How to Use This Serial Number Lookup Guide

Start with the maker and model, then use the serial number as one clue in a larger identification process. A serial number can point you toward a production year or range, but the correct answer usually depends on matching that number to frame type, barrel markings, finish, sights, grips, proofs, and other period-correct details.

This page is built like a collector’s map. Use the search box when you already know the model, use the most-used lookups for the fastest routes, or browse the manufacturer sections when you are still sorting out whether the firearm belongs in the Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Browning, Winchester, Remington, or military pistol family. If you do not yet know the maker or model, begin with the “What Gun Do I Have?” identification wizard. For broader model history and visual research, continue to the handgun identification and collector guides.

How to look up a gun by serial number

Identify the manufacturer and exact model, record the complete serial number (including every prefix and suffix), then open the matching manufacturer or model tool below. Treat the result as a production-date estimate and confirm it against the firearm’s markings, configuration, and physical features.

1. Identify an unknown firearm

If you do not know the maker or model, start with the firearm identification wizard. A serial number alone may not identify it.

2. Research manufacture date

If you know the maker and model, use the directory below to reach the correct serial chart or interactive lookup tool.

3. Check whether it is stolen

These collector tools do not access stolen-firearm records. Contact local law enforcement for an official check, and do not post the complete serial number publicly.

Serial Number & Collector Guide Search

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Popular: Colt Python · Colt Lookup · Browning A5 · Model 10 · Ruger Lookup · Woodsman

Most Used Serial Number Lookups

These are the fastest starting points for the serial-number questions readers are already bringing to Gun Collectors Club. They point to model-specific pages instead of trying to answer every manufacturer’s numbering system in one place.

Colt Python Serial Numbers reference imageColt Python Serial NumbersProduction periods, serial ranges, barrel and underlug changes, finish clues, and collector identification notes. Browning Auto-5 Serial Numbers reference imageBrowning Auto-5 Serial NumbersBelgian and Japanese production eras, serial-number formats, model codes, and Auto-5 dating context. Smith & Wesson Model 19 reference imageSmith & Wesson Model 19Combat Magnum history, serial-dating support, dash-number context, and K-frame .357 features. S&W Model 10 Serial Dates reference imageS&W Model 10 Serial DatesMilitary & Police production context, C-prefix dating, postwar changes, and K-frame clues. Colt Woodsman Master Chart reference imageColt Woodsman Master ChartFirst, Second, and Third Series Woodsman serial ranges, Match Target context, and production-era routing. Colt Police Positive reference imageColt Police PositiveModel-family production periods, serial-number ranges, and factory verification notes. Luger Collector Guide reference imageLuger Collector GuideSerial numbers, matching parts, military markings, magazines, variants, and collector mistakes to avoid. Remington 1100 Lookup Tool reference imageRemington 1100 Lookup ToolReceiver serial number and barrel date-code support for Model 1100-era shotguns.
Collector firearm reference books and classic firearms used for serial number research
President Ronald Reagan said it best when he said, "Trust, but verify."
Colt Smith & Wesson Ruger Browning Winchester Remington Military & Semi-Autos Lookup Tools
Serial-number research should be treated as a collector reference, not as a substitute for a factory letter, original invoice, or hands-on authentication.

Colt Serial Number Lookups

Start with the exact Colt model family. Colt revolvers, Government Models, Woodsman pistols, and Pocket Hammerless pistols do not all use the same numbering logic.

Smith & Wesson Serial Number Guides

For Smith & Wesson, start by separating K-frame, J-frame, N-frame, and model-specific references. The K-frame material is now strong enough to serve as its own sub-hub.

Smith & Wesson Collector Guide

K-22 Masterpiece Overview

A long-form guide to K-22 history, production changes, screw configurations, serial-number context, identification, originality, condition, and collecting.

Read K-22 overview →

Ruger Serial Number & Identification Guides

Ruger dating depends on the exact model family and production era. Begin with the serial-number lookup, then confirm the result against frame style, sights, safety features, grip frame, barrel markings, and other model-specific details.

Browning Serial Number Lookups

Browning serial-number research often turns on country of manufacture, model-code letters, FN Belgian production, Japanese Miroku production, and whether the gun is a standard Auto-5, Sweet Sixteen, or Light Twelve.

Winchester Serial Number Guides

The Winchester section should route readers quickly into the Model 94 and Model 42 pages, then outward to the rifle and shotgun hubs.

Remington Serial Number Guides

Remington shotgun dating can involve both receiver serial numbers and barrel date codes. Barrel swaps are common enough that the whole gun must be evaluated. For company history, major rifle, shotgun and handgun families, and broader identification guidance, begin with the Remington firearms history and collector guide.

Military & Semi-Automatic Pistols

These pages are often less about one serial-number table and more about matching serials to military markings, manufacturer codes, variations, and correct-era parts.

