Serial numbers are available for models 1881, 1888, 1889, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898. All records, except those for Model 1898, are for lever-action rifles. Most are included in a consecutive serial number range, available 4,001-355,504.

Marlin Firearms Co. had only one series of serial numbers for all lever-action repeating rifles from 1883-1906; therefore serial numbers do not reflect the place of production or sequence number of a gun within a model. Sometimes a record shows two or even three guns with the same serial number from the same time period.

Model 1898 serial numbers are for shotguns, from 19,601-67,000.