Radagast
Member
lastmoheckan: 1980. The 29-2 was produced between 1962 & 1982.
Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers
- Thread starter Brian Williams
- Start date
Lastmohecken
Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 76
Thanks, Radagast, yeah, I knew 1982 was the last year, but never knew for sure how the numbers ran out.
Radagast
Member
rimmer1:
14-4: 1981
52-2: 1987
41: 1982
14-4: 1981
52-2: 1987
41: 1982
.455_Hunter
Member
Here is one that is a little bit of a mystery... 
.38 Special, 6 Shot, Medium Frame, 5" Barrel , Blue Finish, Square Butt, Serial # "C 4339XX"
I will get into the story after I hear what you folks think!
Thanks!
Hunter
.38 Special, 6 Shot, Medium Frame, 5" Barrel , Blue Finish, Square Butt, Serial # "C 4339XX"
I will get into the story after I hear what you folks think!
Thanks!
Hunter
android
Member
Here's what I've got coming my way, any info much appreciated.
Thanks!
a) .45 acp
b) 5-1/2"
c) not sure?
d) 6
e) blade front / notch rear
f) 729xx (two places)
g) U.S. Army Model No. 98637 (bottom of butt)
Thanks!
a) .45 acp
b) 5-1/2"
c) not sure?
d) 6
e) blade front / notch rear
f) 729xx (two places)
g) U.S. Army Model No. 98637 (bottom of butt)
Radagast
Member
.455_hunter:
That serial number should date to 1960. As such the gun should have a model number stamped under the cylinder yoke. The model should be 10 if a steel frame, 12 if Aluminum.
android:
You have a .45 Hand Ejector US Army Model of 1917, with the frame manufactured between Sept. 17 1917 & January 1919.
If you read back a couple of pages in this thread you will find DrakeGmbH's excellent photographs of his 1917 which appears to have been factory reworked and sold as new in the 1950s. These will show you where to look for military markings.
The grips on your gun are correct for a commercial sale prior to 1938, but it lacks the S&W logo on the left side of the frame that guns manufactured for civilian sale are supposed to have.
S&W bought back a large number of parts and frames (read guns) from the US Army at the end of WWII and assembled them as new guns. So although originally manufactured in 1919, your gun may have been re-manufactured in the 1950s. It may also have been an overrun gun sold commercially at the end of WWI, or one that had been 'liberated' by a soldier.
Regardless, the caliber is .45 ACP and it is designed to be loaded with half moon clips, or if you can't find them, look for .45 Auto rim, which is the .45 ACP with a rim to allow chambering in these revolvers.
That serial number should date to 1960. As such the gun should have a model number stamped under the cylinder yoke. The model should be 10 if a steel frame, 12 if Aluminum.
android:
You have a .45 Hand Ejector US Army Model of 1917, with the frame manufactured between Sept. 17 1917 & January 1919.
If you read back a couple of pages in this thread you will find DrakeGmbH's excellent photographs of his 1917 which appears to have been factory reworked and sold as new in the 1950s. These will show you where to look for military markings.
The grips on your gun are correct for a commercial sale prior to 1938, but it lacks the S&W logo on the left side of the frame that guns manufactured for civilian sale are supposed to have.
S&W bought back a large number of parts and frames (read guns) from the US Army at the end of WWII and assembled them as new guns. So although originally manufactured in 1919, your gun may have been re-manufactured in the 1950s. It may also have been an overrun gun sold commercially at the end of WWI, or one that had been 'liberated' by a soldier.
Regardless, the caliber is .45 ACP and it is designed to be loaded with half moon clips, or if you can't find them, look for .45 Auto rim, which is the .45 ACP with a rim to allow chambering in these revolvers.
android
Member
Thank You!
Oh, cool! I'll claim it as 1918 for bragging purposes then!
I have full moon clips on the way also which I understand should also work. All my vintage gear; phones, watches, guns and such are supposed to be functional, so I'm going to have it checked for worthiness and give it a shot.
From what I read about the S&W 1917, it should have a ridge in the cylinder just like an automatic for the round to headspace against. They brass has to be pushed out with a pencil though if you don't use the clips. On the Colts, there wasn't a ridge, so the clips were required.
Oh, cool! I'll claim it as 1918 for bragging purposes then!
I have full moon clips on the way also which I understand should also work. All my vintage gear; phones, watches, guns and such are supposed to be functional, so I'm going to have it checked for worthiness and give it a shot.
From what I read about the S&W 1917, it should have a ridge in the cylinder just like an automatic for the round to headspace against. They brass has to be pushed out with a pencil though if you don't use the clips. On the Colts, there wasn't a ridge, so the clips were required.
.455_Hunter
Member
That's why the gun is mysterious! According to the serial #, it should be Model 10, but a stamp indicating "Model 10" or even a "10" is nowhere to be found...
Any ideas?
"New" S&W 64-2
a. .38 S. & W. SPL.
b. 2 inch barrel
c. Round grips
d. 6 shot
e. Fixed sights
f. SN 7D07xxx (on butt bottom)
g. MOD. 64-2 on crane
Below that on swing out stamped:
52822
E12 or possibly L12 - looks like 52822 is overstrike on the stamp below, so I'll guess it is E12, and below that is
Sideway S with a dot in each curve of the S
In addition to DOB, any info on meaning of the 52822, etc. ?
