[John L]

Trying to date a made in Japan Browning BT99 S# 37D18193. Blue Book only lists those produced in Belgum. Can anyone help????

 

[Claydust]

Trying to date a made in Japan Browning BT99 S# 37D18193. Blue Book only lists those produced in Belgum. Can anyone help????

A quick check in my "Matt Eastman's Guide to Browning's Sporting Firearms" indicates that the serial number above is non typical.

If it was made after 1976, it should have two letters together in it, they form a date code.

Are you sure it is "37D" and not "73D"

From 1971 to 1976, first three symbols in the serial No.'s ran;

1971 - 71D
1972 - 72D
1973 - 73D
1974 - 74D
1975 - 75D
1976 - 76D

After 1976, they go to a letter code which you use to figure out the year.

1 - Z
2 - Y
3 - X
4 - W
5 - V
6 - T
7 - R
8 - P
9 - N
0 - M

For example a post 1976 serial number containing "PW" would stand for "84", i.e. 1984.

 

[Claydust]

Here's a site that may be of interest;

http://midwestgunworks.com/cgi-bin/merc ... de=B-012-6