GunSerialsWinchester Model 20 serial numbers by year
A single-shot .410 shotgun that hinges open for loading. Regular production ran from 1919 to 1924, with assembly from leftover parts continuing until 1927.
- Produced:
- 1919–1924 (parts cleanup to 1927)
- Action:
- single-shot
New to gun terms? Start here
- Model:
- The name of the gun design, such as Model 94. A model name that looks like a year does not tell you when your gun was made.
- Serial number:
- The number stamped on an individual gun. Include letters that are part of the number. A separate letter stamped above it, like the Model 97's C, D or E, is a different marking.
- Receiver:
- The main metal body just behind the barrel. The receiver ring is its front section, where the barrel joins it.
- Tang:
- A strip of metal extending from the receiver into the stock. The lower tang runs underneath, behind the trigger.
- Stock:
- The part you hold against your shoulder, usually made of wood on older Winchesters.
- Forearm or forend:
- The part under the barrel where your forward hand holds the gun.
- Action:
- The mechanism that loads and removes cartridges. Names such as lever action, pump action, and bolt action describe how it works.
- Caliber or gauge:
- The ammunition size or type a gun is designed to use. This marking is different from the model and serial number.
- Takedown:
- A version designed to separate into major sections for storage. A takedown joint is where those sections meet.
- Proof mark:
- A factory testing mark, such as Winchester's oval WP stamp. It is not a serial number or a date code.
- Peep or aperture sight:
- A rear sight with a small hole to look through. A hooded front sight has a cover around it.
What year was your Model 20 made?
Look up a serial number and print a one-page record sheet: the date and its sources, the status by age, the model in brief, and the low and high of recent auction sales.
Winchester Model 20 value: what it sells for at auction
We found 5 single-gun auction sales of the Winchester Model 20 at Morphy Auctions, Redding Auction Services, and Amoskeag Auction Company between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. They sold for $352 to $1,046.
That is too few sales for a typical price, so we list each one instead. A price table needs at least 40 sales. With only a few sales, one gun in unusual condition can set the high or the low.
We leave out listings described as deluxe, special-order, engraved, restored, or commemorative, and other exceptions in the value guide. Wear, repairs, original parts, and factory upgrades can make a particular gun worth more or less. These sales are a comparison, not an appraisal of your gun.
Every Model 20 sale we counted
Newest first. Their features and condition may differ from your gun. A lot number identifies an item in an auction.
| Sold | Gun | Auction company | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Model 20 · 410 | Morphy lot 1462 | $352 |
| Jan 2026 | Model 20 | Amoskeag lot 2131 | $393 |
| Jan 2026 | Model 20 | Morphy lot 1535 | $1,046 |
| Mar 2025 | Model 20 · 410 | Redding lot 131R | $800 |
| Nov 2023 | Model 20 | Amoskeag lot 2845 | $605 |
Prices are in US dollars and include the buyer’s premium, the auction company’s fee added to the winning bid, where the house charges one; Redding charges none. They are not the amount the seller receives. A dealer’s offer or private sale price may differ. The full picture, model by model →
Where these dates come from
The table on this page comes from one source: George Madis's published tables. Use its dates as estimates for groups of serial numbers, and check the notes for its limits.
Source for this model: Madis published partial table
Winchester Model 20 serial numbers by year
The full Model 20 serial number chart, one table for each source available here. Each row gives the numbers that source assigns to a year. Both the first and last numbers are included.
George Madis's published tables
George Madis compiled Winchester reference books years after production. His tables estimate the last serial number reached each year.
Cited as: Madis published partial table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1919 | 1 – 2,796 |
| 1920 | 2,797 – 4,873 |
| 1921 | 4,874 – 6,896 |
| 1922 | 6,897 – 8,903 |
| 1923 | 8,904 – 11,190 |
| 1925 | 11,191 – 11,248 |
| 1926 | 11,249 – 11,252 |
| 1927 | 11,253 – 11,257 |
- 1923: The table lists no start serial and no number made for 1924.
- 1927: The published table ends at 11,257. About 23,616 Model 20s were made, so roughly half of production has no published dating.
What to know about Model 20 serial numbers
- The partial serial number table covers only about half of reported production. Do not treat 11,257 as the last Model 20 serial number.
Winchester shotguns usually made without serial numbers
These models usually have no serial number. Their pages explain the exceptions and how their features may help estimate age.
Factory record coverage for the Model 20
The Model 20 is not on the Cody Firearms Records Office’s May 2024 coverage sheet. Ask the office about current availability. The notes and sources on this page explain the other dating information we have.
Which Winchester models can be lettered, and what a letter shows →