Thanks.
a. .38 S. & W. SPL.
b. 2 inch barrel
c. Round grips
d. 6 shot
e. Fixed sights
f. SN 7D07xxx (on butt bottom)
g. MOD. 64-2 on crane
Below that on swing out stamped:
52822
E12 or possibly L12 - looks like 52822 is overstrike on the stamp below, so I'll guess it is E12, and below that is
Sideway S with a dot in each curve of the S
In addition to DOB, any info on meaning of the 52822, etc. ?
Thanks.
Radagast
Member
taxifolia:
Your 64-2 was made in 1980. The other numbers are assembly numbers, used to track parts in the factory. I'm not sure about the S, I have seen it on other guns as well - my early 70s model 66 has it. Once the gun has been assembled the assembly numbers are irrelevant.
Your 64-2 was made in 1980. The other numbers are assembly numbers, used to track parts in the factory. I'm not sure about the S, I have seen it on other guns as well - my early 70s model 66 has it. Once the gun has been assembled the assembly numbers are irrelevant.
Radagast
Member
.455 Hunter:
My guess is either someone had an off day sometime in 1960 and forgot to stamp the model number, thinking they were still in 1957. The other possibility is it's a lunch box gun made from spare parts and smuggled out, but as the frame has a serial number I doubt this is the case.
My guess is either someone had an off day sometime in 1960 and forgot to stamp the model number, thinking they were still in 1957. The other possibility is it's a lunch box gun made from spare parts and smuggled out, but as the frame has a serial number I doubt this is the case.
a) 32 Long Ctg
b) 4" Barrel
c) Square
d) 6-shot
e) Blade front, almost flush rear sight.
f) 3889## (under barrel, front of grip & rear cylinder face)
g) not applicable?
Nickel plated, patent mark on bottom of grips.
Thanks again.
b) 4" Barrel
c) Square
d) 6-shot
e) Blade front, almost flush rear sight.
f) 3889## (under barrel, front of grip & rear cylinder face)
g) not applicable?
Nickel plated, patent mark on bottom of grips.
Thanks again.
Radagast
Member
redwallet:
You have a prewar .32 Regulation Police. The patent date on the bottom of the grip should be Pat.June 5 1917. Serial range started at 260,000 in 1917 & had reached 508000 by 1929. I guesstimate your gun to be from the early 20s. Nickel finish was a factory option, the trigger and hammer should be color case hardened, if they are nickeled then the gun has been refinished at some point. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave the following values:
As new in box $750, Excellent+ $450, Very Good $335, Good $275, Fair $165, Poor $90.
If the rear sight is a channel cut into the top of the frame then it is a fixed sight and a normal model. If the rear sight is adjustable then it is a target model and worth three to six times the amounts shown above to a collector.
You have a prewar .32 Regulation Police. The patent date on the bottom of the grip should be Pat.June 5 1917. Serial range started at 260,000 in 1917 & had reached 508000 by 1929. I guesstimate your gun to be from the early 20s. Nickel finish was a factory option, the trigger and hammer should be color case hardened, if they are nickeled then the gun has been refinished at some point. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave the following values:
As new in box $750, Excellent+ $450, Very Good $335, Good $275, Fair $165, Poor $90.
If the rear sight is a channel cut into the top of the frame then it is a fixed sight and a normal model. If the rear sight is adjustable then it is a target model and worth three to six times the amounts shown above to a collector.
Radagast
Member
Bellzy:
Your 19-3 was manufactured in 1973.
Oyeboten:
If the serial number was 4339x then it would date to between 1948 & 1951. 4339xx is definitely in the 1960 range per the Standard Catalog of S&W. Model numbers started in 1957 and the serial range for 1957 to 1959 was C402924 to C429740.
If the serial number is correct then someone was having an off day at the factory.
Your 19-3 was manufactured in 1973.
Oyeboten:
If the serial number was 4339x then it would date to between 1948 & 1951. 4339xx is definitely in the 1960 range per the Standard Catalog of S&W. Model numbers started in 1957 and the serial range for 1957 to 1959 was C402924 to C429740.
If the serial number is correct then someone was having an off day at the factory.
Ahhhhh...Okay.
My 'M&P' Snubby has a "C" prefix, but it's in Storage now and I could not check the number...but, it had dated to 1949 or so...so...got me wondering...
Re-located my 'Standard Catalogue' now, and yeah...the "C" prefix persisted till 1967...when they went on to "D".
Thanks Radagast..!
This is always one of my favorite Threads..!
My 'M&P' Snubby has a "C" prefix, but it's in Storage now and I could not check the number...but, it had dated to 1949 or so...so...got me wondering...
Re-located my 'Standard Catalogue' now, and yeah...the "C" prefix persisted till 1967...when they went on to "D".
Thanks Radagast..!
This is always one of my favorite Threads..!
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
1982
rc
rc
Radagast
Member
DRYHUMOR:
The 65-4 was manufactured from 1988 to 1997. BES93xx dates your gun to between December 1989 & March 1990.
Balin:
The 19-5 was produced from 1982 to 1988. Your gun dates to 1982.
The 65-4 was manufactured from 1988 to 1997. BES93xx dates your gun to between December 1989 & March 1990.
Balin:
The 19-5 was produced from 1982 to 1988. Your gun dates to 1982.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I think three letter prefix serial numbers were a product of the ATF decreeing it was a more foolproof way of doing it. It really took hold after the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 with most manufactures.
Also, S&W was rapidly running out of room on the guns to get much bigger numerical numbers on them if they continued the long practice of using the frame size (J-K-L-N) as a prefix.
rc
Also, S&W was rapidly running out of room on the guns to get much bigger numerical numbers on them if they continued the long practice of using the frame size (J-K-L-N) as a prefix.
rc
