Home >> Collecting >> Gun Collecting

How to Date My Gun

If you own a gun or are thinking of getting one, you want to know as much about it as possible. Information about the gun helps date and value it. This aids you in making sure the gun is insured properly if it turns out to be valuable, or finding out any problems the weapon might have had. Finding the the year the gun was manufactured requires some preparation and research.

Things You'll Need

Steel wool
Gun oil
Rags

Instructions

- 1
  Clean your gun up as much as possible. Removing rust, dirt and grime helps clear up identifying marks. Sometimes wiping the gun with a clean rag will help, while other times the gun needs an application of gun oil and fine steel wool.
- 2
  Look for the brand of your gun. That is marked somewhere on the gun, and it identifies the manufacturer.
- 3
  Look for other identifying marks, such as a serial number, a proof mark, or any other intentional indentations. Proof marks around the trigger indicate a foreign-made gun, because the United States doesn't have an inspection system.
- 4
  Open the website for the brand of the gun, if the brand still exists. Look through its database for the type of gun you have. Read through the information for any other identifying marks or serial number lots that will tell you when the gun was made.
- 5
  Go to a gun store or a gun show for information on the gun. They have catalogs that you can search through without having to purchase them. These books list brands, models and years that guns were made.

Gun Collecting