Dean, I don't know either what DWalt means. My explanation was based on "Serial number 12345 was made before 12346" The production logs are clear on that point
as the "made" dates are sequential with the serial numbers and record the serial number and the date the gun was made and sent to the vault, and the worker was paid for making the gun. . Assembly numbers have nothing to do with the manufacturing logs, as they are only for getting fitted parts back together after bluing or plating. If we really want to split hairs here, guns were made by the batch system, in that a Foreman received an order to make, say 100 .32 HEs. He would assign the work to probably 1/2 doz. different lead men on his team, who would supervise the individual workers assembling the guns. When all 100 guns are done, they are entered in the production log sequentially by serial number and the Foreman gets paid by S&W and he pays his crew. It could be that one leadman's group works faster than another group and their guns are done first and happen to have a higher serial number within the 100 guns list of sequential guns ordered, but the Foreman lists them sequentially by serial number, on his production log and that's how the go to the vault. Ed.