Age of a BL 22?

[Cedarstrip]

Two questions for you more knowledgeable than I...

1. Just got a BLR22 and want to find out its age. Serial # on the bottom of the receiver is "47B42145" which does not compute with any of Browning's 'date your rifle' sites. Is there another serial number somewhere?

2. It's a grade II with the scroll-work on the receiver. Part of it is showing gold or brass in the engraving, and some of it not. Methinks it's be re-blued...
Q: is there a safe way to make it all show the same, brassy lines?

Many thanks guys.

 

[79Jimmy]

My guess is its a '74 but you can call Browning directly, I did when I got my BL-22 and couldn't make heads or tails of the year of manufacture from the serial number. The older ones ('68 to the mid '70s?) dont seam to fit in their numbering/year system. I'm curious when Browning went to the serial number stamped on the side of the receiver, as opposed to the bottom. Mine is on the bottom too.

James

 

[bonker]

Age of a BL 22

Go to the Browning website you can find the age of the gun from the serial number I think it is under support

 

[Neilm]

Are you sure the first 2 digits are 47 and not 74? Prior to 1976 The serial numbers on the BL-22 consisted of 2 digits and a letter followed by the rest of the serial number. The first 2 digits are the year of manufacture.

 

[79Jimmy]

Your S/N and mine are less than 9000 apart 47B51### As you know the Browning "date your gun" does not work for these older BL22s. Like I said I called and was told it's a '74. I agree the first part of the s/n relates to the year and the B denotes a BL22, though I'm not so sure it's just a matter of switching the first 2 numbers to come up with the year of manufacture. Not sure on the engraving and bluing, mine is a Grade 1, no checkering or engraving. I do know that the recievers are all steel so the gold or brass colour in the engraving is added after and has probably faded/worn away over the last 36 years