Anschutz 335 - truly amazing accuracy

[stevegv8]

That's a nice result, good that they helped and also for me would tighten my date to 71-74 assuming that is your serial is 6 digits starting 04? as mine is 6 digits starting 03.

[andrewM]

That's a nice result, good that they helped and also for me would tighten my date to 71-74 assuming that is your serial is 6 digits starting 04? as mine is 6 digits starting 03.

Although they explain on their website how they work out the serial numbers for their firearms, I do not know how it works for air rifles but it could be that the 4 represents 1974 and 06, June of that year. This is only a guess and probably wrong. It also begs the question as to how they then coded their 335s in the 1980s. Furthermore, quite possibly their air rifles all share the same coding method and the model is not identified via the code, although that would be surprising.

I was tempted to suggest to them that they produce a new and updated 335, now that Walther has withdrawn its LGVs and LGUs! That might have produced an interesting response.

Rgds
A

[stevegv8]

Although they explain on their website how they work out the serial numbers for their firearms, I do not know how it works for air rifles but it could be that the 4 represents 1974 and 06, June of that year. This is only a guess and probably wrong. It also begs the question as to how they then coded their 335s in the 1980s. Furthermore, quite possibly their air rifles all share the same coding method and the model is not identified via the code, although that would be surprising.

I was tempted to suggest to them that they produce a new and updated 335, now that Walther has withdrawn its LGVs and LGUs! That might have produced an interesting response.

Rgds
A

Well if yours doesn't start 0 then it blows my theory and if your 4 meant 1974 then my 0 would be 70 and we know the model began in 71.
On a tangent this method is how Seiko date a watch in the serial number with the first digits of the No.

[andrewM]

Well if yours doesn't start 0 then it blows my theory and if your 4 meant 1974 then my 0 would be 70 and we know the model began in 71.
On a tangent this method is how Seiko date a watch in the serial number with the first digits of the No.

Mine does not start with a '0'. But what you have told me blows my theory too!

I wonder at what date they moved to the Mk2 version.

I might go back to them and ask a favour regarding the date of production for other numbers too, if any viewers of this thread would like me to do so, but not piecemeal - ie I would prefer to give them a list in one hit!

Rgds
A

[stevegv8]

Mine does not start with a '0'. But what you have told me blows my theory too!

I wonder at what date they moved to the Mk2 version.

I might go back to them and ask a favour regarding the date of production for other numbers too, if any viewers of this thread would like me to do so, but not piecemeal - ie I would prefer to give them a list in one hit!

Rgds
A

It's an idea but I'm surprised they did this much already, don't know unless you try though, and if you do mine is 035022 so you can see year/month wouldn't work on mine unless you read it as March 1975, then yours wouldn't work.
I don't understand the 5 versus 6 digit serials if you ignore the 0 mine is 35,000 & yours is 40,000 so why drop the first digit unless they realised they wouldn't be producing over 100,000. Would be nice to hear others serials and if any are 6 digit starting higher than 0

[andrewM]

It's an idea but I'm surprised they did this much already, don't know unless you try though, and if you do mine is 035022 so you can see year/month wouldn't work on mine unless you read it as March 1975, then yours wouldn't work.
I don't understand the 5 versus 6 digit serials if you ignore the 0 mine is 35,000 & yours is 40,000 so why drop the first digit unless they realised they wouldn't be producing over 100,000. Would be nice to hear others serials and if any are 6 digit starting higher than 0

Other owners will have to step up with their numbers before I go back to them, to make it worthwhile. I think I might also ask them if they have any plans to re-enter the sporting market here, too, to give HW a run for their money. I probably know the answer but it would be interesting to hear their view.

Rgds
A

[SRV1]

Please may I add my number to the list: 68804

Thank you, kind regards.

[andrewM]

Please may I add my number to the list: 68804

Thank you, kind regards.

Thanks and 68804 is noted! Presumably, also a 335.

I will wait a few more days and then send them a list of anyone else who has sent me their serial numbers.

Rgds
A

[SRV1]

Thank you andrewM,

Sorry, yes 335.

[meatman]

My Anschutz 335 mk 2 .177 calibre with serial number 85633 to be added.
Richard.

