Smith and Wesson serial number search

[quinn2187]

its the only number that could be located.....there was no number where the other picture showed one.....could it just be 5044 then???

[laytonj1]

its the only number that could be located.....there was no number where the other picture showed one.....could it just be 5044 then???

The serial # would also be stamped on the underside of the barrel where it attaches to the frame and on the back of the cylinder. If it is 5044 then it would be first year production. However, it sounds like it has seen some modifications.

Jim

[Eat Dirt]

I need Help ...... with a S /W I just aquirred

A model 19-3 / 357 in ' Mint ' Blued Condition !!!!!
The numbers are 2 K 251XX

Thanks For any help on finding out what year this Jem is from

[Sevens]

That'd be 1971.

[Eat Dirt]

Thank You Sir !

This pistol does not even have a clyinder line mark !!

[Sevens]

Do me a favor:
Look at the trigger guard on your mint 19-3 and tell me if it looks "normal" and follows a static width along it's entire length...

..or is it possible that your trigger guard is shaved to HALF it's normal width at the front/muzzle end of the guard, and full thickness at the rear of the trigger guard, back toward the grip?

Reason I ask is: The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Supica & Nahas is one of the best methods for retrieving these serial number look-ups we do, and the book is PACKED with other information also.

It says in the book that some commercial 19-3 revolvers are on the market with this "leftover" shaved trigger guard. It was a feature of the special run of 19-3's that were produced as Texas Ranger Commemorative revolvers, one of which I happen to have.

I have no idea how few of these guns are out there (by that, I mean NON-Texas Ranger Commemorative but with the shaved trigger guard) and I'm always curious if someone happens to have one.

It would be unlikely that yours has this feature.

[Eat Dirt]

I checked the trigger gaurd as soon as I got back home

And ....Nope
Standard size all the way
Interesting sidenote on that model

The friend who I got this from has had it sitting on the shelf since '79

[Sevens]

It is an interesting side note. From what I understand, Smith & Wesson has done things like this over the years. Not on purpose, simply to use up otherwise viable parts. The book gives no clue whatsoever how many might be out there, and those with it might carry some "premium" of value to a collector, but it would be hard to attach a number to it.

It's more of a curiosity than anything.

For a better idea or visual of what I'm talking about, run some image searches for the 19-3 Texas Rangers Commemorative and if you find a picture from the right angle, you'll see it. I can't see "much" that this feature would add in actual use, combat, target or otherwise, but it's noteworthy.

You have a great revolver. I do love mine.

[jarbuz]

Hi Guys,
I’m new here, so hello to everybody.
I have three S&W revolvers Mod 14-3 with numbers:
3K62032 - 77539 - G4
8K3477 - 55544 - A10
1K1432 - 54253
I just wonder if you could help me to establish when they were made. Is there anything else that I can find out by the numbers? I mean, is there any information coded in the numbers?
Which kind of bullets would be the best with these guns for target shutting?
What sort of twist of rifling do they have?
I would appreciate your help, please.

[JohnBrian]

This is my first post here!

I have a S&W model 36 (no dash). The serial is 501xxx.

(This question has probably been asked before but I don't want to look at 131 pages to find it!) There is a 5-digit number stamped under the grips near the bottom & also on the crane. Does it have any significance?

Thanks!

John

[Sevens]

I have three S&W revolvers Mod 14-3 with numbers:
3K62032 - 1972
8K3477 - 1975
1K1432 - 1970

Is there anything else that I can find out by the numbers? I mean, is there any information coded in the numbers?
Which kind of bullets would be the best with these guns for target shutting?
What sort of twist of rifling do they have?

Smith & Wesson put different numbers on parts and in different places to assist them in the manufacturing process, but those numbers are meaningless after the production of the revolver... so far as we know. I am of the camp that someone who really, really knows the down & dirty process from the inside of the building might have a better idea of anything that could possibly be associated with those numbers. But for our uses, we can't seem to do anything with any of those numbers beyond the Model number, (14), the engineering change number (dash-3) and the serial number.

