Identity and Date of Manufacture of S&W Revolvers

[RLSmith]

Radagast,
Thankyou for your quick reply and complete information. I am especially appreciative of the safety advice regarding ammo for this revolver. Again, thanks.

 

[16in50calNavalRifle]

Radagast - again, thanks. Hmmm. I've decided that since I barely understand half of the changes you described from the S&W catalog, it's a great opportunity to learn, so I plan to read up on revolver components and try to figure out whether I've got a -2 or -3 once I have it in hand.

 

[texlaw67235]

DOB smith&wesson 686-6

686-6
3 inch barrel
7 shot
stainless
357/38
round grip frame
adj. sights

 

[mdf60]

Model 10 DOB

Just inherited a model 10-5 and wondering if anyone could tell me its DOB? Thanks in advance!

10-5
2 inch barrel
6 shot
blue
38
round butt
D3021XX

 

[Radagast]

mdf60:
Your Model 10-5 .38 Military & Police was manufactured in 1969 or 1970. Serial range for those years was D90001 to D330000, so 1970 seems likely.

texlaw67235:
Your Model 686-5 Distinguished Combat Magnum Plus was manufactured between 1997 & 2002.I would need the serial number to give you a better estimate of date of manufacture.

 

[carborfi]

DOB?

I've got a couple of S&W's that my Dad gave to me just before he passed some years ago.
Just curious about their age.

Thanks,

First one:
a) 38 special
b) 2"
c) round
d) 5
e) Fixed
f) # 60415x
g) M37

 

[Radagast]

carborfi:
Your Model 37 Chiefs Special Airweight falls into the period 1963 to 1969. Serial range for those years was 295000 to 786544.
To refine the date a little closer:
If the cylinder release is flat, then its from 1962-1966, if it's concave then 1966-1969.
If the gun wears it's original walnut grips and they have an uncheckered diamond around the grip screws, then 1968 or earlier. If the checkering runs right up to the grip screws, then 1968 or later.
So:
Flat cylinder release 1962-66.
Concave cylinder release & diamond grip: 1966-68.
Concave latch, non diamond grips: 1968-69.

 

[carborfi]

Thanks Radagast

Thanks, It has the diamond areas around the screws and a concave release.
So I guess a '66-'68 example.

How about number 2:
a) 38 Special
b) 4"
c) round
d) 6
e) Fixed
f) 92019x (Butt, Barrel, and Cylinder all match)
g) 43o25 (This is what was on the crane where the model # would be)(This may be 43625 the 6 may be a bad stamp)
h) 4 screws on right hand side, one screw in front of trigger guard.
i) Lots of holster ware, was probably a service gun at one time.
j) Concave release

Thanks again.

 

[evan price]

Howdy, I was minding my own business when a S&W 10-6 HB 4" SqBt with S&W thumb-rest target grips appeared, looking forlorn and unwanted so of course I volunteered to take the poor thing home for only a $175 adoption fee.

D4315XX

Has the lazy ampersand so I imagine that it is probably a late 60's gun.

A previous owner thought enough of it to invest in a reblue and sanded & revarnished the grips but didn't know what they were doing enough to do the job right- they blued the whole gun- I suspect they dunked the complete gun in the bluing tank... However it has a smoother trigger than any of my other 10's, for the price I can't go wrong and since it is already 'ruined' I can do anything I want to it without ruining a 'nice' Model 10.

 

[Radagast]

evan price:
Your gun falls in the serial range for 1972-73, being D420001 to D510000. I'd guess early '72 based on the serial number.
Hmmm... late 30s, new coat of varnish, attempts to hide blemishes under a refinish, 'ruined' but with the action a lot smoother than the new models. I'm sure there is a bad taste joke in there waiting to get out.

carborfi:
You have a .38 Military & Police Model of 1905 4th Change from around 1941.
As you have already noted, this is an old five screw gun, it uses the 'long' action which tends to have a smoother double action pull than the current 'short' action introduced in 1948.
92019x is the serial number, back then S&W would stamp the serial number on the butt, cylinder and grip of some models. 43025 is an assembly number, used to track parts in the factory. It has no meaning after the gun is assembled.

