Help with a 12 Gage Model No 19-S

[ktkruko44]

I have been given a marlin 12 gage and would like to know some info and history on it (age,value,etc.). Heres all the info i can give you.

A12346
L76535F (on barrel)

Patent Dates

may 12 1896
june 2 96'
oct 5 1897
nov 27 1900
mar 29 1904
nov 29 04'
aug 7 1906
mar 24 1908
may 19 08'

As far as i can tell these are all the numbers on the gun. Thanks for any feedback.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

The F in the barrel serial means full choke. Marlin barrels aren't serialed to go with the receiver number. Marlin also recommends that you don't shoot the old girls. Here's a URL for a paper on them that includes teardown and safety checks, a definate must have...............
www.marauder.homestead.com/irons.html




Look in the shotgun tips section.............Buck

[SteveW]

After you examine your 19-S per the safety criteria of the link and feel it's okay, you can shoot light shells such as trap or dove loads on an occasional basis.

Please avoid anything stouter as the older steel simply cannot take the battering given by the high brass 'field' loads or especially not the 'short magnum' turkey busters.

It's almost impossible to assign a value to your shotgun without at least seeing a pic. These were 'using' guns, and most have seen hard use. Which lowers the perceived value considerably.

Mr. Brophy shows the model 19 in its different varities was made in 1906 & 1907. I have always wondered if that was correct as they are fairly common. Besides the 19-S, there was a 19-D, 19G & 19-N. These differed slightly with subtle changes like screw hole placement or changes to the locking mechanism. Marlin kept no records, so there is not a lot in print about these. SW