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2358SERIALIZATIONSERIALIZATIONThis section has once again been expanded to help you identify the year of manufacture on many popularmanufacturers and trademarks. To use these tables, compare your serial number(s) to the correct manufacturerand model, and ascertain which bracket it falls into based on the year of manufacture and corresponding serialnumber. In several cases, caliber rarity can also be determined. Date codes are now also provided on somemanufacturers and countries to allow you to determine the year of manufacture by the date code on the barrel orframe/receiver.The publisher wishes to thank Galazan’s and Dixie Gun Works for providing a portion of this N, cont.AGUIRRE Y ARANZABAL(AYA) SERIALIZATION1945 to 1994From 1945 to 1994 AYA had manufactured over600,000 shotguns of all models and grades with allserial numbers assigned in chronological order. For1927-1944 year of manufacture date codes, see"Spanish Year Of MFG. Date Codes" in this section.Years Ser. # Start Ser. # 42Beginning 1995 the Spanish proof house implementeda new serial number system. The new system consists offour sets of digits separated by a hyphen. The first setis the manufacturers code, the second designates thetype of firearm, the third set is the firearms chronologicalnumber, the fourth set shows the year of mfg.AYA 1995-2006Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 6-03-652-05200616-03-001-0616-03-750-06BOSS & CO., LTD.SERIALIZATIONYear Starting Serial 730194587111951891219538920BOSS & CO., LTD. SERIALIZATION, cont.Year Starting Serial Number1963921919709559BROWNINGSERIALIZATION PRE-1975SERIALIZATIONSince 1968-1969 was a transition period in Browningserialization, firearms may be serialized with either1968 or 1969 style markings.A-5 (AUTOMATIC 5) SHOTGUN -12 ga.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 0191444251472981915-1918No 1943No Production1944 Production limited to servicemen1945 Production limited to servicemen1946228729240950
SERIALIZATION, cont.A-5 (AUTOMATIC 5) SHOTGUN -12 ga., cont.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 64547014599001957459901463700In 1953 Browning added an alpha prefix to the serialnumber to differentiate between Lightweight andStandardweight guns.Year Std.12 Lt.Wt. 76 Ser. No. sequence changed to include aone or two digit numeral followed by an alpha character.Year Std. Wt. Lt. Wt. G74V1975Disc.75G75V1976Disc.76G76VA-5 (AUTOMATIC 5) SHOTGUN -16 ga.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 918No 1929651018275019308275190500193190501940002359A-5 (AUTOMATIC 5) SHOTGUN -16 ga., cont.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # End1932940019607219339607396143193496144995001 YearSer. # StartSer. # 1-1943No Production1944 Production limited to servicemen1945 Production limited to 999In 1953 Browning changed the Ser. No. alphabeticcharacter to differentiate between Lightweight (Sweet16) & Standard weight guns.Year Std.16 Sweet 350-S723001957R74701-R99999S72301-S999081957-58 Prefix "T" for Standardweight and Prefix "A" forSweet 16 numbers mixed, but range from 1-10900.1958-1976 Ser. No. sequence changed to include aone or two digit numeral followed by an alpha character.Year Std.16 Sweet sc.A-5 SHOTGUN - 20 ga.Year Lt.Wt. 20 Magnum 2019588ZIntroduced in19599Z196719600Z19611Z19622Z
2360SERIALIZATION, cont.A-5 SHOTGUN - 20 ga., cont.Year Lt.Wt. 20 Magnum Z74X197575Z75X197676Z76XSUPERPOSED MODEL - O & U - 12 ga.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 000193916001170001939-1947 NO 19650019629650199999196216500Serial number change to letter and number suffix.YEAR SER. # PREFIX CODE1962S2 suffix after Ser. No.1963S3 suffix after Ser. No.1964S4 suffix after Ser. No.1965S5 suffix after Ser. No.1966S6 suffix after Ser. No.1967S7 suffix after Ser. No.1968S8 suffix after Ser. No.1969S69 suffix after Ser. No.1970S70 suffix after Ser. No.1971S71 suffix after Ser. No.1972S72 suffix after Ser. No.1973S73 suffix after Ser. No.1974S74 suffix after Ser. No.1975S75 suffix after Ser. No.1976S76 suffix after Ser. No.1976 to 1984“P” or Presentation Models onlySUPERPOSED MODEL - O & U - 20 ga.