Bolt-action .30/30 with no serial number?

[CountryGent]

So, my sister-in-law is aiding a close friend with wrapping up the estate of a deceased relative. Said so departed, evidently, had a decent sized gun collection. Friend doesn't want them. Sister-in-law, though a gun owner and handgun carrier, is ambivalent. Brother, naturally, is very hip to the idea of acquiring these guns and has tapped his duly licensed hermano to handle the legal/regulatory bullplop surrounding transfer between states, etc.

I just got a message from my youngest brother asking about essentially "an old .30/30 bolt-action with no serial number or other markings". I told him if it was pre-1968, which is certainly possible considering the vintage of the other guns and the advanced age of the recently passed, and I explained to him that aspect shouldn't pose a regulatory SNAFU, provided it is that old.

Now I'm curious: any idea what he's looking at? I just asked him to look again for a model number. (This particular brother isn't a gun nut like some of the other siblings, but he's far from gun dumb either, so I suspect his report is correct.)

Thanks!

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[Andy54Hawken]

Could be a Savage 340...or one of the Store Brand / Marked versions of the same.
( Stevens made a similar one as well )
If it is...any of them that I owned...shot very nicely....albeit none of them are worth a whole lot , dollar wise.
Andy

 

[Knobgoblin]

Savage Stevens date code , letter in circle.
A 1949
B 1950
C 1951
Etc.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

View attachment 1245449
Savage Stevens date code , letter in circle.
A 1949
B 1950
C 1951
Etc.

Nice the one pictured has the desired Dockendoff rear sight....
Andy

 

[Knobgoblin]

Nice the one pictured has the desired Dockendoff rear sight....
Andy

Stolen from the Web

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Stolen from the Web

Well darn...I was hoping you had a neat one...
Andy

 

[Jay Walk]

I inherited a Stevens 30-30 without a serial number.

 

[Member 66298]

Some photos of my 340B. It is an accurate rifle, but what I really like is being able to shoot pointed fmj bullets. I do like my tube feed lever actions more, but its good to have more options than RN or FP.

 

[CountryGent]

I am texting with brother now and here is another, though I suspect more difficult, puzzle: he says another rifle is a "bolt-action .22 with no markings other than a 'b27'".

Any ideas?

 

[Knobgoblin]

Well darn...I was hoping you had a neat one...
Andy

Am creating a small thread just for Mr. Andy right now.

 

[DeanMk]

I am texting with brother now and here is another, though I suspect more difficult, puzzle: he says another rifle is a "bolt-action .22 with no markings other than a 'b27'".

Any ideas?

Just to be sure, that's not "B17", by any chance, is it?

B17 G | RIMFIRE | SAVAGE ARMS

All B Series bolt-action rimfire rifles have a modern ergonomically designed stock with a higher comb, top tang safety and target style, vertical pistol grip.

savagearms.com

 

[Wombat of Doom]

With those... Has the handguard/ stock of the rifle been pulled? I ask because I have found model numbers and serials under the handguard of a couple old rifles I have handled over the years. A couple I thought had none (and they were definitely old enough to have not required them. Pre WWI stuff) had a lot of information under the stock. I suspect that was not that unusual for stuff from around the turn of the 20th century from what I have seen

 

[DunRanull]

Am creating a small thread just for Mr. Andy right now.

Andy should be given his own forum..

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Am creating a small thread just for Mr. Andy right now.

Just as long as it ain't a loose thread....
Andy

Andy should be given his own forum..

Andy's Forum...Right on the cutting edge....of the 19th Century....
Andy

 

[Hueco]

I am texting with brother now and here is another, though I suspect more difficult, puzzle: he says another rifle is a "bolt-action .22 with no markings other than a 'b27'".

Any ideas?

 

[Mark W.]

Back in the day MANY inexpensive rifles mostly .22 cal had no serial numbers I have a Winchester model 121 single shot bolt with no serial number it was at the time their bottom of the line .22. I know for a fact Winchester Savage Stevens and Mossberg all had rifles with no serial numbers. There can be no legal trouble because where you get into trouble is for removing numbers. If they were never put on you are doing nothing wrong.

 

[DeanMk]

Some photos of my 340B. It is an accurate rifle, but what I really like is being able to shoot pointed fmj bullets. I do like my tube feed lever actions more, but its good to have more options than RN or FP.

View attachment 1245474 View attachment 1245475

Yes, I've been thinking about loading something like a 165gr. BTSP in a .30-30. Would probably increase its effective range out to 300-400 yards.
I think Gent's brother has either a 340 or a 325, or a varient of one of those.
Good rifles, Too bad they don't make them anymore.

 

[DeanMk]

Back in the day MANY inexpensive rifles mostly .22 cal had no serial numbers I have a Winchester model 121 single shot bolt with no serial number it was at the time their bottom of the line .22. I know for a fact Winchester Savage Stevens and Mossberg all had rifles with no serial numbers. There can be no legal trouble because where you get into trouble is for removing numbers. If they were never put on you are doing nothing wrong.

The '68 Gun Act requires that all guns made since that time have serial numbers so that their path of ownership may be tracked.
Before 1968, it was the manufacturers option whether or not to serialize their guns.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

The '68 Gun Act requires that all guns made since that time have serial numbers so that their path of ownership may be tracked.
Before 1968, it was the manufacturers option whether or not to serialize their guns.

I have one or two with a serial that are indeed over a century older than the GCA of ''68 or close to (S&W model 1 from 1863 or 1864) and the contemporary colt competitor from 1874) I don't think I have any pre serialized other than my waters pistol.

 

[oldcorpgunny]

One of my first 30-30 bolt guns was a JC Higgins without a serial number. Lots of those old catalog guns didn't have serial numbers. As a matter of fact, it's a great way to generally date a gun. No serial number/ Then it's a pre-68.