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(source NRA-ILA "GUN-TALK" BBS)

INTRODUCTION

Only comparatively recently have collectors developed an interest in production and shipping dates of Browning Arms. Coinciding with this interest, the Browning Company began studies to determine dates, but due to lost and destroyed records, it was necessary to estimate production and sales on some models for some periods of time. Where this was necessary, it will be stated in this book.

A number of sources have been employed to compile the dates presented here; these include studies by Browning, original records from Browning and Fabrique Nationale (F.N.) as well as records in the possession of various individuals.

Various studies show serial numbers for U. S. and Browning Arms were duplicated with those of F.N.. To quote Browning, up until 1953 common serial numbers were used for Browning and F.N., to number 437000 for 12 gauge and 100000 for 16 gauge A-5 models.

Major dating problems are encountered due to production in Belgium and later, Japan. Browning maintained most records in the U.S., while many records remain and were used from Canada, Belgium and the U.S.

In most cases, dates and other information in this book will enable collectors and dealers to determine the date of manufacture of their guns.

The first Browning in the gun business, as far as documentation exists, was Jonathan Browning, born in Tennessee in 1805.

By 1824, Jonathan was a competent gunsmith and all around blacksmith. By 1834, he had moved to Quincy, Illinois. Single shot rifles were produced by this Browning early in his career, and later he was to make revolvers and unusual repeaters which used a loaded multi-shot bar.

In 1842, Browning moved to Nauvoo, Illinois and continued his various trades. Another move was made in February of 1846, and after a long journey, pausing for rest and repairs at various sites, Browning arrived at the Mormon settlement in Utah in the Fall of 1852. Once again, he set up his shop.

Very few of the Jonathan Browning guns were made, and the few remaining today are exceedingly rare.

On January 23, 1855 John Moses Browning was born. Probably because of his early training, Browning was to become the most famous and honored gun inventor the world has ever known. By the time he was fourteen, John was repairing guns as well as thinking about new designs. In 1879, at the age of 24, Browning patented a single shot rifle. With his brothers, he began making single shot rifles based on his patents.

Family history relates that around six hundred of the rifles were produced. They are rare today, since few have survived.

In 1883, the Winchester repeating Arms Company purchased manufacturing rights to the Single Shot rifle. Browning and Winchester were to retain their relationship for many years, and in addition to numerous patents issued for models which were not produced, Winchester was to produce numerous models based on Browning designs. Included in this array were the 1885 single Shot model, and the Models 1886, 1887, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, and 1900. In addition to these models, many continuations of these models were to be produced.

By 1902, Browning had severed his relationship with Winchester and had contracted with Fabrique National (F.N.) to produce his new shotgun.

Numerous other companies were to benefit from Browning's genius, including Stevens, Colt and Remington. With continuing work and thought, numerous machine guns and heavy ordnance were invented and developed by the firearms genius of Ogden.

Some other guns, invented by John M. Browning and covered in this book, include his .25, .32, .38, and 9 MM pistols. The Browning Superposed Shotgun was developed during World War One, once again at Winchester while he was in New Haven working on the B.A.R.. A wooden model of the Superposed shotgun, originally in the Winchester engineering department, is still in existence. In October of 1923 application was filed for patents on the Superposed Model.

On November 26, 1926 John Moses Browning died in his office at F.N.. The great inventor was gone, but as long as guns are discussed, his name will live.

DATE INDEX

Earlier, only the serial numbers were placed on the guns with some exceptions.
From 1958 to 1968, the last digit of the year was used, for example, 8G28000 would be a gun made in 1958, G the model of gun and 28000 would be the serial number.
Even before 1968, it was realized that each ten years the last digit of each year would be duplicated, so in 1968 a new practice began. This used the last two digits of the date, for example, 69C1234 69 would be the year 1969, C the model of gun and 1234 would be the actual serial number of the gun.
In 1975, a new dating system began. With this system, two letters were used, for example, "PN" would be "89" or 1989.
THE LETTER Z means 1
After 1975, only three digits were to be used for the product code, so number 151RT100 would be an Auto 5, 12 Gauge Magnum, made in 1976, with serial number 1001.
Plans were made to begin each model with serial number 1000 on January 1 of each year. In new designs where special lower serial numbers may be valuable, lower numbers or special numbers could be used.
Some years the serials did not begin at 1000 as intended. In the words of Browning's spokesmen the new system would be very descriptive and would help to date a gun and to instantly know the model and other facts about the gun.
One of the reasons for the new systems was the fact that F.N. and Browning realized that some numbers were being duplicated by sales from the two companies. There are a few guns, especially those for special or foreign sales, with unusual numbers in non-standard locations.
Product codes and dates of manufacture can be determined by simply reading the product code-dateserial number line. Any guns made or models introduced after 1958 can be dated by using this Date Index.

