Collector disclaimer: Educational reference only—not an appraisal, offer to buy or sell, legal opinion, or authentication of any specific firearm. Fees, form status, turnaround, and record coverage change. Confirm every figure with the Cody Firearms Records Office before you order. Verify every firearm is unloaded before handling.
Collector Quick Read
| Question | Practical answer (as of Sep 21, 2026 live check) |
|---|---|
| Why does Cody have Ithaca at all? | Walter Snyder donated the surviving original Ithaca Gun Company records to the Center (announced Nov 17, 2020). Staff work from originals or digital scans in the McCracken Library. |
| One Cody path for three brands? | Yes. Cody’s maker page and 2026 print form cover Ithaca, Lefever, & Western Arms—indicate which on the form. |
| Ithaca coverage (Cody wording) | Page/form: manufacture from 1886 into the mid-1980s with some gaps. PDF: mostly complete 1886–1939; post-1939 incomplete (some early 1940s, late 1950s, early 1960s, early 1980s). |
| Lefever serial trap | Cody says original Lefever company doubles with SN < 100000 are not in this collection. Its PDF separately lists Lefever singles at SN 1–32212. |
| Western Arms | Corp span 1929–1946; Long-Range Double; records available throughout the 1930s (page/form). PDF Long Range band 1–65779. Keep corp years vs records-availability wording distinct. |
| Typical letter content | Date + configuration; original customer data is often available (PDF/page/2020 staff comment). Model names are often not reflected on letters (PDF). |
| Non-member letter fee | $95 (plus postage; 3% card surcharge since Apr 6, 2026). Limited records availability may decrease the fee—contact before mailing a full-fee check. |
| Turnaround | Ithaca page: typically six (6) weeks from payment. Member searches: allow four (4) business days. Main records page: letters typically four to six weeks. |
| Ordering now | Online forms show technical difficulties—use 2026 Ithaca Print Order Form or email cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org. |
Check Cody’s Published Serial Ranges
Select the brand and model family before entering a serial. This checks only the ranges in Cody’s May 2024 PDF; it cannot date an individual gun or tell whether its ledger entry survives. Identify the firearm from its markings first.
Important: Model 37’s two published bands overlap. Original Lefever company doubles under SN 100000 are excluded, but Cody separately lists low-numbered Lefever singles. A range match is not a factory-letter eligibility decision. Read Cody’s ranges PDF and confirm with its Records Office.
Why Cody Has Ithaca — and Why That Matters to Collectors
Ithaca doubles, Knick and Flues trap guns, Model 37 pumps, Ithaca-made Lefevers, and Western Arms Long Range guns sit in a different research lane than early Marlin levers or Model 21 inspection dossiers. For decades, collectors who wanted primary factory paper for Ithaca had to hunt private charts, auction poetry, or hope someone still held a ledger photocopy. That changed when the surviving original Ithaca Gun Company records landed at Cody.
Documented fact (Center of the West, Rachel Johnson, Nov 17, 2020): Walter Snyder, Ithaca historian, donated the surviving records from the original Ithaca Gun Company to the Center so the Cody Firearms Records Office could provide factory letters and serial-number searches. Staff and volunteers reference digital scans of the original records or the originals themselves, housed in the McCracken Research Library.
The same announcement includes a museum illustration: Annie Oakley’s Ithaca single-barrel trap gun, serial 264501, with ledger detail showing communication with F. E. Butler regarding measurements. That is a Center-published museum object + illustration—useful as an example of how rich an Ithaca line can be when customer-style notes survive. It is not a template for inventing provenance on any other serial.
Gun Collectors Club’s live Factory Letters for Collectors article already names Ithaca at $95 with Lefever/Western context in the Cody fee table. GCC also maintains identification companions for Ithaca Flues single-barrel traps and Ithaca NID / Knick single-barrel traps. Those pages help you identify the gun on the bench. This piece is the dedicated records how-to—same pattern as the live Marlin Cody and Model 21 Cody guides.
