Croman Serial Numbers Explained

Croman Serial Numbers Explained

Compiled by John Groenewold

Prior to 1950 Crosman did not apply serial numbers to their guns.  What appears to be serial numbers on these older guns is a number that was applied to the gun by the repair technician when it was returned to the factory for repair.  It is possible to see several different numbers, in different locations, meaning that the gun was repaired several times.  Many of these numbers include a Letter, which is the repair technicians initial.  Crosman did not start putting the date of manufacture in the serial number until July 1975. If you cannot comprehend a date, it was made between 1950 and July 1975.   Prior to July 1975, it is sometimes possible to estimate the approximate year of manufacture from some of the features and years of production of the gun. An example of the non-dated serial number is 01578789. After July 1975, the first 3 or 4 digits tell you the month and year the gun was manufactured. There will not be a zero in front of a single digit month. The first number will be the month (2 numbers if it is Oct, Nov, or Dec.), the next 2 numbers are the last two digits of the year.

Examples:

• K342 is a repair number.
• 176000487, the gun was manufactured in January of 1976.
• 195874596 = Jan. 1995
• 381369874 = March 1981
• 989877556 = Sept. 1989

The only 2-digit months are:

• OCT (10) Example: 100189574 = Oct. 2001
• NOV (11) Example: 117714789 = Nov. 1977
• DEC (12) Example: 129102475 = Dec. 1991
• Other month symbols that were used are the first letter of the month.
• S (September) Example: S99258745 = Sept. 1999
• O (October) Example: O02578942 = Oct. 2002
• N (November) Example: N85745896 = Nov. 1985
• D (December) Example D00897456 = Dec. 2000

References:

• Personal notes compiled during visits to the factory.
• Blue Book of Airguns, 12^th Ed., By Dr. Robert Beeman and John Allen