GunSerialsWinchester Model 36 serial numbers — why most have none
A single-shot, bolt-action “garden gun” for 9mm shot ammunition. Its barrel is smooth inside. About 20,000 to 26,000 were made from 1920 to 1927.
- Produced:
- 1920–1927
- Action:
- bolt-action
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.
Most Model 36 guns have no serial number
Winchester never numbered the Model 36.
These guns usually have model and ammunition markings on the barrel, and may also have patent dates. Those are different from a serial number. The model’s production ended before federal law required serial numbers on rifles and shotguns in 1968. A missing number is normal for this model; it does not by itself show whether the gun has been altered.
Roughly 20,000 to 26,000 were made, depending on the reference.
A single-shot, bolt-action gun with a smooth barrel for 9mm Flobert shot or ball ammunition. It has a knob for cocking by hand. Winchester listed one version in its catalogs.
Without a factory serial number, a serial-number search cannot identify this individual gun. The feature clues below may help narrow its age.
If your Model 36 has a number on it
A number may be an owner’s mark, a store’s inventory number, or an importer’s mark. Some factory stamps identify an inspector or a part. On certain models, a two-digit stamp under the barrel can indicate a year. Patent dates describe patents, not when this particular gun was made. We do not have serial lookup tables for these markings.
How to date a Model 36 without a serial number
Our best starting point is the production period, 1920–1927. We do not have enough evidence of dated feature changes to narrow it further.
Winchester Model 36 value: what it sells for at auction
We found 10 single-gun auction sales of the Winchester Model 36 at Morphy Auctions, Poulin Auctions, and Redding Auction Services between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. They sold for $346 to $1,080.
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 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Model 36 | Redding lot 374R | $475 |
| May 2026 | Model 36 | Poulin lot 2053A | $427 |
| Mar 2026 | Model 36 | Redding lot 472R | $750 |
| Mar 2026 | Model 36 | Redding lot 404R | $940 |
| Feb 2026 | Model 36 | Poulin lot 2209 | $610 |
| May 2025 | Model 36 | Morphy lot 1557 | $346 |
| Dec 2024 | Model 36 | Poulin lot 2417 | $393 |
| Apr 2024 | Model 36 | Poulin lot 2310 | $424 |
| Apr 2024 | Model 36 | Poulin lot 2309 | $514 |
| Sep 2023 | Model 36 | Morphy lot 2571 | $1,080 |
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 →