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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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  #1  
Old 01-28-2012, 01:28 PM
wndrbob wndrbob is offline
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Default Model 36 strange serial number

Hello All
I got in a model 36 No dash 3" barrel nice clean revolver. When I looked in the book for the serial number to date the gun is when the fun started. The serial number is 44J280 I find nothing in the book or online that even comes close. The grips on the revolver are not diamond grips " most likely changed" but are S&W. Any insight to the age of this would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Bob
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Old 01-28-2012, 01:57 PM
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This is the infamous floating j serial number sequence. Your gun was made sometime after1983. It's in the 3rd Edition book under serial numbers.
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Old 01-28-2012, 01:58 PM
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I don't have my copy of the SCSW handy, but I believe your gun is from around 1983. If I remember correctly that is when they started the floating "J" in the serial number. At that point, it would not have been shipped with "diamond" grips.
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Old 01-28-2012, 02:21 PM
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The floating J series typically dates to 1971-1972. There's a typo in the appendix on pg. 399.

It should read:
1971-1972 1J1 - 999J99
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Old 01-28-2012, 02:23 PM
wndrbob wndrbob is offline
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Ok but...That would have a dash (36-1) it has no dash but does have a pinned barrel pre 1982 per the book. This is why I am puzzled
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Old 01-28-2012, 02:27 PM
wndrbob wndrbob is offline
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Thanks Chad that would make sense except it is not a 36-1 there is no dash.. Do they do this just so we have something to search for.
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Old 01-28-2012, 02:41 PM
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I believe the 36-1 was for the 3" heavy barrel ONLY. The 36 no dash standard barrel continued until the -2 in 1988. If I am incorrect on this issue I hope someone will correct me. I think this was a similar situation as the 10-6 heavy barrel.
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Old 01-28-2012, 06:52 PM
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Page 209 confirms that 36-1 (1967) indicates heavy barrel. The pinned barrel was eliminated in 1982.
Thanks for pointing out the typo.........I noted my book.

Last edited by opaul; 01-28-2012 at 06:55 PM.
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Old 01-28-2012, 07:25 PM
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36 No Dash guns and 36-1 guns were built concurrently.

This is one of the few examples in S&W where a higher "-number" does not necessarily indicate a more recently produced example.
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Old 01-28-2012, 08:53 PM
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So if I read this correct it should be early 70s ? why do they make it so difficult. Thank you all for the help
Bob
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