Originally Posted by PALADIN85020

Roy Jinks, the official S&W historian, has access to the company records, which can provide the definitive answer you seek. Only a "factory letter" from him can provide you with an exact date of shipment.

As an alternative, you can become a member of the S&W Collectors Association, and have access to the special section of this forum which is for members only. Then you can simply request a month and year of shipment from Roy and he can give that to you by way of reply.

It's worth noting that the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson," now in its 4th edition, has some data on MOST S&W firearms that give general ranges of serial numbers by year. These are only ballpark - as noted, S&W hardly ever ships in consecutive serial number order. However, with the earlier Centennials, a more definitive listing is not available, and the serial number range in which your gun falls is addressed only by the broad range I quoted.

John