Every Ruger firearm ever produced features a unique serial number stamped into the gunmetal that includes information about the date the firearm was manufactured. Unfortunately, Ruger does not ship a comprehensive manual on how to read those production dates with their products.
- LC Smith Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture LC Smith Springfield Model 1873 and 1884 Rifles, Model 1873 Shotgun, Model 1903 Rifle, 1903A3 by Smith Corona Co.
- When Was My Ruger Made? August 13th, 2003. We gets lots of questions about old Rugers.It should be fairly obvious to our readers by now that we are great fans of William B. Ruger and his fine firearms, so lots of folks must figure we're the guys to ask about that Old Model Super Blackhawk from the pawn shop or dad's old Bearcat.
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Serial Numbers
SERIAL NUMBERS OFTEN ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE YEAR OF MANUFACTURE
Knowing the year your vintage firearm was made makes it easier to decide which gun catalog we sell will give you the best information about the company, models made and more. To help you determine the year made, find your serial number and then select a link from those below to sites that offer serial dates.
The Blue Book of Used Gun Values offers serial numbers for the following makers:
AYA, Boss & Co., Ltd, Browning, EJ Churchill, Colt, Colt Black Powder 2nd Gen, John Dickson & Son, AH Fox, German early Date Codes, German Modern Date Codes, Stephen Grant, WW Greener, Harrington & Richardson, High Standard, Holland & Holland, Italian Year of Mfg. Date Codes, Ithaca Gun Co., Charles Lancaster, Joseph Lang, Marlin Firearms, Mauser Broomhandles, Parker Brothers Shotguns, Piotti, James Purdey, Remington Date Code & SxS Shotguns, Savage/Stevens, LC Smith, Smith & Wesson, Spanish Year of Mfg. Date Codes, Sturm, Ruger & Co., Winchester Rifles, Winchester Rifle & Shotgun 1969+, Winchester Shotguns.
Other websites that may help (Information from websites other than the manufacturer website should be examined with some skepticism):
- High Standard Pistols Serial Ranges 1932-1942
- Ithaca Guns - Baker, Crass, Lewis, Manier, Magnum, Pre-WWII choke marks, Lefever Singles, Flues, Knick, Lefever Grade A, NID, Western Long Range
- Ithaca Guns Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture
(containing serial information about: Baker DB Shotguns, Crass DB Shotguns, Lewis DB Shotguns, Manier DB Shotguns, Flues SB and DB Shotguns, NID DB Shotguns, Knick SB Trap Guns, LeFever Nitro Special DB Shotguns, LeFever 'A' Grade, Western Long Range DB Shotguns, Model 37 Standard Model Shotguns, Model 37 Solid Rib Shotguns, Model 37 All Grade Guns. - Lancaster, Charles (London) 1826-1901
- Lefever Sideloack Shotguns 1913 & Later (not serial numbers)
- Lefever Sideloack Shotguns before 1913 (not serial numbers)
- Mossberg did not put serial numbers on most long guns until 1968 (GCA 1968 required them)
- Remington - Navy Single Shot Pistols, Model 8, 81, 24, 241, RB Pistols (Types- not serial), RB Rifles- 1870, 71, RB Rifle Models- 1866-1933, Contract Lee Rifles, Pistols and Revolvers 1857-1918 (incomplete serial number for some), Rifles 1866-1933 (ditto), Shotguns 1874-1910 Serial numbers unknown.
- Smith & Wesson - Single Action Pistols, First Model .22, Second Model .22, New Departure Safety Hammerless, Ladysmith 1902-1911+
- Springfield Model 1873 and 1884 Rifles, Model 1873 Shotgun, Model 1903 Rifle, 1903A3 by Smith Corona Co.
- Stevens (description, illustration and years made)- Stevens did not put serial numbers on all long guns until 1968 (GCA 1968 Required them)
I just joined this forum when I became interested in buying a mini 14 and had trouble learning which one to buy. Did discover that I should be looking for a 581 series over a 580 series but hard to tell what series a mini is by looking at it. I think I've come a little closer in determining the years the series started diverging and came across this on the Ruger site to tell what year a mini was made according to it's serial number. Looks like any with the 580 in the first numbers where the 'New Series' or 581 series which are more desirable. Hope this info helps others and that it's not a repeat that can be found elsewhere here but I couldn't locate it. Roy Directly from the Ruger web site.
Ruger Year Of Manufacture
------------------------------------------------------------- Mini-14 Rifle (Manufactured from 1974 to 1977) Caliber:.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 180- 180- 180- 180- Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 181- 181- 181- 182- 183- 183- 184- 184- 184- 185- 185- 185- 185- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- *196- *196- *196- *196- *197- Mini-14 Ranch Rifle (Manufactured from 1982 - 2004) Caliber:.222 Rem.,.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 188- 188- 188- 188- 188- 188- 195- 195- 195- 195- 196- 196- 196- 196- 197- New Mini-14 Ranch Rifle Caliber:.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 580- 580- 580- 580- 580- The above chart shows the approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year. This number should be used as a point of reference only. It is not necessarily the very first serial number shipped, but it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped.
Ruger Dates By Serial Number
Ruger Rifles Serial Numbers by Year for Ruger Rifles 1961 thru 1993. Click Here for Ruger's 'Caliber and Serial Number History' Page! Running a close second in popularity to 'When was my Ruger made? How To Install Rapelay Mods on this page. ' Ruger Rifles Serial Numbers by Year for Ruger Rifles 1961 thru 1993. What is manufacture date of Ruger rifle 77047911? What is manufacture date of ruger pistol 85. What is date of manufacture for Ruger rifle serial number 75.