Hi all around,

How can I find out when my M36 chiefs special left the factory. I picked this up at a gun show and it had european proof marks with a 1976 date on the barrel and frame as well as on the cylinder. This would indicate when it was tested and released for sale by the government authority but the actual date of manufacture may be much earlier.

Thanks for some info!

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QM3

You post the serial number on the butt of the revolver with two xx's in the last two positions of the serial number and someone up here will tell you the year of manufacture.

wow, thanks ! the serial # is J4684XX

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QM3

That serial number range is '76-'77.

How about this one: J2275XX Purcased 10/74.
Thank you.

Stan

J100000 - J250000 would be from 1973 - 1974.

How about 1852xx - Thanks.

Between 1958 and 1961. I would guess 1959 but you would have to letter it to be sure.
And how about some pics? We love pics.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

There is no letter before the serial number. I don't have time to take a decent picture right now but it is nickeled. I do have the original wood grips (square butt J frame) but I keep combat Pachmyers on it because it hurts to shoot with the wood grips. This gun is a model 36 - no dash.

I just got a pawn shop beauty yesterday--Serial No. 1J098xx. When was it "born"? Thanks.
Actually, it might be unfired--the slight turn ring could be just handling, dry firing, etc. It's really tight on lockup.
MBliss--Thanks for the quick reply.

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1982 according to SWSC
Enjoy! Pics?

__________________
John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

By "letter" mbliss means you would have to write to Smith & Wesson to ask Roy Jinks to send you a letter that would describe the revolver and give you the date when it left the factory. (There is a fee for this service.)

Just picked up a Model 36 (no dash) with a three inch barrel in almost unused condition. The serial number is 5949XX. What would have been its year of manufacture. Thanks in advance for your help.

how about a date for this number 408xx

May be able to help some other inquiries. I actually got to speak to Roy Jinks yesterday and found out that my Model 36 (no dash) 3" noted above with serial no. 5949XX shipped from the factory in February, 1968. These may help others approximate the manufacture date of their guns.

Can anyone provide a manufacture date for the serial number 408xx. Thanks in advance for this information.

How about 0606XX?

Been doing some shuffling in my collection of S&W. A fellow I traded with some just sold me his model 36 blue steel and after cleaning the gun properly I was just guessing at date of birth....

• s/n - 7203xx

I am guessing late 60's early 70's, but I am sure some of you experts will be able to help. I'll try and post a picture. This old fellow that sold it to me for $400 is an old cowboy in AZ. I am getting old too. not up to speed on pics. gun looks deep blue when in hand, somehow my cheap phone camera hosed it up. It's a nice compliment to the mint in box 10-7 I scored this weekend off a retired police detective LT. Just need my old model 19 to round out the snubbie set. Got feelers out in AZ. Mine was a 1982 model 19 and that is one of my guns I wish I had back. heavy but it never punished my hands in .357

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How about 1399XX?

Assuming s/n's are as shown (no "j" included), SCSW indicates:
408xx 1953-54
0606xx (leading off with a zero? 606xx would be 1955-56)
7203xx 1968-69
1399xx 1957-62

Thank you. There is no J prefix, so I guess 57 to 62. Early gun.

Please bear in mind that "leaving the factory" and "date of manufacture" are two very different matters and can be separated by a great deal of time. You would think that if S&W made this or that gun on a certain date it wouldn't be long before they sold and shipped it and often enough you would be correct but it is not at all unusual for that to not be correct - a gun could sit for awhile before it is sold and shipped. Which sometimes makes for a fascinating bit of trivia methinks!

***GRJ***

thank you for dating the model 36. For once I am the youngest gun in the batch.

I am going to instinct shoot 25 rounds and target shoot 25 rounds today.

I went to range and tested the little .38 special at 15 feet. After the first shot with the gun I settled in well. I put the butt end of grip higher up in palm swell and there ya go. Works great, and what a nice trigger pull as these shots were not in single action (where you pull hammer back) so you could really feel the trigger squeeze all the way.

Later I did some instinct combat shooting and it was all in the kill zone but I had shot a bunch of .40 from my G27 over the M36 shots in torso and head. Pretty surprising how accurate a short barrel can be. First time I ever shot a model 36.

Additional : I was so happy I snapped up a pair of stag grips to make it look complete for display purposes and occasional carry.