Bullets? Those guns were likely developed around the use of soft lead bullets of 158 grains in weight, but the Model 14 was a much loved and heavily used target gun of the day and as such... launched countless 148 grain full wadcutter bullets.

These days, any .357-.358" projectile... be it soft swaged lead, cast lead, copper plated or copper jacketed bullet between 110 grains and 180 grains in weight is perfectly "normal" for these guns. On fixed sighted guns (these are not), the gun would have been developed around a 158 grain slug.

And FWIW, Smith & Wesson does approve the use of modern .38 Special+P ammunition, if built by a reputable company and built to SAAMI standards.

Rifling? Standard land/groove rifling, though 5 of them, which makes a S&W a bit more annoying to slug/measure. Right hand twist, IIRC? And the twist rate... Someone else probably knows that one.

Welcome to TFL.

[Sevens]

This is my first post here!

I have a S&W model 36 (no dash). The serial is 501xxx.

(This question has probably been asked before but I don't want to look at 131 pages to find it!) There is a 5-digit number stamped under the grips near the bottom & also on the crane. Does it have any significance?

Also welcome to TFL. Please see info in post directly above for information with regards to all other numbers besides the serial number, model number and dash number.

Your serial number hits a spot in the book we use that is somewhat vague...
The book says that 1962 saw the the range at 295000 and that 1969 was 786544 so we know that your revolver was built in that 7-year window, but you can only guess at which year it was built. We like to try and guess according to the number... but admit that we truly have no idea if S&W made 400,000 of them in the first year and then merely tens of thousands in the following 6 years.

You bring up a good point about flipping back 131 pages of this thread, however. I'll bet there is a lot of interesting stuff to be found, just in this thread.

Oh, and to further what I said in the previous post with regards to +P ammo...
Smith & Wesson has taken the position that if the revolver in question has a stamped model number on it, then they green light the use of factory built .38 Special+P ammo unless the gun itself is otherwise marked to prohibit it.

It was in/on/around 1957 (IIRC?) that S&W began stamping model numbers on the revolvers.

[JohnBrian]

Thank you very much Sevens!

Close enough on the date. I've had it over 20 years & have always been curious about the manufacture date.

I've read looooong threads in other forums, but none that were more than 20 pages. But, since I was looking for something specific, it was just easier to ask! I have browsed a few pages of this thread.

I've always wondered about the +P in the Chief's Special. Back when I bought it the general consensus was that +P should be fired RARELY, if at all. It was said that the pressure of the +P would stretch the cylinder & it would eventually fail in a most spectacular fashion! I've probably shot maybe 15 rounds of +P in all the time I have owned it. My usual practice ammo is mild 158 grain SWC handloads. I carry 129 grain Federal Hydra-Shok JHP +P in it.

Thanks!

John

[Sevens]

Just as on any internet discussion forum (as you might imagine...) we argue to the bitter end on some topics... and on a few topics, we argue until we're blue in the face and then we take a two-week break and start arguing again! One of those things we go round-and-round about is +P ammunition.

To be specific about it, all ammo sold in this country by a reputable firm (from a real, known manufacturer and NOT "gun show reloads") are all built to an industry standard. In this case... SAAMI. The gun manufacturers agree to build their guns to withstand pressures just beyond what SAAMI has established as the limits for peak pressure in each caliber/chambering.

In the case of .38 Special, the standard is 17,000 PSI Max. And in the case of .38 Special+P, it's 18,500 PSI Max. You can see that the difference is really not all that much. Smith & Wesson "proof tests" all of the guns they ship, so that revolver should have been fired, more than once, with ammo that goes well beyond even the 18,500 PSI limit for .38 Special+P.

I suppose that in the real world, anything "could" happen. But I would submit that it's unlikely that any amount of .38 Special+P shooting would end in catastrophic failure. Increased wear? Sure. Rattle the gun loose, and take it's toll over time? Probably! But grenade it and send parts flying? I don't see it.

