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Reported Interarms/Ranger Serial Numbers/Dates

200K views 365 replies 163 participants last post by  suprasonic 
#1 · (Edited)
As many of you know, we've had a number of posts asking for help with placing a manufacturing date on one of the Interarms/Ranger pistols. The posts are always frustrating because, unlike when requests come in for information on the Walther and Manurhin pistols, we can't be of much help.

To the best of our knowledge, Interarms never released a listing of serials numbers/dates that corresponded to the firm's production; as a result, the best that owners who want to place a date on their guns can do is to see if the test target that's sometimes included with the gun has a date marked on it.

In the interest of trying to help out with the date process for the Interarms pistols, let's use this Sticky as a place to post a serial number and the date on its test target; if the list grows, it would help provide a general idea about when a specific gun was made.

Here are two to kick off the list:

Interarms PPK/S Serial Number: 031790 Test Target Date: 1/28/83
Interarms PPK/S Serial Number: 035118 Test Target Date: 1/28/83

Please check your Interarms-made Walthers and chime in if you can help. Thanks in advance.

A couple of other notes here:

1. Dates also can sometimes be determined by having the original bill of sale. It's also important to keep in mind that the gun could have sat on the shelf for a year or three before being sold.

2. As MGMike has said previously: Extrapolation to arrive at annual figures is dangerous. It presumes steady production, which is seldom true.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I've fished back through some previous threads and found these reported guns from a couple of different forum members:

PPK Interarms manufacture dates:

PPK Blued K003641 10/24/1987
PPK Blued K000562 11/5/1986
PPK Blued K014121 12/13/1994

PPK Stainless A068995 7/28/1993
PPK Stainless A067365 1993 purchase
PPK Stainless A079617 2/2/1995
PPK Stainless A0509xx 1990 purchase

PPK/S Serial Number S1598** Date 6/24/99
PPK/S Serial Number 067*** Date 1/31/97

Much of this information comes from this thread (and thanks, Craig):

http://www.waltherforums.com/showthread.php?t=8076&highlight=interarms+serial+number
 
#5 · (Edited)
Here are two more reports that were posted online:

A058*** PPK/S .380 with a test target dated 6/19/91
A024936 PPK/S .380 with a test target dated 12/24/93

Can't vouch personally for these; I've found them reported on various gun boards while running a search and am at the mercy of the folks who own them or have listed the information. As Craig points out in the post below, both seem to be off a bit.
 
#6 ·
Here are two more reports that were posted online:

A058*** PPK/S .380 with a test target dated 6/19/91
A024936 PPK/S .380 with a test target dated 12/24/93
searcher451,
Great stuff. Hope to see more info posted - every little bit helps. But in regard to the quote above, shouldn't the "A" prefix serial numbers be attached to stainless PPK's, not PPK/S's? And, of course the sequence is inconsistent; A024936 should predate A058xxx. Maybe?
If I get any spare time soon, I'll try to sort the info I've collected into order by reported dates, and we'll see if the serials follow. If ands when I get around to that project, I'll post it of course. I suspect there's a LOT of misinformation posted online.
I don't want to discourage anyone from posting info though, please keep the serials and test target dates coming!
Thanks,
Craig
 
#9 · (Edited)
Summary thus far:

If you see anything wrong, please let me know. This is info I believe MAY be correct. Where the dated says "purchse" I'm asuming it was a new pistol purchase date, and the owner no longer has the target. I've seen targets that weren't dated too...

Model Finish Caliber Serial Test target date

PPK Blue .380 K000562 11/5/1986
PPK Blue .380 K003641 10/24/1987
PPK Blue .380 K014121 12/13/1994

PPK Stainless .32 B005339 1998

PPK Stainless .380 A043149 11/7/1989
PPK Stainless .380 A0509xx 1990 purchase
PPK Stainless .380 A058xxx 6/19/1991
PPK Stainless .380 A067365 1993 purchase
PPK Stainless .380 A068995 7/28/1993
PPK Stainless .380 A079617 2/2/1995

PPK/S Stainless .380 S101380 3/25/1993
PPK/S Stainless .380 S1598xx 6/24/1999

PPK/S Stainless .32 W0058xx 8/5/1998

PPK/S Blue .380 000895 1978

TPH Blue .25 G00035x 10/12/0998

TPH Stainless .22 LR T030630 5/3/1996
 
#11 · (Edited)
Thanks for the new numbers, Dr. Lunde, and one and all -- keep 'em coming.

