Just bought a( What i think)is a model 1899 S&W M&P 1st model
S/N 20280,pat .dates are july 1,84-apr 9,89 -may21,95-july17,95---aug 4,96---dec 22,96---oct.4,98
finish is challenged mechanical excellent /with slight movement of cyl when locked.Is my assumption correct as to model and what is the approximate date ?I t has s&w 38 special on left side of bbl.

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age is just a number

Yes, that is a 1899. Production numbers were 1-20975, between 1899 and 1902. I would guess 1902 for a manufacturing/shipping date.

Best of all, you still have the knob that screws into the end of the ejector rod. Many of these 1899s are missing the knob, including my .32-20 1899.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

They were all made in the 1899-1902 period, and with a SN that high, likely the later date. It has the caliber stamping on the barrel, and those in .38 Special were unstamped up to about SN 7500. It's probably shootable with mild loads, but if it were mine, I wouldn't shoot it. These are historically important as they are the first S&W with the K-frame, and the direct ancestor of every one of the millions of S&W K-frame revolvers made ever since.

These are harder to find, who knows how many still remain in usable condition. This one is s/n 8636 and shipped in Jan 1901.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I shoot mine several times a year with mild commercial loads.

Sent from my SM-S975L using Tapatalk

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Regards,
Bruce