Two things to keep in mind: the .38 Special .38 Miltary & Police was made concurrently with the .38 S&W British Service Revolver. The two cartridges are not interchangeable. After World War II a lot of the Britsh guns were converted to .38 special by the simple expedient of th boring out the chambers to fit a .38 Special. Unfortunately the .38 S&W case is wider at the rim than the .38 Special, so guns that have been bored out tend to bulge their brass at the rim. To check if your gun has been bored out partially insert a .38 special case, it there is no wiggle room at the entrance to the chamber then you have an original M&P. If there is wiggle room then you have a converted gun.
If a converted gun only use standard velocity lead ammunition through it to avoid the risk of split cases. If an original M&P then any lead or jacketed, standard velocity or PlusP ammo should be fine. Avoid any +P+ ammo as there is no industry standard for this, so you don't know what sort of pressure you will be getting. Leave +P+ for use in .357 magnum revolvers.

The other issue is that your M&P lacks the positive hammer block safety introduced in 1944 after a fatality with a dropped gun. If you keep it loaded it would be prudent to leave the chamber under te hammer empty. From 1917 on the M&P had a non positive hammer block. The above mentioned fatality showed it could fail.

 

[Ateam-3]

DOB ?

15-3
38 spl
4" barrel
6 shot
K frame square butt
K998xxx

Thanks

 

[vincebarter]

DOB For 686

Just got a used stainless model 686 and interested to find the DOB and any other info/insight/opinions from the good folks here. Here are the details:
a) .357 Magnum
b) 6"
c) Squared grip
d) 6 rounds
e) Fixed unpinned front sight adjustable rear
f) AFH89xx (then there is an "M" under that)
g) MOD 686
Thanks so much!

 

[Radagast]

vincebarter:
Your Model 686 Distinguished Combat Magnum dates to roughly November 1984. Guns in the AEvxxxx & AFJxxxx ranges shipped that month. The M stamp means the gun has been modified under a recall, with a new firing pin and bushing installed to prevent the possibility of the cartridge primer flowing back around the firing pin and locking the gun.

Ateam-3:
Your Model 15-3 Combat Masterpiece dates to 1970.

 

[carborfi]

Radagast,

I'm sure the M&P is an American example,
Dad and I used to shoot it many moons ago.
We never saw any case splitting and we never kept it loaded
We had our more modern guns for that chore.

Again Thank You.

 

[gbball98]

I bought a 66-5 2.5" snubbie today with box and papers. It's a pinto "stainless with a blue cylinder" serial CEK88**. Can you tell me the born on date?

A) 357
B) 2"
C) Round Butt
D) 6 rounds
E) Adjustable rear
F)CEK88**
G) 66-5

 

[Radagast]

gbball98:
Your Model 66-5 Combat Magnum Stainless dates to the period October 2000 (CEFxxxx) to July 2001 (CEVxxxx).

 

[gbball98]

Thank You Radagast.

 

[FCDeputy1911]

Smith and Wesson
Model 10-8
4 inch heavy barrell
square butt
fixed sights
.38 cal
9D17054

 

[Radagast]

FCDeputy1911:
Your Model 10-8 .38 Military & Police Heavy Barrel was manufactured in 1981. Yours is one of the last manufactured with a pinned barrel, that feature was deleted in 1982.

 

[m75rlg]

Have two to question. Thanks in advance

Model 17 (no dash)
.22 caliber, blue, 6 inch barrell
# K3372xx

Model 18-3
.22 caliber, blue, 4 inch barrell
# 1K787xx

 

[Radagast]

m75rlg:

Your Model 17 Masterpiece was manufactured in 1958.
Your Model 18-3 Combat Masterpiece was manufactured in 1971.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Radagast,



An S&W de jur -



Model of 1917
Cylinder appears to be for the .45 ACP Cartridges using Moon Clips, and is stepped at the right depth for them.
Barrel is 6-1/2 Inches

No Caliber designation is present, but Barrel Top has the full retinu of Patent Dates ending in 1906...and, has the words Smith & Wesson on the left side of the Barrel. Right side of Barrel entirely blank.











