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Model 185D-B. Where's my serial number?

I don't know what year it is. The gun metal looks old, but it's got a plastic type trigger guard.

I was looking around and found this,,,,,,hope it helps.


Variations: Mossberg 185D
The Mossberg Model 185D was the initial model introduced to the public. For reasons I mentioned, I have speculated the change from 185D to 185D-A to 185D-B was probably very small design changes including a firing pin change. Dating these guns is not terribly hard given the number of iterations. The fact that none have serial numbers can be sort of daunting though so bear with me!

  • The regular 185D was made from 1947 to 1950.
  • The 185D-A was made for only 1950 when a probable firing pin issue arose. This is the shortest run and the rarest of the bunch since the 185D-B also popped up toward the end of 1950.
  • The 185D-B was made from 1950 to 1955 and it introduced that firing pin change.
  • Finally, the Model 185D-C was yet another small change to the two-shot magazine making the bottom of the magazine a solid part of the assembly. This was probably nothing to do with functionality and more to cut costs as much as possible. The 185D-C was made from 1955 to late 1958 or early 1959.
After the 12 year run of the Mossberg Model 185D, Mossberg still had the Model 185K that was in production alongside the 185D. The most notable difference was it had a “C-Lect” choke system instead of the type that came on the 185D. The C-Lect worked similar to tightening or loosening the chuck on a drill so it was much faster and handier.
 
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