Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

Greetings all and thank you for this information.

I need time frames on three (3) S&W M&Ps chambered fro the 32-20, all are chambered for 6 shots

First is for an acquaintances, 6", square butt, target sights, serial 229XX

Second is a 6 1/2" barrel, square butt, fixed sights, serial 753XX*

Last is 5", square butt, fixed sights and serial 943XX.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Oh my, I'm gone again for a few days and this thing gets so backed up. C'mon Hawk, you're not doing that badly. ;)

Holloman: 10-8: late-mid 1987. 19-3: 1972.

BillyBothHands: Late-mid 1985.

Riss: 1963-64. It's entirely possible it was reblued. There are different methods of bluing and they produce different finishes.

lostbird: 17-4: 1981. 36: 1975-76. 57: 1980-83. 29-2: 1979-80.

StrawHat: #1: 1910-1917; probably later part of that. #2 and #3: 1915-1940.

LiamAce: 1978-79.
 
Old Fuff,

How well I know, I have advised the owner of the same thing. Wish it were mine but the fixed sighted revolvers suit my purposes well.

Thanks for the reminder.
 
How well I know, ...
Click to expand...

Well it helps to have a copy of Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, or similar reference book... ;)

I'm where my scanner isn't so I can't post a quick picture... :(

Anyway, the front sight should be a blade that is pinned in the front sight base on the barrel. The rear sight has two little screws on the right & left side. You loosen one, and tighten the other, to move the rear sight insert from one side to the other. Factory sights were serial numbered to the gun on the underside, but looking requires that the sight be removed from the frame, and it's very easy to mess up the little screw that holds it. For that reason I recommend that the sight be left in place. Another clue is to look at the topstrap in front of the sight and see if any trace of the groove you find on fixed-sight guns is there. If there isn't you can be pretty sure the sights were on the gun when it left the factory. If there are signs of the groove it may (or may not) be an sign that the factory (or someone else) installed the sights later.

The only way to be sure would be to get the revolver lettered by the factory. That is considered proof-positive.

Adjustable sights could be had on almost any model as an extra cost accessory, and that included top-break as well as hand-ejectors. But they only came standard on target models, which the .32-20 wasn't.
 
Hi, Brian. Try this one.Square bottom ,six shot,.38special.Adj.up&down,right&left rear sight,long ramp non adj. front sight. Wide hammer spur, pinned barrel. 10 ridges on backstrap and front of handle and top of barrel and long rear sight plate screwed to top of cylinder housing and trigger also.38 S&W special CTW on right side of barrel and Smith &Wesson on left side. Serial # K267324 on butt and cylinder and underside of barrel. Letter D above numbers 38946 with number 8 below those numbers seen when you swing out cylinder.Nice shape. 90% ?? Great shooter. Many thanks, Henry Brigham. Rockport, Texas
 
Got another one, wish it was mine. A 4" model 28-2, 357 mag, Square butt, pinned barrel, recessed cylinder. Ser#N43608 AS a side note my 28-2 that you dated to 63-64 has a letter H on the face of the cylinder. The above 28-2 does not have a letter there.
 
DOB

Please help with this one.
38 spcl
about 2" barrel (pinned)
square butt
6 shot
k frame
D2303xx
10-5

thanks
 
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I've heard a couple of different things on mine. The source I'm most likely to trust- the Guys in the Gun Library at the Dundee MI Cabela's (I work there in the Hunting Dept.)- say its a 1904 or 1905 .38 Hand Ejector.

1. .38Spcl
2. 4Inch, pinned
3. Square Butt
4. 6 Shot
5. Fixed(integral) rear with a half moon front.
6. 529xx. C is found about 1/2 inch in front of the Serial on the butt. Looks like C 529xx
 
Riss: 1969-72.

Redjeep: 1969-70.

JackBohm: We have two possibilites here. One is that your firearm is a .38 M&P Model of 1902, 1st change, with production in 1903-04. The second, and more likely, is that you have a "Pre-Model 10" - a .38 M&P - manufactured ca. 1948-51. The "C" serial prefix denotes a postwar manufacture. If you can, tell us exactly what is written on the barrel, and look at the "Common S&W Identifying Features" thread in this forum - try to tell us a little more about the gun.
 
Smith & Wesson model 617-1
.22 caliber
6 shot
6 inch barrel
round butt
K frame
serial number CAJ89xx

what would be the DOB of this one?

many thanks
 
Model 60

Model 60-7
Serial # BKD32xx
round butt j frame
2" barrel

Are +p OK in this revolver. How can I tell?

Thanks
 
I purchased a 1905 4th change serial 921xxx at Cabelas for $300. It is nickle plated, and is like "NEW". There is a prefix letter "S" which I think means it is post ww2. on the barrel it has the serial plus an"R" and a small "s". The grips are not original and have a serial number of 145777 which means they came from a very old 1905. I would like more info if any is available.
 
Sure could use some help , I could find very little info on this one...:confused:

a. .22 MRF
b. 2"
c. round butt
d. 6
e, adjustable rear, red ramp front
f. CBC79xx
g. 651-1

Any and all info. on this one will be appreciated.

TIA......
 
Last edited:
I know this isn't rare, just curious.

Model 19-7
Serial # BSE85XX
6 inch
Blue
Square Butt

Thanks in advance.
 
Hey guys, sorry for letting this get backlogged. School is keeping me swamped, and I am trying to keep up with a few projects of my own. Thinking about building an AR-15, so send those parts my way.... ;)

wep45: Late 1995.

jdmb03: 1977.

Racinbob: Early 1991. S&W Had not yet transitioned to the J-magnum frame, so while the frame can handle +P ammunition, I would not subject to it a steady diet. Carry with +P is fine, as would be a box here and there for practice.

mulehide9: What you have is a transitional .38 M&P. This is sometimes called a Pre-Model 10, but your particular variation was only produced 1946-48. Your stocks would date to 1909-1915. These transitional models are more valuable than most other M&Ps, and I would imagine you would receive a premium for it being nickel (as long as it is the original nickel). Are the hammer and trigger case colored?

chee-to: Late 1996.

Happenstance: I would say somewhere in 1995.
 
Model 586 Born On Date?

a) .357 Magnum
b) 6" bbl
c) square grips
d) 6 shot
e) adjustable rear sight (no white outline) and orange insert ramp front sight
f) Serial #AEL6XXX
g) Mod. 586

HPIM1052.jpg
 
Grampa's old 22

I inherited this from my Grandfather. No one knew about it, he kept it in his office out at the Ranch in Fresno.

a) .22 Long Rifle
b) 6”
c) Round
d) 6 shots
e) Iron sights
f) 530254
g) No model number found
 

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