Ithaca Model 49 Serial Number Lookup Portable [TOP • 2026]

The Ithaca Model 49 Saddle Gun, manufactured between 1961 and 1979

holds many original Ithaca factory records. While their Model 49 data is sometimes "spotty," you can request a factory search

Take a photo of this write-up and the serial table, save it to your phone’s offline album, or print it wallet-sized. Happy hunting.

The base single-shot model. It safely chambers .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR) cartridges interchangeably.

The Ithaca Model 49 was the brainchild of Ithaca's president, Louis Smith, who aimed to capitalize on the popularity of Western television shows like The Rifleman . Introduced in 1961 at a budget-friendly price of around $20, it was styled to look like a miniature Winchester 1894 lever-action carbine. Despite appearances, it was a single-shot Martini-style falling-block action—a reliable, simple mechanism that made it an ideal first rifle for young shooters. ithaca model 49 serial number lookup portable

Early post-GCA compliance; standard 22 Long Rifle chambering. 1971 – 1973

Reviews and owner reports are generally positive for what the gun is: a budget-friendly plinker.

. However, the model's history provides a reliable framework for narrowing down its age. Production Overview Manufacturing Years: 1961 to 1978/1979. Total Produced: Over 500,000 units. The "No Serial Number" Rule: Rifles produced between 1961 and 1968

Since a master chart does not exist, you can estimate the age based on these physical design changes: Early Models (1961–Mid 60s): Often featured genuine walnut stocks and a folding buckhorn rear sight. Later Models (Late 60s–1979): Switched to hardwoods like elm or birch The Ithaca Model 49 Saddle Gun, manufactured between

Often feature a prefix, such as "49-xxxxxx" or a longer numeric string (e.g.,

Manufactured between 1961 and 1968 . Prior to the U.S. Gun Control Act of 1968, serial numbers were not required by law on rimfire rifles, and Ithaca did not serialize standard Model 49s during this era. Has a Serial Number: Manufactured between 1968 and 1979 . 2. Decode the Serial Number Prefix

Feature gold-plated triggers and hammers or higher-grade wood finishes. How to Get Official Verification

Prior to the passage of the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968 , American manufacturers were not legally required to stamp serial numbers on rimfire rifles. If your Ithaca Model 49 completely lacks a serial number on the receiver, barrel, or frame, it was reliably manufactured between 1961 and 1967 . The base single-shot model

Following the 1968 Gun Control Act, Ithaca began stamping all Model 49 rifles with unique identification numbers.

Ithaca Gun Company records for the Model 49 are not as strictly chronological as their shotgun records. The Model 49 started production in 1961 and ended in 1979. Decoding the Serial Number Structure

The single most important fact about the Ithaca Model 49 is that

Numbers from this era generally run sequentially, beginning around 100,000 and progressing upward until Ithaca changed ownership and numbering systems in the mid-1970s. 3. The Late Era (1975–1979)

These numbers signify straight chronological production progression. Exact year-by-year brackets for these sequences are unverified, but they confirm a manufacturing date between late 1968 and 1972. 2. Nine-Digit Predictive Codes (1973 to 1979)