38 special

[Rite011]

How do I tell how old my model 67
is?

[spacecoast]

Give us the first few digits of the serial number (usually where the crane swings out) and we can look it up on the Std. Catalog of S&W.

[EdInk]

Go read the sticky in the revolver forum.

[Rite011]

It starts with 20k

[spacecoast]

That appears to be 1977... sound right? If so it should be a 67 or 67-1.

[Rite011]

I thought it was early 80's......but that's fine.....I'm glad to know for sure....thanks for the help

[James K]

The serial number is on the bottom of the butt; the model number (if after c.1957) and an assembly number are on the crane and the framer under it. The assembly number has no meaning after the gun was completed at the factory.

Jim

[spacecoast]

My apologies in telling you to look at the wrong spot... it's on the bottom of butt as JamesK said. If you need to repost feel free, although the characters you posted are possibly the correct ones according to the book.

[Winchester_73]

The serial number is on the bottom of the butt; the model number (if after c.1957) and an assembly number are on the crane and the framer under it. The assembly number has no meaning after the gun was completed at the factory.

Not quite. The SN *is* inside the crane, on guns made after 1957 or so. These guns have "MOD 67" and then say "20K8765" underneath that, in the crane. Despite that fact, I always revert back to the butt for the SN. For S&Ws, the SN is nearly always on the butt, except for regulation police revolvers, and some of the single shot pistols.

The assembly number you mention was placed prior to the ceasing of the soft fitting department, which mandated that parts have either the SN or assembly number. When the manufacturing process changed at that time, the SN was then placed in the yoke. The soft fitting department was eliminated because the parts were made more precisely to where it was not necessary to have them soft fit before being finished. This is why people will tell you to look in the crane for the SN, even if the S&W is pre war. Although any S&W before 1957 should have only an assembly number in the crane, the millions of S&Ws made after that date do in fact have the SN in the crane.

In this case, a model 67 will have the SN both on the butt and in the crane. The model 67 was not introduced until well after 1957.