Can you tell the age of a gun by the serial number?

cchardwick · October 21, 2008, 06:13 PM

I just bought two Bushmaster AR-15s this month, both from Sportsman's warehouse. My first one was a floor model and after I got it home I realized that the storage case was all busted up and the charging handle on the rifle had some significant wear, probably from people pulling the charging handle over and over. I would exchange it for a different one but they don't take exchanges or refunds. Then I went back a few weeks later and bought another making sure I got a new one from the back room. Boy what a difference, the case was completely redesigned and even the serial number / logo engraving was different. It made me wonder if theres a way to figure out how old the first was is. I bet it's been there for years. Here are the serial numbers:

L469XXX (older model)
BFI590XXX (newer model)

Both are the same model: XM15-E2S

TheManHimself · October 21, 2008, 06:16 PM

If you call Bushmaster, they should be able to tell you. I'd be surprised if they didn't have that information in their records.

hockeysew · October 21, 2008, 10:24 PM

Bushy serial #'s that start with BFI are post Cerebus purchase rifles.
I am suprised that Sportsmans had them. I have a buddy that works at the one in Thornton and he told me they are alloted 5 or 6 Bushy's a month. Once they are sold there are no more until the next month.

cchardwick · October 22, 2008, 09:06 AM

What is a "post Cerebus purchase rifle"?

hockeysew · October 22, 2008, 04:11 PM

Cerberus Holdings purchased Bushmaster, Remington and a couple other firearms manufactures last year. They are a HUGE holdings company with interest in many different industries.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Gun...?p=0&t=1&i=895

10-96 · October 22, 2008, 06:21 PM

Just going out on a limb here, but I'd think that with the old "Pre-ban/Post-ban" worries- AR companies would keep pretty darn good records on their manufacture dates. Once was the time that a feller was told to "contact the manufacturer" before he put on a flash supressor or any other number of doo-dads.

cchardwick · October 23, 2008, 10:03 AM

I just heard back from Bushmaster, here are the results. Both were made this year which surprises me. Also they offered to send me a new case but said I have to go back to the retail store for a charging handle replacement.

First one L469XXX DISPOSITION
DATE:04/10/2008 ITEM:BCWA3F 16M4

Second BFI590XXX DISPOSITION
DATE:09/22/2008 ITEM:BCWA3F 16M4

cchardwick · October 23, 2008, 01:10 PM

Well Bushmaster continued to e-mail me back and forth today and they asked if I was given a discount for buying a floor model (which I wasn't) so they called Sportsman's Warehouse and decided to send me a case and a new charging handle. It seems Bushmaster is willing to stand behind their products. They even suggested exchanging the rifle but Sportsman's Warehouse won't allow it. I'm glad I'm working with a company that is dedicated to making their customers happy. That may be why Bushmaster is the number one AR-15 sold today.

10-96 · October 23, 2008, 01:46 PM

That's awesome. I'm always glad to hear of big companies that still know what customer service means. I wish there was a way to bump everybody's thread that boasts outstanding CS to the top of some list somewhere, or maybe a new category.

hockeysew · October 23, 2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Both were made this year which surprises me.

Suprises me too. I was told by a fairly reliable source that anything with the BFI prefix is post Cerbeus.

Quote:

I'm glad I'm working with a company that is dedicated to making their customers happy. That may be why Bushmaster is the number one AR-15 sold today.

This doesnt surprise me in the least. Bushy has always had exemplary customer service.

TPAW · October 23, 2008, 11:08 PM

How's the finish on the new Bushy? The older ones were a little rough.

mcraig8377 · May 17, 2009, 06:41 PM

BFI means in house manufactured!

October 21, 2008, 06:13 PM	#1
cchardwick Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 574	Can you tell the age of a gun by the serial number? I just bought two Bushmaster AR-15s this month, both from Sportsman's warehouse. My first one was a floor model and after I got it home I realized that the storage case was all busted up and the charging handle on the rifle had some significant wear, probably from people pulling the charging handle over and over. I would exchange it for a different one but they don't take exchanges or refunds. Then I went back a few weeks later and bought another making sure I got a new one from the back room. Boy what a difference, the case was completely redesigned and even the serial number / logo engraving was different. It made me wonder if theres a way to figure out how old the first was is. I bet it's been there for years. Here are the serial numbers: L469XXX (older model) BFI590XXX (newer model) Both are the same model: XM15-E2S Last edited by cchardwick; October 22, 2008 at 09:04 AM.

October 22, 2008, 06:21 PM	#6
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 2,863	Just going out on a limb here, but I'd think that with the old "Pre-ban/Post-ban" worries- AR companies would keep pretty darn good records on their manufacture dates. Once was the time that a feller was told to "contact the manufacturer" before he put on a flash supressor or any other number of doo-dads. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I'm going to use the words "clip" and "Long Colt" every chance I get. It grinds my gears to see new members attacked when we all know dang good and well what's being refered to.

October 23, 2008, 01:46 PM	#9
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 2,863	That's awesome. I'm always glad to hear of big companies that still know what customer service means. I wish there was a way to bump everybody's thread that boasts outstanding CS to the top of some list somewhere, or maybe a new category. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I'm going to use the words "clip" and "Long Colt" every chance I get. It grinds my gears to see new members attacked when we all know dang good and well what's being refered to.

October 21, 2008, 06:16 PM	#2
TheManHimself Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2008 Posts: 731	If you call Bushmaster, they should be able to tell you. I'd be surprised if they didn't have that information in their records.

October 21, 2008, 10:24 PM	#3
hockeysew Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Posts: 91	Bushy serial #'s that start with BFI are post Cerebus purchase rifles. I am suprised that Sportsmans had them. I have a buddy that works at the one in Thornton and he told me they are alloted 5 or 6 Bushy's a month. Once they are sold there are no more until the next month.

October 22, 2008, 09:06 AM	#4
cchardwick Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 574	What is a "post Cerebus purchase rifle"?

October 22, 2008, 04:11 PM	#5
hockeysew Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Posts: 91	Cerberus Holdings purchased Bushmaster, Remington and a couple other firearms manufactures last year. They are a HUGE holdings company with interest in many different industries. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Gun...?p=0&t=1&i=895

October 23, 2008, 10:03 AM	#7
cchardwick Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 574	I just heard back from Bushmaster, here are the results. Both were made this year which surprises me. Also they offered to send me a new case but said I have to go back to the retail store for a charging handle replacement. First one L469XXX DISPOSITION DATE:04/10/2008 ITEM:BCWA3F 16M4 Second BFI590XXX DISPOSITION DATE:09/22/2008 ITEM:BCWA3F 16M4

October 23, 2008, 01:10 PM	#8
cchardwick Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 574	Well Bushmaster continued to e-mail me back and forth today and they asked if I was given a discount for buying a floor model (which I wasn't) so they called Sportsman's Warehouse and decided to send me a case and a new charging handle. It seems Bushmaster is willing to stand behind their products. They even suggested exchanging the rifle but Sportsman's Warehouse won't allow it. I'm glad I'm working with a company that is dedicated to making their customers happy. That may be why Bushmaster is the number one AR-15 sold today.

October 23, 2008, 11:08 PM	#11
TPAW Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Posts: 2,849	How's the finish on the new Bushy? The older ones were a little rough.

May 17, 2009, 06:41 PM	#12
mcraig8377 Junior member Join Date: January 27, 2009 Posts: 254	BFI means in house manufactured!