Would a serial number less than K 655,877 qualify as 50 years or older and qualify as a C&R? Want to buy a Model 14 from Gunbroker to ship to California. Thanks for your help.

IIRC a S&W handguns DOB is established by the date it shipped from the factory ,
Problem is S&W revolvers did not ship from the factory in numerical order.

IMO with that serial range you are cutting it close so would be best to confirm the ship date prior to committing.

Thanks. That seems like good advice. I'm not sure who checks to make sure it really is 50 years old. Once my FFL says it's ok, it probably is. Still, to be safe... I think most 14-1's look like they would be ok. I just used the higher serial numbers. I could go as low as K555,000. Clearly this is a work in progress.

The 50 year counter begins on the date of manufacture, not the shipping date.

There is a published list that approximates the manufacture date.

Nobody checks these dates other then the shipping FFL and the receiving FFL so that both parties agree they are in compliance.

There is one requirement, the firearm must be in ORIGINAL condition. In other words the frame could not have been used 20 years ago to build a PPC gun or a caliber conversion or something along those lines. The 50 year clock would re-start when the conversion was done.

All of this is in the publications that ATF sends out and is on the FAQ page of their website.

"The 50 year counter begins on the date of manufacture, not the shipping date."

Since the shipping date is available via a factory letter from Roy Jinks, BATF-E accepts that as the age of the firearm.

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I did see that on the ATF site about the "original" condition. I'm probably over thinking this. However, it's hard not to be a little paranoid. I think you're right. Once the out of state FFL sends it and my FFL says it's in compliance it's probably a done deal. Other than the C&R Exemption the only other one is the Single Action Exemption and I don't want SA only. Not sure how I'd get the Roy Jinks letter prior to buying. so that's probably not an option.

Although your thread header says "Model 14" The serial you posted is in the 14-2 revision range,
If the gun your looking at is actually a 14-1 its more likely around 1962 IIRC.

If your saying its K-555000 your probably in 1964..

Im not aware of any S&W manufacture date by serial list mentioned above and use ship dates on my C&R license to be safe.

As I understand it, there is no single shot exemption in California any longer. That "loophole" was closed. The last date a SSE firearm could be received in CA and still get in was right around Christmas.

If you have a copy of the SCSW 3rd edition, the serial number charts start on page 395. These charts/tables approximate the manufacture dates of the firearms.

The serial chart in the SCSW is an approximation and I have found many examples where it was off by several years,
Personally I prefer to error on the side of safety when dealing with the ATF and recommend to others to do the same rather than risk legal trouble ...
All just my opinion. ; )

Correct about the SSE single shot exemption. That stopped this year. I was talking about the SAE single action exemption that is still ok. Hard to keep them all straight. Looks like I should forget about trying to use the serial numbers and just look at 14-1's. Great forum. Thanks for all the help.

Did they change the law? When I lived in Cal. a C&R wasn't good for handguns.

Seems pretty clear. Firearms 50 years from current date but not replicas. For us older members it's hard to believe that the handguns we owned in 1964 are Curios & Relics. Just like us.

Just took a look at the current law now I understand what you are up to. My mistake for not staying up on the current rules.

Not a problem. I'm figuring it out as I go. The safe gun roster makes it a little more difficult but not impossible. Thanks again for all the thoughtful responses.

K605,878 – K658.986....1965 (manufacture), so it's not safe to consider it a C&R until around the end of 2015.

Thanks. Consensus seems to be around K 555,000 or just look at 14-1's.

My FFL has used the S&W serial lists a few times in the past.
Not a real big deal if your FFL is ok with it. CA DOJ could be
a stickler but there knowledge is so limited on a variety of
fronts--- as long as your serial is ONE year plus to be safe I don't
think it's an issue. I've never heard of DOJ questioning the 50
year thing but I don't get out much! Pete

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I have several in the K55xxxx range listed, all of which shipped in early 1964.

I agree. Once my FFL transfers it with whatever shipping date we use, I think it's a done deal. My K-38 (1953) was purchased here in Ca so I didn't need to use the C&R exemption. To be honest, the hardest part is getting the out of state FFL to send it.