Curious about serial number prefixes...

[tallyho]

Like2Hunt piqued my curiosity on the Handi Classifieds by asking about an H* serial number for a gun for sale there.

I have a .308 Ultra with HH serial number.

I am curious about the H* serial prefix and how to tell what year of manuf they represent... and if there is a place I can find that info - didn't see H* serial number info on the sticky. And is there any significance or difference between receivers with N* prefixes and those with H* prefixes?

I also have a Topper 158 30/30 with no serial number on the frame at all.. but a 4 digit number stamped on the barrel at the breech under the foream - and it is a snap on forearm.

Anybody have an idea when that was made? I was told it was probably made prior to the 1968 gun laws requiring serial numbers, but I see on the sticky a series of "A" prefixes by Mac11700 that go back to 1940.

And finally, I have a 20 ga. 3" full barrel on a Topper 158 frame with an AF serial number (1969 according to Mac's info). Also has a snap on forend, but different kind of latch, and is not interchangeable with the 30/30 forend.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Cheers
Kerry

[Cookiemann]

I hope noone saw how I screwed up trying to respond here.  Tallyho, all you need to do is go to the FAQ at the top of this forum.  The info you seek is there.

[quickdtoo]

The first alpha letter H or N correspond to Harrington & Richardson or New England Firearms....the second alpha letter corresponds to the year of manufacture which is stated in the FAQ, H= 1991. What they did prior to 1984, I don't know as that would be an A. And since there was a change of ownership sometime around 1987, maybe that part is incorrect and I'll defer the early years to one of the "old timers" here! :eek:

[tallyho]

Thanks for the info... my curiosity is satisfied. I guess I might have figured out that H was for H&R and N was for NEF...!

Cheers
Kerry