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 195353016700SUPERPOSED MODEL - O & U - 20 ga., cont.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # 206412382019622382127300Serial number change to letter and number suffix.YEAR SER. # PREFIX CODE1963V3 suffix after Ser. No.1964V4 suffix after Ser. No.1965V5 suffix after Ser. No.1966V6 suffix after Ser. No.1967V7 suffix after Ser. No.1968V8 suffix after Ser. No.1969V69 suffix after Ser. No.1970V70 suffix after Ser. No.1971V71 suffix after Ser. No.1972V72 suffix after Ser. No.1973V73 suffix after Ser. No.1974V74 suffix after Ser. No.1975V75 suffix after Ser. No.1976V76 suffix after Ser. No.SUPERPOSED MODEL - O & U - 28 ga. & .410 boreYear28 ga.410 bore1960-1962 NOT 3F73J731974F74J741975F75J751976F76J76LIEGE O & U - Approximately 10,000 producedYEAR SER. # PREFIX CODE197373J prefix before Ser. No.197474J prefix before Ser. No.197575J prefix before Ser. No.DOUBLE AUTOMATIC SHOTGUNYear Ser. # Start Ser. # End1952 N/A1959N/A1960 N/A1971N/A1st or both digits indicate last 2 digits in year ofmanufacture (i.e. - OA1947 - 1960 mfg., 70A245671- 1970 mfg.)
SERIALIZATION, cont.HI-POWER (9mm) PISTOLYear Ser. # Start Ser. # End1945-1954 no data for the annual 000During 1969 the Hi-Power pistol Serial Number codewas changed to a two digit year and "C" prefix. SerialNumbers for “T” prefix Hi-Power pistols exceededT300000 and were shipped into 1970.YEAR SER. # PREFIX CODE196969C prefix before Ser. No.197070C prefix before Ser. No.197171C prefix before Ser. No.197272C prefix before Ser. No.197373C prefix before Ser. No.197474C prefix before Ser. No.197575C prefix before Ser. No.197676C prefix before Ser. No.1977 to dateNew style serializationBROWNING .380 ACP CAL.Year Ser. # Start Ser. # End1955 916194741968619475N/A1969 N/A1970 Discontinued due to GCA of 1968. New modelhas longer barrel, adj. rear sight, modified grip.YEAR SER. # PREFIX CODE197171N prefix before Ser. No.197272N prefix before Ser. No.197373N prefix before Ser. No.197474N prefix before Ser. No.197575N prefix before Ser. No.25 ACP CAL. BABY BROWNINGYear Ser. # Start Ser. # End1955-1958 Records not 99919684130004790001969 Discontinued because of GCA of 19682361.22 CAL. (Nomad-Challenger-Medalist)Year Nomad Challenger c.Disc.BOLT ACTION RIFLES(Safari, Medallion, & Olympian Models)YEAR SER. # CODE1959 N/A1962No prefix (numeral-letter) before Ser. No.(i.e., only digits)19633-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.19644-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.19655-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.19666-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.19677-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.19688-single letter prefix or suffix by Ser. No.1969Single letter (Y, Z, or L) followed bylast 2 digits of year of mfg. Prefix only.1970“Y70" prefix1971“L71" prefix1972“Z72" prefix1973“Y73" prefix1974“Z74" prefix1975“L75" prefixB.A.R.YEAR SER. # SUFFIX CODE1967“M7" suffix after Ser. No.1968“M8" suffix after Ser. No.1969“M69" suffix after Ser. No.1970“M70" suffix after Ser. No.1971“M71" suffix after Ser. No.1972“M72" suffix after Ser. No.1973“M73" suffix after Ser. No.1974“M74" suffix after Ser. No.1975“M75" suffix after Ser. No.1976“M76" suffix after Ser. No.1976 to dateNew sequence with “RT”appearing in middle of Ser. No.22 AUTO RIFLE (Grades I, II, and III)YEAR SER. # CODE1956-Mid. 1961 "T" prefix LR, "A" prefix shortMid. 1961 "A" changed to "E" prefix 5 digits or less.1961 “1T” or "1A" or “1E” prefix before Ser. No.1962“2T” or “2E” prefix before Ser. No.1963“3T” or “3E” prefix before Ser. No.1964“4T” or “4E” prefix before Ser. No.1965“5T” or “5E” prefix before Ser. No.1966“6T” or “6E” prefix before Ser. No.1967“7T” or “7E” prefix before Ser. No.
