[nighhawk]

ANYONE KNOW WHEN THIS GUN WAS MADE? MOD.13-4 SERIAL#bhf96XX,WHAT DOES THE BHF STAND FOR? it's a4" heavy barrel very bright blue. any help would be appriciated

[cyclopsshooter]

Post 82 for sure. best i can say

[gyvel]

Looks like somewhere between Oct. 1988 and Jul. 1990 according to Supica.

[mesinge2]

The best way to get an answer is to ask that question here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

[Radagast]

The BHF stands for BHF. Back in 1980 S&W started a new serial number scheme. Previously each model had its own serial range, normally starting at 1. With some guns so many were sold that they ticked past 999999 on the stamping machine. So the machine was allowed to click over to 1 and a letter prefix was added, a V. Then an S, then A C, Then a D, some other models got an H, R, N, or a J.
In 1980 S&W started to transfer all their models to one serial range, using three letters and 4 digits, starting with AAA0000. By 1987 all models were using this system - one serial range, used consecutively (with a few exceptions for special runs). This allowed easy tracing of a guns production and shipping details, where previously a gun with serial number 33686 could have been one of five different guns.
By March 1991 S&W had worked their way through to BHExxxx, by March 1992 BHPxxxx.

The 13-4 was manufactured from 1988 to 1997, the -4 referring to the 4th design change to the Model 13 .357 Magnum Military & Police Heavy Barrel.

Edit: so to answer the prime question, 1991 to 1992.

[gyvel]

Sorry, I misinterpreted in my brain the letter prefix. I read it as "BFH," not "BHF." Radagast is correct.