Top-break revolver -- date of manufacture?

[DickP]

Hello all, I'm brand new to this forum, nice to meet you.

I'm hoping someone would give me a ballpark date of manufacture for my S&W -- I realize that S&W serial numbers are of limited value in estimating DOM, and I intend to write Mr. Jinks at S&W for a Letter of Authenticity, but only if y'all think he's at all likely to confirm what it is I want to hear (namely, that the gun was manufactured pre-1899, qualifying as an "antique" for federal/TX law purposes). The gun books I've looked at give the range of manufacturing dates for this piece as 1881-1913... Anyway, here's the skinny:

S&W First Model Double-Action top-break revolver
.44 Russian caliber
Serial #23669
4" barrel
1 and 7/16" cylinder
6-shot
Hammer-mounted firing pin
Original finish uncertain
Serial # appears on both butt and cylinder face
Pinned, half-moon front sight
S-shaped trigger
Rubber grips

Basically, I'm hoping the information above would enable one of you kind folks to give me a percentage liklihood that the gun is one side or t'other of the 1899 cut-off date.
Many thanks!
Dick

 

[Jim Watson]

I found on the S&W Forum:

"BTW, the .44DA is a gun that all frames were made prior to 1899 ATF cut off date for antique firearms, therefore regardless of when it was shipped, it's an antique and no Fed. paperwork required to transfer. Many .44DAs will letter as shipped after 1899 and up to 1915, etc., but they are still antiques in the ATF's eyes."
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/7091002342?r=7091002342#7091002342

I had long heard this about the No 3 single actions but that guy says it is so for the DA .44s also.

 

[Jim K]

Other sources, including Supica and Flayderman say the same thing. In the (IMHO unlikely) event that a question arose, the weight of evidence would appear to be that it is an antique.

One item of curiosity is the reason for the question. Except for the sales and interstate transfer laws, the antique designation matters little. For example, an antique would still be a deadly weapon in an ADW charge and would still be subject to concealed carry laws.

Jim