applied for my VIC license which should come through in the next 4-5 weeks.

Also put in a PTA for a 22LR and 12G over under. I will be starting with range shooting with the 22 and then onto small game. The 12G will be for clay targets.

I am now keen to find one of each and wanted to know how you tell the year of manufacture of second hand guns?

BTW, looking out for a CZ 457 22LR Lux and a Yildiz SPZ :)

Thanks.


Fairly modern firearms will likely have a way of dating them, although you might have to contact the manufacturer to find out. If you're buying one you might have to remove the action from the stock to find any date codes.
My Rugers, Winchester and Marlin have codes on them that translate to dates.

Sometimes serial numbers are linear so if you can determine how many were made over a period, or how many were made each year then you can narrow it down to a year perhaps.

Otherwise you'll have to dive deep into font shapes and sizes, positions of markings, abbreviations and such to try to narrow it down to a window of production.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by No1Mk3 » 06 Sep 2022, 2:36 pm

Lazarus wrote:
No1Mk3 wrote:
Lazarus wrote:G'day Brenton, welcome aboard.

On this subject I also have a question.

My first gun was a Winchester Model 04 that my Mum gave me for my 13th birthday, still have him.
It is pre serial numbers but I'm told that there were two versions, one marked 22 short and 22 long and another marked 22 short, long and long rifle.
Mine is in the second group, does anyone know the date ranges of the two series?


G'day Lazarus,
Is your rifle marked MOD.1904 or MOD.04? Are your calibre markings actually ending in Long Rifle or Extra Long? The change in date from 4 digits to 2 digits occured in February 1919, and the calibre was marked- 22 Short, Long Extra Long from 1914 until 1927 then it was changed to Long Rifle, the Model designation changed that same year and aftter 1927 they were marked MOD.04A, hope this helps.


G'day No1Mk3

Thanks for that info
This is the marking
20220722_164025.jpg


So if I understand correctly that would be some time between 1914-27?


With the year marking in 2 digits, it would be Feb 1919 to 1927.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by Lazarus » 06 Sep 2022, 2:47 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:
With the year marking in 2 digits, it would be Feb 1919 to 1927.



Thanks mate, it's something I've wondered for 50yrs.
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Re: How do you tell the year of manufacture of a gun?

Post by BrentonSpear » 07 Sep 2022, 6:05 pm

Thanks guys. All really good info.

I got the notification that my hardcopy longarm application had been received so hopefully in 4 weeks I will be good to go :thumbsup:
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