I just joined this forum when I became interested in buying a mini 14 and had trouble learning which one to buy. Did discover that I should be looking for a 581 series over a 580 series but hard to tell what series a mini is by looking at it. I think I've come a little closer in determining the years the series started diverging and came across this on the Ruger site to tell what year a mini was made according to it's serial number. Looks like any with the 580 in the first numbers where the 'New Series' or 581 series which are more desirable. Hope this info helps others and that it's not a repeat that can be found elsewhere here but I couldn't locate it. Roy Directly from the Ruger web site.
(when the 1968 Gun Control Act was implemented). Firearm serial numbers were date coded by a prefix within the s/n, as signified below. For example a Marlin model 39A with a serial number of N12478 would have been made in 1955 while a 1894 in 44 magnum with a serial number of 25105098, would have equated to 1975. Depends on the serial number. If it was made after 2000, I don't think the serial number lookup on that above website will work. Walther follows a pretty strict dating scheme for their serial numbers. Here are the number codes for their proof mark to the right of 'DE' or 'Eagle over N' A = 0 B = 1 C = 2 D = 3 E = 4 F = 5 G = 6 H = 7 I/J = 8 K = 9. LC Smith Serial Numbers and Date of Manufacture LC Smith Springfield Model 1873 and 1884 Rifles, Model 1873 Shotgun, Model 1903 Rifle, 1903A3 by Smith Corona Co. Ruger Rifles Serial Numbers by Year for Ruger Rifles 1961 thru 1993.
------------------------------------------------------------- Mini-14 Rifle (Manufactured from 1974 to 1977) Caliber:.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 180- 180- 180- 180- Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 181- 181- 181- 182- 183- 183- 184- 184- 184- 185- 185- 185- 185- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- 186- *196- *196- *196- *196- *197- Mini-14 Ranch Rifle (Manufactured from 1982 - 2004) Caliber:.222 Rem.,.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 187- 188- 188- 188- 188- 188- 188- 195- 195- 195- 195- 196- 196- 196- 196- 197- New Mini-14 Ranch Rifle Caliber:.223 Rem. Beginning Serial Number: Years of Production: 580- 580- 580- 580- 580- The above chart shows the approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year. This number should be used as a point of reference only. It is not necessarily the very first serial number shipped, but it can be used to determine the approximate year your Ruger firearm was shipped.
Ruger Rifles Serial Numbers by Year for Ruger Rifles 1961 thru 1993. Click Here for Ruger's 'Caliber and Serial Number History' Page! Running a close second in popularity to 'When was my Ruger made? How To Install Rapelay Mods on this page. ' Ruger Rifles Serial Numbers by Year for Ruger Rifles 1961 thru 1993. What is manufacture date of Ruger rifle 77047911? What is manufacture date of ruger pistol 85. What is date of manufacture for Ruger rifle serial number 75.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 4:20 pm |
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Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 2:01 am
Posts: 6202
Location: Rhode Island | .
FYI
The old serial number dating charts are gone from the SN lookup section of Customer Service, replaced by a search window in which to enter the SN.
https://www.ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/
The website then gives one the model number, a photo, approximate ship date and a link to the latest owner's manual and spec sheet.
The website then gives one the model number, a photo, approximate ship date and a link to the latest owner's manual and spec sheet.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 6:06 pm |
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 6:24 pm
Posts: 248
Location: Greencastle, PA | Works ok for newer models 90's and newer. Older models you get a, serial number not available, scroll down and select the model and a ship date chart similar to before appears.
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Post subject:Re: Ruger Customer Service Change |
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Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:48 pm
Posts: 14733
Location: Webster, MD. | Works ok for newer models 90's and newer. Older models you get a, serial number not available, scroll down and select the model and a ship date chart similar to before appears. I also found that if you have a 'flatgate' the gate isn't listed in the parts that is brought up.
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 6:25 pm |
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Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:26 pm
Posts: 10514
Location: Illinois | |
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Post subject:Ruger Serial Number Lookup |
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Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 7:18 pm
Posts: 1606
Location: NH 'Live FREE or Die' | Ruger now has in addition to the serial number tables available on their website, they have a serial number lookup available...
See here:
https://www.ruger.com/dataProcess/serialHistory/
Can’t decide if this is better or not, probably is as it provides other very basic information but I just am not used to it so
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 6:18 am |
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Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:19 am
Posts: 277 | I like it, I had to manipulate it some. Shows my 1977 .41 mag BH as 2017-which is when I sent it in for repair. Does'nt list my '85 Single six-but I found my .41 as it should be on the old list. Shows my 2018 .40/10mm as not in production as well as my .44spl FT from 2014. All my other guns are spot on. Doesn't seem to list the newer Bisley's as such, shows them as Blackhawks- Dave
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 7:10 am |
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Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:40 pm
Posts: 8531
Location: Dallas, TX | I like it, but I just looked up the recent 9mm/357 convertible I bought. Ruger says it is a 45 Colt /45 ACP caliber. I double checked to make sure I typed in the correct serial number too. Huh?