The editing function has been reserved for supporting members. It costs $10 a year; lots of information on how to join (PayPal, check or money order, etc.) is available by running a search or checking the FAQ segment. This link also will explain it:

http://www.waltherforums.com/showthread.php?t=9033&highlight=supporting+member

Hope that helps.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Some additional internet reports, so take them for what they are worth:

1. "My Interarms PPK/S is a 1982 production I believe, serial number S576XX."
2. "I have one with the S on the end of the serial number...but it's a PPK/S .22 (134xxxS). It was manufactured in 1978."
3. "Walther SS PPK/s .32acp NIB (purchased) in December, 1998 - W0052xx."

These come from a current thread running on The High Road forum that MN Swede (Craig) recently posted to.
 
#13 ·
Here are some additional numbers that have been reported on a year-old thread on the P.38 Forum:

1. "I have Interarms #066272 PPK/S with a test target date of 12/06/1987."
2. "I have serial 0063xx and bought it from a friend in October of 1983, he bought it new, DOB 1980?"
3. "I have serial number 024085 that I bought new in June of 1982; no date on the test target though."
4. And this response: "Thanks for your response re: your 24085 PPK/s from 1982. Interestingly, besides the 129XX PPK/s (apparently 1980 production) which started this quest, I've since picked up PPK/s 273XX, a 1982 pistol like yours."

As always, let the buyer beware.
 
#14 ·
I just wanted to say thanks to searcher451 for starting this thread and his efforts since.
Thanks also to lunde and jsbethel for their contributions.
My list is growing slowly due to conflicting new information. I seem to be deleting an entry for about every two I add, but I guess that's progress.
I'll post a revised list soon.
Thanks again guys!
Craig
 
#16 ·
These numbers are really all over the board. I can't make sense of it in terms of a pattern, or maybe it's just me being too tired to notice.

So I'll throw mine out. This is my Interarms Stainless Steel PPK/S, purchased used from a local but reputable pawn shop. No case, no test shots, no sales receipts to speak of:

S0082XX

It has never appeared to be very old, in spite of some wear that I assume comes from it being frequently carried in a holster. On first glance I'd say it was made in the mid to late 90's, but that's just my hunch.
 
#17 ·
If I may add my $0.02 to this one.

I have a PPK/S in .380 that I purchased in a FtF about a year ago. The previous owner carried it lightly and used it as a range queen. The serial on it is 525800S (yep the 's' is at the end). Mine has the St. Etienne Logo/Crest on both the barrel and slide. No paperwork, no targets, sorry.

Dunno when the previous owner got it but Ill try and get back in contact with him to see what I can find.

Hope this helps.

Sidewinder
 
#18 ·
Well, here's an interesting if vexing bonanza, compliments of MGMike, of test target-dated Interarms PPK/S models:

1. S046930, .380 ACP, 03/09/95
2. S094624, .380 ACP, 09/09/92
3. 16421, .380 ACP, 06/19/84
4. 18458, .380 ACP, 07/17/84
5. 43981, .380 ACP, 10/26/84
6. 44803, .380 ACP, 11/07/84

Note the variances in the 1984 dates from month to month: a difference of 2,037 guns between June 19 and July 17, and then the big jump in numbers -- 25,523 in all -- between the July 17 gun and the Oct. 26 gun. If you tried to guess at serial numbers looking at the June and July dates alone, you'd figure that by the time the factory got around to October, it would be somewhere in the 6,111 range of additional guns produced (2,037 for August, another 2,037 for September, and another 2,037 for October, give or take a handful of guns either way), or approaching serial number 24,569.

Mike's comment: "These illustrate why you really can't extrapolate DOB from test targets ..."
 
#24 ·
Thanks, OS, for that contribution, and welcome to the forum. We hope that you enjoy your time here. For what it's worth: It's OK to be confused, especially on this topic. Confusion, sadly, is a way of life with regard to the Interarms serial numbers.
 
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