1100 without serial number

[phoneguy]

Has anyone heard of, or seen, a Remington 1100 shotgun made in the late 60's or early 70's leave the factory without a serial number affixed? Remington rep said it was possible- especially since they were manually stamped, and stamping the serial number was the last operation performed on the shotgun after test firing and just before boxing. Would like to know if anyone has any knowledge on this subject.

[Virginian]

No. That is about the ONLY aberration I have not seen. I have seen an 1100 with no rollmarking, but it had a serial number all right. Although serial numbers were not mandated prior to 1968, every Remington I have ever seen, including Model 11s, 17, 29s, 31s, and 870s has had one. Remington did something special with the first 1100, but after 49 years I don't remember exactly what, but it too had a serial number. I guess I was so busy looking to buy one I was preoccupied.

[admin]

I never mind being corrected so if I'm wrong
I believe it was 1958 with the exemption of 22's until 1968, time to google...
That would be a major oops.

[Virginian]

I looked it up. It was the Gun Control Act of 1968 that mandated VISIBLE serial numbers on all firearms. I know I had a Mossberg, and a Sears version of the Stevens 311 after 1958 and before 1968 that did not have serial numbers, as well as a High Standard 22 that I still have with no numbers. Some manufacturers always used them. My graandaddy's Marlin 39A for example.
The hall mark provisions were that it prohibited direct mail order sales, required serial numbers on all firearms, and placed several restrictions on imported guns in a futile attempt to eliminate the much ballyhooed "Saturday Night Special". One thing you have to give liberals. No matter how many times their efforts are proved ineffective they remain undeterred.

[Wulfman]

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Has anyone heard of, or seen, a Remington 1100 shotgun made in the late 60's or early 70's leave the factory without a serial number affixed? Remington rep said it was possible- especially since they were manually stamped, and stamping the serial number was the last operation performed on the shotgun after test firing and just before boxing. Would like to know if anyone has any knowledge on this subject.

If it has an original barrel, it MAY have a date code. I would be checking to see if there is one and what it is.

http://www.remingtonsociety.com/rsa/que ... arrelcodes


Den

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[phoneguy]

Thanks for the comments. As you have probably concluded from my original post, I am the owner of a Remington 1100 without a serial number affixed. The receiver appears to have never been stamped with a serial number. From what I have found through researching various articles, photographs, books, magazines, etc., this shotgun was born between 1963 and 1978. The scroll work on the side of the receiver continues above the slit, which would make it built prior to 1979. The forend is period correct, but the stock is from a post 1979 according to the cut pattern. The barrel is date coded January 1974 and is a modified choke 26" plain barrel. The wear on the barrel, where it mates with the receiver, is consistent with adjoining wear on the receiver. The finish on the barrel and the reciever match perfectly. In other words, it looks like they've been together for a long time. The receiver and barrel do not appear to have any cosmetic work done to either, such as sanding, polishing or re-bluing. As far as the serial number is concerned, I consulted with a forensic metallurgist to see if he thought there was ever a serial number stamped on the receiver. After his examination, he concluded the receiver has never been altered and there was never a serial number stamped anywhere on the outside of the receiver. Having this information, does anyone know any other way I can narrow the manufacture date down by maybe any design dimensions, parts, thread patterns, tooling, etc., or any changes made inside the receiver during these years? Pictures are attached.

[Wulfman]

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The barrel date code gives you the manufacturing date......January 1974.

Den


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[phoneguy]

Thanks Wuffman, but the barrel is interchangeable, and therefore, could possibly not be original to the receiver. However, this is the only verifiable date information I have, and until proven otherwise, am saying it is a 1974 model.

[Virginian]

Wow. Now I can say I have seen just about everything.
At the risk of sounding like a doubting Thomas, how did the metallurgist check the receiver? The only way I know to do it accurately is to acid etch, although in some instances a Mag particle test can give indications. If it truly is 1974 vintage, then it is illegal.

[phoneguy]

It is not illegal to possess or receive a firearm without a serial number, unless there is sufficient evidence to prove it was removed, obliterated or altered. Now, it is illegal for a manufacturer to transport, ship, or sell a firearm without a serial number stamped thereto. (reference Title 18 U.S.C., Chapter 44 § 922) ATF tells me not to worry about it unless I desire to sell it to a licensed dealer. Then I would be required to have them affix an ATF serial number. They said they're not going to investigate one firearm, made more than forty years ago, unless it was evident the serial number had been removed or altered.

The metallurgist performed a random sampling on many areas of the receiver, including the area where the number should have been stamped, using a high powered microscope with a still camera attached and some form of magnaflux procedure. The tooling in all areas tested were consistent and there were no signs of alteration or modification detected.

As I asked in my last post, is there any other way, without the serial number, to date the manufacture of the shotgun? Have I narrowed it down as far as I can now? Any more ideas?

[Bappipapi]

I have one. No idea what year is from it was my dads it’s in Mexico but i can get some pictures