How low is "low?"

[Chrome]

I hear a lot of people talking about low number seriel numbers. How low is considered low?

For instance, my P99 starts with 042xxx. I don't consider that low, but I have seen some in the 443xxx range. So 10x the amount have been made since mine.

Where do you draw the line?

Later,
Chrome...

 

[SouthpawShootr]

Like beauty, the term "low" in reference to SNs is in the eye (this case, mind) of the beholder. You have to take into account the total production of the weapon in question or, in the case of current production guns, the total production so far. Also, you have to know where the SN started (it didn't necessarily always start with 1). IIRC, during WWII, there were a bunch of companies making 1911s under government contracts. Each company was assigned SN blocks. An additional consideration would be changes in SNs over the years. You can judge a relatively recent S&W M10 revolver, for instance, without knowing how the SNs went over the years. The numbers initially were strictly numbers, but in more recent times became alphanumeric. Again IIRC, this was a mandate from ATF (I don't know why). It didn't necessarily start at 1, go through to 999,999 and then proceed in order from A0000001 through to BCX49924. To many variables.

For my own opinion, I would say the first few thousand (5000 is a nice round number) would be low SN.

 

[RecoilRob]

There are lots of 'low' number Colts made in special runs of 'one of 500'. I've got an 051 and a 256 but that seems like cheating considering that they start at 001 for each small run.

Having something 'Special', to me, has to be the early production of many, many units. Best I have fitting that category is a Navy Arms Schofield in pic. (I know, you shouldn't post #'s on the net..bla, bla) Not worried.

 

[bannockburn]

I have a Glock that I purchased new in early '86 with the serial letter prefix, AL. According to a Glock serial number list I found, that's kind of low; doesn't really carry much significance to me though, as I've always been more interested in how well it shoots, rather than the factory assigned number it came with.