Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors The earliest .284

Anybody have an idea what serial was the first .284 to hit the market? My earliest are #10727xx and #10773xx. Just curious.

Don't forget there was a prototype that tried to mimic the win 88 full stock and detachable magazine, which I believe was all about trying to use the 284 cartridge. Don't know the dates, but almost certainly it was the earliest 99 x 284

It’s important to remember that the lowest serial number may not be the earliest one.

Guns weren’t always finished in serial number order.

I did not know that. Whatever happened to it?

I also have a 284 that's got a lower serial number but I have no way to know if it's factory. I doubt it.

Roy, I've got it. Unfortunately the sides of the receiver were cut away along with the original serial number if there was one. It does have what I take to be a serial number. It's starts with an S followed by a four digit number stamped on the receiver. The serial number is covered up when the stock is on the rifle.
here are a couple of pics.


It will be covered in my new book. In excruciating detail of course.
It is based on a 99C. they were introduced in 1965 and we have seen 284's produced in 1964 (DL's and F's with hand checkering) so this can't be the earliest one.

Wow, I'd completely forgotten you had that David. Wouldn't you assume if the 99C was introduced to the public for sale in 1965 that this was pre-1965? Or do you assume the 99C was introduced then they experimented with it in 284? I don't know the dates on Winchesters rifles and development but it is interesting to think about the timelines of the two manufacturers and what they were simultaneously trying to do. Or maybe Savage was playing catch-up?

I always presumed this was a prototype done several years later, after the intro of the 99C. The model 88 was discontinued in 1973, so I wouldn't be surprised if this dated to shortly after that.

No date code on the front of the lever or above the lever on the frame?

My Wilson book on Winchester's incicate's that the Model 88 was introduced in 1955 and as Calhoun stated ended production in 1973. Chambered in .243, .308, .284, and .358. Total production of 283,913-SN #'s 1-283,913. I had a 4x scoped 88 in .243 for a while on loan back in the early 70's. Guy I worked with wanted me to sight it in, gave me around 100 rds, only took 15 or so, advised to shoot the rest up. Then asked me if I wanted to buy, kept it awhile, shot maybe another 100 rds in it. At the time I didn't reload and had no use for it, should have bought it.

David, what is the serial number range of that decommissioned 284 receiver you were going to make a cutaway out of?

Mine is 10798xx

Will check tomorrow. I'm in for the night

What do you mean decommissioned? If the means simply a bare receiver I want it. We can make a cutaway on another.

284 Win was introduced by Winchester in 1963 so any serial number or LBC before 63 most likely isn't right. Being that the double diamond pressed checkering started sometime in 64, that's why a cut checkered 284 (that's right) is such a hard gun to find.

I swear Jed claimed to have had a 284 cut checkered F new in the box at one time. Wonder where that gun is now?

Can you even imagine if that thing turned up?

Maybe somebody up in the NE knows where it is?

1,069,5xx lowerst .284 that I have in my data.

I had a double diamond 1964 284 DL at one time. It was absolutely stone mint.

I think I paid $900 about 10 or 12 years ago for it and sold it for $1800 about 6 or 8 years ago.

I bought it with the idea I was going to take it hunting. Couldn't bring myself to do it.

Did I buy it?

You didn't buy it from me. The gentleman that bought it from me was an old man and he told me he had terminal cancer, but he had always wanted a 99 in 284.

So I suppose it is possible that you have it now...?

I have a 99F at 1,062,3xx in my data - but then it's a big jump up to 1,069,5xx and 1,069,9xx, and then another jump to 1,073,xxx.

Mass production seems to ramp up around 1,073,xxx. The lowest at 1,062,xxx would be a very, very early 284 - better part of a year earlier than the others.

I don’t suppose you know the LBC of the very early one?

No, it wasn't visible. In fact the serial number isn't either, but it is from a reputable auction house listing.