1st Year Guns

[glowe]

I have to say that a first year gun is just that, nothing more. If only a half-dozen guns were first made in a particular year, that is the first year the next year is not. If only a few are made making them tough to find, you cannot dismiss the fact there is only one year that is the first year. I have a few guns that were shipped the first year of production, but never thought they were special. A couple that come to mind are a Model 1899 #776 that shipped June, 1899 and what I believe is a first year K22 Outdoorsman's revolver, #637506 that shipped July, 1931.The K22 could be controversial since Roy states the revolver started manufacture in 1930, but no guns have been found with a 1930 ship date. I have located K22s with a lower serial number than the start date in the book that all shipped in January, 1931. In addition, it has been stated that the factory made gold bead sights the first year of production.

 

[DARE]

I agree that a 1st year gun is not a big deal. I do think that in some instances it might increase the value or desirability for some buyers.
I understand that not all have the same idea about what constitutes a first year gun.
That's what makes a horse race. A difference of opinion.

 

[Engine49guy]

I used to buy into the "First year" thing but its not that simple IMO.
This is compounded by what appears to be that the factory in several instances produced a smallish batch of a new model at the end of the calander year with only a handful leaving prior to the Christmas new years holiday shutdown either being shipped or walked out and hand delivered to VIP's.
Good examples of this are if only one pre war K22 Od left the factory in Dec 1930 does that mean its the only "First year" gun?
Same situation with the post war K22, and the Combat Magnum where one snuck out before the holiday shut down while others that were half built or completed and placed in the vault stayed in the factory unrltil after the factory reopend in January.

Another example is with the four inch 44 Magnums where as usual guns were not built in numerical order and were completed then stacked in the factory vault then shipped by what was easy to grab leaving ones that were completed earlier and sometimes with much lower serial numbers shipping months later.
The lower serial number vs earlier ship date debates are mostly just bragging rights stuff,
IMO its early unique feature only found in early production that catch my interest like the K22 OD gold bead fs, the 5 screw frame on four inch 44 Magnums, the 6 groove tangs on early Combat Magnums, the early Model 64 tapered 4" barrel or even the stainless rear sites of the earlier Model 66 and 67 although those lasted a few years or something as simple as the large right side TM only found on the early Model 586/686 and 581/681.

 

[Gun Relics]

I am always on the lookout for 1st year Model 57's for a couple of reasons, the rarity, the case and the stocks (cokes). Many of us look for first year 44 Magnums, thus the price differential between 5 screw and 4 screw versions. And DARE pointed out first year Combat Magnums, which add a pretty good premium over Model 19's. I think, in the long run, first year are a pretty good bet to own.

 

[TheTinMan]

OK I’ve been visiting my first granddaughter for the past week and didn’t have access to my register or SCS&W book. Here are my first year offerings:

Registered Magnum #302 shipped 8/6/1935


Model 29-1 shipped 9/11/62


I don’t think my January 1932 K-22 Outdoorsman qualifies although SCS&W says “1931: a small quantity shipped to the US Army for the 1932 Olympics”. Mine has the early single screw rear sight.

44 Magnum shipped July 1956, possibly making it the second 4” barreled 44 Magnum to leave Springfield


Model 25-10 45 Hand Ejector of 2001 (only 150 made)

It’s kinda ugly and the factory grips are too thin, but it is wonderful to shoot.

 

[DARE]

Very nice, Chip. Thanks for showing them to us.

 

[Engine49guy]

On the subject of first year guns and after seeing the early four inch 44 Magnums posted above am interested about the earliest four inch .44 Magnums,
Just breezed The 44 Magnum book by Bill Cross and Roy Jinks and noticed that the invoice for the Tampa mid winter matches display shipped five 6.5" and one four inch 44 Magnum serial S130884 shipped March 22 1956, Im guessing it was the first one shipped if the one pictured above was the 2nd and shipped July 56 , this has me wondering how low the serial number is on the second if its an S130 or S150 prefix ?
Reportedly only around 200 four inchers shipped in 1956 but not in any serial number order, one 4" pictured in the book is serial S153810 shipped Nov 8 1956.
Wondering if the lions share of 4"ers shipped in December 1956 before the holiday shutdown?

I enjoy comparing the Combat Magnum as IMO its the little brother to the four inch 44 magnum , those began trickling out a little earlier also in 1956 but as a 4 screw frame and only as a 4" initially and in much higher numbers, am guessing the Combat Magnum might have had priority over the big four inch 44 Magnum or perhaps had generated more interest especially in the LEO market.

 

[DARE]

Have seen Doc44 talk about this I think. IIRC he said most of the 4-inch guns shipped November and December.

 

[SS336]

First Month of Transitional Outdoorsman .38/44 - not sure if this counts, but first month of transitional after WWII, shipped August 1946.

Beautiful collection.
But that one got my attention. My birthday, month and year.

