Tom Hemphill who maintains a data base for the 14/141 rifles shows a smattering of serials in the 79,000 range, the last being 79708 with a barrel code of DWW or September of 1950. There is no doubt Remington had some frames/parts left over and probably filled a few orders after serial 79708 and keep in mind the rifles were probably NOT produced in exact order of serial number.
For one reason or another a frame or trigger guard could have been rejected or set aside, then made right, and put back in inventory. I ask that you pass on the serial, barrel code, and caliber so we can add it to Tom's data base. In short, I have little doubt as to the validity of your rifle & the barrel code. It might well be the last or one of the last 141's produced, thanks for sharing your information and glad the rifle remains in original condition and not drilled or modified.
Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC
Rem. 141 date code question
Re: Rem. 141 date code question
Jim Peterson
Re: Rem. 141 date code question
Jim,
I jopined this forum so I could ask you a question.. hope you see it. What is the last S/N that you have in your Remington 141 database? I might have something interesting
I jopined this forum so I could ask you a question.. hope you see it. What is the last S/N that you have in your Remington 141 database? I might have something interesting
Re: Rem. 141 date code question
79764 was the last when Tom last printed the data base out but he might have something later now. Best I can do until I talk with Tommy!
Jim Peterson
Re: Rem. 141 date code question
The highest serial we currently have was made in August of 1950, 79864.
Jim Peterson
Re: Rem. 141 date code question
Sorry but I just can't help myself and need to comment on late serial Model 141's.
141's have the reverse problem exhibited by the Model 14, while early Model 14's might be desirable to collectors they totally lack for function. It took Remington about a year to realize how poorly these rifles would load, feed, fire, & eject so they went about re-designing just about every internal part including the magazine follower, action bar cover, bolt, stop, and whatever. The result being a hodge-podge of rifles made with assorted/modified parts for about 10 years. The point is the late 14's were the very best with excellent metal/metal fit, fine/smooth machining, and were dependable.
When Remington switched over to the Model 141 this same quality continued so the early 141's were blessed by the same quality as the late 14's. Its also interesting that the late 14's utilized some 141 parts like the magazine plug but mostly the bolt/action bar design carried over into 141 production. The overall quality in the Model 141 continued into serial number range 42,000 and by 45,000 things were going downhill.
The point to all this is you might think you're "lucky" to find a really late serial 141 but I can tell you without hesitation that 90%+ of production in the 70,000 serial range sucked!!! Late production rifles might look pretty on the outside but they started using barrel shims to fit the barrel, the bolt and other internals had heavy/rough machine marks, metal/metal fit was awful to the point you needed a dead blow hammer to separate the upper/lower receiver because of poor milling on the guard assembly.
All of the shortcomings on the late rifles I could fix in my shop including the metal/metal fit that took about 30 minutes with a Dremel tool. The real fix to late model rifles is to take a salvaged parts set (bolt, stop, action bar assembly, and magazine tube) from an early gun and install them in place of the gnarly stuff. I would buy beat up early rifles just to salvage "parts sets" for use on late serial rifles.
I also noted that you could remove one of the late serial barrels with ease because of the factory's use of shims AND had no trouble replacing it with an early barrel that fit nicely without shims. Go figure.
So I know someone out there has a late 141 that works perfectly and he probably says he uses spire point ammo without difficulty, might even be true but like I said above, 90% of late serial guns are a LOT less than Remington's best!
Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC
141's have the reverse problem exhibited by the Model 14, while early Model 14's might be desirable to collectors they totally lack for function. It took Remington about a year to realize how poorly these rifles would load, feed, fire, & eject so they went about re-designing just about every internal part including the magazine follower, action bar cover, bolt, stop, and whatever. The result being a hodge-podge of rifles made with assorted/modified parts for about 10 years. The point is the late 14's were the very best with excellent metal/metal fit, fine/smooth machining, and were dependable.
When Remington switched over to the Model 141 this same quality continued so the early 141's were blessed by the same quality as the late 14's. Its also interesting that the late 14's utilized some 141 parts like the magazine plug but mostly the bolt/action bar design carried over into 141 production. The overall quality in the Model 141 continued into serial number range 42,000 and by 45,000 things were going downhill.
The point to all this is you might think you're "lucky" to find a really late serial 141 but I can tell you without hesitation that 90%+ of production in the 70,000 serial range sucked!!! Late production rifles might look pretty on the outside but they started using barrel shims to fit the barrel, the bolt and other internals had heavy/rough machine marks, metal/metal fit was awful to the point you needed a dead blow hammer to separate the upper/lower receiver because of poor milling on the guard assembly.
All of the shortcomings on the late rifles I could fix in my shop including the metal/metal fit that took about 30 minutes with a Dremel tool. The real fix to late model rifles is to take a salvaged parts set (bolt, stop, action bar assembly, and magazine tube) from an early gun and install them in place of the gnarly stuff. I would buy beat up early rifles just to salvage "parts sets" for use on late serial rifles.
I also noted that you could remove one of the late serial barrels with ease because of the factory's use of shims AND had no trouble replacing it with an early barrel that fit nicely without shims. Go figure.
So I know someone out there has a late 141 that works perfectly and he probably says he uses spire point ammo without difficulty, might even be true but like I said above, 90% of late serial guns are a LOT less than Remington's best!
Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC
Jim Peterson