And just because I always do... it's worth adding to be wary of the "+P" moniker attached to factory ammo. It's only an official SAAMI standard rating in three different chamberings... 9mm, .38 Special and .45 Auto. A "+P" added to any other caliber is not to any standard and if sticking with industry standards... it's foolishly used. Still... some do it. Buffalo Bore does. Annoys me.

[JohnBrian]

And just because I always do... it's worth adding to be wary of the "+P" moniker attached to factory ammo. It's only an official SAAMI standard rating in three different chamberings... 9mm, .38 Special and .45 Auto. A "+P" added to any other caliber is not to any standard and if sticking with industry standards... it's foolishly used. Still... some do it. Buffalo Bore does. Annoys me.

I didn't know it was only supposed to be used on those calibers. Other than .40 S&W, I haven't owned anything chambered in calibers other than 9mm, .38 Special, 45 Auto. I've never noticed on .40 S&W if any have been marked with the +P.

(Forgot about 7.62 Tokarev. I've never purchased anything other than military ammo.)

[Sevens]

Sometimes you'll see it on .45 Colt... but that is not to a SAAMI standard. And unlike the other +P's, "heavy .45 Colt", the kind of modern ammunition built specifically for Ruger and Freedom Arms revolvers are way beyond original spec, which was is a cartridge that has it's roots in black powder. But the "market" and fanbase for "heavy .45 Colt" is probably large enough that if I had to guess... it could be or might be the next actual SAAMI standardization of a +P rating.

.38 Super is often labeled +P also, but there is no SAAMI standard for .38 Super+P and it's often been said that some makers label .38 Super as +P simply to help denote the fact that it is not the much older .38 Auto. And in fact... some .38 Super (and marked +P at that!) is simply loaded to lower than allowed peak pressures. I personally believe that Magtech's .38 Super+P product does this.

Buffalo Bore does it to some of their ammo...
They shouldn't.

[Lonestarsun]

I have found a schofield model 3 Smith and Wesson and would like more info on the serial number if anyone can help that would be great it's pretty beat up and not in firing condition but the serial number is 3794 it does have the "us" stamp on the butt and you can just make out the side markings on both sides of the gun any info or websites to find info would be great thanks in advance!

[ACS0828]

Advise on year made for a Model 19-5 serial number ACS0828, strange the box it came in says it is a Model 19-4 but no matter.

[Sevens]

Yours was built somewhere between January and October, 1983.

All of the 19-4's had a pinned barrel and recessed chambers in the cylinder. The 19-5 arriving in 1982 eliminated both of those.

Does the box show a serial number that links it to the revolver, or was it simply a box that someone had laying around?

[Sevens]

I have found a schofield model 3 Smith and Wesson and would like more info on the serial number if anyone can help that would be great it's pretty beat up and not in firing condition but the serial number is 3794 it does have the "us" stamp on the butt and you can just make out the side markings on both sides of the gun any info or websites to find info would be great thanks in advance!

This one is way, way out of my league. Hopefully, others may come to help.

I would suggest that you open a specific new thread in the Revolver area of the site and if at all possible, include pictures. And be prepared to answer questions when folks ask you to look for this, that, or the other thing.

I only have a book... it's a phenomenal book and I highly recommend it, it's The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson[ by Supica and Nahas, and it's currently in it's Third Edition. The book is worth every penny you might spend on it.

If I've looked it up correctly, your revolver was made between 1870 and 1872. That's if you found & properly identified the actual serial number.

I would imagine that even in lousy shape, there is some collectible "value" to that particular revolver.

[CyberTr0n]

I was currently given my mothers Smith & Wesson .32 Long CTG Police Model. I was hoping someone could help me with a few questions I have.

1. Would it be okay to fire a few rounds through this piece, and if so is there any particular ammo I should look for, or stay away from?

