About to go on the hunt for a new 457 scout to put away for my grandson until he is old enough to use it.
Will then start picking up parts for it to grow with him & spend more quality time tinkering etc.
Already he has been coming under cars to "help" & takes more in than I thought he would for a little one
He will be 3 this year so hopefully there is a 457 available down here made in 2020.
Just after some info on manufacturing dates, would like to find one made in his birth year if I can.
Do they just have the year on them or do they have day month too ?
Can't find much info by searching & will have to wait until Monday to look at the LGS.
So 10 days later,
Went to the closest local shop first, made 2022 only on the rack & could not be bothered to check the vault, Also Scout model not on Australian distributors list as available here "sorry buy off the rack or I can't/won't help. (What he does not realize is that I know the owner of said shop)
Tried another couple of local "ish" shops with no joy either.
Today went to the Big shop about an hour's drive away, (Have been going there for many years & they import stuff the local distributors don't bring in).
Asked the salesperson who came to serve me if he could check if they had any 457 Scouts in the correct year & he had no idea what I was on about, then asked another more senior staff member who looked over recognized me, they both went out the back for a while & came back with the news they only had one scout(wrong year) but had gone through the other 457's & had one 457 Royal 16" threaded in the correct year that was also on sale (old stock)
He found a takeoff scout stock from a custom build that had not gone on the website yet.
So deposit down on the Royal & the Scout stock for it to go into,
Just have to wait patiently for a Scout barrel to turn up.
And the answer to my original question is,
Build year is clearly marked on the action,
In the box on the test target is a date, day/month/year.
From what I can gather this is the manufacturing date as in date "finished & tested".
So once the required paperwork is filed & back I can bring it home then wait patiently for the time to take him to the range with it