Smith and Wesson serial number search

[psyfly]

Okay, an attempt at pictures of the top-break .38:

".38 Safety Hammerless 3rd Model, manufactured from 1890 to 1898"?

BTW, it isn't (unfortunatelly) mine. It belongs to a friend.





Thanks,

Will

[FlyFish]

Will - Yes, that appears to be what I thought it was. The larger of the two sideplate screws appears to be missing. Also, it looks like the barrel may have been shortened after it left the factory. Except for a very small number of original special-order 2" barreled guns, the shortest standard barrel length was 3.25" and yours appears a good bit shorter than that. The other thing that suggests that is that the front sight should be pinned through the barrel rib and I don't see a pin in these photos.

[av8r64]

Hey FlyFish, Heres the pic its a swing out cyl. 6in. barrel top sight is missing thanks for the help .Av8r64

[av8r64]

FlyFish , its also .38cal ,6 rounds kinda rough but i would like to have it restored in the future .Thanks again av8r64

[FlyFish]

av8r64 - I believe you have the target variation of the .38 Military and Police Model of 1905, 4th Change. Many of the basic fixed-sight M&Ps were manufactured (production continued from about 1915 to 1942), but the target models, with square butt frame and adjustable target sights, were somewhat rare and are therefore more valuable. As you noted, yours is unfortunately missing the rear sight and also the thumb latch (I'm also not sure if those are the original grips - they should have a raised diamond around the screw holes). I don't know about the availability of parts.

It's not possible to pin down the actual year of manufacture because SCSW just lists the 1915 (at SN 241704) to 1942 (SN 1000000) range with no further information. You can get an idea by interpolating between those two numbers, but it will only be an approximation.

[drddrd]

New to the thread. Hoping to get dates on the following S&Ws.

Model 64-3 AVA7853
Model 66-2 AEC2136
Model60 R258279

Thanks for the help.

[av8r64]

Thanks FlyFish, for checking on this for me your a great help,thanks again av8r64

[d7kaylor]

Hi guys, I too, need help with my .38 spl. The ser. nu. is 399175 on the butt. it has pat. dates '06, '09, '14 on top of the bbl. fixed sight. Could you give me a date on this piece. I only have one S&W so i don't want to invest in the ref. books. Thanks, Dan

[laytonj1]

serial #517xxx

Av8r64,

FWIW, there's a comment in the SCSW of a purchase of guns between 1927 to 1930 with serial numbers falling in the 500000 to 630000 range.

Model 64-3 AVA7853
Model 66-2 AEC2136
Model60 R258279

Model 64-3 AVA7853 = ~1987.
Model 66-2 AEC2136 = 1984.
Model60 R258279 = 1979/80.

need help with my .38 spl. The ser. nu. is 399175 on the butt. it has pat. dates '06, '09, '14 on top of the bbl. fixed sight.

.38 Military and Police Model of 1905, 4th Change. SN's ran from 241704 in 1915 to 1000000 in 1942. Your serial number is likely during the 1920's.

Jim

[drddrd]

laytonj1 Thanks!

[d7kaylor]

Thanks Jim. Dan

[av8r64]

Laytonj1,thanks for the additional info i was thinking 1920era so thats good news,thanks again av8r64



As the Beaver once said "GOLLY JEEPERS YOU GUYS ARE SWELL"

[onebadscrambler]

search. Would anyone out there care to tell me year of manufacture for a SW model 64-2. Number is 1D55406. Thank you.
__________________


JQpublic,
1979-80 by the S/N
The 64-2 was produced in 1977 and appears the 64-3 started production the same year. I do not know if they produced both models for a period of time.
Please comment Flyfish or Layton.

[skydog1979]

Hoping for some help with these two guns.
1. Barrell says 38 s&w special CTG. It has target sights. 6 1/2 " barrell. It has these n umbers in the yoke area S 104XXX. These numbers also appear on the cylinder. There is also a Letter D in the yoke area and the numbers 226XX.