ONE NOTE OF IMPORTANCE:
According to Browning, "on all European and U.S. made guns": PRODUCT CODE IS FIRST, YEAR IS SECOND,SERIAL NUMBER IS THIRD
"On all Japanese made guns": SERIAL NUMBER IS,FIRST YEAR IS SECOND,PRODUCT CODE IS THIRD

THE AUTOMATIC FIVE (A-5)
Production of the A-5 began at F.N. in 1902, with the first gun, serial number 1, shipped to the U.S. September 17, 1903. Serial number 206 was the first gun shipped to a foreign country. Twelve gauge guns only were usually offered in the U.S. until 1925, but production of the 16 gauge began in 1909.
In 1958, the 20 gauge was added to the line; 20 gauge magnums were added in 1967. The "Sweet 16" was introduced in catalogs in 1937. Lightweight 12 gauges were made as early as 1946.

John M. Browning had enough confidence in his new invention to order 10,000 Auto Fives when they were first produced. These guns were marked, "BROWNING AUTOMATIC ARMS CO. OGDEN UTAH-U.S.A."

Very few guns marked in this way will be found. In 1931 the first real Browning catalog appeared. From 1924 to 1931 letters and folders were used to list the guns.
A corporation was formed in 1927 to sell Browning guns. Headquarters were in Ogden, Utah until 1970, when offices were moved to Mountain Green, Utah with a Morgan, Utah mailing address.
Prior to 1924, few serial records remain. Browning and F.N. rcords give the following dates of manufacture for the A-5.
Serial numbers began near 3000 in 1924. Figures quoted here are for Browning and F.N.sales world wide and are approximate due to missing records.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE A-5

1940-1946 WAR YEARS. NO PRODUCTION FOR CIVILIANS AT F.N. FROM 1946 TO 1951 PRODUCTION WAS BY REMINGTON IN THE U.S. ACCORDING TO RECORDS FROM BROWNING AND REMINGTON, APPROXIMATELY 45,000 12 GAUGE, 25,000 16 GAUGE AND 20,000 20 GAUGE GUNS WERE PRODUCED BY REMINGTON. BY 1952, F.N. WAS AGAIN PRODUCING THE A-5.


BEGINNING OF NEW SERIAL NUMBER SYSTEM IN 1954
H means STANDARD WEIGHT
L means LIGHT WEIGHT
1954 H39000 H83000
&55 L42000 L83000
1956 H83000 H99000
Lightwgt Gl-G23000

1956 NEW DESIGNATIONS WITH "M" FOR STANDARD WGT. "G" FOR LIGHTWEIGHT.

1957 M22000 M85000
G23000 G85000
1958 G85001 G99000
8G1 8G28000

From 1958, serial numbers are preceded by the year of manufacture code. In this system, the first numeral is the date of manufacture, the next figure is the model code. An example, 8M is the standard weight made in 1958, 8G is the lightweight model.

MODEL NUMBERS A5

The same date code is found for 1968 as 1958, but the bottom of the grip usually has the flat knob on the 1968, the rounded knob on the 1958.
From 1969, the date code has two digits, as 68M for a standard weight gun made in 1968. In 1969, the standard weight gun was dropped from production.
For the product code, which was actually the model of the gun, four digits were used:

After 1975, only three digits were used:

For production dates after 1969, see the Date Index in the front of this book.
Thus, a gun with number 1501RT1234 is an A-5, 12 gauge magnum, made in 1976 (see Date Index) and is serial number 1234. After 1975, the number would be 151RT1234, or an A5-12 Magnum, made in 1976, serial number 1234. Serials were to begin with number 1000 each year

TWO MILLIONTH A-5 COMMEMORATIVE

Serials run from 2,000,000 to 2,002,500. These commemoratives were sold from 1961-1974.

