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11-12-2014, 12:20 PM
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Serial Number Markings
About what time period did Smith & Wesson discontinue the marking of the cylinder, extractor, yoke, and barrel with the complete serial number of the revolvers? I realize this did not take place with every model all at once.
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11-12-2014, 01:02 PM
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It's generally considered to have been stopped when the model numbering system was adopted, ca. 1957.
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11-12-2014, 01:34 PM
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I have a late 1974 vintage M53 and the serial number is stamped on the face of the cylinder under the extractor. Small numbers. I also had two pre 14's from 1957. One numbered fully and the other had no numbers. Just a few months apart. Big Larry
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11-12-2014, 03:36 PM
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Here are the 6 serial # locations left after WW II to look for:
Gun butt - or forestrap on I frames with grips that cover the butt
Barrel - bottom of barrel or in extractor shroud
Yoke - on rear face visible thru a chamber with a flashlight
Extractor star - backside
Cylinder - rear face
Right stock – backside
Eventually down to only 3 serial # locations left by c. 1957 which are:
Gun butt - (or forestrap* on I frames with grips that cover the butt)
Extractor star - backside
Right stock – backside
Decreasing Serial # locations began May 1, 1957 when S&W eliminated the Soft Fitting Operation over a transition period from 6 locations to only 3; butt, back of right stock (until mid '70s), and extractor star (until c. 1980). Then added in the yoke cut starting 1959 eventually just on butt of grip frame, and yoke cut. But guns in process or in inventory as of 5/1/57 can still have more than 3 and up to 6 locations.
As always with Smiths, there are many exceptions.
The Russians 1st required multi-locations on their S&W #3 contract revolvers.
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Jim
S&WCA #819
Last edited by Hondo44; 11-12-2014 at 03:39 PM.
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11-12-2014, 04:10 PM
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You have been given the standard answer - with which I generally agree. The number of serial number locations was reduced when the soft-fitting process was eliminated about the time model numbers were introduced.
However, I have in my possession two K-38 Masterpiece revolvers that shipped in 1956 (four screw frames). Neither of them has the serial number on the barrel flat or the rear face of the cylinder. They have not been altered and they clearly never received the serial number in those locations. So there certainly were revolvers built and shipped quite some time before model numbers were assigned that did not have the serial numbers in the standard positions. The fact that I have two that were issued the same year, indicates this is not merely an anomaly that can be accounted for by someone just failing to mark the occasional revolver. I'm sure there are more out there like this.
As with with other matters concerning S&W you cannot make definitive statements about when they did this or that without recognizing that there will be exceptions.
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Jack
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11-12-2014, 09:02 PM
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Are they lettered as being shipped later? As with Winchesters, they went to a polishing room and were numbered. Some were put together and sold many years later with later version parts. Big Larry
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