Age of gun by serial number? - The Firearms Forum

waizen · 02-12-2007, 12:50 PM

Does anyone know if there is an easy (read, through the internet) way to tell when a particular gun was manufactured by way of its serial number? Is there a website or something out there I can consult?

I am about to pick up a used gun I just bought from a dealer but he doesn't know the exact history of that gun. The gun is in great shape and that isn't the reason for the question. I just want to know more about the gun itself.

By the way, it's a Remington 1100 shot gun, if that makes any difference. I know they first came out in 1963 but it doesn't look that old. The safety button does not have the "key" insert that the new ones do.

Thanks.

The Rifleman · 02-12-2007, 04:26 PM

Depending on the year and the model there is not many people that could answer your question for you.

My question would be, as long as it shoots ok, why do you need to know.

The Model 1100 Rem was a good gun, no matter what year it was made.
It's not a collectable gun, because they were made by the hundred's of thousands. It's not hard to find one in good shape.

I know that on their rifles they have proof marks stamped into the barrel. By using a chart, you can pretty much guesstimate the age of the firearm.
But because you can change the barrel of the 1100 - you couldn't go by that.

You could call the factory in Illion NY..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_1100
http://www.remington.com/library/his...model_1100.asp

pickenup · 02-12-2007, 04:50 PM

You can find some manufacturers dates online, others you can't.
It's a gun by gun deal.

waizen · 02-12-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

My question would be, as long as it shoots ok, why do you need to know.

The Model 1100 Rem was a good gun, no matter what year it was made.
It's not a collectable gun, because they were made by the hundred's of thousands. It's not hard to find one in good shape.

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah, I know it's a good gun. That's why I went for it. To me, it is a great way to get into trap shooting.

My question came out of curiosity more than anything else. It was a question I threw out at the dealer while I was handling the gun and falling in love with it (already had made up my mind to get it at that point). I know the dealer is trustworthy so that wasn't a factor.

Anyway, thanks for your responses.

catfish83861 · 02-12-2007, 08:31 PM

waizen, Should you still be curious about the date of manufacture email me and I will look in my gun buyers digest and attempt to locate it for you. I would need the serial number of course. catfish83861

waizen · 02-13-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catfish83861

waizen, Should you still be curious about the date of manufacture email me and I will look in my gun buyers digest and attempt to locate it for you. I would need the serial number of course. catfish83861

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind when I pick up the gun from the dealer.

Xracer · 02-13-2007, 07:26 AM

Unfortunately, there is no central source of Serial # to Manufacture Date on the Internet. There are websites that list many of them for some of the major manufacturers, but they're all over the place.

Colt (up to about 1978) and Browning are listed here:

http://proofhouse.com/

Many U.S. Military firearms are here:

http://m1903.com/sn/usmildates.htm

Here's another on Browning:

http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/index.asp

Here's a good one for shotgun dates of manufacture:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/identify.html

Here's one that has Marlin, Mauser Pistol C-96 (Broomhandle), Remington, Ruger (& Factory Letters), U.S. Military, and Winchester:

http://armscollectors.com/

.....and there are others out there.....you just gotta find 'em.

grdad45 · 02-13-2007, 07:38 AM

+1 what X said, Add the Ruger website, it has a searchable S# system.

waizen · 02-13-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xracer

Unfortunately, there is no central source of Serial # to Manufacture Date on the Internet. There are websites that list many of them for some of the major manufacturers, but they're all over the place.

Colt (up to about 1978) and Browning are listed here:

http://proofhouse.com/

Many U.S. Military firearms are here:

http://m1903.com/sn/usmildates.htm

Here's another on Browning:

http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/index.asp

Here's a good one for shotgun dates of manufacture:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/identify.html

Here's one that has Marlin, Mauser Pistol C-96 (Broomhandle), Remington, Ruger (& Factory Letters), U.S. Military, and Winchester:

http://armscollectors.com/

.....and there are others out there.....you just gotta find 'em.

Hey, great list, Xracer. Thanks! I'll check them out on the computer as soon as I know my boss isn't looking.

The Rifleman · 02-13-2007, 11:36 PM

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/journals/1100

Just found this and if it is still maintained as a web site you might be able to contact the site manager and they might be able to hook you up with a aprox. build date.

There is some serial numbers on this web site and also descriptions of model years and when they changed designs on models.

Maybe you can post the model year and also the serial number.

You can also contact Remington about the class action lawsuit they had a few years back. It seems that there was a problem with some of the heat treat on the barrels and they were sued in court and they were paying a out of court settlement to all Model 1100 owners that had a gun that was manufactured in a certain time frame..

I believe that I got about $20

My daddy was mad because he owned a 20 ga 870 Wingmaster that was made about 1955 and he used the barrel to whomp rabbits while he held them in his hand before they were dead and he bent the barrel so bad that he couldn't hit anything with it and finally straightened it out in the crook of a tree one day out in the woods. The metal in that barrel was so soft that you could whittle a piece off it with a old Barlow pocket knife.

