Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

[Radagast]

Jonah71:
1958 is correct. The Model 14 designation was introduced the year before in 1957. Prior to that it was known as the K38 Masterpiece or K38 Target Masterpiece. Manufactured from 1948 to 1982.
The Model 14 was usually manufactured with a six inch barrel, the 4 inch barrel was the Model 15 Combat Masterpiece, which had a ramped front sight. Some model 14s were made with a 4 inch barrel and a square cut front sight, but not that early.

 

[Radagast]

Kyarcher:
1978-1979.

dicty2004:
C793xxx is the serial number. 15291 is an assembly number used to track parts in the factory and is irrelevant once the gun is assembled. Your gun dates to 1963-65, the 10-5 refers to it being a tapered barrel gun with a narrow front sight.

doc540:
That serial number dates it to between 1962 & 1969. If the latch is concave then it is from 1966 or later, if flat then 1966 or earlier. It wears diamond grips, which means from 1968 or earlier. So 1966 to 1968 seems right.

buckhead:
I'm not sure what you mean by flip open. I'll take it that 3350 is the serial number and that it is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame. 399 sounds like it is either an assembly number used to track parts in the factory or an owners inventory number added after the gun was sold.
If the cylinder swings out to the side and the caliber is .38 Special then it is a Chiefs Special from 1950. Barrel length should be 2 inches.
If the cylinder swings out to the side and the caliber is .38 S&W then it is a .38 Regulation Police manufactured between 1917 & 1941, probably close to 1917. Barrel length should be 4 inches.
If the barrel hinges down to open and the gun has an exposed hammer and double action trigger then it is a .38 Double Action first Model manufactured around 1880.

If the barrel hinges down and the gun has an exposed hammer and a single action trigger then it is a .38 Single Action 1st Model Manufactured between 1876 & 1877.

If the barrel hinges down and the gun has an internal hammer and is double action only then it is a .38 Safety Hammerless 1st Model manufactured around 1887.

All three of the barrel break guns are chambered for .38 S&W in a black powder load. Use of modern smokeless powder will wear them out faster due to the higher pressures generated. Because these are early models there may be some collectors value if your gun is one of them, depending on condition.

AirplaneDoc:
1981 or 1982. There is a recall out on these guns, there should be an M stamped after the model number if your gun has been modified under the recall. With some magnum rounds the primer could flow back into the firing pin bushing, locking the cylinder. Under the recall a new bushing and firing pin would be fitted. S&W will pay shipping if you decide to do this.

 

[AirplaneDoc]

Thanks for the heads up

AD

 

[buckhead]

Radagast,
Thanks, Mine hinges forward after pulling a knob that is built into the rear sight. With this knob up, you operate another release on the side. The 5 shot cylinder has an ejector that raises then falls after the barrel is hinger all the way forward to reload. It is a double action trigger with a 4" barrel. I have no intention of firing it, and I don't think it has ever been shot much. Any idea what it is worth?

 

[savit260]

a) .32 S&W
b) 3 1/2"
c) round
d) 5
e) fixed
f) 63XXX
g) Lemon Squeezer/Safety Hammerless Double Action... nickel Top Break

 

[Radagast]

Buckhead:
Does it look like the gun in this pic? (Pic is by Terry Popkin on the S&W forum). Note the top release and the side release.

If so your gun is a .38 Double Action Perfected Model manufactured between 1909 & 1920. Serial range was 1 to 59400. It should be OK to shoot with commercial .38 S&W ammunition. Values range from $60 in poor condition to $1100 for as new. High res pics are needed to give an appraisal.

 

[Radagast]

savit260:
You have a .32 Safety Hammerless 1st Model manufactured between 1888 & 1902 in the serial range 1 to 91417. Nickel was a factory finish, the trigger should be color case hardened. If it is nickel as well then the gun has been refinished.

 

[taxifolia]

Just bought another Smith - a 64-5

Posted 12/11/09 on first - a 64-2, 2" bbl.
This one is a 64-5 - haven't seen it yet (in shipping).

It is:
a. .38 special
b. 3 inch barrel
c. Round butt
d. 6 shot
e. Fixed sights
f. SN BFD61xx
g. Haven't seen it, but 64-5, probably on yoke as my 64-2

Trustworthy seller said it came from estate of 100's of guns. Likely unfired. May have had S&W Performance Center job. I called Smith - was told it was made in 1990, and not sent back, so if PC, it was pre-shipment.

I paid $675 - if told too much, I'm OK - hard to find a 3" and it looks awesome.

Is .38 +P OK in both this and my 64-2 2 inch - prior reply said 64-2 was made in '80.

Radagast - if you reply as on first re 64-2 - Thanks again. I saw you are in Australia. Do you know Steve Lee ? I see on the "I Like Guns" video he is the creator. I've watched it 15+ times and laugh my guts out every time. It is the funniest and explains our passion:
"Big or small, hell, if they're for sale, I want 'em all" - and
"I'm not going to shoot anyone, and no one shoots me 'cause I've got a gun".

If you know Steve, tell him he has made my days.

Many thanks for taking your time to reply to all of the queries you get.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

a) .357
b) 3"
c) round
d) 6
e) fixed
f) BRY6xxx
g)65-5

 

[Radagast]

cyclopsshooter:
Between August 1994 (BRFxxxx) & January 1996 (CAMxxxx).

