So another HD followed me home today from a local show. 5" barrel, 90% finish, SN S692xx. The thing that is bothering me a little is that the assembly numbers on the frame and yoke don't match - frame AN is 14135, while the yoke AN is 14505. Cylinder is numbered 73036. Condition is good and consistent, and I don't see any indicators (other than mismatched numbers) that it is a Franken-gun...not to mention having little idea why this might have been done to begin with if it is.

Is there any plausible "correct or acceptable" reason that this gun could be numbered this way? If it went back to S&W for parts replacement, I'd speculate that the new components would either be un-numbered, numbered to match upon installation, or there would be some other clue. Barrel, frame, and grips match each other...

My other HD has no such "issues" and is consistently numbered as is normally expected...

At the price I paid, I'm not so worried that I got burned, since I noticed it during negotiations and pointed it out to the seller. Just trying to calm my collector's OCD by figuring out why this gun is the way it is. Input appreciated from those more experienced than me...(which casts a pretty wide net)

Tyler

Tyler,
It sounds like they did replace the cylinder if it is not numbered to the gun. I don't believe there is any other explanation for that unfortunately. I am not sure if the assembly numbers are quite as consistent but I would think they should match as well from frame to crane.

Are there any markings on the frame of the gun under the grips?

Editted to Add: I should mention that it is curious that the replacement cylinder, assuming it is a replacement, is also numbered within the transitional HD period. Makes me wonder if any potential change or fix to the gun wasn't done very soon after it left the factory. It coud be that someone was simply lucky to get the transitionally numbered cylinder as a replacement.

Also, PICS always help.

It probably got mismatched at a police department or some company that owned several.
Assembly numbers are stamped for EXACTLY the purpose of keeping a yoke with that frame. If they weren't going to match, why bother stamping?

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Tyler:

Welcome !
It certainly looks like the yoke & cylinder is are replacements.

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

My immediate thought is that an agency armorer who cared for a number of HDs just mixed up the parts at the end of a review and repair cycle. As long as they all worked, who would care what the numbers were on the separate pieces?

Or possibly a bunch of guns got wet, and a salvage team built some functioning guns out of what was left after the rusted and pitted parts were discarded.

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David Wilson

Thanks for the quick replies guys. The PD/agency explanation certainly seems plausible. As I said, condition is very consistent so parts replacement in someone's garage last year just doesn't seem too likely. I wasn't thinking about groups of HDs since they're so rare to come across as individual revolvers these days!

I'm in it at $500, which I figure would be a little pricey for a later gun but maybe about right for an earlier piece with a few "issues." How much should I let the mis-numbered thing bother me?

I'll try to snap a few photos tomorrow to post.

As long as the gun times and carries up correctly, I wouldn't let the mixed numbers bother me at all. It's not a collectible as is, but a Pre-20 shooter is no small thing in its own right. I have a Brazilian 1917 that has parts of at least four different guns in it. I had to play with it for a while to make everything work together according to spec, but it is now an accurate big-bore blaster and one of my favorite guns. I have other un-frankensteined 1917s for looking at and appreciating. This one is my shooter, and it shoots very well indeed.

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David Wilson

You could have Roy Jinx letter both numbers and see what that tells you.
Dick

Tyler has a Missouri State Highway Patrol Heavy Duty. The cylinder serial number is not one of the serial numbers we have for MSHP HDs, so I suspect it may have been changed after the patrol disposed of them.
Hope this helps,
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

I have posted photos in Jerry's ".38/44 Outdoorsman- Updated files-HELP !" thread. Thanks everyone for the input. Need to make time to get out and shoot this one!