Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions M1895 45-70 production dates

Hi! I have a Marlin M1895 45-70, the model made in the 60's, and was wondering if there was a way to determine the date of mfg. via the serial number. this gun looks to be a very early gun, and so I was wanting to know.
Thanks!!!!

Made in the 60's the serial number may start with a letter. If it does just give the letter and someone can give it to you. If it is all numbers just give the first two numbers and we can give you the manufac. date.

Serial No. Prefixes:


1960 ... T
1961 ... U
1962 ... V
1963 ... W
1964 ... Y and Z
1965 ... AA
1966 ... AB
1967 ... AC
1968 ... AD
1969 ... 69

I just bought an 1895SS that has the cross-bolt safety, so I understand that makes it a post 1983 model. Is there a source where I can check its exact age? Sorry for the hijack. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

Sorry, but your Marlin 1895 was not manufactured in the 1960s. The modern Marlin 1895 was introduced in 1972 and that year they had a B0 (bee zero) serial number prefix. Subsequently, the first two numbers of the serial number designates the year of manufacture. Up to 2000 subtract the first two digits from 2000 to get the year of manufacture and after 2000 subtract the first two digits from 2100 to get the year of manufacture.

Try the link below:
http://armscollectors.com/sn/marlinlookup.php

Walker,do you have any info on the later years?I have an 1895SS Micro Groove 45/70.Thank you.

Can't people read?!!!


If the first two digits of your Marlin 1895 serial number are 19 then it was manufactured in 1981. If the first two digits of your Marlin 1895 serial number are 97 then it was manufactured in 2003.

284LUVR,
I'll take a stab at it. The 1895SS was introduced in 1983, I believe.


Serial No. Prefixes:

1983 - 17
1984 - 16
1985 - 15
1986 - 14
1987 - 13
1988 - 12
1989 - 11
1990 - 10
1991 - 09
1992 - 08
1993 - 07
1994 - 06
1995 - 05
1996 - 04
1997 - 03
1998 - 02
1999 - 01

2000 - 00
2001 - 99
2002 - 98
2003 - 97
2004 - 96
2005 - 95
2006 - 94


Hope I got that right, so Jackfish doesn't holler at me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If you don't mind, could you give us the serial number of your rifle, exactly as it appears, so that we can verify our notions about these prefixes? (Feel free to replace the last three digits with "XXX".) If you'd rather not, that's okay, too.

Edited to correct errors pointed out by jackfish. (Thanks, jackfish.)

jackfish,
That's the first I've heard of the "B0" prefix for 1972. Always thought the prefix was just "72" for that year. Do you mind telling us where you learned that?

Walker my numbers off the tang are as follows 09048XXX

Thanks in advance.

From the initial year's production of Marlin 1895 rifles I observed in 1973, from such rifles I have observed over the last 33 years at gunshows and gunshops, confirmed by Marlin in a conversation in 1974, confirmed by several owners of the initial year of production Marlin 1895. The initial year of production also is distinguished by a ballard-type rifling not microgroove.

284LUVR your rifle was manufactured in 1991.


Marlin 1895 Serial No. Prefixes:

1972 - B0
1973 - 27
1974 - 26
1975 - 25
1976 - 24
1977 - 23
1978 - 22
1979 - 21
1980 - 20
1981 - 19
1982 - 18
1983 - 17
1984 - 16
1985 - 15
1986 - 14
1987 - 13
1988 - 12
1989 - 11
1990 - 10
1991 - 09
1992 - 08
1993 - 07
1994 - 06
1995 - 05
1996 - 04
1997 - 03
1998 - 02
1999 - 01
2000 - 00
2001 - 99
2002 - 98
2003 - 97
2004 - 96
2005 - 95
2006 - 94

jackfish,

Thanks much, appreciate it. Do you know if the "B0" prefix was applied to the model 1895 rifles only (the "B" signifying Ballard rifling), or was it used on all Marlin lever action rifles that year, or maybe just to all Marlin cenerfire lever actions?

284LUVR, ..... Thanks to you, too.

Walker, interesting question. I don't think they even called it "Ballard" rifling in 1972. The rifles in question also had Douglas barrels. The "B0" designation is only found on Marlin 1895 rifles manufactured in 1972.

jackfish,
Just to be sure I have this right, do you mean to say that the Model 336's and the Model 39's made in 1972 used the serial no. prefix "72", and not "B0"? (Can I be annoying, or what?!) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Marlins other than the 1895 had the last two digits of the year (72) as the first two digits of the serial number in 1972. I have seen some sources say that other than the 1895 the digits 28 were used in 1972, but I am more likely to believe it was the former.

Thanks, and good fishin'.

I don't think they used Ballard rifling, either. Mine is micro-groove.

The Ballard rifling I think is a fairly recent thing for cowboy shooters and lead bullet shooters who want to get some speed behind a heavy lead bullet.

I LOVE my 1895, but seldom shoot it. Nice-looking, no pistol grip and no damned safety.

Thanks for the info Jackfish. I have been trying to determine my 1895's year of manufacture, and you have nailed it. S.N. is B0006xx.

JStor, how many grooves does the rifling have in your rifle?

It looks like 10 with a 22 inch barrel.

Interesting. I believe you have a Douglas barrel without Microgroove. The Marlin 1895 45-70 Microgroove barrels had 12 grooves. The current Ballard rifling has six grooves.

That is interesting. Thanks for the information. The rifle has a Williams Foolproof installed, and the only thing I ever shot with it was a bear. It has the slight crescent butt with plastic butt plate. I will take another look at the rifling when I have time and verify what I counted. Thanks again.

Well , mine is Ser. No . B003882 . I know it is not micro groove but I'm thinking 4 lands . It is at the smith's now so I can't confirm that but we were talking about it yesterday and I thought I counted 4 .

Just joining this group today because of this post I came across while trying to figure out the date of my 45-70 as well, which I now know is a 1972 model. Going by the formula of subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 100 wasn't making sense because I always thought the first number was a B but then just figured it was a worn #3 die in the stamping process or something so assumed it was a 3 but then that wasn't making sense either because that would have made it a 1970 which after reading your post makes that impossible. So BO it is!👍

Just joining this group today because of this post I came across while trying to figure out the date of my 45-70 as well, which I now know is a 1972 model. Going by the formula of subtracting the first two digits of the serial number from 100 wasn't making sense because I always thought the first number was a B but then just figured it was a worn #3 die in the stamping process or something so assumed it was a 3 but then that wasn't making sense either because that would have made it a 1970 which after reading your post makes that impossible. So BO it is!👍

Would you happen to know what sights were used for the 1972 45-70? Mine rear sight is a Lymon and looks original to the gun and was on it when my dad purchased it in the late 70's. I would send you a picture but this is my first day being a member to this site and I have no clue on how I would do that! Lol if you have FB you can Instant message me also. My name is Dan Fenlason and the picture I have set for my profile is a silver squarebody chevy with an American flag in front of it. Thanks!

I'm looking at B003858 in my hands. Pretty cool coincidence...

Micro-groove barrels are marked as such on the barrel

I just accidentally tripped on this thread, but found the information absolutely invaluable. I have a B0000XX that I bought used in 79 or 80. The owner threw in 50-60 pieces of brass and I still have the owners manual somewhere around here. One of the most fun rifles I've ever owned!

I have B003041. I got it in a pawn shop about 5 years ago for $400. It’s well used but not abused and a fun rifle.