Taxifolia:
BFD61xx dates your 64-5 to late 1989 or early 1990. The Standard Catalog of S&W records BFE in September 1989, then a lot of BExxxxx numbers then BFN in March 1990 then BFFxxxx in August 1990. It would appear a lot of frames were manufactured in batches that year and shipped as needed, so they are out of sequence. Hence the large possible time span.

Plus P should be fine in these guns. S&W do not recommend that Plus P be used in guns made prior to 1957, steel framed guns after that date are OK for 'limited use'. As Plus P is a pressure standard only 10% higher than the normal .38 Special load, I don't think it will be a problem on these later manufactured K frame guns. Plus P Plus is a different thing again, there is no standard for Plus P Plus and it may have .357 magnum level pressures.
The 64-5 three inch heavy barrel was introduced in 1988 but did not become a standard production item until 1991. The Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $400 ANIB in 2006, but that covers all versions. If you are happy with it then you didn't pay too much.
No I don't know Steve Lee, but the video does crack me up.

 

[buckhead]

That's my gun exactly.
Thanks

 

[kyarcher]

Brian. S&W Model 31-1 .32 Long Serial# H1071XX. Thanks, Bob

 

[dicty2004]

Radagast,
Thanks.

 

[Radagast]

kyarcher:

Your 31-1 Regulation Police was manufactured between 1975 & 1980. Serial range for those years was H100001 to H139900. The Regulation Police dates it's ancestry back to the original .32 Hand Ejector First Model of 1896 built on the small I frame. In 1917 The .32 Regulation Police was introduced with timber square butt grips fitted to the original round butt I frame. The main difference between the .32 Hand Ejector/ Model 30 & the .32 Regulation Police/ Model 31 was the square vs round butt. In 1957 model numbers were introduced and the Regulation Police became the Model 31. In 1961 The I frame was dropped and production continued as the 31-1 on the slightly larger J frame. Production was discontinued in 1991. Just to prove that good ideas never die, S&W have recently introduced the 632 Carry Comp in .327 Federal on the J frame with a three inch barrel, effectively recreating the original .32 Hand Ejector concept a century later.

 

[kyarcher]

Thanks, Radagast!!!!!!!!

 

[UPTactical]

I just picked up a 5 shot model 36 chiefs special 5 shot all blued steel wood round butt grips sn # 619xxx in like new condition with the box and papers.

Thanks in advance!

Ryan

 

[nearlynormalmike]

My Smith

I don't remember exactly when i bought this one--late 70s I think.

Cal .44
bbl 4 in
grip sort of square
shot 6
sights adjustable
SN# N773xxx
model 29-2

It looks like you have provided a lot of gun owners with their information for a long time.
I really do appreciate your efforts.

Thank you,
Nearly Normal Mike

NRA Life Member
Georgia Carry Org.

 

[jmg1170]

Model 28-2

a) .357
b) 6"
c) Round
d) 6
e) adj rear, fixed front
f) N246875
g) 28-2

 

[E-Rock]

J&G Sales Gun

Caliber: .38
Barrel: 4"
Grip: Round
Capacity: 6
Sights: Fixed
Model: 64-5
Serial #: CCL25XX

Sorry, no pics.

 

[Garzavalwolf]

Very cool thread!!!

If anyone can help, I have 2 S&W's I just picked up and would like to give them a DOB:

#1

a) .357 Magnum
b) 6 inch
c) Square grip
d) 6 shot
e) Partridge front, adjustable rear
f) ACY56XX
g) 19-5

#2

a) .38 Special
b) 6 inch
c) Square grip
d) 6 shot
e) Partridge front, adjustable rear
f) 14K18xx
g) 14-3

Thanks guys.

 

[PT1911]

anyone? anyone?

smith 29-3 in nickle
6 shot
44mag
8 3/8 inch barrel
sn -n9059xx
square butt
adjustable rear sight

 

[Radagast]

PT1911:
The N9xxxxxx serial range was theoretically used between 1982 & 1986. The three letter prefix with 4 numbers as the new serial range pattern was introduced in 1983. So your gun probably dates to 1982 or 1983, unless the frame was manufactured prior to 1983 but assembled and sold later.

Garzavalwolf:
Your model 19-5 dates to between January 1983 (ABLxxxx) & October 1983 (ADExxxx).
Your model 14-3 dates to 1977.

E-Rock:
Your 64-5 dates to roughly January 1998.

jmg1170:
Your 28-2 dates to 1974-1977.

nearlynormalmike:
Your 29-2 dates to 1980.

UPTactical:
Your Model 36 dates to between 1962 (serial number 295000) & 1969 (serial 786544).
If it has a flat cylinder latch it was made in 1966 or earlier, if a concave cylinder latch, 1966 or later. If the grips have an uncheckered diamond around the grip screws then 1968 or earlier, if checkered around the grip screws, 1968 or later.

 

[E-Rock]

Thanks Radagast

Thanks Radagast, you're an awesome resource and asset to the forums. Posters like you are what makes this community so inviting to newcomers like me. Thanks again

 

[Radagast]

Thanks E-Rock. All of the information I quote ( and a lot more) can be found in the Standard Catalog of S&W 3rd edition by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas. Published by Gun Digest Books.

 

[phinfan]

a) 38 special
b) 2"
c) round butt
d) 5 shot
e) groove sight
f) 1429xx
g) 37

Just found this gun at my local shop, in it's original box, and packing, pretty nice shape also.