2362SERIALIZATION, cont.22 AUTO RIFLE (Grades I, II, and III), cont.YEAR SER. # CODE1968“8T” or “8E” prefix before Ser. No.1969“69T” or “69E” prefix before Ser. No.1970“70T” or “70E” prefix before Ser. No.1971“71T” or “71E” prefix before Ser. No.1972“72T” or “72E” prefix before Ser. No.1973Japan productionT-BOLT RIFLE (T1 and T2)YEAR SER. # CODE1965“X5" suffix after Ser. No.1966“X6" suffix after Ser. No.1967“X7" suffix after Ser. No.1968“X8" suffix after Ser. No.1969“X69" suffix after Ser. No.1970“X70" suffix after Ser. No.1971“X71" suffix after Ser. No.1972“X72" suffix after Ser. No.1973“X73" suffix after Ser. No.1974“X74" suffix after Ser. No.1975“X75" suffix after Ser. No.BROWNINGSERIALIZATION1975 TO CURRENTIn 1975 Browning began using the two (2) letter codesystem (located in the middle of the serial number) fordetermining the year of manufacture. For example "PN"would be "89" indicating 1989.LETTER NUMBERZ1Y2X3W4V5T6R7P8N9M10BROWNING MODELCONFIGURATION CODESBeginning in 1976 Browning started identifying models andits configuration using a three number (or possibly a combination of letters and numbers) code in the serial number.Shotguns O/USuperposed Grade IConfiguration12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. SuperlightCode214204264224Superposed Pigeon GradeConfiguration12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. SuperlightCode314304364324Superposed Pointer GradeConfiguration12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. SuperlightCode414404464424Superposed Diana GradeConfiguration12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. SuperlightCode514504564524Superposed Midas GradeConfiguration12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. SuperlightCode614604664624Citori Grade IConfiguration12 Ga. 3-1/212 Ga. TrapMonte Carlo Stock12 Ga. TrapConventional Stock12 Ga. Skeet12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Lightning12 Ga. Superlight12 Ga. Upland325 20 Ga. Sporting20 Ga. Skeet20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. Lightning20 Ga. MicroLightning20 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Upland28 Ga. Skeet28 Ga. Hunting28 Ga. Lightning28 Ga. Superlight.410 Bore Skeet.410 Bore Hunting.410 Bore Lightning.410 Bore SuperlightThree Barrel SetFour Barrel SetCitori Grade IIIConfiguration12 Ga. TrapMonte Carlo Stock12 Ga. TrapConventional Stock12 Ga. Skeet12 Ga. Hunting12 Ga. Lightning12 Ga. Superlight20 Ga. Skeet20 Ga. Hunting20 Ga. Lightning20 Ga. Superlight28 Ga. Skeet28 Ga. Lightning28 Ga. Superlight.410 Bore 853M133C3363863M333E3873M733F3
SERIALIZATION, cont.Citori Grade III, cont.Configuration410 Lightning410 SuperlightThree Barrel SetF
1927-1944 year of manufacture date codes, see "Spanish Year Of MFG. Date Codes" in this section. Years ser. # start ser. # end 1945-194819999Since 1968-1969 was a transition period in Browning 0001 1949-195471999 20000 1955-1959115286 72000 1960-1965222508 115287 1966-1971378548 222509 1972-1977481401 378549 1978-1983576551 481402