2. The handle grip seems to be cracked on the bottom, is there anywhere or anyone that can replace or fix it?

3. What would be the best procedure to clean/restore this revolver?

4. Manufacture date of this revolver?

Bottom handle model number: 230607
Under barrel model number: 230607
Inside hand ejector hinge: 10 67
Under hand ejector hinge: 10 67

Thank you in advance....

[MuzzleBlast]

Model 19-2, ser K490476

Thanks!

[Sevens]

I was currently given my mothers Smith & Wesson .32 Long CTG Police Model. I was hoping someone could help me with a few questions I have.
On older guns, pictures are often the SLAM-DUNK that "we" need to properly identify them. And I say "we" because I'm doing little more here than looking up serial numbers in a fantastic reference book but other folks know far more about old Smith & Wesson revolvers than I do, and they can help a lot more with these older ones.

1. Would it be okay to fire a few rounds through this piece, and if so is there any particular ammo I should look for, or stay away from?
When you single action cock the revolver (when you draw the hammer back with your thumb) check to be sure the cylinder rotates freely and locks in to place all on it's own. If the timing isn't right and the cylinder doesn't get where it needs to go -AND- locks there, all on it's own, that gun is absolutely dangerous to shoot. Also, check the bore, inside the barrel and be certain that it's totally free of obstructions. Check the cylinder for cracks. Check the rear-most portion of the barrel for cracks. The .32 S&W Long is a relatively weak cartridge by today's standards, so I wouldn't worry all too much about the safety of it as long as there are no major issues. You can also use the handy guide at the top of the this area of the site that teaches you to "check out" a used revolver.

As for ammo, the big companies still make small runs of .32 S&W Long. You can shoot it or, if you don't find it, .32 Smith & Wesson. The .32 S&W (not long) is a shorter round but it will work just find in any .32 S&W Long revolvers. The ammo will not be cheap in price simply because it's a product that isn't sold in large volume. The bullets should be regular old lead... not jacketed bullets.

2. The handle grip seems to be cracked on the bottom, is there anywhere or anyone that can replace or fix it?
Gun show dealers often have tremendously large piles and boxes of old grips for these guns at varying prices. Also, if it's absolutely properly identified here, someone in our forum may offer suggestions. The original grips (in better shape) absolutely enhance it's "value" so be careful with those grips no matter what condition they are in right now.

3. What would be the best procedure to clean/restore this revolver?
Is it blued or nickel plated? I wouldn't do anything excessive to it as far as cleaning goes. FAR more guns, especially old guns, are ruined by cleaning than by neglect or lack of cleaning. You can really do damage here if you don't know what you're doing. Ensure the bore is clear of obstructions and use some patches to make the chambers clean. As for a full-on restoration, there are people who can do that, but the time and money ends up being -FAR- more than most any rational person would consider.

4. Manufacture date of this revolver?
If I am reading my book correctly and I have the right gun...
It's a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903, 5th Change, and the book says it was made between 1910 and 1917 according to that serial number.

If you want more detailed information, you can contact the Smith & Wesson historian, Mr. Roy Jinks at S&W and request a factory letter. This is not a free service, I believe the cost is $50, but Mr. Jinks will look up the serial number and return back a display-grade letter that gives you a date of when it was shipped from Smith & Wesson, all the features and options it was shipped with and it will even tell you to WHERE it was shipped. It's a very interesting letter that comes back, but you'll have to decide if it's worth the money. You needn't send the gun to Mr. Jinks for this service.

[Sevens]

Model 19-2, ser K490476

Shows as a 1962 build. I would imagine you have a 4-inch barrel as the book suggests the 6-inch and the 2.5-inch weren't introduced until 1963.

Should also have the cool old Diamond grips.

Bet that's a very cool revolver.

[MuzzleBlast]

Bet that's a very cool revolver.

Thanks very much! Yes, it is a cool old gun, and looks like it has a lot of stories to tell.