How-To Determine Year of Manufacture- Marlin

[Cea]

And thus the conundrum... I've never owned another 22 rifle and I clearly remember well using the rifle while spotlighting rabbits with friends long before I got married in 1978.
Other than time traveling I can't explain it.
I'm wracking my brain for an explanation and the only thing I can think of is that someone traded rifles with me without me knowing it. Still the later serial number and the early barrel ring don't make any sense.

[marlinman93]

Since the date determines what buffer you need, I'd simply order one based on the date you recall, or order the smaller buffer and if it's too small simply open up the hole with a drill bit.

[shawnpmay]

I have a Marlin 30-30 lever action rifle that has 36-A serial number is 4 digits that starts at 6###. Marlins website said it was manufactured in 1884 but everything I read said that caliber didn't even come out until 1894..how can this be? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[marlinman93]

I have a Marlin 30-30 lever action rifle that has 36-A serial number is 4 digits that starts at 6###. Marlins website said it was manufactured in 1884 but everything I read said that caliber didn't even come out until 1894..how can this be? Any help would be greatly appreciated

Yours is a pretty easy one to determine, but I think you left off a prefix letter to the serial number, which is the most important part for a 36A to determine the year. But all 36A's were built between 1946-1947, so yours is one of those years.

[medicup27]

i have a marlin fire arms lever action rifle, there is no model number on it anywhere it has three interchangeable octagon barrels with 33.85 stamped on two of the barrels and 25.35 M stamped on the the other there is a serial number stamped on the bottom of the rifle 116178. I tried calling marlin and they have no records going back that far. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Medicup27;

Your Marlin Model 1893 was shipped from the factory in New Haven, Ct. in late 1894. It was shipped with a 26 inch octagon barrel in ,38-55 Ballard caliber with a pistol grip stock and with a takedown action.
It was returned and shipped from the factory in mid 1897. At this point, the .25-36 Marlin caliber barrel was probably fitted to your gun. There is no other information listed for that number.

[JaquesPratt]

Hello, I have a serial number question. I have a Marlin .32 H.P.S. (.32 Winchester Special) lever action rifle that I got from my grandfather. It's model information says "Marlin Firearms Co. New Haven, CT, U.S.A. Patented Oct. 11, 1887, April 2, 1889, August 1 1893." It also says "Special Smokeless Steel" on the octagonal chamber section (the first foot of the barrel, the rest of the barrel is round). The receiver is stamped, "Marlin Safety", and the serial number is stamped on the bottom of the receiver, just adjacent to the wooden foregrip. The serial number is 349XXX. If I use the subtraction method, that should give me a year of 1966, which should have a stamp of ABXXXX, not a straight number, since straight numbers weren't used until 1973. I'm also rather sure I have photos of my grandfather with this very rifle from BEFORE 1966. So, are the first two numbers just the actual year? 1934?
Anyone with information about confirming the year of manufacture would be greatly appreciated.

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

JaquesPratt;

The system subtracting the first two numbers from 100 started in 1973. Your Marlin Model 1893 with a serial number in the 349,000 range would have been made in about 1906. The model designation will be marked on the upper tang, behind the hammer. If you have a tang mounted sight, you will have to remove the sight to see the model designagion.