dating my Browning Bolt Action...

[corpsman]

hello from Tennessee! new to the forum here. hopefully, there are some nice and knowledgeable people here, and I can stay a while. so, here's what I've got. I recently purchased a nice Belgian made Browning Bolt Action in 30-06. I went to the Browning website to try to date the rifle, but I could not find it on their list of firearms. the serial number is L5628. could anyone explain the logic behind the serial number of this type. I read somewhere on this forum, that the "L" stands for "long action". the date doesn't necessarily matter, I suppose. I'm just curious, and I like to learn all I can about something like that when I buy it. thanks, in advance.

[DukeConnor]

I knew dating your rifle was legal in West Virginia but in Tennessee ?

[corpsman]

I knew dating your rifle was legal in West Virginia but in Tennessee ?

ha! I guess it's better than dating your sister, like they do in Alabama.

[SgtRecon]

Semper Fi Corpsman,

Try googling FN ( Fabrique National) A friend has one, while it says Browning, who was involved very much with FN it is I believe a FN version of the Mauser

These are nice rifles very much like a Winchester M70

[Gman106]

This site may help...

http://www.browning.com/support/date-your-firearm.html

[gghbi]

ha! I guess it's better than dating your sister, like they do in Alabama.

You know some folks say "Incest is best!" the last one who suggested that was from NJ, and if you had seen his sister...
(He was not actually serious and she was dating a NJ state trooper so was way off limits, but you need to dream)

[corpsman]

Semper Fi Corpsman,

Try googling FN ( Fabrique National) A friend has one, while it says Browning, who was involved very much with FN it is I believe a FN version of the Mauser

These are nice rifles very much like a Winchester M70

Semper FI! and thanks, I will give it a shot.

[corpsman]

This site may help...

http://www.browning.com/support/date-your-firearm.html

thanks, but I tried that already, and there is no listing for the older bolt action rifles. (unless I'm missing something)

[corpsman]

I decided to do some more looking to see if I could dig up any clues, and I came across this statement someone else made after some similar research.

"Just an FYI !
I've been searching thru any of the sites with gun auctions/sales looking for any Belgium Browning Safari's listed.
Out of all of the serial numbers I have been able to read, I've seen the following;
There were 17 readable serial #"s for 1959 as the year reported manufactured.
All began with L before the number. (L XXXX)
Numbers ran from L 1306 to L 9613."

so... that would date my rifle as 1959. if anyone could confirm or further explain this, it would be much appreciated. not that it really matters, but it also got me to wondering what the last serial number for 1959 was.

[corpsman]

well, I called Browning today, and talked to the guy there that they call the "historian", and he said that a 4 digit serial number was manufactured in 1964. surely the guy knows what he is talking about, but it just doesn't seem quite right to me. I have read several pieces of conflicting information on that. so, I'm back to researching.