Stevens Model 125

[skeezix]

I recently picked up a Stevens Model 125 - single shot .22. It's one of the later models with serial number D628xxx.

Does anyone know of a source to determine the manufacture date based on this serial number?

Thanks!

[BlackTalonJHP]

I'm not an expert on Stevens or Savage in any way, but perhaps you can use the chart on Savageshooters forum for Stevens firearms as well. I'm not a member there but you can view the threads as a non member. I pasted the following from a chart there. You might be able to get a better date by calling Savage.

A October 1968 February 1972
B February 1972 September 1975
C September 1975 February 1979
D February 1979 July 1982
E July 1982 May 1989
F May 1989 November 2001
G November 2001 December 2009

[2152hq]

The Stevens 125 was made betw 1969 and 1986/87 from what I can find and remember of them.
It should have a 'Westfield.Mass' bbl address on it. That's the Savage Arms Co plant where it was made under the Stevens name. Savage moved into that loc in 1960.
Savage owns the Stevens brand name and has since 1920..

Ser#'s were required by Fed law on cal .22rf long guns starting the end of 1968.,,so these Model 125 rifles are serial numbered.

The 'D' prefix (and perhaps the first numerical or two) is the yr of manufacture code if you want to call it that.
Savage used to post the chart that had all the codes and yrs laid out for all the models.
But they took it down a year ago or so I'm told.
The only place I can still find it is here:
Dating Serial Numbers with a Letter Prefix

But it looks like you have to join the site to gain access. I haven't tried.
I don't know if it's even a valid site.

There seems to be alot of info on the net that the Model 125 is a much earlier mfg rifle,,like 1900 to 1912 mfg.
But the Westfield MA address and the impressed checkering denies that.

Stevens did make a Single Shot break open Shotgun back then (turn of the 20thC) that was a Model 125,,and Stevens was still Stevens, and not part of Savage Arms Co. That marriage didn't occur til 1920.

I did find one reference to a Model 125 bolt action 22 that someone listed help in finding the yr of mfg. It had ser# D720544.
A person posted that the particular rifle was mfg'd in 4/81.
I can only assume the answer came off the then available Savage date code chart referenced above.

Another try might be calling the Savage Arms Corp, customer service,,asking if they can supply a date of manufacture from the ser#/ make/model/cal of the rifle.

Hope this helps..

[skeezix]

Thanks, BlackTalonJHP and 2152hq, for your replies and information.