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Radagast · March 31, 2009, 07:18 PM

jgunter217: Your model 60 was made between 1974 & 1977. Serial number range for that period was R100000to R190000.

Dead-Nuts-Zero: Your K22 dates to 1953, serial number range for that year was K175638 to K210095. The Standard catalog of S&W shows pictures of all major models, often with pictures of major engineering changes. There is short history and description of each model, a list of engineering changes by date, a list of special production runs and basic valuing information.
There are separate chapters on valuing, grips, serial number ranges, factory tools, factory boxes, advertising, manuals and factory other stuff. Pretty much ever answer given in this thread and the equivalent thread at www.thehighroad.org is from the SCSW.

Tom Servo: Is the number 955844 taken from the bottom of the grip? If so then your gun is a post war production, probably around 1947 (serial number S990184 was used in 1948, S811120 in 1945.) The actual victory model run ended at SV811832. The Arrow is a British or Commonwealth acceptance mark, which suggests it is a wartime gun, FTR means Factory Thorough Repair: It was re-arsenaled in 1955 at a Commonwealth service center, the MA prefix refers to the center, but I can't tell you which one it is.
The Commonwealth guns were usually in .38 S&W, not .38 special. The barrel should be marked .38 S&W CTG if this is a Commonwealth gun. After the war many were re-imported into the USA as surplus and the cylinders bored through to allow .38 special to chamber. These should only be fired with standard pressure loads as the chamber will be oversize for the case at the extractor end - .38 S&W used a wider case than the .38 special.

March 31, 2009, 07:18 PM	#1270
Radagast Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 2001 Posts: 449	jgunter217: Your model 60 was made between 1974 & 1977. Serial number range for that period was R100000to R190000. Dead-Nuts-Zero: Your K22 dates to 1953, serial number range for that year was K175638 to K210095. The Standard catalog of S&W shows pictures of all major models, often with pictures of major engineering changes. There is short history and description of each model, a list of engineering changes by date, a list of special production runs and basic valuing information. There are separate chapters on valuing, grips, serial number ranges, factory tools, factory boxes, advertising, manuals and factory other stuff. Pretty much ever answer given in this thread and the equivalent thread at www.thehighroad.org is from the SCSW. Tom Servo: Is the number 955844 taken from the bottom of the grip? If so then your gun is a post war production, probably around 1947 (serial number S990184 was used in 1948, S811120 in 1945.) The actual victory model run ended at SV811832. The Arrow is a British or Commonwealth acceptance mark, which suggests it is a wartime gun, FTR means Factory Thorough Repair: It was re-arsenaled in 1955 at a Commonwealth service center, the MA prefix refers to the center, but I can't tell you which one it is. The Commonwealth guns were usually in .38 S&W, not .38 special. The barrel should be marked .38 S&W CTG if this is a Commonwealth gun. After the war many were re-imported into the USA as surplus and the cylinders bored through to allow .38 special to chamber. These should only be fired with standard pressure loads as the chamber will be oversize for the case at the extractor end - .38 S&W used a wider case than the .38 special.