[email protected] said
About 60 years ago a guy tried to sell me an 1873 winchester with no serial no. He thought it was some sort of a transitional gun. I didn’t buy it as it was way up to about $50. Were there other guns known to be without serial nos. or was it messed with? Don  

Don,

All regular production Model 1873s left the factory with a serial number on them.

Bert

Tyke said
Bert,

Would the factory ever removed a serial number during some process???  The number revealed by the reagent has been carefully reapplied for obvious reasons.  

No, at least not on a Model 1894.  For the various models that had the serial number stamped on the lower tang (which was removable), the answer is Yes, but only if the gun in question was returned to the factory for a broken lower tang, or to convert it set trigger or vice versa.  It is highly likely that somebody polished or buffed the serial number off the receiver frame.  The early production Model 1894s had a much lighter stamp serial number.  The fact that you weer able to chemically raise the serial number is the proof that it was manufactured with it.

Bert

steve004 said
 Midas mentioned that Sears & Robuck purchased a number of 94’s and promptly removed the serial numbers for one reason or another.

Do we know if this is true?  If it is, it certainly begs the question, how did Sears remove the serial numbers?  

Steve,

I believe that it is true.  Harold F. Williamson discussed it in more detail in his book “Winchester: The Gun That Won The West”, first published in 1952.

As I previously mentioned, Sears removed serial numbers on the Model 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1897.  I have personally seen examples of each.

Bert

steve004 said

Bert, in the examples you saw, did there appear to be a uniform way in which the serial numbers were removed?  Any sense of the method – such as they were filed off?  And then refinished?  It seems to me that the removal of serial numbers has the potential to create something that is unsightly.  Of course, examining specimens 100+ years later allows plenty of time for patina to form.  

Steve,

Go back and look at the pictures I posted earlier in this topic (response #19).  I posted three pictures, and they are exactly what is found on all four of the models I mentioned.

Bert

steve004 said
Thanks Bert.  I had somehow missed that post.  It helps a lot.  It also triggers my memory of this is how it was done – removal and an over-stamp.  Do we know of (legitimate) examples where the serial number was removed but there was no overstamp?  

None that I am aware of.

[email protected] said
What about if the gun was stolen? Don  

Don,

The question posed by Steve was “legitimate” examples (guns), and in that regard, the answer is still No.  Stolen guns are not “legitimate”.

Bert