Fact vs interpretation vs unknown:
- Fact: Cody letters and searches from surviving Ithaca (and related Lefever / Western Arms) factory records held at the Center.
- Interpretation (mine): an Ithaca-path letter is most useful when date, configuration, or (when present) customer-style data would change a buy/pass, insurance, or “as shipped” claim—especially on pre-1940 doubles and trap guns where Cody’s PDF says coverage is mostly complete.
- Unknown until the office checks: whether your serial has a filled line, a sparse post-1939 scrap, or nothing letterable.
Jacob Newman’s June 26, 2026 Center essay, Records and Research at the Cody Firearms Museum, lists seven manufacturers including Lefever (with Winchester, Savage, Marlin, A.H. Fox, L.C. Smith, and Ithaca). That staff framing treats Lefever as a first-class research brand even though ordering rides the Ithaca maker page and form. Western Arms is not named in that seven-maker list; it appears on Cody’s Ithaca page and form as part of the same order path.
Three Brands, One Cody Path
Cody titles the maker page Ithaca, Lefever, & Western Arms Firearms Records. The April 2026 non-member print order form covers all three and asks you to indicate whether your firearm is an Ithaca, Lefever, or Western Arms.
| Brand on the form | What Cody’s public materials say (attribute carefully) |
|---|---|
| Ithaca | Factory records cover manufacture from 1886 into the mid-1980s with some gaps (page/form). PDF: mostly complete 1886–1939; incomplete afterward with named decade scraps. |
| Lefever | Ithaca-era Lefever records in this collection; Cody says original-company doubles with SN < 100000 are not included. Its separate Lefever singles range begins at SN 1. See acquisition and year-band conflicts below. |
| Western Arms | Western Arms Corp. (1929–1946) created by Ithaca for the Long-Range Double; records available throughout the 1930s (page/form). PDF lists Long Range 1–65779. |
Practical habit: write the brand name on the form exactly as Cody asks—do not assume “Ithaca” covers a marked Lefever or Western Long Range if the form wants the brand indicated separately.
Coverage Map — Mostly Complete to 1939, Incomplete After
Ithaca Gun Company (page vs PDF)
Cody Ithaca page / 2026 form (manufacture span):
Ithaca Gun Company factory records cover manufacture from 1886 into the mid-1980s with some gaps in the records.
Cody Available Serial Number Ranges PDF (May 2024 path — Ithaca/Smith side), checked Sep 21, 2026:
Records mostly complete from 1886 to 1939 production. Post 1939 records are incomplete with some records from the early 1940s, late 1950s, early 1960s, and early 1980s. Records for 1979 to 1985 production are still being processed. Expected completion is late 2025.
How to read that without fooling yourself:
- Fact: Cody publishes two related coverage statements—one about manufacture span with gaps (page/form), one about completeness by era (PDF). Both are official.
- Fact: The PDF still states 1979–1985 records are “still being processed” with “expected completion … late 2025.” As of September 21, 2026, that forecast is past due. No newer completion status was verified for this guide; treat the May 2024 PDF wording as attributed, not confirmed-current.
- Not a fact: that every serial through 1939 will letter, or that any particular post-1939 decade is “mostly done.”
Lefever Arms Company — year bands and the serial trap
Cody’s page intro lists Lefever Arms Company (1927 – 1939) alongside Western Arms Corporation (1929 – 1939) in the collection summary line.
Cody’s Lefever section on the same page and the 2026 order form say:
Ithaca Gun Company purchased the Lefever Arms Company in 1916 and manufactured Lefever shotguns from 1921 into the early 1940s. Ithaca’s Lefever shotguns start at serial number 100000. Surviving records end at the end of the 1930s.
Cody’s ranges PDF heads the block LEFEVER ARMS COMPANY (1921–1939) and says:
Ithaca Gun Company acquired the Lefever Arms Co. in 1921 and continued the name. Lefever doubles manufactured by the original Lefever company (serial numbers less than 100000) are not in this collection.
