1. Look up the serial number on a Browning website or reference book.
2. Use the barrel date code to determine when the barrel was manufactured.
Here are the steps for Option 1:
-Use the serial number to look up the manufactured year.
-If you can’t see it, you can disassemble your gun yourself, or take it to a gunsmith to remove the slide.
-You’ll have to write down that number (and any accompanying letters) before you can put your gun back together.
-Go to Browning’s website to use their serial number lookup.
-Enter your serial number and Browning will tell you when your gun was made.
Here are the steps for Option 2:
1. Locate the barrel date code on the barrel of the Browning automatic. The date code is usually a series of letters and numbers stamped into the barrel near the chamber.
2. Determine the month of manufacture. The first letter of the date code corresponds to the month of manufacture, as follows:
A: January
B: February
C: March
D: April
E: May
F: June
G: July
H: August
I: September
J: October
K: November
L: December
3. Determine the year of manufacture. The second and third characters of the date code correspond to the last two digits of the year of manufacture. For example, a date code of "C08" would indicate that the barrel was manufactured in March of 2008.
4. Verify the date of manufacture. It is advisable to verify the date of manufacture with Browning if possible, as there may be some exceptions to the above codes.