He finally sent it out to be re heat treated and then had the last 4 inches of the barrel removed and a Poly Choke installed.

http://www.gunsmoke.com/guns/rem_shotgun_lawsuit.html

waizen · 02-18-2007, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

You can also contact Remington about the class action lawsuit they had a few years back. It seems that there was a problem with some of the heat treat on the barrels and they were sued in court and they were paying a out of court settlement to all Model 1100 owners that had a gun that was manufactured in a certain time frame..

I believe that I got about $20

Thanks, Rifleman. I doubt they would think this applies to me since I just bought the gun and haven't even picked it up from the dealer, yet (they're putting in a new bead on the barrel). Thanks, though.

The Rifleman · 02-18-2007, 07:32 PM

From what I read they settled it about 10 years ago out of court.

But that they did not find all of the owners of the Model 1100 / 870's that it pertained to. Could you imagine trying to find a couple of million gun owners.

Anyone that could furnish them with a good serial number got a refund.

02-12-2007, 12:50 PM	#1
waizen Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South-Central Vermont Posts: 33	Age of gun by serial number? Does anyone know if there is an easy (read, through the internet) way to tell when a particular gun was manufactured by way of its serial number? Is there a website or something out there I can consult? I am about to pick up a used gun I just bought from a dealer but he doesn't know the exact history of that gun. The gun is in great shape and that isn't the reason for the question. I just want to know more about the gun itself. By the way, it's a Remington 1100 shot gun, if that makes any difference. I know they first came out in 1963 but it doesn't look that old. The safety button does not have the "key" insert that the new ones do. Thanks. -->

02-12-2007, 04:26 PM	#2
The Rifleman Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 135	Re: Age of gun by serial number? Depending on the year and the model there is not many people that could answer your question for you. My question would be, as long as it shoots ok, why do you need to know. The Model 1100 Rem was a good gun, no matter what year it was made. It's not a collectable gun, because they were made by the hundred's of thousands. It's not hard to find one in good shape. I know that on their rifles they have proof marks stamped into the barrel. By using a chart, you can pretty much guesstimate the age of the firearm. But because you can change the barrel of the 1100 - you couldn't go by that. You could call the factory in Illion NY.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_1100 http://www.remington.com/library/his...model_1100.asp

02-12-2007, 04:50 PM	#3
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,841	Re: Age of gun by serial number? You can find some manufacturers dates online, others you can't. It's a gun by gun deal. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

02-12-2007, 08:31 PM	#5
catfish83861 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Idaho Posts: 2,019	Re: Age of gun by serial number? waizen, Should you still be curious about the date of manufacture email me and I will look in my gun buyers digest and attempt to locate it for you. I would need the serial number of course. catfish83861

02-13-2007, 07:26 AM	#7
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	Re: Age of gun by serial number? Unfortunately, there is no central source of Serial # to Manufacture Date on the Internet. There are websites that list many of them for some of the major manufacturers, but they're all over the place. Colt (up to about 1978) and Browning are listed here: http://proofhouse.com/ Many U.S. Military firearms are here: http://m1903.com/sn/usmildates.htm Here's another on Browning: http://www.browning.com/services/dategun/index.asp Here's a good one for shotgun dates of manufacture: http://www.shotgunworld.com/identify.html Here's one that has Marlin, Mauser Pistol C-96 (Broomhandle), Remington, Ruger (& Factory Letters), U.S. Military, and Winchester: http://armscollectors.com/ .....and there are others out there.....you just gotta find 'em.

02-13-2007, 07:38 AM	#8
grdad45 Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: SW Arkansas Posts: 42	Re: Age of gun by serial number? +1 what X said, Add the Ruger website, it has a searchable S# system.

02-13-2007, 11:36 PM	#10
The Rifleman Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 135	Re: Age of gun by serial number? http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/journals/1100 Just found this and if it is still maintained as a web site you might be able to contact the site manager and they might be able to hook you up with a aprox. build date. There is some serial numbers on this web site and also descriptions of model years and when they changed designs on models. Maybe you can post the model year and also the serial number. You can also contact Remington about the class action lawsuit they had a few years back. It seems that there was a problem with some of the heat treat on the barrels and they were sued in court and they were paying a out of court settlement to all Model 1100 owners that had a gun that was manufactured in a certain time frame.. I believe that I got about $20 My daddy was mad because he owned a 20 ga 870 Wingmaster that was made about 1955 and he used the barrel to whomp rabbits while he held them in his hand before they were dead and he bent the barrel so bad that he couldn't hit anything with it and finally straightened it out in the crook of a tree one day out in the woods. The metal in that barrel was so soft that you could whittle a piece off it with a old Barlow pocket knife. He finally sent it out to be re heat treated and then had the last 4 inches of the barrel removed and a Poly Choke installed. http://www.gunsmoke.com/guns/rem_shotgun_lawsuit.html

02-18-2007, 07:32 PM	#12
The Rifleman Former Guest Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 135	Re: Age of gun by serial number? From what I read they settled it about 10 years ago out of court. But that they did not find all of the owners of the Model 1100 / 870's that it pertained to. Could you imagine trying to find a couple of million gun owners. Anyone that could furnish them with a good serial number got a refund.