Attribute both acquisition lines. Do not pick one.
| Cody source | Acquisition / purchase wording | Year-band framing |
|---|---|---|
| Ithaca page intro | — | Lefever Arms Company (1927–1939) |
| Ithaca page Lefever section + 2026 form | Purchased Lefever in 1916; manufactured Lefever shotguns from 1921 into early 1940s; surviving records end end-of-1930s | Manufacture from 1921; records end 1930s |
| Ranges PDF (May 2024) | Acquired Lefever in 1921 | Heading (1921–1939); Nitro Special / A Grade / Singles year labels as printed |
The serial trap collectors miss: Cody’s published PDF excludes original Lefever company doubles with serials under 100000. Do not apply that exclusion to every low-numbered Lefever: the PDF separately lists Lefever singles at SN 1–32212. Confirm the type and markings before ordering, and ask the Records Office about any edge case.
Western Arms Corporation — corp span vs records availability
Keep these Cody lines distinct:
| Statement type | Cody wording (page/form/PDF) |
|---|---|
| Corporate / entity span | Western Arms Corp. (1929–1946); entity within Ithaca making the Long-Range Double (page/form/PDF). |
| Page intro collection band | Western Arms Corporation (1929 – 1939) (intro summary line). |
| Records availability | Western records available throughout the 1930s (page/form). |
| Published serial band (PDF) | Long Range 1–65779. |
Interpretation (mine): the 1929–1946 corp line and the “throughout the 1930s” records line are not the same claim. Do not stretch “1930s records” into a guarantee for every Long Range built through 1946.
Published Model / Family Ranges from Cody’s PDF Only
Cody links an Available Serial Number Ranges PDF from the Ithaca page. The file confirmed live on Sep 21, 2026 is:
SerialNumberRanges2024-IthacaSmith.pdf
Use this as Cody’s published availability list—not as a complete production history of Ithaca, Lefever, or Western Arms, and not as a promise that every serial in a band will letter.
Ithaca Gun Company bands (as the PDF lists them)
| Family / model (PDF label) | Published years (PDF) | Published serial band (PDF) |
|---|---|---|
| Baker/Crass/Lewis | 1886–1908 | 2448–151770 |
| Flues | 1908–1926 | 175000–389365 |
| New Ithaca Double | 1925–1948 | 425000–470099 |
| Knick Singles | 1922–1944 | 400000–402789 |
| Magnum Double | 1932–1942 | 500000–501000 |
| Model 37 — tier A | 1937 to about 1942 | SN 1–99000 — incomplete; records contain configuration and customer data |
| Model 37 — tier B | (see PDF note on 1980s) | SN 70000–831800 — factory production order date and very basic configuration |
| X5 and X15 | consignments only, 1958–1965 | SN 45–27667 |
| Model 66 | consignments only, 1963–1965 | SN 134–35469 |
Model 37 — two-tier wording only
Cody publishes two Model 37 serial framings with different content descriptions. There is an overlap zone (roughly the 70000–99000 area appears in both published bands).
What this article will and will not do:
- Will: quote Cody’s two-tier wording so you know to ask which kind of record (if any) survives for your serial.
- Will not: invent which tier a given serial “falls into,” invent a blended coverage rule for the overlap, or promise customer data on every Model 37.
Practical habit: for any Model 37, email or call the Records Office and ask what record type exists for that serial before you mail a full-fee check.
Lefever bands (PDF)
| PDF label | Published years (PDF) | Published serial band (PDF) |
|---|---|---|
| Nitro Special | 1921–1947 | 100000–299999 and 320000–361199 |
| A Grade | 1934–1939 | 300000–316657 |
| Singles | 1927–1942 | 1–32212 |
Remember the PDF’s hard limit: original Lefever doubles SN < 100000 are not in this collection. The Singles band 1–32212 is a separate published line for Lefever singles as Cody lists it—do not confuse those singles serials with original Lefever company doubles under 100000.