[Mr Pusk]

A little experience shows that it is dangerous to make assumptions about air rifle serial numbers. They may have been allocated in blocks to particular models (which means one might have big jumps in numbers), done consecutively across all models, duplicated (look at Webley Mk3s), bore no relation to the sequence in which rifles left the factory, skipped numbers, had some reference to calibre, may have included a coded date, and in some cases may not be serial numbers at all cf Falkes and some others. Luckily, there's no doubt that they ARE serial numbers in this case!. And they may have started with one system and changed to another along the way!

However, it does look rather as if Anschutz may have been using a consecutive sequence, probably across all types, in which case, can we work anything out already? With all due caution that we may be barking up the wrong tree. If the numbers are consecutive, of course the production figures of each Anschutz model (which may vary year by year) may mean it won't necessarily be a possible to draw straight line between two points, but more of a curve which may change as models are introduced, become popular, and get phased out.

Subject to that caveat... let's assume Anschutz numbered all rifles consecutively.

As far as I know, the first type of 335 was introduced c.1971 and stayed in production until 1979/80 ish (though one source said 1977) with the second type coming in after that and the third type with the safety being introduced c.1986. Looking at one of John Walters books last night there might have been two types with safeties. Let's forget the ones with safeties for the moment and refer to the first two types as Mk1 and Mk2 for simplicity.

The earliest 335 so far on this thread is deejayuu's Mk 1 018306. We'll use the 5 digits after the 0.

Stevegv8 has 03**** and again we'll use the 5 digits.

The anchor point is andrewM's Mk1 No 40691 which has been dated (by Anschutz) to 1974. So deejayuu's must have been made somewhere between 1971 and 1974, and as there is a difference of 22,385 between them, it is likely to be nearer 1971, with stevegv8's roughly in the middle. And perhaps it means that my LG275 (which had a long production life) No. 166** is early 70s.

My .177 Mk1 is 56***.

SRV1's is 68804 and is presumably a Mk1

My (new to me since yesterday) .22 Mk1 is 81847

Meatman has a Mk2 No. 85633. So the change from Mk1 to Mk2 seems to have taken place somewhere in the 3786 numbers between 81847 and 85633.

My Mk2 .177 is 89995.

Draitzer on this thread has a Mk2 No.111579

Now, the fact that Anschutz say on their website that numbers research takes them a lot of time kind could suggest that their records exist but are complicated to access. Or that it isn't too complicated, but they just don't want to have to have someone spending time answering quantities of enquiries. I suspect the second, because they were able to come up with the info for andrewM.

If we could find the lowest and highest numbers of each Mark (or if andrewM could get a bit more info out of Anschutz regarding production numbers, numbering system, and dates production started and ended, without abusing Anschutz' goodwill) we could probably pin things down a bit further. And it would be interesting to see if we can find any other models with known dates.

[stevegv8]

I missed this info about these two on here,

" The earliest 335 so far on this thread is deejayuu's Mk 1 018306. We'll use the 5 digits after the 0
Draitzer on this thread has a Mk2 No.111579 "
Seems like a nice early one and a late one, possibly.
I wonder how close to 1971 the 18,000th one was made? if they retailed slow it could be a while later, doing the sums with 1974 for 40,000 maybe during 1972/3 but as said you can't really assume.

It does look like the 0 was dropped as a first digit of 6 digit serials between my 35,000 and andrewM's 40,000 example it's of little importance of course but I'd like to know when & why, looks like they might have stayed like that until gun number 99,999 I guess.

[Mr Pusk]

I missed this info about these two on here,

Seems like a nice early one and a late one, possibly.

Well yes, but how late and how early? What's the highest and lowest known numbers?

This thread reminds me of how tricky numbering can be:

https://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread...-amp-Weihrauch

[andrewM]

I am going to get on to all of this sometime in the next week, if not this weekend. I will see what I can find out and will see if Anschutz's goodwill extends to providing more serial numbers and dates or, at least, explaining their numbering system. And while I am at it, I will see if they have any plans to produce a follow-up to their superb 335, whilst also addressing its faults.

Rgds
A

[threelander]

i have a nice 335 and can remember shooting it in my uncles garden when i was in my early teens and 62 now infact it was my uncles gun but he gave it to me years back and it came with a peep sight which i still have but not sure if its the original sight.As you say they are a very accurate gun and the trigger set up is amazing for the age of the gun.Mine is the one where you push the lever forward on the breech a bit like the HW35.Serial number on the gun is 027674