Stevens 940E?

[louder]

Many years ago, I was left a single shot gun that belonged to my grandfather. From what I was told it was bought new in 1961.

It ever concerned me much what it was until a recent argument with a buddy who seems to think that its an illegal gun because its got no numbers on it.

It appears to be a model 940E, 20ga, single shot with blonde colored wood.
The receiver is black, with no markings and no numbers. It looks identical to a newer 940E I have which was bought by my dad in 1969.
The newer model has a serial number on the left side of the receiver near the bottom edge.The older one, has none. Both have the same anodized looking finish and identical wood. The barrel on the 1969 model has both the Stevens name, model, and a tiny W stamped in a circle.
The older model has no markings anywhere. not on the barrel, not under the wood, and none on the receiver. Its identical in every other way down to the weight.

I've just always assumed that like an older 105 that I own, that also belonged to my grandfather as well, that there are simply no numbers in those years.

Is there any way to better ID what exactly this may be? Did they make an identical earlier model?
My grandfather has been gone for over 50 years, when he passed, his things were divided up among his grandsons and all I've got to go on is what I was told by my uncle, who was the keeper of it all until those of us who were to young at the time got older. I was given the older model when I turned 9 to use the following deer season with my uncle. The newer version became mine by default when my uncle passed a few years later, along with the 105, which I'm told is much older, bought around or just after WW1.

[Blue Avenger]

Firearms became required to have serial numbers on them in the United States on October 22, 1968, when the Gun Control Act (GCA) was enacted. Lots of older guns do not have one.

[PhilC]

Firearms became required to have serial numbers on them in the United States on October 22, 1968, when the Gun Control Act (GCA) was enacted. Lots of older guns do not have one.

^^^^

Louder you can now educate your buddy.