reading a S&W K serial number?

[Tyro]

How are these typically quoted?

I'd recently picked-up a K22 17-4 ( w/ the help of some input from THR members ) and intend to track down its approximate date of manufacture.
The full serial number is 89K8341. I'm assuming that it's from the late 70's-early 80's.

Is this serial number referenced using the full number series w/ the 'k', or the numbers only, or just the last 4?


thanks

 

[Shear_stress]

Very good choice, by the way.

To answer your question, yes, you include the letters.

 

[Tyro]

thanks

I'd gotten a lot of tips in response to my post on K22 Maintainability, which were a big help. The one I've purchased doesn't have a pinned barrel, or diamond grips, but it's in very nice condition.

Having had the opportunity to put a few hundred rounds through it so far, I can see why people admire these revolvers so much.

 

[deadin]

57K0001-91K6800 is the listed serial range for 1980.

 

[Tyro]

Thanks deadin, on two counts.

I'd read that the pinned barrels were discountinued in '82, so I bothered to do some research and realized that mine actually is pinned. Somehow I'd thought that the pin was elsewhere on the frame - goes to show you what I know about revolvers.