Here's some useful information I found researching my revolver.
Pre-War N frame.
Year/Beginning Serial
1908….. 1
1909….. 2050
1910….. 5000
1911….. 7050
1912….. 9100
1913….. 11150
1914….. 13200
1915….. 15250
1916….. 15500
1917….. 16000
1918-1919 None
1920….. 16200
1921….. 16300
1922….. 18400
1923….. 19600
1924….. 20800
1925….. 22000
1926….. 25000
1927….. 28500
1928….. 29500
1928….. 29500
1929….. 30000
1930….. 34000
1931….. 36000
1932….. 38375
1933….. 41200
1934….. 43350
1935….. 45500
1936….. 47200
1937….. 48700
1938….. 52000
1939….. 57200
1940….. 59000
1941….. 62350
1942-1945 None
Post-War S Series N frames:
S62,489 — S67,999……....1946 - Early 1947
S68,000 — S71,999……….Late 1947 — Early 1948
S72,000 — S72,499……….Late 1948 - Early 1949
S72,500 — S74,999……….Late 1949 — Early 1950
S75,000 — S80,499……….Late 1950 — Early 1951
S80,500 — S85,999……….Late 1952 — Early 1952
S86,000 — S94,999…….…Late 1952 — Early 1953
S95,000 — S102,999……...Late 1953 — Early 1954
S103,000 — S139,999…….Late 1954 — Early 1955*
S140,000 — S149,999…....Late 1955 — Early 1956
S150,000 — S175,999……Late 1956 — Early 1957
S176,000 — S181,999……Late 1957 — Early 1958
S182,000 — S194,499……Late 1958 — Early 1959
S194,500 — S206.999……Late 1959 — Early 1960
S207,000 — S219,999……Late 1960 — Early 1961
S220,000 — S227,999……Late 1961 — Early 1962
S228,000 — S231,999……Late 1962 — Early 1963
S232,000 — S235.999……Late 1963 — Early 1964
S236,000 — S257,999……Late 1964 — Early 1965
S258,000 — S261,999……Late 1965 — Early 1966
S262,000 — S289,999……Late 1966 — Early 1967
S290,000 — S304,999……Late 1967 — Early 1968
S305,000 — S329,999……Late 1968 — Early 1969
S330,000 — S333,454……Late 1969 — Early 1970
*Note that a number of N frames with serials in the S138000-S140000 range (and the range may be wider either way) are seen that were shipped much later than the serial would suggest should be the case. In one known example a gun with serial S136431 was not shipped until June of 1958. It's possible that a large block of serial numbers that appear to be from 1954-55 were not actually used until 1957-58. It at least one case a gun has a 5-screw serial and was built as a 4-screw gun.
N Series N Frames:
N1 — N60,000…………........1970-72
N60,001 — N 190,000…......1972-74
N190,001 — N430,000….....1975 — 77
N430.001 — N 550,000…....1978
N550,001 — N580,000….. ..1979
N580,001 — N790,000….....1980
N790,001 — N932,999...…..1980-83
Post-War S Series K Frames:
S811,120 — S999,999…….1946 — 48
C Series K Frames: (Fixed Sight Models)
C1 - C233,999………….....1948 — 52
C236,004 — C261,483…….1953
C277,555 — C314,031….…1954 — 56
C402,924 — C405,018…….1957
C405,019 — C429,740…....1958 — 59
C429,741 — C474,148…….1960
C474,149 — C622,699…….1961 — 62
C622,700 — C810,532…….1963 — 65
C810,533 — C999,999….....1966 — 67
D Series K Frames: (Fixed Sight Models)
D1 — D90,000……………......1968
D90,001 — D330,000…….....1969 -70
D330,001 — D420,000………1971 — Early 72
D420,001 — D510,000………Late 1972 — Early 73
D510,001 — D659,901………Late 1973 — Early 1974
D659.902 — D75000………...Late 1974 — Early 1975
D750,001 — D870,000………Late 1975 — Early 1976
D870,001 — D999,999………Late 1976 — Early 1977
2D00001 - 2D80,000……….1977
2D80,001 — 2D99,999………1978
4D00001 — 6D10,000……….1979
6D10,0001 — 7D10,000……..1980
7D10,001 — 9D44,500…........1981
9D44,501 — 17D8,900………1982
17D8,901 — 21D0883……….1983
K Series K Frames (Adjustable Sight Models)
K101 — K614……………......1946
K615 — K18,731………….....1947
K18,732 — K73,121……..….1948
K73,122 — K84,149……..….1949
K84,150 — K104,047…........1950
K104,048 — K136,690.........1951
K136,691 — K175,637.........1952
K175,638 — K210,095.........1953
K210,096 — K231,255.........1954
K231,256 — K266,154.........1955
K266,155 — K288,988.........1956
K288,989 — K317,822.........1957
K317,823 — K350,547.........1958
K350,548 — K386,804.........1959
K386,805 — K429,894.........1960
K429,895 — K468,098.........1961
K468,099 — K515,478.........1962
K515,479 — K553,999.........1963
K555,000 — K605.877.........1964
K605,878 — K658.986.........1965
K658,987 — K715,996.........1966
K715,997 — K779.162.........1967
K779,163 — K848,781.........1968
K848,782 — K946,391.........1969
K946,382 — K999,999.........1970
1K1 — 1K39,500..................1970
2K1 — 2K22.037..................1970
1K39,501 — 1K999,999.......1971
2K22,038 — 2K55,996.........1971
3K1 — 3K73,962..................1971
2K55,997 — 2K99,999.........1972
3K31,280 — 5K6,616...........1972
4K1 — 4K1,627....................1972
4K1,628 — 4K54,104...........1973
5K6,617 — 5K73,962...........1973
4K54,105 — 4K99,999.........1974
5K73,963 — 6K58,917.........1974
7K1 — 7K26,043..................1974
7K26,044 — 7K70,577.........1975
6K98,918 — 8K20,763.........1975
8K20,764 — 9K1..................1975
8K20,000 — 9K100,000.......1975
9K1,001 — 9K99,999...........1976
10K001 — 24K9,999............1977
25K001 — 56K9,999............1978 — 79
57K001 — 91K6,800............1980
91K6,801 — 124K000...........1981
125K000 — 269K9,999.........1982
270K000 — 311K273............1983
1980 Three-Letter Prefix Series Begins at AAA000
Early J frame serial numbers for models 36, 37, 38, 49, 50 and pre model number versions.
1950 = start at 1
1952 = 7369 - 21342
1953 = 28916
1955 = 55050 - 75000
1957 = 117770 - 125000
1962 = starts at 295000
1969 = ends at 786544
J serial Prefix serial numbers.
For models 36, 37, 38, 49, 50.
1969-1970 = J1 - J99999
1971-1972 = 1J1 - 999J99
1973-1974 = J100000 - J250000
1975-1976 = J250001 - J370000
1976-1977 = J370001 - J610000
1977-1978 = J610001 - J670000
1979-1980 = J670001 - J760000
1981 = J760001 - J915400
1982 = J915401 - 1J18600
1983 = 1J18601 - 1JXXXX
1955 - 4 screw side plate ends
1957 - stamping of model number at 125000
1966 - flat latch ends
1968 - diamond grips end
1975 - heavy barrel standard
1982 - end pinned barrel