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How about a photo of the stags?

I will post a picture of the gun with sambar stag grips once they get to my house. Found em on eBay. i bid at end and won. $109.00.

Some other sellers were wanting $270+ and theirs were less figured than the ones I won, so I am excited as when I first shot this gun. It's a keeper all the way.

On the grips they are highly figured and not those cheap ajax style stags with 90% white material and 10% brown. I'll need to get my grip guy to put in the medallions for 10 bucks but,

On grip colors these are more brown/walnut all the way up and down. I been chomping at the bit. Will try and get a better camera to use since my phone cam is substituting now since my pitbull bit through my battery charger.

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The first time I put stag grips on a Smith and Wesson. The screw provided by eBay seller was way too long(3/4"), but a dremel solved that issue.

I like it either way... in original wood or stag. The stag feels nice in my grip hand. My camera in my phone is not very good at all

S&W, Model 36, 5 shot snub nose at the butt the
Serial# ALA3###?

Thanks!

an ALA s/n dates to late 1985 per SCSW.

The seller tells me the SN is BA1009, thanks.

36 no dash flat latch #1359XX

An educated guess - early 1959 shipping.

How about Serial # J792XX No dashes

1964 3" Tapered barrel, flat latch square butt

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I have 1882xx,andwas told by a fellow member 1957. Bob

I'm thinking that may make my 3"er late 60s or early 70s -6162xx

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Si vis pacem, para bellum

I bought a Model 36 at a local gun store in beautiful condition, hardly fired. It's a nickel, 3 screw, never been refinished from what I can tell but, it says Mod. 36 on the frame in front of the trigger guard and the serial number is 253xx, serial number under the grips matches. According to my copy of the Standard Guide, it should have been made in 1952 or 1953. Problem is that the Mod. 36 would not have been there, am I right? Any thoughts?

J792XX looks to be 1981.

J plus a one to five-digit serial number is 1969-1970 . . . J792XX is likely 1970.

J plus a 6-digit number in the 792XXX s/n range would be 1981.

Russ

Would I be correct in dating my nickle chief with j prefix and followed by 6 digits beginning with 393 at 1975? It seems to be between two dated above.

The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (3rd) shows:
1976-1977 J370001-J610000

Based on the book I would estimate J393XXX would be 1976 . . . however, these s/n ranges and dates are only approximate since the factory did not ship in s/n sequence. Only a $50 factory letter would provide the true ship date.

Russ

What about BRH79xx

Many three letter + four number serial numbers have big date gaps in the Standard Catalog of S&W so we often guestimate between ship dates. Some members keep track of nearby s/n's but only a factory letter would tell for sure.


Estimate August or September 1994.


Estimate September or October 1994.


Would urge future ship date requests start new threads so they don't get lost.

Russ

When on any of the forum category pages such as "S&W Revolvers 1961 to 1980" you'll see at the top and the bottom of the page a large orange button that says "New Thread". Click on it and you'll be starting a new thread in that category.

You won't see those buttons once you're in a particular thread such as "Dating the Model 36 chiefs special" . . . you need to back up one level higher to the category page.

Hope this helps . . . it's easier to do it than explain it

Russ

Just acquired a Model 36, given to me by brother in law, along with some other firearms. Trying to figure out a rough estimate of manufacture. Any help appreciated. Numbers only no letters: 606747, bottom of grips, behind cylinder- 1588 and looks like a K. Thanks in advance

My closest Model 36 s/n is 456962 which shipped in January 1967 so I'm going to estimate your 606747 shipped sometime in 1968. Hope others can get closer.

Russ

I have a Model 36, serial number 7J7461. can someone tell me when it was manufactured?

Thanks,

Hi.

How about BKD3481?

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Doubting groupthink since 1984

Hope this thread will help me out. Just picked up this gem the other day. Really happy with it. Been looking for a while for the right one. It has the original box with it as well.

Curious if anyone can get tell me when it was made. The serial number is J3195XX😉

Any help will be appreciated



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I'm having a difficult time dating a model 36.
Stamped MOD. 36 by the crane. SN on bottom of grip is 38J3XX. This supposedly was originally owned by former (68-84) Boston Mayor Keven White. I am the 3rd owner.

I'm not finding any listings of SNs that start with 38J

Thank You for any light you can shed on this.