To the maximum extent possible, the dates of manufacture shown were obtained from the original Winchester Factory Polishing Room serialization records; otherwise estimates were made using multiple sources of information (e.g. George Madis, Ned Schwing, etc.), in which case the data was extrapolated to the best of our ability. This information is no substitute for obtaining a Winchester Factory Letter from the (available for certain models and serial ranges) which in addition to the Serial Number Application Date, normally provide the original Received In Warehouse Date and Date Shipped from Winchester factory. For purposes of determining if your gun is legally considered an “antique” (pre-1899 DOM), the BATF has told us they use the DOM dates published by the manufacture (Winchester).
Those dates coincide with the Madis dates and can be viewed on Winchester’s site at: If you would like to obtain factory research on your Winchester, we urge you to and the. WACA members who are also CFM Members will receive 15 additional record searches on top of the regular quantity of searches included in the standard CFM membership package, regardless of membership level.