Remington 12 CS date of manufacture

[Nick]

My Remington 12 CS in .22 Rem. Special (WRF) has a serial number of 3033XX and has what looks like a DL date code on the barrel which would indicate a manufacture date of September 1942. Since this rifle was discontinued in 1936, I'm figuring that if one counts backwards from M (1921), this would indicate 1920. Maybe before 1921, Remington put a date code only on some models but didn't do it for all until 1921. Does this sound about right?

[remington600]

Well your serial no. is in the 1915 range. Is there anything else stamped around the barrel code. Any numbers?

[Nick]

Nothing else, but what is unusual is that the D is above the L. Aren't the date code letters usually stamped side by side?

[Nick]

And if it was made in 1915, maybe this is something other than a date code?

[remington600]

Without seeing it personally its hard to say. Most of the time they are stamped side by side, but I have seen them both ways. They could just be inspector stamps.

[Nick]

OK, remington600. Many thanks for your information.