Western Arms band (PDF)
| PDF label | Published span (PDF heading) | Published serial band (PDF) |
|---|---|---|
| Long Range | Western Arms Corporation (1929–1946) | 1–65779 |
How to use published ranges without fooling yourself
| Source | What it is good for | What it is not |
|---|---|---|
| Cody Ithaca web page | Ordering mindset; six-week turnaround; Lefever/Western prose; fee; delivery; contact-before-check advice | A serial-by-serial guarantee |
| 2024 Ithaca/Smith ranges PDF | Published model/family bands + Model 37 tiers + Lefever trap + Western Long Range band | A full Ithaca dating encyclopedia or a 2026 update on 1979–1985 processing |
| 2026 Ithaca print order form | Fee + high-level availability + brand checkboxes when mailing | A substitute for the PDF or an office check |
| GCC Flues / NID ID pages | Markings, collector ID context, published year tables for identification | Substitutes for a Cody letter |
| Forum charts / auction poetry | Leads requiring verification | Cody documentation |
What Letters Typically Include — and What Cody Warns They Often Omit
Typical inclusions (Cody PDF / page / 2020 staff framing)
From the ranges PDF (Ithaca side):
Information in Ithaca records varies, but generally includes date and configuration information. Original customer data is often available.
The Ithaca page agrees that these records typically include configuration data and often have customer information.
The Nov 17, 2020 Center announcement quotes Records Office staff that Ithaca often included customer information—useful comparative context, still not a guarantee for any serial.
Hard omission warning (PDF)
Names of models are not necessarily reflected in record keeping and often not reflected on letters.
Bench translation: do not order an Ithaca letter expecting the paper to shout “Flues,” “NID,” or a grade nickname if the clerks never wrote that label. Match configuration fields (gauge, barrel length, features as recorded) to the gun. Use GCC’s Flues and NID pages for identification context; use the letter for archive extract.
What that means on the bench
| Documented on a good letter (when the line is filled) | Not what the letter reliably supplies |
|---|---|
| Date as recorded | A guarantee that the model name appears |
| Configuration as recorded | A full private ownership chain after first customer/ship-to style data |
| Customer / purchaser-style data when the ledger has it | Remote authentication of today’s finish or wood |
| — | An appraisal or “is this worth the asking price?” answer |
Interpretation (mine): Ithaca-path letters can feel richer than early Marlin letters on customer data when the line survives—Cody itself says customer data is often available here, and says it is not available for standard early Marlins. That is a comparative tendency Cody implies, not a promise that your serial personalizes.
Compare siblings:
- L.C. Smith / Hunter Arms at Cody: grade, gauge, barrel, and era-dependent purchaser detail; keep its FWS/FWM windows distinct from the Ithaca columns.
- A.H. Fox at Cody: graded and Sterlingworth records use the Savage/Fox path and their own published serial bands.
- Marlin at Cody: early window; no customer data for standard early Marlins; many blanks.
- Model 21 at Cody: final inspection / order-sheet richness; different paperwork shape entirely.
- Ithaca path: date + config; customer data often; model names often absent on the letter.
Fees, Turnaround, Delivery, Membership Path, Form Outage, Card Surcharge
Fees, turnaround, and ordering paths below were checked against Cody’s Ithaca page, main Firearms Records page, ranges PDF, and 2026 Ithaca order form on September 21, 2026. Confirm current details with Cody before ordering; these can change.
Non-member Ithaca-path letter fee
- $95 non-member Ithaca factory letter (Cody Ithaca page; 2026 print order form agrees). Same form covers Lefever and Western Arms at that non-member rate as printed.
- Plus postage & handling.
- 3% surcharge/processing fee for all card transactions starting April 6, 2026 (Center-wide notice on records pages + 2026 form).
