The Marlin Model 47 was not listed in the Marlin catalog, but was an incentive gift to anyone who purchased four shares of Marlin stock for $100. Very rarely seen on the market. One thing you can count on with Marlin is that there are no hard-and-fast rules for serial numbering on these guns. Many of the similar models were serialized together, and parts replacement further complicates things. sales@countrygunsmith.net
Police or reference books
Police or reference books
Features, serial number, reference books.
If it has a serial number, you may find it in The Standard Catalog of Firearms or many other reference books have serial number lists. Many firearms made before 1969 do not have serial numbers, but these books also have date ranges for most models. If you cannot locate your firearm in these books and the manufacturer is still in business, you may be able to find information on the company's website.
Find books on your weapon with sn data.
In books written about the company that made it. On line.
To decode the serial number of the Ithaca M 66 shotgun, you can refer to the year of manufacture based on the serial number range. Ithaca's serial numbers often indicate the production year; for example, M66 shotguns produced in the early 1970s may have serial numbers starting with specific prefixes. Additionally, you can consult resources like the Ithaca Gun Company’s records or reference books that detail serial number charts for more precise dating.
You look it up in reference books or on the Colt web site.
There are books with the serial numbers for sale. Do a web search for M1 Garand
By looking it up in reference books that have been published, if any have been on the maker.
The old joke- you have to cut it in half, and count the rings. :) However, the real answer- there is no one way. Some guns can be dated from a serial number (Winchester rifles- Polishing Room records), but many guns never HAD serial numbers. Some can be dated by a production code (Remington rifles and shotguns) some guns by a serial number prefix (Marlin lever actions) Some can only be dated to a span of years the gun was made (Mossberg 152 rifles). I use about a dozen reference books, and another dozen public information lists- and can still only date a percentage of firearms.
Entire books have been written on the Marlin company.