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 8:18 am |
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Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:17 pm
Posts: 20412
Location: Kentucky | It says . . .
'Enter your Ruger® serial number above to view its model number, product line, caliber, production status, ship date and instruction manual.'
So I entered a six-digit serial number from one of my Old Models and it came back with a 'can't find that one' answer.
Then it occurred to me . . . it probably cannot search any number that does not have a prefix since that tells the system where to search. There are many serial numbers that, prior to the advent of the prefix system, were applied to several different guns of various models. Basically, it can only search the New Models.
I tried a couple of prefix numbers and it gave me most of the details mentioned, only providing a year for 'ship date'.
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Post subject:Re: Ruger Serial Number Lookup |
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Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:26 pm
Posts: 10514
Location: Illinois | From their site:
Not all serials numbers (particularly ones shipped before records were kept electronically) are available via this lookup. For older records, please select a product line below to view it's approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year or contact Customer Service.
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Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 1:53 pm |
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Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:17 pm
Posts: 20412
Location: Kentucky | From their site:
Not all serials numbers (particularly ones shipped before records were kept electronically) are available via this lookup. For older records, please select a product line below to view it's approximate first serial number shipped for the indicated year or contact Customer Service. Yep, that'll take you to the non-prefix stuff as well as, for instance, the early two-digit prefix offerings like the 20, 30, 40, and 50-prefix single-actions.
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Post subject:Re: Ruger Serial Number Lookup |
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Joined: Sun May 19, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 2194
Location: Reston VA USA | The shipping date is good to have a s a base line but it tells you nothing for sure about the manufacturing date of the receiver or any of the parts. They could be widely different particularly in the early pre-90s era when large runs of parts were stock-piled and assembled in no particular time order.
Later, as the company got away from large inventories of parts and finished guns, the chances improved that parts were made and used soon before assembly and shipping.
wunbe
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Posted: Sun May 05, 2019 11:32 am |
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Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:17 pm
Posts: 20412
Location: Kentucky | The shipping date is good to have a s a base line but it tells you nothing for sure about the manufacturing date of the receiver or any of the parts. They could be widely different particularly in the early pre-90s era when large runs of parts were stock-piled and assembled in no particular time order. Knowing the month as well as the year certainly helps since the various 'type' configurations of many of the Old Models are pretty well known and documented in Chet15's Red Eagle News Exchange Reference of Ruger Firearms. His serial number breakouts are considerably more precise than anything Ruger has put out, and his discussion of which parts were used when is further informative. He can, for instance, occasionally come pretty close to revealing within a month's time when certain features/parts were changed in a run of a particular model. There will always be the occasional 'late shipped' gun having bits and pieces that were released considerably after the gun's serial number might indicate, or the occasional gun wearing some older bits from way earlier production that just floated to the top of the 'parts bin' at final assembly. And of course there is always the potential for the 'screwdriver variations' arising from easily-swapped parts that muddy the gun's actual date of origin, either 'early' or 'late'. There is no real way to sort these aberrations out, but in most cases they can be identified as 'suspicious' if that matters to someone. It really doesn't matter, since The Factory didn't record all the individual bits used on any particular gun anyway, so there is no documentation for most of those with the possible exception of some particular grip frames or panels, and these only occasionally. All this only serves to keep us on our toes and remember that with Ruger, never say never.
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Ruger Rifle Serial Numbers Date Of Manufacture Date
Post subject:Re: Ruger Serial Number Lookup |
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Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2003 2:01 am
Posts: 1178
Location: South Central,PA USA | The shipping date is good to have a s a base line but it tells you nothing for sure about the manufacturing date of the receiver or any of the parts. They could be widely different particularly in the early pre-90s era when large runs of parts were stock-piled and assembled in no particular time order.
Later, as the company got away from large inventories of parts and finished guns, the chances improved that parts were made and used soon before assembly and shipping.
wunbe Well,here is what I got when I entered a number.( Sorry, we are unable to locate that serial number.) The Clayton book shows 1V in 1978 came in 22-250, 25-06, 7mm & 300 Mag. 1979 added the 220 Swift and eliminated the 7mm & 300.The number in question is a 1V in 220 Swift,which was supposedly released in 1979,serial in question,131-42xxx dates to 1978 !
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Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 11:46 am |
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Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:26 pm
Posts: 10514
Location: Illinois | Wonder when Ruger started storing numbers electronically.
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Ruger Rifle Serial Numbers Date Of Manufactured
Posted: Mon May 06, 2019 12:50 pm |
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Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:01 am
Posts: 282
Location: Black Hills of South Dakota | I'm glad Ruger is always trying something Innovative.
I did try the SNL (Serial Number Lookup) on my 5 digit
Single Six Flatgate, made in Year 1956.
Unfortunately all I got was; 'Sorry, we are unable to
locate that serial number'.
Guess Ruger has some tweaking to do on that Program.
Anyway, Thank You Ruger for a Great Idea, if your reading.
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Ruger Rifle Serial Numbers Date Of Manufacture 2017
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