- Limited records availability may decrease the fee for your letter (Ithaca page). Watch your invoice or Records Office communication.
Contact before mailing a full-fee Ithaca check. Cody’s Ithaca page suggests contacting the Records Office at cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org to determine whether your shotgun is eligible for a letter and what the fee will be. If you send the full fee and they determine a reduced fee applies, they state they will include a partial refund check in the letter packet. If records are not available, they notify you and return your check (or destroy card information on card orders).
Member letter dollar prices for Ithaca specifically are not spelled out as Ithaca-only figures on the fetched pages. The 2026 form mentions firearms membership benefits starting at $150 per year, free/paid searches, and large discounts on factory letters—confirm current tiers at centerofthewest.org/membership or with the Membership office (307-578-4008 on the form) before joining solely for letters. This article does not invent member letter prices.
Turnaround
- Ithaca page: letters typically mailed six (6) weeks from date of payment.
- Ithaca page (members): allow four (4) business days for search returns; email cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org with name and member number; limit 5 searches per day.
- Main Firearms Records page: factory letters typically mailed four to six weeks from payment receipt; member quick searches typically 2 to 5 business days.
Interpretation (mine): Ithaca’s published six-week letter turnaround is a planning difference versus several other Cody maker pages that say about four weeks. Plan from payment receipt, not from the day you first emailed.
Delivery (Ithaca page)
Postage & handling is per order, not per letter:
| Option | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard U.S. | $8 |
| Standard International | $10 |
| Priority U.S. | $18 |
| Priority International | starting at $45 |
Standard delivery fee waived on member-benefit letter orders and on orders using pre-purchased letter packs (per Cody Ithaca page). If delivery method is not selected, Cody describes follow-up for payment / applying standard—read the current page when you order.
Form outage (live banner, Sep 21, 2026)
Cody’s Ithaca page and main records page displayed:
We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with our order forms. Please use the Print Order Form option or email requests directly to cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org.
Do not assume the web form works while that banner is up. Prefer:
- 2026 Ithaca Print Order Form (PDF), or
- Email to cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org
Online-path notes from the Ithaca page (when the form works again): staff review and confirmation email with availability and fee total within two business days of order form receipt (Mon–Fri); PayPal e-invoice timing described on the page—if you do not see an invoice when expected, contact the office. A PayPal account is not required to pay an invoice (per Cody).
Records Office contact
- Email: cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org
- Phone / fax / text (order form): 307-578-4031
- Mail: Records, 720 Sheridan Ave, Cody, WY 82414
- Records Office hours (main page): Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Do not confuse Records Office hours with museum visitor hours. Cody’s hours tables on these pages (as of Sep 21, 2026) show museum visitor hours for Sept. 16 – Oct. 31 = 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. That is visitor access, not the Records Office schedule above.
Prep Checklist for Ordering an Ithaca / Lefever / Western Letter
Work this list before money leaves your account.
- Unload and photograph the gun. Both sides; barrel address / markings; rib/choke markings if present; full serial as stamped; stocks; any special features. Never deepen or “clarify” a serial.
- Write the serial exactly as marked—digits and any prefix/suffix characters that are part of the serial.
- Record today’s configuration in plain English: brand as marked (Ithaca / Lefever / Western), model family as you identify it, gauge, barrel length, ejectors/extractors, stock style, pad/plate, engraving as you see it—not auction poetry.
- Check Cody’s current Ithaca/Smith ranges PDF for published bands (and Model 37 tiers if applicable).
- Apply the Lefever trap: if it is a Lefever double with SN < 100000, Cody’s PDF says original-company guns are not in this collection—do not order expecting this archive to letter it.
- Email or call first when limited records, Model 37 tier questions, post-1939 guns, or check-amount questions apply: cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org / 307-578-4031.
- Decide letter vs member search if you hold Center Firearms Membership. A quick search can reveal a blank or sparse line before you buy a full letter.
