Enter a Model 42 serial number to estimate its year of manufacture, then compare the result with markings, configuration, and the full collector guide.
The Winchester Model 42 remains one of the most desirable American .410 pump shotguns ever produced. Introduced in 1933 as a scaled-down companion to the famous Model 12, it earned a reputation for smooth operation, fine machining, and excellent handling. Collectors still prize original examples because production stretched across several decades and included standard field guns, skeet guns, deluxe grades, and special-order variations.
This Winchester Model 42 serial number lookup tool is intended to help narrow a shotgun's likely year of manufacture by comparing the receiver serial number to published collector reference ranges. The result is a starting point, not a final authentication. Barrel markings, choke designation, finish, wood, rib configuration, condition, and originality all matter when identifying or evaluating a Model 42.
For a more complete review, continue to the Winchester Model 42 collector guide and photo gallery. Using the lookup result together with visible markings, configuration details, and documented provenance gives collectors a better way to describe, compare, and preserve these classic .410 Winchester pump shotguns.