Dating Model 93

[drysideshooter]

I am an FFL, and I am helping a terminally ill customer sell some of his firearms. One of them is a Model 93 in 32-40. I believe it may have been built around 1919 when it sounds like Marlin may have used some older barrels on new production guns. Any insight or thoughts would be very much appreciated. He has Cody letters for some of his Winchesters, but they told him no records were available for this firearm.

The barrel is marked:
Marlin Fire-Arms Co New Haven CT USA
Patented Oct 11 1887 April 2 1889 August 1 1893
Special Smokeless Steel

The barrel is 26" octagon

Here is where it get's interesting, at least to me. The upper tang is marked Model 93. The serial number, under the lever is only 3 digits, no letters. That is 650. I removed the buttplate and it is also engraved 650 on the inside. I have found reference to 4 digit serial numbers, but haven't found anything listing 3 digits. Is is possible this is a factory gun with a pre-1904 barrel on a later receiver, likely around 1919 or so?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Drysideshooter;

The marking Model '93 started in 1921. Prior guns were still marked Model 1893. What you surmise is correct. At the time, the new Marlin Firearms Corporation was just getting started and was using any and all available parts on hand and left over from the previous Marlin Firearms Company, Marlin Arms and Marlin-Rockwell to build firearms.
With that low, 3 digit serial number, it most likely was made in mid-to late 1921. The placement of the serial number under the lever is also another clue that this is a gun made after 1921.
Cody is correct, there are no records for this era. The existing Marlin records end in December of 1906 at about 355,500.

[drysideshooter]

Thank you for the information, I genuinely appreciate it. I thought that was probably the case from what I've read.

It has a Marbles rear tang but is missing the factory rear and front sights.