- Budget correctly: $95 non-member letter + postage + 3% if paying by card (unless the office quotes a reduced limited-record fee).
- Order via print form or email while the technical-difficulties banner is up. Indicate Ithaca / Lefever / Western. Include name, member ID if any, model, serial, postage preference, mailing address, and email for updates.
- Calendar ~6 weeks from payment (Ithaca page); allow the main-page four-to-six-week window when planning sales, articles, or insurance deadlines.
- When the letter arrives: compare line by line to the gun and to your pre-order notes. File letter + photos together. Note mismatches in writing. Do not “correct” the gun to match the paper.
- Keep ID pages separate from letters: use Flues and NID/Knick for identification context; use serial guides as dating aids. Charts and ID pages are not substitutes for a Cody letter.
What an Ithaca-Path Letter Cannot Do — and Common Pitfalls
A Cody Ithaca / Lefever / Western letter is a research product translating surviving factory paperwork. It is not a magic wand.
Hard limits
- It cannot invent missing records. Post-1939 gaps stay gaps; blank or absent lines stay blank.
- It cannot letter original Lefever company doubles under SN 100000 from this collection under Cody’s published PDF rule.
- It cannot guarantee a model name on the letter. Cody warns model names are often not reflected on letters.
- It cannot authenticate today’s finish or wood by mail. Paper describes what clerks recorded; your eyes and a competent inspection still own the physical gun.
- It is not an appraisal. Cody sells research products, not value opinions. Do not invent “letter adds $X.”
- It cannot settle 1979–1985 availability from this article alone. The May 2024 PDF still says processing expected late 2025; that line is calendar-stale as of Sep 2026 and was not re-verified by contacting Cody.
- It cannot turn forum certainty or private serial charts into factory fact. Online identification threads are leads requiring verification.
Mismatches that are often useful
| Situation | What it may mean (interpretation—test further) |
|---|---|
| Serial in published band, office says no record / limited fee | Normal for incomplete eras; Cody warned you. |
| Letter config ≠ gun in hand | Later alteration, restoration, parts swap, misread markings, or record/transcription issues—check serial, then ask Cody to review. |
| Letter has date/config but no model name | Matches Cody’s PDF warning; not a failed letter. |
| Customer name present vs absent | Cody says customer data is often available—absence is normal, not a failed letter. |
| Lefever SN < 100000 ordered on Ithaca form | Wrong archive tool under published PDF rule for original-company doubles. |
| Model 37 in overlap zone, unexpected content depth | Ask which tier/record type the office actually found; do not invent it from the PDF alone. |
| Seller “shipped to famous name” vs letter without that name | Believe the archive for what it contains; treat unsupported provenance as unverified. |
| Post-1939 Ithaca + assumption of “mostly complete” coverage | PDF says post-1939 is incomplete—email first. |
| Equating a GCC Flues/NID year table with Cody ledger contents | Different tools; charts aid dating/ID, letters document what survived. |
When a letter and the gun disagree, check the serial, examine the gun, and ask Cody to review the surviving record. Later alterations, original-record quirks, or interpretation errors may explain a discrepancy.
