I just added an older Model 39 to my collection marked "ILL. S. P. 1462" on the frame, which I venture to guess might be Illinois State Police. I may have overpaid a little ($460) but it was in pretty decent shape and Model 39's are getting scarce, and police marked guns always add a little interest to me. I was trying to date it, but the S&W book doesn't give great detail on dating older model 39's. The serial # is 860xx-would anyone be able to give a close date of manufacture for this one? Additionally, for those of you that shoot yours, do the Model 39's seem to like the older standard 124 grain bullets or the lighter ones? Many thanks in advance for any available info!

Ill. St. Police was the first state agency to adopt the M39 in 1968. Firearms and Training: Smith & Wesson M39-2 Congrads on a great piece of history.

I recently traded into a M39... NIB. SN: 660XX

My 39-2 SN: A2858XX (1976) is fine with 115 or 124 bullet weights.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

The Book states non-prefixed years went till serial #115000.
A115000 started in 1970, but The Book doesn't state anything before that, so maybe a call to customer service?
Nice pick up, might be on of the first to ISP.

1968ish would be my guess....

The ISP issued the first 39 in 1967 with most getting issued in 1968. Yours would have been in the first batch to come on board. If it's in very good condition and hasn't been refinished it might have never been issued. Every district HQ and the main range in Springfield had several extras on hand in case a Trooper's issued gun had problems and he needed a quick replacement. If it had been issued it would have shown wear.
The number 1462 was an inventory number, not a Trooper's ID number. State law back then required every piece of state equipment over a certain dollar amount to have an inventory number. Even if it had a serial number it still required an inventory number. Even squad cars had inventory numbers. The paperwork tracking who was issued that gun has long been destroyed.
Issued ammo varied over the years ranging from 125 gr to 95 gr with 115 gr Federal BP being the last duty ammo before going to the 439.
Below is my 39 which was issued in 1968. My inventory number is about 500 below yours.

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183rd FBINA

Great information guys...keep it coming! Ispcapt, my gun is in about the same condition as yours, and shoots my 115 grain hollowpoint reloads just fine-definitely a keeper! Sounds like I need to get a factory letter to go with it.

Our Springfield/Academy main range use to have an automatic reloader that would chug out 115 gr reloads for practice. That is when it was working. I don't recall what the powder charge was but it was a soft shooter. My 39 would shoot almost as good as a 52 but then it had been tuned. At 25 yds it would eat the X ring out of a target. The trigger is near perfect, smooth as can be DA and breaks clean and light SA. Just a great shooting gun. I've never fired our +P+ load thru mine because I hate to wear it out or break something.
If S&W would only come out again with something that has a grip with the feel and shoots like the 39.
I wish they wouldn't have destroyed all the inventory/issue records. We have a historical foundation now and would have been nice to be able to find that old info.

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183rd FBINA

S&W 39 859XX Feb-68
S&W 39 865XX Jan-68
Again - Jinks is the authority on SHIP date

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TOMBECK

My 39 has SN: 660XX NIB, everything still wrapped. Mags have a funny figure 8 follower. I don't know this history of this safe queen.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs