I'm new to this forum, in fact new to forums completely. But if I wanted a Smith & Wesson question answered I thought I'd give it a shot (no pun intended). I'm looking for a 1959 model 29. I have found on line year ranges like S182,000-S194,499 is Late 1958 to Early 1959 and S194,500-S206,999 is Late 1959 to Early 1960. Is the cut off point of the two years right in the middle of the serial numbers? Or did the make more guns at the beginning of year or end of year? Ideally I'd like to find one May 1959 but I know that maybe asking to much to narrow it down that close. But if someone knew where the 1959's started and ended it would be helpful Thank You!

Guns were not shipped in numerical order and some examples are known to have set around for years in inventory before being shipped. It's impossible to know for absolute certainty when a gun shipped without confirmation from the historian. Anything short of that is making a wild guess. If you must have a gun shipped in 1959 (birth year?) look for one the owner has already lettered. Otherwise it's a crapshoot. Good luck.

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Exact dating for production is very difficult to come by. All you can do is use the provided SN ranges by year which you have already stated. The earliest 1959 shipment date I show is about S161000 and the latest 1959 shipping date I show is about S199000 (N frames). Others may have better data.

I have S199,5xx shipped 5/60.

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I have S1960xx and it shipped in December 1960 so you never know with serial numbers and S&W

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

S1964xx - april 1960