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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 05-13-2010, 11:59 AM
artcp391 artcp391 is offline
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Default 640 Centennial

I have an older 640 Centennial, serial no. CEN1976; does
anyone know its date of manufacture?
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Old 05-13-2010, 12:42 PM
P&R Fan P&R Fan is offline
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The catalog puts it's birth sometime in 2000.
Welcome to the forum from Iowa.
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Old 05-13-2010, 01:37 PM
PMRet PMRet is offline
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The very first run of 640's had a serial number prefix of CEN. They were also marked "Tested for +P+" on the frame inside the cylinder window. Here's mine.
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File Type: jpg 640andLobo2.jpg (93.3 KB, 149 views)
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Old 05-13-2010, 05:57 PM
artcp391 artcp391 is offline
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Thanks for the reply but I was wondering what catalog
you were referencing since I bought this gun in the Early
90s.
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Old 05-13-2010, 06:44 PM
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I was referencing the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson by Supica and Nahas, 3rd edition. Most of us on here refer to it in response to questions like yours. You can find it online I'm sure, but I have seen it at most of the major book stores for somewhere in the neighborhood of $40. It is a wealth of information on anything S@W and I highly recommend it.
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Old 05-13-2010, 08:37 PM
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P@R Fan,

I just have to ask. The @ symbol means "at", not "and". The &, ampersand, means "and", as in Smith & Wesson. Why do you do this?
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Old 05-13-2010, 10:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by artcp391 View Post
Thanks for the reply but I was wondering what catalog
you were referencing since I bought this gun in the Early
90s.
Your gun was most likely made in 1989 or 1990. While the serial numbering system of 3 letters followed by 4 numbers (AAA1234, etc.) in the "All Other Revolver Models" section on page 400 of the SCSW would ordinarily indicate a date of 2000, the early 640's were an exception to the rule. According to the book, the original 640's in .38 Special were produced from 1989 - 1996. On page 263, in the paragraph entitled "Model 640: .38 Centennial Stainless", the final sentence reads "Early production guns reported with serial numbers prefixed CEN." As stated previously, these early guns were also marked "Tested For +P+" on the frame in the cylinder window.
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Old 05-13-2010, 10:36 PM
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I purchased my 640 CEN11xx in April 1990, so your info must be correct PMRet. Thanks
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Old 05-14-2010, 10:56 AM
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I contacted S&W and
they said the gun was manufactured in Feb. 1990.
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640, centennial, scsw, smith and wesson, supica

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