Cooey Model 840 Serial Number Lookup -

Cooey Model 840 was produced between 1967 and 1979 by the Winchester Arms Company following their acquisition of H.W. Cooey Machine & Arms Company. Unlike modern firearms, dating a Cooey 840 is difficult because official, detailed serial number databases were never publicly released or consistently maintained for these models. Serial Number Overview

Finding and interpreting a serial number on a Cooey Model 840 is a "detective" process rather than a simple lookup. Serial numbers are most commonly found on the right side of the receiver

. On some models, they may also be stamped on the underside of the barrel (hidden by the forend) or beneath the butt plate on the wood of the stock. Numbers range from 5 to 7 digits. Misleading Characters: Some owners report a "C" suffix

(e.g., 1963C), but expert collectors believe this is often a badly stamped "0" Lack of Numbers:

Some Cooey-branded firearms made before 1968 were not legally required to have serial numbers, though many Model 840s (produced post-1967) do feature them. Winchester Collector Dating Your Model 840

Since no official lookup table exists, you must use physical markings and manufacturing history to estimate the age:

Interpreting the marking format

Cooey serials are typically numeric sequences; letters are uncommon but possible on later or imported variants.
No single standardized public database exists from the manufacturer; most dating relies on cross-referencing collector resources, catalogs, and serial-range lists compiled by enthusiasts.

🔍 The Cooey Model 840: A Canadian Classic, Wrapped in Mystery

If you’ve inherited or discovered a Cooey Model 840 shotgun or rifle, you’re holding a piece of Canadian working-class firearm history. But here’s the catch: looking up its serial number won’t go the way you expect. Cooey Model 840 Serial Number Lookup

🤔 The Serial Number “Secret”

Here’s the surprising part: many Cooey Model 840 firearms never had a serial number.

Before the U.S. Gun Control Act of 1968, Canadian and American manufacturers were not required to serialize budget-friendly firearms. The Cooey 840 was a “utility gun”—made to be affordable, not tracked. As a result:

No serial number = no lookup.
If your gun has a number, it was likely added for a specific retail chain (like Eaton’s Canada), post-1968 export to the U.S., or as a manufacturer batch code.

The Final Verdict on Cooey Model 840 Serial Number Lookup

To conclude, let’s be perfectly clear: You cannot perform a true, digital serial number lookup for the Cooey Model 840 because the vast majority of these shotguns were never assigned a serial number at the factory. If you own a serialized example, it is a rare transitional model from 1960-1961 or an American export. Even then, no public database exists to decode that number by year.

Your best course of action is to:

Inspect the receiver and barrel for any number.
If no number exists, date the gun by its mechanical features (extractor, cartridge guide, stock checkering).
Cross-reference your findings with collector forums or The Cooey Story by Houze.
Accept that the absence of a serial number is not a flaw—it is a hallmark of true, classic Canadian craftsmanship from an era before government bureaucracy intervened.

Whether your Cooey 840 has a serial number or not, it remains one of the finest small-game shotguns ever built. Treat it with care, and it will likely outlast any digital database you try to search.

Have a Cooey Model 840 with a serial number you can't decode? Leave a description of the markings in the comments below, and the community will help you identify its era. Cooey Model 840 was produced between 1967 and

The story of dating a Cooey Model 840 is less about a formal database and more about playing detective with the steel itself. Because formal factory records for Cooey were largely lost or never centralized after the company was sold to Winchester

in 1961, collectors rely on physical "markers" to tell the gun's story. The Hunt for the Number If you are looking for a serial number on a Cooey Model 840 , check these classic locations: The Receiver: Typically stamped on the right side in large digits. The Barrel: Look on the underside, often hidden beneath the fore-stock. The Butt Plate:

On some models, the number is stamped on the wood or metal under the butt plate/shoulder stock. Reading the Steel: A Timeline

Since a direct "lookup" table doesn't exist for every individual number, you can determine the era of your 840 by its markings: Key Identifying Markings Stamped "H. W. Cooey Machine & Arms Company". These are original Canadian-made "Model 84" units. 1961–1967 Stamped "Winchester-Western (Canada) Limited".

Transition period after Winchester bought the company; still usually labeled "Model 84". 1967–1979 Labeled "Model 840" on the barrel or receiver. The final evolution of the design before the Cobourg factory closed in 1979. Collector’s Tips

The Cooey Model 840, produced between 1967 and 1979 by Winchester-Western (Canada), lacks a public, detailed serial number database for precise dating. Dating is primarily determined by physical markers, such as transitioning from walnut to birch stocks and using "Winchester-Western" branding, rather than the earlier "H.W. Cooey" markings. For more details, visit Canadian Gun Nutz. Model 84 Cooey hinge or break-action shotgun Cooey serials are typically numeric sequences; letters are

The Cooey Model 840 is a classic Canadian bolt-action shotgun, produced by the H.W. Cooey Machine & Arms Company in Winchester, Ontario (later acquired by Winchester). Because these were mass-produced utility firearms over several decades, detailed factory records are scarce.

Here is a detailed breakdown regarding the serial number lookup, date estimation, and features of the Model 840.

A Real-World Example

Let’s say your rifle has serial number 812345 on the left receiver flat, with “Cooey Model 840” and a small “Winchester” marking. That suggests 1963–1964 production, likely for the U.S. export market. Without factory letters, you won’t get an exact day or month—but that’s as close as anyone can get.

The "No-Number" Era

First, the big reveal: Most Cooey Model 840 rifles were never given a unique serial number.

Before 1968, Canadian law did not require serial numbers on long guns. Cooey, being a company that prided itself on economy, didn’t waste money stamping numbers where none were needed. Millions of Model 840s (and its twin, the Western Auto "Revelation" model 100) left the factory with a bare receiver.

So, if your 840 has no serial number at all, you’ve actually confirmed something significant: it was manufactured before 1968.