1895 lowest serial number - 24hourcampfire

Does anyone know the lowest serial number for the 1895?

Only God knows.

What we know is that data supports serial numbers that range from ~3000 - 8000 with outliers.

ser# sequence does not determine date of manufacture

plab

We have used 3156. The lowest reported that I know of is 3171. When JTC lettered an 1895 he would state that there were around 8000 produced. The highest number in the log book was 8200, though there have been a few with higher numbers turn up. When asked why he listed "8000" he stated that there were lower serial numbers rifles in the log but never gave details. None of these lower serial numbered rifles have turned up.

The 1895's were not assembled in serial number order.The earliest assembled appear to be around the 5000 range.

Originally Posted by Rick99

We have used 3156. The lowest reported that I know of is 3171. When JTC lettered an 1895 he would state that there were around 8000 produced. The highest number in the log book was 8200, though there have been a few with higher numbers turn up. When asked why he listed "8000" he stated that there were lower serial numbers rifles in the log but never gave details. None of these lower serial numbered rifles have turned up.

The 1895's were not assembled in serial number order.The earliest assembled appear to be around the 5000 range.

Thanks Rick. I wonder if anyone has ever come across an actual contract between Savage and Marlin. It would be interesting to see if there was a set number of rifles that were agreed to be produced.
... and where are the mystery 3000 +- receviers with #s below 3000ish (if you assume they started serial numbering at 1).

Don's got them in his Vault, I bet!

Not me!! i have a four 1895's and the lower numbers were later rifles. The great mystery why did they not start with earlier serial numbers.

Do we know anything about the Marlin production cycle on the '95s?

Maybe Savage was doing a LIFO in using the inventory?

Lots of questions in my mind about how that relationship really worked...

Originally Posted by KeithNyst

I wonder if anyone has ever come across an actual contract between Savage and Marlin. It would be interesting to see if there was a set number of rifles that were agreed to be produced.

Not a contract or hard data for that matter, but, I have newspapers articles of the time (~1894-7) where one references 10,000 rifles produced and the other references 5000 rifles produced.
Potentially clues that could be substantiated someday...

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

Do we know anything about the Marlin production cycle on the '95s?

Maybe Savage was doing a LIFO in using the inventory?

Lots of questions in my mind about how that relationship really worked...

I always thought it possible they did a big production run on the receivers for about half the order at once - which would be 5,000. And then just pulled them off the shelf in some strange order.

But that doesn't answer why they started at 31xx.

Attending Church on a particular Sunday back in 2012 really brings back a not so pleasant memory. Savage 1895 with serial no. 3232 was sold out from under me via a online transaction. I can remember doing 85-90 on interstate trying to get there. Just wasn't enough time, or I should have went faster. haha

Ahh.... The One that got away. Would love to know who got her.