THE SUPERPOSED MODEL
Twelve gauge guns were introduced in 1931. Serial numbers from 1931 to 1963 were not accompanied by model or grade designations.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE PREWAR SUPERPOSED

Production of the Superposed stopped in World War Two due to Nazi occupation of F.N. Some guns assembled from parts on hand. According to Browning, Superposed production began again when guns were first received in the U.S. in June of 1948, with serial numbers beginning near 17000. In 1948, approximately 100 Superposed guns were sold by Browning but the exact serial range is unknown.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE POST WAR SUPERPOSED

In 1949, the 20 gauge Superposed was introduced. Each gauge has its' own serial series after 1949. See each gauge for dates of manufacture.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE 20 GAUGE SUPERPOSED

In 1963, the new serial number and date method began.
On January 1, 1963 the 12 gauge started with serial number 655653, to designate the year of production. The letter "S" designates 12 gauge, "3" indicates the date (1963) and the serial number at the beginning of 1963 is 6556. Codes for the various Superposed gauges are:

This system continued in use until 1969, when two digits were used for the date. As an example, 70 then means 1970. In 1973 and through 1975, the date numerals were reversed, so that 37 is actually 73; or 1973. By 1975, a new system comes into use. This is a three digit product code, given here as found on the guns.
12 GAUGE

20 GAUGE
28 GAUGE
.410 BORE
DIANA GRADE
MIDAS GRADE
ALL GAUGE SKEET SET lA4.
DIANA ALL GAUGE SKEET SET 5A4.
MIDAS ALL GAUGE SKEET SET 6A4.
EXHIBITION GRADE
Exhibition grade and Exposition grade were regarded as the same grade, simply different terms for the same thing.
See the date index to interpret dates as marked on the guns. Each year, on January 1, a new serial series, beginning with number one, was to begin, "except in the cas~ of a new design wherein a low serial number becomes valuable to some individual."
First listed in 1958 in special lists and flyers, the 28 gauge and the .410 were first sold in the U. S. in 1960. Complete records are not available, but according to a letter from John V. Browning in January of 1963, only 495 guns in the 28 gauge were numbered in 1960, 1961 and 1962. For the .410, only 558 guns had been numbered. By 1963, the 28 gauge had the date code (F3) and the .410 had the code J3, thereby enabling collectors to determine the date of manufacture.

THE 22 CALIBER AUTO RIFLE
Production began at F.N. in 1914. A few guns are noted as made and marked for "BROWNING ARMS CO. OGDEN, UTAH". Browning did have a few of these rifles produced by F.N. for distribution.
No records exist of F. N. production for Browning prior to the first Browning catalog listing in 1956.
According to Browning and F.N., the early 22 Long Rifle caliber has a T preceding the serial number and the 22 Short caliber has the letter A. In 1961, a new caliber letter "E" was used for 22 Shorts while the letter "T" continued for the Long Rifle. The following production dates are from Browning and F.N. records.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE 22 LONG RIFLE AUTOMATIC
In 1961, the Date, "1", is followed by the letter "T" or "E" for the caliber code.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE 22 SHORT AUTOMATIC
See the Date Code Index for production dates after 1961. In 1970, the designation changes to 70 (Date) T (product code) followed by the serial number. By 1963, serial numbers began at 3T50157 and 3E14973.
In 1976, a new product code came into use. This was 146 for Grade 1, 246 for Grade 2 and 346 for Grade 3. See the Date Index for later dates on this model.

THE .22 "TROMBONE" RIFLE
First produced in 1922 by F.N., a few of these rifles were imported into the U.S. by Browning. F. N. and Browning had an agreement with Remington concerning production of this model.
According to Browning, just over 3,000 of these slide action rifles were imported by the company.
The product code for this model was the letter "W" after 1969, prior to this the gun had no product code.

THE 22 T-BOLT RIFLE
First introduced in 1964, the date of manufacture for this model will be found with the serial number.
The product code for this model was the letter "X" for a time; after 1976 the codes were 116 for grade 1, 216 for grade 2.

THE BL 22 LEVER RIFLE
F.N. began production of this model in 1956. Sales by Browning began in 1969.
Product code for this model was the letter "B" on earlier plain guns. For later guns, product code 127 was used for plain guns, grade 1 has product code 126 and grade 2 has the code 226. Dates of manufacture can be determined by using the Date Index in this book.

THE BAR 22 CALIBER RIFLE
Introduced in 1976. Product codes were 146 for grade 1 guns, 246 for grade 2 and 346 for grade 3 engraved guns. See the Date Index for year of manufacture.

THE BPR 22 CALIBER RIFLE
This pump action rifle was introduced in 1976. Grade 1 rifles had product code 176, grade 2 had product code 276. The Date Index can be used to find the time any gun of this model was made.

