i have a model 39-2 and was wondering when it was made , and price and availability for oem mags. six-digit serial number preceded with an "A"

A year of manufacture can be had. What is the number?

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Bill

Hello New Guy and welcome. Post the Sn. We can get you close to a ship
date, not a mfg. date. Mag prices are all over the place. Read some of the
Threads on mags. Stay with OEM mags. Mike

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Welcome! Actually it is the manufacture date that can be estimated; the sales or ship date (the gun’s official factory birthdate) takes a letter of authenticity from the SWHF, as they were not shipped in numerical order.

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Alan
SWCA 2023, SWHF 220

Welcome to the Forum from Virginia.

Like already posted your Model 39-2 can have the manufacture date estimated by knowing the complete serial number after the A prefix.

The A prefix serial numbers run from A115001 (1970) to A875000 (1984). The last Model 39-2 was shipped on February 15, 1983 and was serial number A747148, so there is your "range" (1970 to 1983.

SCSW 4th Edition does break down the serial numbers into year(s) so again...if you want to share your serial number, we can pin it down to at least a year made.

Mine is pictured below and was made sometime in 1977, as the 1977 serial numbers started with A385001, and 1978 s/n started with A475001. This info all comes from SCSW 4th, a very good reference book if you are planning more delving into S&W firearms.

Like posted above, if you need to look for spare mags, pursue only the factory originals, they are pricey these days, but aftermarket mags just don't seem to work reliably in the 39-2.

Enjoy yours and let us know if we can assist you further with dating your gun.

Attached Images

	Mod 39-2 left side.jpg (61.0 KB, 26 views)
	Mod 39-2 right side.jpg (65.3 KB, 24 views)
	Mod 39-2 box.jpg (90.2 KB, 19 views)
	Mod 39-2 box label.jpg (83.0 KB, 31 views)
	Mod 39-2 Box contents.jpg (90.7 KB, 25 views)

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

I thought the 39-2 frames were made and numbered in serial number blocks. Then assembled as needed. I consider the ship date as the date it was born, left the factory.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Yes, you can get an approximate DOM. Post the first 3 digits of the SN.

A680840 is the SN , bought it years ago and think it's beautiful. shoots very nicely as well !!! i've only recently watched a couple videos that sing the praises of the model-39's. i see the after-market mags dont do well...good to know !

Hello Tom, Im staying out of the mfg. or ship date. Did the mags that came with the gun have black plastic followers and the base plate is 1.5" long
and stamped S&W?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

A680840 is the SN , bought it years ago and think it's beautiful. shoots very nicely as well !!! i've only recently watched a couple videos that sing the praises of the model-39's. i see the after-market mags dont do well...good to know !

the mag is all-steel and has S&W stamped on bottom :-)

Tom, did not answer my question. is the follower stamped steel that looks like an X? Is the base plate 1.5" long. I assume the mag body and base are metal.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

rangertom;

s/n A680840 is most likely 1981 per SCSW 4th which lists 1981 as A655001 to A745000. That is as close as we can get without a Letter of Authenticity which would actually pin down the date of shipment to the first "buyer" (which could be, probably was, a Distributor or Dealer and not a specific person by the 1980's).

I do understand why collectors are reluctant to talk about "date of manufacture" because that serial number is most likely the date the frame was stamped, not necessarily the date a gun was finally assembled and finished, and for sure not the date the gun was test fired, packaged (boxed) and actually shipped to a buyer.

This is why most of us on this Forum go with proven ship date as the "birth date" of firearms made by S & W. If you are a Member of SWCA, you can send for a LOA ($100) or ask under the sub-forum "questions for Roy Jinks" Dr. Roy Jinks is THE Smith & Wesson Historian and has access to original factory records.

If you go either of these routes, please read the sticky rules about each and follow the steps to get your information.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

Thanks Charlie B. perfectly put.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

it's kinda like an x i suppose, made of black plastic and has two holes through the plastic....one towards each end of the follower :-)

Hello Tom, you have the correct mag for your 39-2.
They were provided after Sn. A200,000.
Enjoy a nice gun and shoot it.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

thank you sir ! :-)

If I read correctly my 39-2 with a serial # starting with a-1295..would be early 1970's

jb, you are close. I have A120..., as3-70 and A121..., as 5-70.
And A143..., as 7-71.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member