GunSerialsWinchester Model 43 serial numbers by year
A bolt-action rifle in .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .25-20, and .32-20. Factory records show serial numbering from 1948 to 1953; Madis lists production as 1949–1957.
- Produced:
- 1949–1957 (receivers serialed 1948–1953)
- 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.
What year was your Model 43 made?
Need help finding the serial number?
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 43 value: what it sells for at auction
We found 32 single-gun auction sales of the Winchester Model 43 at Rock Island Auction Company, Morphy Auctions, Poulin Auctions, Redding Auction Services, and Amoskeag Auction Company between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. They sold for $500 to $5,100.
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 241R | $625 |
| Jun 2026 | Model 43 | Amoskeag lot 2305 | $665 |
| May 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 367R | $1,150 |
| May 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 295R | $1,200 |
| May 2026 | Model 43 | Redding lot 294R | $775 |
| May 2026 | Model 43 | Redding lot 36R | $1,500 |
| May 2026 | Model 43 · 32-20 Win | Redding lot 35R | $5,100 |
| Mar 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 379R | $1,200 |
| Mar 2026 | Model 43 | Redding lot 378R | $1,300 |
| Feb 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Poulin lot 2063 | $1,830 |
| Feb 2026 | Model 43 · 218 Bee | Poulin lot 2062 | $1,342 |
| Feb 2026 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 284R | $1,750 |
| Dec 2025 | Model 43 · 25-20 | Morphy lot 2316 | $1,800 |
| Nov 2025 | Model 43 | Amoskeag lot 1464 | $1,210 |
| Nov 2025 | Model 43 · 218 Bee | Morphy lot 1397 | $945 |
| Oct 2025 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Rock Island lot 761 | $1,998 |
| Sep 2025 | Model 43 · 25-20 | Morphy lot 3275 | $1,440 |
| Sep 2025 | Model 43 · 32-20 | Morphy lot 2115 | $3,120 |
| Aug 2025 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 115R | $1,375 |
| Jul 2025 | Model 43 | Redding lot 168R | $800 |
| Apr 2025 | Model 43 · 22 Hornet | Redding lot 320R | $500 |
| Apr 2025 | Model 43 | Poulin lot 2117 | $968 |
| Mar 2025 | Model 43 | Amoskeag lot 2532 | $574 |
| Feb 2025 | Model 43 · 218 Bee | Rock Island lot 703 | $1,880 |
| Feb 2025 | Model 43 · 32 Win | Rock Island lot 697 | $2,938 |
| Nov 2024 | Model 43 | Poulin lot 2391 | $2,057 |
| Aug 2024 | Model 43 | Amoskeag lot 2292 | $786 |
| Apr 2024 | Model 43 | Poulin lot 4028 | $968 |
| Mar 2024 | Model 43 | Amoskeag lot 1625 | $1,149 |
| Feb 2024 | Model 43 · 25-20 WCF | Rock Island lot 750 | $2,115 |
| Feb 2024 | Model 43 · 218 Bee | Rock Island lot 4718 | $999 |
| Nov 2023 | Model 43 | Poulin lot 2272A | $1,150 |
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 the serial number is
On early rifles, on the left side of the receiver's front section, just behind the barrel.
Why the sources give different years
The dates for the Winchester Model 43 come from factory record books held at the Cody Firearms Museum, and George Madis's reference books. These sources can give different years for the same serial number. Original records usually provide stronger evidence than later estimates. Check the notes to see whether a source dates numbering, assembly, or another step.
Madis vs. factory dates shows examples from models whose tables disagree on this site.
Sources for this model: CFM/Polishing Room · Madis
Winchester Model 43 serial numbers by year
The full Model 43 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.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
Drawn from Winchester's original factory records. Numbering records date when serial numbers were stamped. The gun could be finished or shipped later; see this model's notes.
Cited as: CFM/Polishing Room
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1948sources differ | 1 – 6,525 |
| 1949 | 6,526 – 16,737 |
| 1950 | 16,738 – 36,915 |
| 1951 | 36,916 – 52,325 |
| 1952 | 52,326 – 59,767 |
| 1953 | 59,768 – 62,617 |
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
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1949–1957sources differ | through 62,617 |
- 1949–1957: The later 1957 date reflects remaining stock being catalogued and sold, not receivers still being made. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum place actual manufacture from May 1948 through December 1953.
What to know about Model 43 serial numbers
- The A marking starts at about serial 16,738. It was not written down as part of the number in the factory ledger at the Cody Firearms Museum.
- The sources disagree on both ends of production. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum show the first Model 43 receivers numbered in May 1948, with serial numbers 1 through 6,525 stamped that year, and the last numbered in December 1953 at 62,617. George Madis's tables date production from 1949 to 1957. The 1957 date reflects Winchester keeping the model in its catalog to sell the rifles it had on hand, not receivers still being made. If your serial number is 6,525 or below, the factory record puts it in 1948.
Winchester rifles 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.
Need more detail? Check for factory records
The Cody Firearms Records Office can check for surviving records for your serial number. For a fee, it can issue a letter reporting what they say. Some records contain only dates; others also describe the gun’s original features.
The office’s May 2024 coverage sheet lists these Model 43 serial numbers: 41–62,617. Check current availability with the office before ordering; a listed range does not guarantee a record for every number.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →