Quote:
Originally Posted by DCWilson
RDG, welcome to the forum. With that serial number, your gun was probably shipped in 1911 or 1912. You should find the same serial number on the underside of the barrel and on the rear face of the cylinder as well as the underside of the ejector star and face of the crane that abuts the front of the cylinder. But you may not be able to see those last two without partially disassemblng the revolver.
Those stocks, however, date to the 1920s; we can tell because they do not have the S&W medallions at the top of each panel, a design characteristic found in that decade. You may find a serial number on the inner right panel, probably in pencil. But if there is no serial number on the stocks, don't worry about it.
A letter will tell you the exact date the gun was shipped from the factory and the destination. Usually that is a hardware store or regional distributor, but in rare cases a gun was shipped to an individual who ordered it directly from the factory. You pays your money ($50) and takes your chances.
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Very interesting. I found all the same numbers at the locations you mentioned except on what you referred to as the crane and on the frame just above where the crane afixes. At those two locations there are the numbers 2513. I believe the frame is one piece, so I don't know why that number would be stamped there with a different number than on the butt.
I had noticed by all the pictures throughout this tread that the medallions were not on the grips but I thought it just had something to do with the different changes. I did find the number 391947 written in pencil on the inside of the grip. I guess this gun was damaged sometime along the way and the crane and grips where replaced.
You have provided all the information I really need and I will have to think about the $50 letter. This gun will never be sold - at least not by me. Sure do thank you for all the info.
Richard