GunSerialsWinchester Model 490 serial numbers — what the records say
A semi-automatic .22 LR rifle made from 1975 to 1977 by Winchester-Western (Canada) Ltd. in Cobourg, Ontario.
- Produced:
- 1975–1977
- Action:
- semi-automatic
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.
Where these dates come from
We do not have a reliable year-by-year serial table for the Winchester Model 490. The notes below explain what the available references say about its numbers and production dates.
What to know about Model 490 serial numbers
- Watch the prefix. J is reported as the Model 490 prefix. Very early numbers may have five or six digits after the prefix. Numbers said to be JX1 and JX2 prototypes do not tell you where the production numbering began.
- Watch out for the recall mark. The asterisk applied during the 1976 recall campaign is not a reliable year code, and it does not give a firm serial number cutoff between before and after the recall.
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.
Factory record coverage for the Model 490
The Model 490 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 →