THE B-92 RIFLE
A close copy of the Winchester Model 1892 lever action rifle. Introduced in 1978. The letter "B" is the product code. The Date Index may be used to determine the year of manufacture.

THE B.A.R. HIGH POWER RIFLE
Introduced in 1967. Product code for this model is the letter "M" until 1976 when the code is 137 for grade 1, 437 for grade 4. See the Date Index for year of production.

THE BLR HIGH POWER RIFLE
Production began in Belgium in 1971, in Japan in 1974. See the note with the Date Index and product code to determine year and place of production. The product code for this model was the letter K until 1976 when the code became number 127.

THE B 78 HIGH POWER RIFLE
Production began in 1973, discontinued in 1982. The product code for this model is the letter "W" until 1976 when the code was 147. The B 78 was called the "Bi-Centennial Model" in 1976, with the product code 1776.
Date codes will be found in the Date Index.

THE MODEL 1885 HIGH POWER RIFLE
Replaced the B-78 in 1985. Product code is the letter "W", and date codes are found in the Date Index.

THE F.N. AND SAKO HIGH POWER RIFLES
Induced in 1959. In the Product Code, the following was used for MAUSER ACTIONS:
FOR SAKO SAFARI ACTIONS
SHORT ACTION "Y"

MEDIUM ACTION"A" UNTIL 1969, THEN "Z"

FOR SAKO MEDALLION ACTIONS
SHORT ACTIONS "A" UNTIL 1969, THEN "Y"

FOR SAKO OLYMPIAN ACTIONS
SHORT ACTION "B" UNTIL 1969, THEN "Y" MEDIUM ACTION "B" UNTIL 1969, THEN "Z"

THE A BOLT HIGH POWER RIFLE
Production began in 1985. Dates maybe determined by referring to the Date Index.

THE NOMAD, CHALLENGER AND MEDALIST PISTOL
Product code for the Nomad was "P", for the challenger "U" and for the Medalist "T". All three models introduced in 1962. Dates are covered in the Date Index.
THE 25 CALIBER AUTOMATIC PISTOL
First produced at F.N. in 1905, first officially imported by Browning in 1954 and discontinued in 1969.
According to Browning's records, over 479,000 of these pistols were produced. Figures from 1958 in the following are estimates by Browning.
DATES OF MANUFACTURE 25 AUTOMATIC Discontinued in 1968. For Canadian sales this model had the product code "H".

THE MODEL 1955 .380 PISTOL
First introduced in the U.S. by Browning in 1954; the following dates of production are estimates by Browning.
DATES OF MANUFACTURE 1955 PISTOL
THE .32 CALIBER PISTOL
No information is available for this model. Less than 1,000 brought into the U.S. Sold mainly in Canada with product code "R".

THE MODEL 1971 380 PISTOL
Introduced in 1971. This gun had product code "N" until 1976 when the code became "325". Dates of manufacture may be found in the Date Index.
THE HIGH POWER PISTOL
Dates are estimated by F.N. up to 1958, based on estimated sales of 2250 guns per year. Good records are available after 1958.
DATES OF MANUFACTURE HIGH POWER PISTOL
In 1964, the product code for sport models was the letter "T"; in 1969 "C" was the new product code.
After 1976, sport models have the product code 245 and military models have 215. After 1969, date codes were used and may be found in the Date Index.
THE DOUBLE AUTOMATIC
Produced from 1952 to 1971. Designed and invented by Val Browning, son of John M. Browning. Browning estimates production of 3600 guns per year. The product code for this model is "A" for Aluminum receivers, "C" for steel receivers.

DATES OF MANUFACTURE DOUBLE AUTOMATIC
7.62 NATO RIFLE 1836 SOLD IN U.S. FROM 1959 TO 1963

BT SINGLE BARREL TRAP GUN INTRODUCED IN 1971 PRODUCT CODE "D" AFTER 1975, PRODUCT CODE 149

BSS DOUBLE-PRODUCT CODES
20 GAUGE "B", AFTER 1975, 168
12 GAUGE "A", AFTER 1975, 158

LEIGE OVER-UNDER PRODUCT CODE
CITORI MODEL PRODUCT CODE
B-2000 AUTOMATIC SHOTGUN
PRODUCT CODE
BPS PUMP SHOTGUN PRODUCT
CODE "P"

B 80 AUTOMATIC PRODUCT
CODE "P"

In 1960, and thereafter to the end of production, date codes were used so the Date Index can be used to determine year of manufacture.
Product codes can be found with date codes and serial numbers for all models introduced after the date codes come into use.