1911 Series

1911 Series Hub

The platform hub for military service pistols, Government Models, Gold Cups, Officer’s models, custom 1911s, and .45 ACP context.

Open 1911 series →

Lookup Tools

Some visitors want a full guide. Others simply want the fastest route from a serial number to a likely production period. These lookup tools keep that traffic moving into the right model pages.

Colt Serial Number LookupPython, 1911, Woodsman, Cobra, Detective Special, and related Colt families. Colt Woodsman LookupDedicated First, Second, and Third Series Woodsman production-range research. S&W K-Frame LookupModel 10, K-22, Model 17, Model 19, Victory Models, and alpha-prefix era guns. Ruger Serial Number LookupSingle-Six, Blackhawk, Security-Six, GP100, and related Ruger model-family routing. Browning A5 LookupCommon Auto-5 / A5 serial-number patterns and Belgian/Japanese routing. Belgian Browning LookupBelgian production codes and serial-number patterns. Browning Sweet Sixteen LookupModel-specific Sweet Sixteen production-date research. Browning Light Twelve LookupModel-specific Light Twelve serial-number research. Browning Tool HubA5, Belgian guide, Sweet Sixteen, Light Twelve, and related Browning tools. Remington 1100 Lookup Receiver serial number and barrel reference imageRemington 1100 LookupReceiver serial number and barrel date-code analysis for Model 1100-era shotguns. Winchester Model 94 LookupProduction-year estimate from available Winchester Model 1894 / 94 serial records. Winchester Model 42 LookupProduction-year estimates and Model 42 serial-number context. Savage 99 LookupInitial manufacture-date estimate for Savage Model 99 rifles.

Collector Cautions

Serial numbers can be wrong, misread, buffed, restamped, partially hidden, or interpreted against the wrong table. Older manufacturers sometimes used overlapping ranges, changed numbering systems, skipped blocks, or assembled guns out of strict numerical order. Replacement barrels, refinishing, changed grips, and later boxes can also confuse a quick answer.

where to find the serial number on a Colt revolver, particulary a Colt Cobra

On a traditional Colt Cobra, the serial number is found in two matching locations within the crane area: one is stamped on the exposed frame surface beneath the crane, and the other is stamped on the crane—or yoke—itself. Swing the cylinder fully open to view both numbers; they should match, while smaller nearby markings may be factory assembly or inspection numbers rather than the firearm’s serial number.

where to find the serial number on a Smith and Wesson revolver, particulary a Model 58

On a Smith & Wesson Model 58 revolver, the official serial number is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame, commonly called the butt; turn the unloaded revolver upside down and look at the metal surface between the grip panels, removing the grips only if they obstruct the marking. A matching serial number may also appear inside the frame’s yoke or crane cutout when the cylinder is swung open, but other numbers found there can be model, assembly, or inspection markings rather than the firearm’s official serial number.

When value, originality, or insurance documentation matters, compare the serial-number estimate against the firearm itself and consider a factory letter or recognized specialist opinion where available.

Firearm Serial Number Lookup FAQ

How do I look up a gun by serial number?

First identify the manufacturer and exact model. Record the complete serial number, including prefixes and suffixes, then use the matching manufacturer or model lookup tool. Confirm the estimate against the firearm’s markings and physical features.

Can a serial number identify the exact firearm model and year?

Not always. Serial-number systems vary by manufacturer and model, ranges may overlap, and some records provide only an estimated production period. Check model markings, proof marks, barrel codes, and physical features too.

Can Gun Collectors Club tell me whether a firearm is stolen?

No. GCC’s collector lookup tools estimate identity or manufacture date; they do not access law-enforcement stolen-firearm records. Contact local law enforcement about an official stolen-firearm check, and do not post a complete serial number publicly.

Where is a firearm serial number located?

Location varies by firearm. Check the frame or receiver and the owner’s manual for that model. On revolvers it may appear on the frame, butt, or crane area. Other nearby markings may be assembly, inspection, or model numbers rather than the official serial number.

From My Bench

Good reference books, magnification, lighting, and careful documentation all help when researching older firearms. I keep a curated list of collector tools, books, storage items, and bench gear that fit the way I work.

Browse My Gear List

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For Colt target pistols, the Colt Gold Cup history, identification, and variants guide adds model-specific context beyond a manufacture-year estimate.

Greg Cook

About Greg Cook

Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.

Sources Consulted

  • Gun Collectors Club serial-number guides, model pages, lookup tools, and internal collector notes.
  • Manufacturer serial-number references, factory letter practices, published production tables, and period catalog material.
  • Collector references for Colt, Smith & Wesson, Browning Auto-5, Winchester Model 94 and Model 42, Remington shotgun date codes, Luger markings, and 1911-family pistols.
  • Author observations from comparing serial-number ranges with physical features, markings, condition, and documentation.