An old friend gave me this Marlin 25-20. It's been around forever & not very well maintauned. Ser. # 276,5xx. Any info greatly apperciated as to date of manufactue. it's a octigon barrel rifle.
Having just bought one yesterday myself, I have found that you subtract the first two digits of the serial number from 2000 to get the mfg date, so that puts yours at 1973. Mine is 1978 and it's a 44.
I've been trying to get an 1895 GBL or SBL since last November, but so far no go. Wandering around the store, I saw the 1894 sitting in the used bin, tossed out a fair figure, owner accepted so I bought it.
Still want that 1895, but the way it's going, it'll never happen.