I am selling a .38 MILITARY & POLICE (MODEL OF 1905 - 4TH CHANGE, serial 411XXX. Can anyone give me the date of manufacture?

Thanks

Bob

Welcome to the Forum.

Early 1920s.

Is there a letter prefix to the number on the butt, like "S", "C", or "D"?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Bob,
Mine is serial #630xxx and per Roy dates to 1931. Gil is probably very close, maybe mid 20s

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Jeff
S&WCA #2132

Bob,

255XXX is 1916.

Grey

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NYSP

414xxx is 1922. Doesn't mean yours is close though.

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Pace

416xxx was shipped Dec., 1922 for reference.

Jerry

36907xxwas shipped 1921.

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Roger

Bob, We'll close in on this with all of these dates. I have the same model as you with 2999xx. It was SHIPPED in June of 1919. That does not indicate in any way when it was produced. If I am correct guns did not have to leave the Smith facility in numerical order. Anyway, post some pics, and enjoy shooting it. Bob

Is this one a typo? Seems a bit early.

According to Roy Jinks, it shipped in Feb. 1921.you are correct, correct Ser.# is 3690xx. should have put my glasses on when i read my list. Ser. #5379xx is for apre 30 shipped in 1949. Thanks for pointing this error out.

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Roger

mine is #426267,what year for it,anyone know?thanks.

Mine is #280845, what year please?

1949 can't be correct eithe. Post war has a S prefix in the 700xxx to 9xxxxx range than restarted SN with C prfefix.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

404219 went out September 9, 1922-----don't have anything close on the other side.

Ralph Tremaine

And the answer to your question about date of manufacture is no----we very seldom learn of manufacturing dates---just shipping dates. The only relationship between the two can be guesstimated with reasonable accuracy depending on the particular model and type. In your case it is reasonable to assume your gun was shipped rather quickly after it was made simply because M&P's were fast movers----unless it's a target model, which tended to hang around for a spell. Special orders for any model and type likewise can be assumed to have been shipped more or less immediately upon completion----depending on what's special about it. Weird sights (fronts) are fairly common special orders---and they didn't make up a gun for those sights. They simply changed the sights on an in-stock item. The good news is all your guesses may be considered deadly accurate because (almost) nobody can prove you're wrong. I know the year (only) of manufacture of exactly one of my guns---and I learned it quite by chance. It's a rather obscure target model cursed by the fact there are likely more of them that won't letter than there are those which will. Needless to say, I wanted to be as certain as possible mine would letter before I turned loose of my money. I called all the experts, ending up with Jinks. He told me the gun shipped in 1941, said it was very likely a "legitimate" item (based upon the serial number----and the neighboring numbers)---and just casually mentioned it had been made in 1938. I suspect he knew that the same way he knew it was "very likely"----the neighboring numbers. And----there IS a God-----it lettered!!