Related Reading on Gun Collectors Club
- Factory Letters for Collectors — hub for Colt, Cody, and S&W letters; already frames Ithaca $95 with Lefever/Western context
- Marlin Factory Records at Cody — sibling Cody deep-dive (early levers; blank-record discipline)
- Winchester Model 21 Cody factory records — sibling Cody deep-dive (final inspection / order sheets)
- Ithaca Flues Single Barrel Trap — ID / serial table companion (not a records how-to)
- Ithaca NID / Knick Single Barrel Trap — ID / checklist companion (mentions Cody letter possibility; not a fee/order walkthrough)
- Firearm Serial Number Lookup Guide — charts start the conversation; letters document what survived
When an Ithaca / Lefever / Western Letter Is Worth the Fee
Often worth considering when:
- The gun falls in Cody’s stronger published windows (especially pre-1940 Ithaca doubles / trap guns where the PDF says coverage is mostly complete through 1939)
- Configuration or manufacture date would change a purchase, retention, or insurance decision
- You need primary paper before writing “as shipped,” and you understand model names may not appear on the letter
- It is an Ithaca-made Lefever with SN ≥ 100000 (or another Lefever type in Cody’s published Lefever bands) and the fee would settle a configuration/date dispute
- It is a Western Long Range in the published band and 1930s records availability matters to your decision
- A member search already suggested a usable record and you want the formal letter
Often reasonable to wait / skip when:
- Cody confirms no record or only a reduced limited-record product that will not change any decision
- It is an original Lefever company double under SN 100000 (not in this collection per PDF)
- The gun is a rough shooter and the fee will not change any decision
- The question is really post-1939 / 1979–1985 availability and you have not yet confirmed current processing status with the office
- You only needed a rough year from a published chart and already have enough for a shooter decision
Trust the clerks’ paper when it exists. Verify the gun in hand. Keep those piles separate.
Closing
Cody’s Ithaca path is one of the more useful shotgun-archive lanes in the Records Office—when your serial sits where the ledgers are thick. Walter Snyder’s donation put surviving Ithaca paper where collectors can actually order from it. Lefever and Western Arms ride the same form, with traps and coverage limits you must read before you pay: the 100000 Lefever split, Western’s corp span versus 1930s records availability, Model 37’s two published content tiers, and the honest incompleteness after 1939.
That is enough to be useful—and enough to disappoint you if you expected a model-name banner or a biography for every serial. Check the PDF. Apply the Lefever trap. Contact before you mail a full-fee check when records look thin. Order carefully while the online forms are down. Read the letter as a primary-source extract. Then decide what the gun on the table actually is.
Collector Takeaway
Cody handles Ithaca, Ithaca-era Lefever, and Western Arms Long Range on one maker page and one 2026 print form. Ithaca coverage is mostly complete to 1939 (PDF) with gaps afterward. The PDF excludes original Lefever company doubles under SN 100000 but separately lists low-numbered Lefever singles. Model 37 has two published content tiers—ask the office which applies. Letters typically carry date + configuration, often customer data, and often omit model names. Non-member fee $95 plus postage and the 3% card surcharge; Ithaca page turnaround about six weeks from payment. Online forms show technical difficulties—use the 2026 Ithaca print form or email cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org. Confirm ranges on the current PDF; treat the May 2024 “1979–1985 / late 2025” processing line as stale vs Sep 2026 until Cody updates it or confirms by contact.
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 & References
Research references • September 21, 2026:
- Cody Firearms Records Office — Ithaca / Lefever / Western Arms
- Cody Firearms Records Office — main
- Cody — Available Serial Number Ranges PDF (2024, Ithaca/Smith)
- Cody — 2026 Ithaca Non-Member Factory Letter Order Form (PDF)
- Johnson, Rachel — “Ithaca Gun Company records find a new home with the Cody Firearms Records Office” (November 17, 2020)
- Newman, Jacob — “Records and Research at the Cody Firearms Museum” (June 26, 2026)
- Gun Collectors Club — Factory Letters for Collectors
- Gun Collectors Club — Marlin Cody factory records
- Gun Collectors Club — Winchester Model 21 Cody factory records
- Gun Collectors Club — Ithaca Flues SBT
- Gun Collectors Club — Ithaca NID / Knick SBT
- Gun Collectors Club — Firearm Serial Number Guides
Not cited as factory-letter authorities in this article: informal web serial charts, auction blurbs, post-Ithaca corporate letter-office claims, or invented completion status for 1979–1985 processing. Specialized printed Ithaca / Lefever references remain useful for identification and collecting context when you can open a real copy—this article does not invent quotations, serial tables, or provenance from those books.