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We invite you to participate in building our knowledge of these fine Australian made firearms and submit to us the serial number of your firearm, along with the model and calibre. A few clear digital images would be of great assistance in validating the information.
Contact us at sportcoinfo@gmail.com
Database of
known Serial Numbers
Sportco Serial Numbers To this date no-one can advise on the final disposition of the original ledgers containing the serial numbers allocated to the firearms manufactured by Sportco. Jack Warne was able to advise of some examples when visited in 2005, but no other reliable source exists. From years of experience in handling Sportco firearms some comment can be made as to how the firearms were marked. At times the method seemed quite methodical, at other times specimens reflect what appears to be an ad-hoc method of applying serial numbers.
Sportco serial numbers were a mixture of numeric and alpha numeric structures. It appears that some models, and their variants, were all numbered within a range without regard to linking model to a given serial number range. e.g. A batch of Model 73A (Deluxe) 22LR semi-automatic rifles may have been numbered within the range AN001 - AN999, but within that range examples of the Model 71A (Standard) rifles may be found. From this observation it would be wise to acknowledge that not all Sportco models had their own unique serial number prefix, or designated numerical range.
The identification of some Sportco firearms cannot be made by serial number alone, but rather with a combination of other descriptors such as Model, calibre, action type and magazine type. There may be an example where a Sportco Model 87A is numbered 12345, and the same number is located on a Sportco Model 2. Only with a full range of descriptors can the firearm be identified correctly.
Winchester Model 320 and 310 rifles
Some
25,000 of these actions were manufactured by Sportco for
Winchester USA. Both the repeater (320) and the single shot
(310) have a D prefix with what appears to be either 4 or 5
numerals. The number is placed upon the receiver of the rifle.
If some
25,000 receivers were manufactured one would expect the SN to
contain the Prefix (D) and 5 numerics ie D00001 - D25000. The
lowest SN sighted so far has been D01207 and the highest D67559.
Note that the D67559 example falls well above the expected
cut-off SN of D25000, so perhaps the SN range for the Model 320
and Model 310 was not a consistent D00001 - D25000? Other
examples have been recorded with 4 numerics eg D4675, so we
would appreciate any images of rifles with 4 numeric serial
numbers.
If you
have a Model 320 and it's SN falls out of our known SN range we
would appreciate being advised. Please include a clear digital
image with your advice.
The serial
number is stamped on the receiver of the rifle.
303 conversions Sportco re-barrelled tens of thousands of ex military surplus SMLE style rifles. Whilst the barrel was clearly marked "Sportco" the firearm should always be identified by the manufacturers name eg Lithgow, BSA, Enfield, Savage, Long Branch etc and the original factory serial number. There is no such thing as a "Sportco" 303/25. Serial numbers on barrels
Many models of Sportco firearms had the factory serial number stamped upon the barrel and not on the frame. |