Barrel has a Serial No. of 24005, with a tiny letter S preceding.

Frame in Crane also has an S preceding ( or, above ) the assembly No.


Cylinder face, and Frame-Butt, have the same Serial No.

 

[Radagast]

Oyeboten:
You appear to have an early S&W .45 Hand Ejector U.S Army -Model 1917 manufactured between September 1917 & April 1918.
The GHS stamp on the left upper rear of the frame is for Major Gilbert H Stewart, the US Army inspector at the time. Later guns had a flaming ordnance bomb mark instead and S1, S2, S3 etc designating the assistant inspector who checked the gun. I assume the plain S was Major Stewart's personal mark.
The serrated hammer is correct for an early production gun.
The chambers were stepped for the .45 Auto Rim, the .45 ACP used the moon clip for headspace.

I'm pretty sure your gun has a replacement barrel:

The original barrel length should have been 5.5 inches.
The barrel would have been marked with the same serial number as the frame. There should also have been a serial number on the yoke, butt, cylinder face and back of the extractor star.
The barrel should be marked 'S&W D.A. 45' on the right side, 'United States Property' on the underside of the barrel, the patent dates on the barrel should include Sep. 14, 1909.

My guess is that your gun was rebarreled with a .455 Mark II Hand Ejector 2nd Model barrel at the factory, originally manufactured for a British or Canadian contract. These had patent dates to 1906 only, came with a 6.5 inch barrel, were manufactured from 1915 to 1917 in a serial range from around 6000 to 74755, the caliber markings were usually Smith & Wesson .455 but may be missing all together.
All of the above fits for the barrel to be available for fitting by S&W in 1917 to a U.S Army contract gun. The fact you have an inspectors mark on the barrel also suggests fitting at the factory. As to why it was passed, I can only speculate. S&W couldn't manufacture enough barrels and were authorised to use up old stock? The original barrel didn't pass inspection and the gun was rebarreled? your guess is as good as mine.

Thanks for posting another interesting piece.

 

[Oyeboten]

Thanks very much Radagast!


Interesting about the Barrel being originally from, or off of, a 2nd Mdl. HE, .455.


Maybe someone in the 1920s or whenever, or even during the Great War itself, in exigency even, had a Squib round, fired after it, bulged the original Barrel. An Armourer or other able person rounded up a Barrel from an extant, possibly damaged Frame or Mechanism 2nd Mdl HE .455, got the Barrel installed onto the M1917 nicely enouh, and...life went on...if an inch-and-a-half longer for it.


I recon it ought to allow a few more ( 50 or 60 maybe? ) FPS than the usual configuration this way, too.


What fun...


I really like it, and had long yeared for a long Barrel version of the famed M1917, and, finally found one.


I think we all wish that S & W would have not only made a 6-1/2 Inch Barrel in the .45 ACP, and, a 2 Inch as well..!


Leaving aside, how we wish they wold have made more 2nd Mdl HE offerings in .45 Colt..!

I guess it just chapped their Caboose to offer anything in a dreaded 'Colt' Cartridge, even if they relented for Uncle Sam and John Bull's sake.


Best wishes!

 

[Bboomer]

I'm stumped on this one

38 S&W SPL CTG (Pre - 10)
Blued 2" 5 screw 6 SHOT
S/N (C277XX - ONLY FIVE DIGITS) is stamped on both the base of the square butt and also on the cylinder.
Has fixed rear site with a small half moon front site.
Looks to have original diamond grips. I haven't pulled the grips off yet
The hammer and narrow grooved trigger are case hardened.
S&W insignia is on the right side plate along with the Made in the USA yotta yotta.

Under the crane info: there is a "B" stamp and another marking I can't make out.

Also under the crane are the numbers: 36 336

Tks in advance,

BTW I just rescued it from a pawn shop about an hour ago. I saw it the day before yesterday, put a couple bucks on it to hold it till today. I didn't get much from my Standard Catalog.

Found it. Looks like the born date was 1948..cool Bur how could it be a Pre Mod? A 62 year pistola whoa !

Its condition is about 96/7