Need list of S&W .357 or .22 Revolvers over fifty years old

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chickenfried

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Hi guys headed to the gun show in a couple of weeks. I'm planning to use my C&R license to buy a .22 or .357 smith and wesson revolver. But I can't find a good source to match S&W serial numbers, dates, and models. I also know nothing about the various models. Do you guys have any ideas where I can get find this info or help on models I should check out? Thanks.
 
Look for guns without model numbers and you will be real close. The numerical system stared in 1957. Look for the 5 screw guns (most were discontinued in 1956). You really need a copy of the SCSW to nail down the dates before 1954 by the serial numbers as there are some transitional models.
 
chickenfried...

You need to get a copy of Jim Supica and Richard Nahas' Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Volume 2 if you want to look for older S&W's. This is the best single reference for a Smith & Wesson collector.

Other than having Roy Jinks follow you around and advise you on what you might be looking at.
 
Another hint - -

Look for S&W magna-style (non-target) stocks with the diamond-shaped unchecked area around the stock screws. These continued into the early 1960s, but they are a guide . . . .

Best of luck - -
Johnny
 
Another thought,

I always carry a copy of my C&R with me to gunshows, but I've had very few dealers who knew what a C&R was, especially when buying something other than military arms. So if you're trying to save yourself the time of a background check, you may be disappointed.
 
So most dealers will be reluctant to sell to me, Okie? In California C&R's my only way to get handguns that aren't on the approved list or available for private party transfer in California. I can buy a c&r handgun in person out of state. Then bring it back to CA and register it.
Just picked up the Supica book from Amazon. Being the cheap person I am, was hoping there'd be an online source for the serial numbers and date ranges. But I couldn't find anything. Just hope it gets here in time.
 
I don't even pretend to understand Cali's gun laws, you guys have my condolances. Are pistols even allowed on the C&R license in Cali? Around here, the dealers don't understand the C&R. One shop doesn't even recognize them for military C&R sales after one of the employees sold a pair of AR15's to a guy on his C&R, and gave him the wholesale price to boot, wish I had known about that before the fact. But I've had several dealers who wouldn't sell me C&R eligable weapons at gunshows, but I've also had one who insisted on a background check for a BP rifle. Takes all kinds.
 
Maybe I missed it, but I don't know of any list of S&W serial numbers and dates like there are for Colt and Winchester, so the 50-year cutoff can be hard to determine. There are some points to look for, like any S&W with a model number is definitely NOT a C&R item, but some without model numbers are not either.

Jim
 
Jim Keenan...

"Maybe I missed it, but I don't know of any list of S&W serial numbers and dates like there are for Colt and Winchester,"

Supica and Nahas Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Volume 2 has a fairly comprehensive listing of serial numbers by model. Not always broekn down year by year like Wilson's book, but very good nonetheless. Those of us who try to help determine manufacture dates of S&Ws use it quite a bit.
 
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