Hello - I joined this Forum, today, in hopes that someone might be able to tell me the year that my recently acquired 22/32 kit gun was produced, by its serial number. It is a Model 34 (also known as a Model of 1953), caliber .22, 6-shot, 'I' frame revolver with a 4" barrel. It has a blue finish and a round butt, which bears the serial number 30281. I have a letter of provenance from the original owner, in which he stated that he special ordered the revolver from Oshman's Sporting Goods Co., in Houston, Texas (date he purchased it was not stated). The original owner also stated that it was his understanding that this particular revolver was the 281st 22/32 kit gun produced. The original owner sold this revolver to another person, in 2015. I purchased it from that person, on September 11th of this year. In addition to learning the year that the revolver was produced, I would like to know if anyone can provide an estimate of its value, for insurance purposes. I have attached photos, for your consideration. Thanks much, for any information or advice that you may be able to provide.

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The serial numbers for the 1953 type 22s were a new series and began at 101 in 1953. The large sideplate screw was ordered to be dropped in Dec, 55 at around ser # 11000. If your gun has a model number, it probably dates to 58, +/- a year.
You could say your gun was the 281st produced after the first 29,900.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I would be very surprised if this Kit Gun is marked as a Model 34.

36051 is the highest number known to lack the model number, and 35796 is the second highest. The latter shipped in January, 1959.

On the other hand, we know of at least one in the 35100 range that is model-marked. But at 30281, the one shown above is almost certainly just a Model of 1953 .22/32 Kit Gun, not a Model 34.

I own a square butt example at 32230 that is not model-marked and shipped in January, 1958.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Welcome to the forum and glad to have you aboard.

You've been given good information from Lee and Jack above. As to value, about a year ago I sold SN 22564 and SN 29543 (same configuration as yours, except that they had the side plate screw) for $724 and $730 on a very public auction site. With the market the way it has been in the last little while, I would expect that they might sell for 10%-20% higher today. So, for insurance purposes I think a value somewhere in the $600 - $900 range would be fine.

Thanks for sharing and all the best,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Welcome to the forum.

We've seen #30281 here on the forum before; the then owner stated it was purchased in 1957, but no confirming documentation was offered.

Guns numbered near it with authenticated shipping dates were generally shipped in the first half of 1958 and an S&W letter will provide the exact date. They were not shipped in serial # order.

There's no documentation available to tell us when your gun was produced but highly likely within a couple of months before it shipped.

And the earliest stamped Mod 34 in my database, #38354, shipped 1/59.

Hope that helps some,

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Welcome to the forums from the cotton and peanut covered plains of the Wiregrass!

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Very handsome presentation case!

Thanks, everyone, for the replies and shared info. This revolver is not stamped Mod 34 (where you would expect to find the Model number), however, it is stamped with a 1 over 70733, and beneath that number there are what appears to be a circled 6 next to a circled 8. I have no clue as to what those markings mean. If those markings mean that this revolver is a pre-Model 34, could it have been produced in 1953? I'm just trying to get a ball-park idea of its age.

The early ballpark answer is 1957. The late ballpark answer is 1958. 1953 is pretty much out of the question because any .22/32s manufactured then or in the following year would have three-digit or four-digit serial numbers. The first five-digit serial number probably shipped in the first half of 1955 not too long after its manufacture.

The highest serial number I have spotted for a gun shipped in 1957 is in the 296xx range, which is getting close to yours. I would think it possible that your very nice revolver might have shipped in late 1957, but as others have said, 1958 is also possible -- and perhaps a little likelier, if it is even wise to talk about likelihood in the warehouse policies of a company that didn't insist on selling its products in serial number order.

The long number on the frame is a soft fitting number, designed to keep different subassemblies of a single firearm from getting mixed up with parts of another gun during the assembly process. That number became meaningless at the time of final assembly and the stamping of the actual serial number in the various places where it can be found. The single digit numerals you mention are likely to be assembler IDs. A single revolver went through several pairs of hands before it was stowed in its box.

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David Wilson

32230 shipped in 1/58, so yours is no later than that.

I'll guess May 1958

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Don Mundell