Modern Classic
TAR-40 Series
May 5, 2026A six-part look at the Turnbull TAR-40 .308: the hunt, the auction, the model number, the technical details, and the collector case for a modern rifle with old-world finish.
Enter TAR-40 Series
Instant lookup for Colt, Smith & Wesson, Browning, Remington, Winchester, and more. Explore the Remington firearms collector hub for company history, models, markings, dating and values.
Featured Lookup Tools
Serial Number Lookup & Identification Apps
Choose from 15 model-specific lookup tools and dating pages. Enter a serial number, narrow the likely production period, then continue into the full collector guide.
More Serial Number Lookup Tools
These tools are collector-reference aids, not factory letters. Confirm final identification with markings, configuration, condition, and original documentation when available.
Start Here
Identify Your Gun and Estimate Its Collector Value
Not sure exactly what firearm you have—or what it may be worth? Start with the maker, model, serial number, markings, and visible features. Then use the collector guides, production charts, condition standards, and recent auction-price information to build a realistic estimate.
Gun values depend on much more than the name stamped on the barrel. Production variation, originality, mechanical condition, finish, grips, boxes, papers, and regional demand can all affect the final selling price.
Step 1
Identify the Firearm
Use markings, features, caliber, barrel length, and photographs.
Step 2
Check the Serial Number
Estimate the production year and identify the correct variation.
Step 3
Evaluate Condition
Examine finish, originality, mechanics, grips, accessories, and alterations.
Step 4
Compare Market Prices
Review current auction averages and realistic price ranges.
New Collector Reference
Factory Letters: What the Records Really Tell You
Before you order a factory letter, know what the archive can reveal. Explore Colt, Cody, and Smith & Wesson records, when a letter is worth ordering, and what it can—and cannot—prove about your firearm.
- Colt Archive Letters
- Cody Records
- Smith & Wesson
- Shipping Records
- Original Configuration
- Research Limits
Collector Research
Featured Collector Guides
Explore serial-number references, Smith & Wesson K-Frames, Browning Auto-5 shotguns, Colt models, and the Winchester Model 94.
Serial Number ResearchFirearm Serial Number GuidesStart here for model-specific charts, identification references, and interactive lookup tools.
Smith & WessonK-Frame Serial Number Master GuideModel 10, K-22, Model 17, Model 19, Victory Model, and alpha-prefix references.
Browning ShotgunsBrowning Auto-5 Serial Number LookupFind production periods and compare Belgian, Japanese, Sweet Sixteen, and model-code clues.
Colt FirearmsColt Serial Number LookupChoose a Colt model family and follow the right dating chart, lookup tool, and identification guide.
Winchester RiflesWinchester Model 94 Collector’s GuideProduction history, serial ranges, variants, condition, authentication, and collector values.
Colt RevolversColt Python GuideSerial numbers, barrel lengths, production changes, finish details, and collector identification notes.
Recently Updated
Fresh Collector Work from the Bench
New and revised pages that deserve a front-door path for returning readers.
Colt / Identification & Serial Research
Colt New Service Revolver Guide
Identify commercial and military variants, estimate a manufacture year from the sourced 1898–1944 serial table, and plan Colt Archive research.
A.H. Fox / Factory Records
A.H. Fox Factory Records at Cody
Graded and Sterlingworth coverage, published serial bands, fees, and what Cody’s surviving records may establish.
L.C. Smith / Factory Records
L.C. Smith Factory Records at Cody
Grades, gauges, Hunter Arms–Marlin eras, published ranges, fees, and what a surviving letter can confirm.
Marlin / Factory Records
Marlin Factory Records at Cody
Explore early Marlin record coverage, blank-ledger cautions, and the Presentation 39A/39M exception before ordering a letter.
Winchester / Factory Records
Winchester Model 21 Cody Factory Records
Explore final inspection reports, order sheets, and Cody record coverage with the Model 21 records-range checker.
Winchester / Identification Guide
Winchester Model 70 Pre-64 Identification
Compare extractor, stock, and bottom-metal features, with cautious serial dating and Cody record limits.
Military / Collector Investigation
1942 Colt M1911A1 — The Pistol Newt Taylor Left Behind
Camp Perry history, fitted parts, arsenal markings, and the investigation into possible National Match history.
Reader Story / Family History
A Father’s Remington 1100 — From Spain, 1963
Gary McLain’s family shotgun, a childhood skeet memory, and a lifetime of shooting left-handed.
Military / Collector Guide
Thompson Submachine Gun
Models, production dates, identifying features, Prohibition-era history, and WWII variants.
Serial Number Lookup
Browning Citori Serial Number Lookup
Decode Citori manufacture-year letters and review model suffixes in the Gran Lightning guide.
Serial Number Lookup
Ruger Redhawk Serial Number Lookup
Use the dedicated Redhawk dating reference to narrow the production year.
Serial Number Lookup
Savage 99 Serial Number Lookup
Estimate the manufacture period for Savage Model 1895, 1899, and 99 rifles.
Start Here
Find the Right Collector Path
Gun Collectors Club is organized around the way collectors actually research: identification, preservation, history, and the stories behind individual firearms.
New Collectors
Start with practical guides for care, storage, value, documentation, and responsible collection planning.
Browse guides →
Serial Number Research
Use model histories and identification pages to narrow down production eras, configurations, and collector context.
Research serial numbers →
Gun Library
Explore the reference side of the site: firearm history, collector reading, and long-form research pages.
Open the library →
Featured Collector Series
Signature Collector Series
These are the stories that deserve to sit near the front door: rifles, revolvers, military memories, classic handguns, and the collector paths that give the site its shape.
Army Memory
REFORGER Series
Updated May 10. 2026From Ft. Dix to Germany, this series ties military experience, armorer work, and Cold War-era field memories into the stories behind the guns and the men who carried them.
Read REFORGER Story
Post-War Precision
K-22 Masterpiece
Updated May 16, 2026A collector-focused look at the K-22 Masterpiece, post-war Smith & Wesson craftsmanship, factory details, grips, serial-number history, and why condition tells the story.
View K-22 CollectionCollector Guides
Practical Collection Planning
Practical guidance for valuing, protecting, documenting, and eventually passing on a firearms collection.
How to Value a Gun Collection
A practical framework for using condition, comparable sales, originality, and collector demand to estimate value.
Read guide →Estate Planning for Gun Collections
Help your family avoid confusion by documenting value, provenance, transfer issues, and disposition wishes.
Read guide →Hobby or Business?
A practical look at when a collection is just a hobby and when activity starts looking like a business.
Read guide →When It’s Time to Downsize
Reducing quantity while improving quality — a collector’s approach to keeping the best guns and letting others go.
Read guide →250 YEARS 1776-2026
Americana Arms Series
May 11, 2026Explore six longform collector essays covering classic American firearms, rare collector guns, military history, serial number research, engraved firearms, and the enduring appeal of walnut and steel.