2. This gun says 45 cal. model 1955. It is also 6 1/2" long at the barrell with target sights. The numbers in the yoke area and cylinder are S 160XXX. In the hinged area appears G737XX with the number 7 below the string of letters.

Both guns say Made in U.S.A. Marcus Registradas Smith and Wesson Springfield Mass.

I will post photos as well.
These belonged to my father and I don't know what I have or what kinf of value they may have.
Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

[FlyFish]

skydog1979 -

S104XXX: S&W used the "S" prefix for 12 different models built on the "N" or large revolver frame, but only one of them was chambered in .38 Special: the .38/44 Outdoorsman Model of 1950, which became the Model 23 in 1957 when model numbering began. Yours was made in 1954. Nice. Very nice.

S160XXX: 1955 .45 Target Model, the precursor to the Model 25. The one you have dates from 1956-57. Also very nice. I have one about 9 years younger than yours, by which time they had started using the "N" prefix. It's one of my favorite range guns - I load .45 Auto Rim for it (I'm one of the oddballs who hates using moon clips).

Value depends a lot on condition, and the gun (guns? - I can't really tell if it's one gun or two) in the photos appear to be in great shape, particularly for its (their?) age. With the run-up in revolver prices lately, I think you're looking at several hundred, perhaps close to a grand for each.

BTW, you correctly identified the "S" prefix numbers as the serial numbers. The other numbers stamped in the yoke cutout, and sometimes elsewhere, are so-called "assembly numbers" used to keep track of fitted parts during the manufacturing process.

[skydog1979]

Thanks alot. It is really nice of you to help me. It is a good feeling knowing I have such nice, intersting revolvers.
Here are other pictures for the .38

[FlyFish]

Yeah, those are two really nice guns in beautiful condition. I don't believe the grips on the .38 are original (or correct for the age of the gun) - they should have the little raised diamond around the screw like the grips on the .45. The diamond was dropped in 1967-68.

[laytonj1]

JQpublic,
1979-80 by the S/N
The 64-2 was produced in 1977 and appears the 64-3 started production the same year. I do not know if they produced both models for a period of time.
Please comment Flyfish or Layton.

The -2 was a 2" tapered barrel and the -3 was the heavy barrel versions. Both were produced concurrently until they became -4 and -5 versions with the next update in 1988.

Jim

[onebadscrambler]

Thanks for the additional information Layton. I learned something new today.
Danny

[Birdseye]

Hi folks. My copy of the Standard Catalog is sorta old and these guys are newish. Could you provide some dates?

Thank you.

648-1 BR50xxx
629-4 BRL 7xxx
66-5 CEA6xxx

[FlyFish]

Birdseye -

648-1 BR50xxx: 1994 (Should be BRS (i.e., letter "S"), not BR5)
629-4 BRL 7xxx: 1994
66-5 CEA6xxx: 2000

[Birdseye]

Thank so much, I appreciate your help.

[ketan]

I am trying to identify my great-grandfather's revolver. He was a police chief back in the early 1900s. I'm afraid I'm not even sure of the model or caliber, so any help here would be GREATLY appreciated.

This is a top-break, safety hammerless revolver (I think). The only markings I have found are the serial number on the bottom of the butt (61xxx) and again on the inside of the chamber. There is also "Smith & Wesson Springfield Mass U.S.A. PAT'D FEBY. 20. 77. DEC. 19. 77. MAY 11. 80. SEPT. 11. 85. OCT. 2. 85. TWO AUG. 4. 85" engraved in the top of the barrel.

[FlyFish]

ketan: You have a .38 Safety Hammerless 3rd Model. About 73,000 were made between 1890 and 1898. It looks to be in very nice shape for a gun of that age, and is probably worth somewhere in the range of $600 to $700.

[ketan]

FlyFish-
Thanks so much for the identification and info. And for the quick response!