Serial Numbers: Browning
Since the mid-1970s, Browning has been using an alphabetical coding system to provide the date of manufacture within the serial number of a firearm. The code is as follows:
THE LETTER Z REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 1
THE LETTER Y REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 2
THE LETTER X REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 3
THE LETTER W REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 4
THE LETTER V REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 5
THE LETTER T REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 6
THE LETTER R REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 7
THE LETTER P REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 8
THE LETTER N REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 9
THE LETTER M REPRESENTS THE NUMBER 0
The following serve as examples:
1975 = RV 1980 = PM 1985 = PV 1990 = NM
1976 = RT 1981 = PZ 1986 = PT 1991 = NZ
1977 = RR 1982 = PY 1987 = PR 1992 = NY
1978 = RP 1983 = PX 1988 = PP 1993 = NX
1979 = RN 1984 = PW 1989 = PN 1994 NW
SERIALIZATION
BELGIUM PRODUCTION
A-5 SHOTGUN, 12 GA. A-5 SHOTGUN, 12 GA.
1924 1 3000 1938 198001 213000
1925 3001 18000 1939 213001 229000
1926 18001 33000 1940-1945 NO PRODUCTION
1927 33001 48000 1946 229001 237000
1928 48001 63000 1947 237001 249000
1929 63001 78000 1948 249001 270000
1930 78001 93000 1949 270001 285000
1931 93001 108000 1950 285001 315000
1932 108001 123000 1951 315001 346000
1933 123001 138000 1952 346001 387000
1934 138001 153000 1953 387001 483000
1935 153001 168000
1936 168001 183000
1937 183001 198000
1954 Standard H1-H39000 Lightweight L1-L42000
1955 Standard H39001-H83000 Lightweight L42001-L83000
1956 Standard H83001-H99000
M1-M22000
Lightweight L83001-L99000
G1-G23000
1957 Standard M22001-M85000 Lightweight G23001-G85000
1958 Standard M85001-M99000 Lightweight G85001-G99000
1958-1976 Serial number sequence changed to include a one or two digit number followed by a letter.
M=std models; G=lightweight models; V=magnum models. Examples: (Std.) 1958 8M; 1959 9M;1960 OM;1961 1M; 1962 2M; 1963 3M; 1964 4M; 1965 5M; 1966 6M; 1967 7M; 1968 8M; 1969 69M; * 1958 and 1968 have the same code. You can tell the year by looking at the buttstock. 1958 (round knob), 1968 (flat knob).
SUPERPOSED MODEL, O/U, 12 GA.
1931 1-2000 1932 2001-4000 1933 4001-6000
1934 6001-8000 1935 8001-10000 1936 10001-12000
1937 12001-14000 1938 14001-17000 1939-1947 NO PRODUCTION
1948 17001-17200 1949 17201-20000 1950 20001-21000
1951 21001-27000 1952 27001-33000 1953 33001-37000
1954 37001-43000 1955 43001-48000 1956 48001-54000
1957 54001-59000 1958 59001-68500 1959 68501-76500
1960 76501-86500 1961 86501-96500 1962 96501-99999
1963 S3 after serial # 1964 S4 after serial # 1965 S5 after serial #
1966 S6 after serial # 1967 S7 after serial # 1968 S8 after serial #
1969 S69 after serial # 1970 S70 after serial # 1971 S71 after serial #
1972 S72 after serial # 1973 S73 after serial # 1974 S74 after serial #
1975 S75 after serial # 1976 S76 after serial #
1976 to date -"PI" or Presentation models only.
LIEGE 0 & U
1973 73J before serial # 1974 74J before serial # 1975 75J before serial #
BROWNING .380
1955-1964 Not available 1965 500000-598804 1966 598805-603890
1967 603891-619474 1968 619475-N/A
1969-1970 Discontinued due to GCA of 1968. New model has longer bbl., adj. rear sight, mod. grip.
DOUBLE AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN
1952-1959 Not available
1960-1971 Beginning one or two digits indicate last two digits in year of manufacture.
(eg. OA2034 was made in 1960, 7OA12345 was made in 1970)
HI-POWER (9 MM) PISTOL
1955-1956 No records available
1957 70000-80000 1958 80001-85267
1959 85268-89687 1960 89688-93027
1961 93028-109145 1962 109146-113548
1963 113549-115822 1964 115823-T136538
1965 T136569-T146372 1966 T146373-T173285
1967 T173286 T213999 1968 T214000 T258000
1969 69C before serial # 1970 70C before serial #
1971 71C before serial # 1972 72C before serial#
1973 73C before serial # 1974 74C before serial #
1975 75C before serial # 1976 76C before serial #
1977 to date New style serialization
.25 CAL. BABY BROWNING PISTOL
1955-1958 Records not available 1959 181000-206349 1960 206350-230999
1961 231000-250999 1962 251000-278999 1963 279000-286099
1964 286100-308499 1965 308500-329999 1966 333000-367443
1967 367444-412999 1968 413000-479000 1969 Discontinued due to GCA of 1968
.22 CAL. PISTOLS: NOMAD, CHALLENGER, MEDALIST
One or two digits after single 1976 M76 suffix letter. P=Nomad, U=Challenger, T=Medalist. lIP5'1 would to indicate a Nomad built in 1965. "OU71" would indicate a Challenger built in 1971. Nomads were manufactured from 1962 to 1973. Challengers and Medalists from 1962 to 1974.
B.A.R.
1967 M7 suffix 1968 M8 suffix
1969 M69 suffix 1970 M70 suffix
1971 M71 suffix 1972 M72 suffix
1973 M73 suffix 1974 M74 suffix
1975 M75 suffix 1976 M76 suffix
1977 to date New sequence with "RT" in middle of serial number
.22 AUTO RIFLE (GRADES I, II,AND III)
1956-1964 Numeric only-5 digits or less 1965 5T or 5E prefix
1966 6T or 6E prefix 1967 7T or 7E prefix
1968 8T or 8E prefix 1969 69T or 69E prefix
1970 70T or 70E prefix 1971 71T or 71E prefix
1972 72T or 72E prefix 1973 Japan Production
BOLT ACTION RIFLES: SAFARI, MEDALLION, OLYMPIAN
1959-1962 No numeral prefix (only digits) 1963 3 letter prefix or suffix
1964 4 letter prefix or suffix 1965 5 letter prefix or suffix
1966 6 letter prefix or suffix 1967 7 letter prefix or suffix
1968 8 letter prefix or suffix 1969 Y,Z or L followed by last two digits of yr of mfg. Prefix only.
1970 Y70 prefix 1971 L71 prefix
1972 Z72 prefix 1973 Y73 prefix
1974 Z74 prefix 1975 L75 prefix
T-BOLT RIFLE (T1 AND T2)
1965 X5 suffix 1966 X6 suffix
1967 X7 suffix 1968 X8 suffix
1969 X69 suffix 1970 X70 suffix
1971 X71 suffix 1972 X72 suffix
1973 X73 suffix 1974 X74 suffix
1975 X75 suffix
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