Had a potential buyer for the Remington Gamemaster Model 760 .243 I'm selling ask me about the date code on the rifle. I've looked at this thing until I'm blind trying to find it or decipher what stamps the rifle has on it.
There is a 'C1' and '49' stamped on it but don't see how that decodes to a date using the info below or other stuff I've googled up.
Here's all the stamps on the left side of the rifle
What I think I'm looking for
And places I've looked to see what 'C1' might match to:
(*) Typically from the beginning, they NEVER used serial numbers to DATE their long firearms, but date codes. That does not preclude them from also assigning serial numbers. However for factory purposes, serial numbers were not the primary method of dating a firearm. Long guns made before 1941 (WWII) were serial numbered, even the 22 calibers. After the war with numerous new 22 caliber models being introduced, serial numbers were not assigned to ALL GUNS until the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968.
(**) On 8/9/99, they stopped stamping the barrels with the date code. They however continued to mark the date code on the end flap of the shipping box for shotgun barrels however. They planned on using just the serial numbers to tell when the gun was manufactured. So there was a 2 year gap in rifle date coded barrels and the normal consumer, or gunsmith would have to contact the factory for this information. They then saw the error of their ways apparently because of being inundated by phone calls and resumed stamping the date code on the barrel on 10/1/01.
*2000 = U
2006 = A
2012 = G
2018 = M
*2001 = V
2007 = B
2013 = H
2019 = N
2002 = W
2008 = C
2014 = I
2020 = O
2003 = X
2009 = D
2015 = J
2021 = P
2004 = Y
2010 = E
2016 = K
2022 = Q
2005 = Z
2011 = F
2017 = L
2023 = R
You will notice the year code repeats itself, but over 20 years difference. in this instance, you will need to know when each model was manufactured. To find general manufacturing dates it may be best to go to the Blue Book of Gun Values, which does give manufacturing dates of most models. So even if it (the code stamping) was used on the same model that could have been production over MANY years, in all likelihood sights or stocks would be different which would indicate the different date.
You will also notice the month code spelling out BLACKPOWDERX, this is a common code in the firearms industry. Also some letters were left out if there was a chance of misidentifying a date. Also they jockeyed year letters to a new starting point in 1980.
Also for the 870 and 1100 series shotguns there was a code to identify caliber/size of the actions.
M/870 LETTER PREFIX
1950 TO APPROX 1968: NO SERIAL NUMBER PREFIX
1968 TO PRESENT: LETTERS USED (IN SEQUENCE) S-68, T-74, V-78, W-84, X-90, A-91, B-94, C-97, D-01, AB-05
LETTER SUFFIX (DESIGNATES GAUGE)
V 12 GA. (2 3/4”)
M 12 GA. MAGNUM (3”)
A 12 GA. “SUPER” MAGNUM (3 ½”)
W 16 GA. ( 2 ¾” )
X 20 GA. “HEAVY FRAME” (DISCONTINUED)
N 20 GA. “HEAVY FRAME MAGNUM” (DISCONTINUED)
K 20 GA. “LIGHT WEIGHT” (“LW”) (ALSO INCLUDES M/1100 “LT”)
U 20 GA. LW MAGNUM (ALSO INCLUDES M/1100 “LT”)
J 28 GA.
H .410 BORE (2 ½” OR 3”)
MODEL 1100 LETTER PREFIX
1964 TO APPROX. 1968: NO SERIAL NUMBER PREFIX
1968 TO PRESENT: LETTERS USED (IN SEQUENCE) L-68, M-74, N-78, P-85, R-90
LETTER SUFFIX
SAME STRUCTURE AS THE M/870
If you find marks on the underside of the barrel, they will more than likely be fitters or assembly marks, which mean nothing as to dating the firearm.
I have seen one EARLY 740 S/N 54,9XX that has a barrel date coded May of 1969, which apparently had been sent back to the factory and rebarreled with a original 740 barrel instead of a 742 which was in production at that time.
An issue that people need to be aware of, is that many Remington firearms such as the 870 series of shotguns can have their barrels easily changed or replaced. So, if the barrel is not original to the specific firearm in question the barrel date code may be meaningless. Also if there is a custom or aftermarket barrel installed it will not have these factory codes.
Compunding the issue a bit may be the fact that Remington Arms stamps their final inspector stamps and assembly (product) codes in the immediate area of the date codes. So it may be difficult at times to determine exactly what is what. With that in mind, and considering a lot of variables. If a specific Remington firearm has a serial number, Remington Customer Service is always the first source which should be checked for date of manufacture as they would be the definitive source. There are no publically accessible databases for Remington serial numbers.
With the hundreds of different Remington models produced over the past 200 years, it can sometimes be difficult to determine the age of your firearm.