 

[Gun Relics]

Here are some more I dug up - some kind of skirting the definition:

Actual Model 28 Highway Patrolman shipped August, 1958 and actual Model 19 shipped September, 1958 - first years of model number stamp:



Model 57 6" nickel shipped January 1965 with original first year case - I'm sure they are out there but it's hard to find an earlier Model 57 nickel.



Perhaps I'm cheating on these but they are both rare and were produced for such a short time, I'm not quite sure what would be considered first year. Model 27-1 Shipped December 1962 with a 1961 range serial number. Model 17-1 shipped 1963 but in the 1960 serial number range. This claim would be questionable but I thought I would throw them in.




I may have a couple more, but between my previous post and this one, these are the more interesting ones.

I would like to find a first year Model 58 .41 magnum. I have a couple but I haven't been able to locate the earliest serial numbers. I am also always on the hunt for first year named model guns like Highway Patrolman, Masterpieces, etc.

 

[Retired W4]

My first year guns include a 44 Magnum, June 18, 1956 (top) and a Highway Patrolman, June 9, 1954. I guess a first year after WW Ii might count, SV commercial, March 7, 1946.

 

[jcelect]

I'm confused! Is a "first year gun" a gun that was shipped on any month of the year of introduction or a month in a period which ran from one year to the same month of the next year? The answer could mean a very large difference of first year guns in any particular model!

 

[4BODIDDLEY]

I don't have many first year. One caught my interest in the post was the model 53, ser K441XXX, shipped in May. I have ser K4137XX in the original box. I do not have a ship date for mine. If 441 shipped in May, logically 413 would have shipped much earlier. Logic may not apply!

 

[DARE]

There is a difference of opinion on what constitutes a 1st year gun. I think if only a few were shipped at the end of the year then the next year should be the first year. For instance, on the 44 Magnum I think one or two were shipped in December 1955. I consider a 1956 shipping date to be a 1st year gun.
The Model 1 I have heard that four shipped in 1857. I would consider 1858 the first year.
Others think if any guns shipped at the end of a year it is the first year.
Have also heard people use the term 1st year of production. That would be 12 months from when the 1st gun shipped.

Smith & Wesson did not ship in serial number order. Your Model 53 with a number nearly 30,000 numbers lower than mine almost certainly shipped first. I have seen guns with very close numbers that shipped a year apart. Have seen guns several thousand apart that shipped the same day. They say with S&W you just never know.

 

[TheTinMan]

There is a difference of opinion on what constitutes a 1st year gun. I think if only a few were shipped at the end of the year then the next year should be the first year. For instance, on the 44 Magnum I think one or two were shipped in December 1955. I consider a 1956 shipping date to be a 1st year gun.
The Model 1 I have heard that four shipped in 1857. I would consider 1858 the first year.
Others think if any guns shipped at the end of a year it is the first year.
Have also heard people use the term 1st year of production. That would be 12 months from when the 1st gun shipped.

Smith & Wesson did not ship in serial number order. Your Model 53 with a number nearly 30,000 numbers lower than mine almost certainly shipped first. I have seen guns with very close numbers that shipped a year apart. Have seen guns several thousand apart that shipped the same day. They say with S&W you just never know.

Following your sound logic, this K-22 Outdoorsman that shipped in January of 1932 is a “first year gun”. It does have the single screw rear sight of the earliest version.




It’s my understanding that the only K-22s shipped in 1931 went to the US Army for the 1932 Olympics. Please correct me if that is incorrect.

 

[Hondo44]

Technically the “first year of production” means guns made in the calendar year (not any 12 month period) that the first example of that model was completed, (and not when the gun was shipped).

The problem is that few guns are able to be confirmed by year except when the Forman’s production records still exist which is seldom the case!
Therefore “first year of shipment” is really more appropriate. Because that can be confirmed.

As we know guns were clearly not produced in serial number order.

Therefore in the opinion of most collectors there’s little value in “first year status” UNLESS:
We consider engineering changes, one example being screw count to establish production year vintage, and that can still be iffy.

And like the K22 above another instance is the 44 triple lock hand ejector. 99.999% of those have 5 screws. But if you find a 4 screw (no screw in the front of the trigger guard), you can be sure you have a first year or first week or day production gun!

 

[USBP SW]

Dave, as you requested, these are the Model 53 and Model of 1953 kit gun. The kit gun is ser. #489, I believe that the previous owner of the Model 53 sent it back to Smith and Wesson for upgrades because it now sports, target hammer, target trigger, red insert front sight, white outline rear sight and rosewood target grips.

 

[DARE]

Thanks Steve, very nice. I think those deserve letters. Is it possible the Model 53 was ordered with the upgrades?

 

[Hondo44]

The Kit Guns all came with the target hammer standard. If the gun was sent back to the factory for addition of the target trigger and front sight insert there is a rework date stamped on the left side of the grip frame near the front corner, and a star stamped after the serial number on the gun butt.

For example if it was done in January 1957, it would be stamped 1.57 on the grip frame.

 

[DARE]

Jim, Steve was talking about upgrades to the Model 53, not the Kit Gun.