Originally Posted by cmansguns

Hello Meadowlark;

Thanks for posting the serial number on the butt. According to our "bible" Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition, when the Model 36 first came into being in 1957, the serial number range was 117770 to 125000. The next published year is 1962 with serial number 295000. So...yes....your s/n 132227 probably was cranked out after 1957, but before 1962. That is about the best that can be done for you without sending for an actual Factory Letter, which may not be worth it in your case because of the finish condition.

As a side note the original post you said the s/n was in the pics but what showed is 86946 which should be an assembly number to keep certain components matched during the assembly and finishing operations. I blew up the photo of the number in the yoke but all I can ascertain is that it does appear to have 5 digits, and I see at least an 8, 6 so if you use a magnifying glass and those two 5 digit numbers match then fine, at least they are original to the gun.

Next is the R stamped very clearly on the left frame with grips removed. Normally the R would stand for a Factory refinish job, however there is no diamond or circle preceding the R and no date code stamp which as I understand it were common for factory jobs in those days.

I doubt the gun is "in the white" meaning bare metal, because your original post said you (or your wife) have shot and normally cleaned the gun, and I think it would be impossible to avoid hidden rust spots if shot, carried, handled, without total disassembly.

The flat latch supposedly did not disappear until 1966 per SCSW 4th, however my 1965 has the newer contour (called standard) latch so we never say never with all things S&W.

1967 was the first year for Model 36 dash 1.

As others have posted, your gun should have a case hardened hammer and trigger, another indication of a refinish by someone, somewhere, probably not S & W factory.

Your grips are diamond magnas which are correct for that period and from the condition of wear on the grips, I believe the rest of the gun may have been in poor condition from storage or handling or ??? If that were the case then maybe former owner did the heavy buffing, or had it professionally refinished, but the buffing sure was deep enough to remove the trademark Logo and flatten the letters on the registration lines.

All in all...you have a nifty little J Frame that the wife is happy with, and you don't have to worry about value, so keep it, enjoy it, and don't worry about it.

I would still caution about using Plus P in an older, early J Frame. Why tempt fate!