hi guys , I have a old pre old 10 k-frame , C 411,zzz.
according to the Standard Catalog Of S&W second edition,
model 10 began production in 1957 under the model 10 section.
in the back under C series serial numbers this sixgun was made 1957-59.
Ok, Why isn'T stamped model 10 ??
what do I have here ??

You have a pre-Model 10. The order to stamp model numbers was directed in 1957, but lot of models didn't start model marking 'til way into 1958 and if the gun sat around in the vault, which a lot of them did, before picked to fill an order and ship it could very will have not shipped 'til 1959. Some guns have been known to sit in the vault for two-three years before they were finished and shipped in no particular sequence.
Smith was only interested in shipping guns and making money, so they didn't care about serial number sequence or about collectors likes and dislikes. HTH

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Dick

I have a 357 with a four screw frame serial S138000. But the fifth screw was supposedly deleted starting with S171584, about 33,000 units after my gun was made. Also, that serial seems like mid 1955 production but the gun wasn't shipped until March of 1957.

You really can't count on anything being right with older S&Ws.

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