Barrel Codes vs. Serial Number

[tx81]

R UU for a barrel code says that it was manufactured Nov 49.

From Model 81 Serial Numbers page --
1949~51187 7409
1950~55581 4394

Yet the serial number on my Model 81 says it was manufactured sometime in 1950.

Anyone have any ideas how I can get the "real" answer???

RR

[81police]

Ahh the trouble with date codes and serial numbers. Your serial number would indicate the year your receiver was manufactured, the date code would indicate when your rifle was assembled and shipped.

[tx81]

Ahh the trouble with date codes and serial numbers. Your serial number would indicate the year your receiver was manufactured, the date code would indicate when your rifle was assembled and shipped.

"Assembled and shipped" in 1949 by the date code and the receiver "manufactured" the following year.
Ser # 519xx

How can it be "manufactured" AFTER "assembled and shipped"?? Could I have the barrel of one rifle and the receiver of another?

Not trying to be a pain in the caboose, just trying to understand the difference between the two sets of information.

[jack1653]

That is a definite possibility. One of the blessings and curses of these rifles is that the parts are interchangeable. It was not uncommon for owners to find components off of other rifles to replace broken or missing parts. Remington seemed to have inconsistencies in stamping serial numbers on the various components of the rifles. There were and are many competent gunsmiths who would use components from various rifles to fix rifles for their owners.

jack1653

[jiminthecorner]

Hi I just got my "NEW" model 81 Woodmaster,
serial # is 18639 and ther is a kk on the barrel jacket. What have I got , its 35 cal
Thanks Jim

[tx81]

Hi I just got my "NEW" model 81 Woodmaster,
serial # is 18639 and ther is a kk on the barrel jacket. What have I got , its 35 cal
Thanks Jim

The barrel code says May '41 and Serial # says sometime in '42.

[imfuncity]

Cool, so it was made in 42 but shipped in 41... how'd they do that?

I'm thinking (always dangerous) that barrels were made stocked (date code), then the receiver was made (with serial number), finally everything was assembled and shipped - likely in 42.

Yup, everything we have says the opposite (Henwood, etc.), but... knowing Remington, just about anything is possible. Just for info purposes I understand that serial numbers weren't required by the Feds until 68, so Rem could do just about anything they wanted - the book work was their headache.

[Hardrada55]

Yeah, I always thought the serial number dates and the barrel codes were all backwards. But, who knows what the actual manufacturing process and marking sequence for these rifles looked like. That's probably for the Remington Society historians, who have access to the old Remington records, to suss out. Anyway, I don't think we should read too much more into the serial numbers "manufactured" date and the barrel date codes than a pretty general time frame for when our guns came into being. We aren't going to be able to discern a "birthday". Kinda like my favorite dog. I know she was whelped in the spring of '97. Much more than that....I know my favorite Model 8 was whelped probably during 1918 or 1919.

[DWalt]

And yet we still do not know what the latest M81 date code and last serial number is. Right?

[jack1653]

I tried to get some input from the readers on this subject but I did not get any responses. Again, I would like to know, not that it makes any difference, what was the last rifle issued? I have not heard of anyone having a number higher than the one I posted. The highest serial number that is on my Model 81 is 56835. Go ahead guys and burst my bubble. Does anyone out there have a higher number?

Regards,

jack1653

[ctgodog]

My grandfather's model 8 serial #22470 indicates that it was mfg. sometime in 1911. The receiver is stamped 25 REM and sometime in it's life it was changed to 30 REM. There are no barrel codes on the left side of the barrel flange, but on the right side of the flange there is a R.P. Is this the stamp of the remington factory employee that changed the barrel?

Clint

[81police]

My grandfather's model 8 serial #22470 indicates that it was mfg. sometime in 1911. The receiver is stamped 25 REM and sometime in it's life it was changed to 30 REM. There are no barrel codes on the left side of the barrel flange, but on the right side of the flange there is a R.P. Is this the stamp of the remington factory employee that changed the barrel?

Clint

Clint,

the R.P. if i'm not mistaken is a Remington proof marking and common. I'd guess if the caliber was changed by the factory (post 1921) it most likely would have had a repair code stamped on the jacket (date code followed by the number "3").

[ctgodog]

Thanks Cam,

That is exactly what I was thinking also.

I have one more question (right now...so far)....on the model 8 SN#2522...I think mfg. in 1907....the top of the barrel flange, just ahead of the receiver, is inscribed with 30-30 REM. Is that the way, and the position of the caliber notation for some of the earlier rifles?

Thanks again...

Clint

[imfuncity]

"The top of the barrel flange, just ahead of the receiver, is inscribed with 30-30 REM. Is that the way, and the position of the caliber notation for some of the earlier rifles?"

Yup, that is the correct inscription "hand engraved 30-30 Rem" (as pictured on pg61 of THE book) used on the very early models, "sometime in 1907 the appropriate caliber marking was roll-stamped on the barrel extension" - Henwood.

Remington was trying to move in on Winchesters popular models/cartridges but all they really did was muddle things up - as neither the rimmed 30-30Win or 25-35Win fit in the Rem M8 and just labeling them as 30-30Rem and 25-35Rem simply did not work for obvious reasons.