1st Year Guns

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DARE

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Have seen quite a bit about what constitutes a 1st year gun. My view is that if only a few were produced at the end of the year, then the next year is the first year.
I have six in my small collection that I consider to be 1st year guns.
.357 Magnum #47138, REG 657 shipped 12/24/1935. REG #1 shipped April 17, 1935 to J. Edgar Hoover
Model of 1955 .22/32 Airweight Kit Gun #6211 shipped July 8, 1955.
9mm Automatic #1313 Shipped November 22, 1955.
.357 Combat Magnum #K261590 shipped August 16, 1956. K260001 shipped January 5, 1956 to Bill Jordan.
.44 Magnum #S163063 shipped December 14, 1956. S147220 shipped January 26, 1956 to Elmer Keith.
Model 53 .22 Centerfire Magnum #K441135 shipped May 21, 1961.

On the model of 1955 there were a few that shipped beginning November 1954.
On the 9mm Automatic #1001 shipped 11/15/1954. #1002 shipped 1/31/1955.
On the .357 Combat Magnum I think a couple might have shipped late in 1955.
Same with the .44 Magnum, think a couple might have shipped late in 1955

IMG_20250706_130909559.jpg
 
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.357 Magnum #47138 REG 657 shipped December 24, 1935 to Potchernick's in San Antonio, Texas. Attributed to Texas lawman James C. (Doc) White. Doc was a Texas Ranger, Austin Mounted Policeman, Mounted Customs Agent, Army Intelligence Officer in WWI, Prohibition Agent and FBI Special Agent.

Model of 1955 .22/32 Airweight Kit Gun #6211 shipped July 8, 1955 to Frankfurth Hardware Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

9mm Automatic Pistol #1313 shipped November 22, 1955 to Charles Greenblatt, New York City.

.357 Combat Magnum #K261590 shipped August 16, 1956 to Huey & Philp Company, Dallas, Texas.

.44 Magnum #S153063 shipped December 14, 1956 to Edward K. Tryon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Model 53, .22 Centerfire Magnum #K441135 shipped May 21, 1961 to Nash Hardware Company, Ft. Worth, Texas.

IMG_20250706_131155403.jpgIMG_20250706_131228566.jpgIMG_20250706_131316869.jpgIMG_20250706_131421254_HDR.jpgIMG_20250706_131509276.jpgIMG_20250706_131535727.jpg
 
As as as "first year", do you think that only pre-models or models introduced with a model number should count? I think that would be the understood first year. So a first year Model 19, for example, is not a first year Combat Magnum, etc.
 
SCSW 4th Edition says model number stamping in the yoke cut was ordered June 12, 1957. The model number stamping was not observed on shipped guns for many months while those unstamped and in production were completed. My understanding is that the first model marked guns shipped in 1958.
So if a Combat Magnum shipped in 1956 I would say that is a 1st year Combat Magnum.
If a Model 19 shipped in 1958 I would say that is a 1st year Model 19.
 
Very nice collection,
Now you have me pondering how many first year or early production models I might have.
Imo where it gets interesting is when a new model is introduced and a certain feature is changed so that it is only found on guns made in a certain early time frame.
Off the top of my head a few examples might be:
K22 OD from 1931 had a gold bead fs and 1 screw rear sight that changed about a year later.
Only approximately 700 early production four inch 44 Magnums have a 5 screw frame and 6 groove tangs.
While sadly no 5 screw Combat Magnums exist the first approximately 1700 that shipped from Jan to July 1956 have the older style 6 groove tangs.
Early post war one liner K22's with LERK.
Early Chiefs special with half penny fs blade.
Early 586/686 with large right side TM.
Early pre Model 39's with short beavertail short safety lever and left stock not relief cut for the safety.
Early production Model 59 with relieved frame for safety lever and smooth tangs. Etc.
 
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To the best of my knowledge the only first year gun I own is my S&W M940. I was carrying an issued Beretta 92F at the time and my backup was a S&W M649, but the thought of eliminating one caliber of ammo from my patrol car made a lot of sense to me (down to 9mm, 5.56mm, & 12 ga in the ‘troller only).
 
I have a couple of oddballs. The serial numbers are much earlier than the ship dates. For example, I have a model 57 with a second year ship date, but the serial number is considerably earlier than most known examples of first year. I think it's because it's nickel, so they may have made the frame and let them sit there for a year until the other parts could be finished. I'm not sure if the serial number or the ship date should be the determining factor.
 
S&W is famous for not shipping in serial number order. On the 44 Magnums I have seen guns very close in number that shipped a year apart. Have seen guns thousands of numbers apart that shipped the same day.
 
Dave, after seeing your collection of first year Smith and Wessons, and the history of each of them, it certainly pinpoints how long into production yours fall. I'm embarrassed to even post my first year Smiths. I can only think of two, for certain. Model 53 #K439640 and 22/32 Kit Gun model of 1953 #489, I doubt that any celebrity was instrumental in the development and therefore no first issue of my two models. Some day, when I am wealthy, I may request letters for many of the Smith and Wessons in my meager collection.
 
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Steve, please post your guns. Your Model 53 is earlier than mine and the Kit Gun is very early. I would enjoy seeing them and I'll bet the others would as well.

The rest of you also. Let's see those 1st year guns.
 
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DARE said:
S&W is famous for not shipping in serial number order. On the 44 Magnums I have seen guns very close in number that shipped a year apart. Have seen guns thousands of numbers apart that shipped the same day.
Click to expand...
Or you could have a 5-screw 44 Magnum that finally shipped out to a paying customer in 1961 after being with one or more advertising accounts since manufacture. Sort of the reverse of DARE’s fabulous collection.

IMG_2533.jpeg

I also have at least one first year gun but am on vacation and don’t have my register available.
 
OK, here I go... First year 44 magnum with slide button pebble case, shipped July 3, 1956:

First Year 44 Mag.jpg
First year Combat Magnums, shipped June 1956 and August 1956:

First Year Combat Magnum a.jpg


First Year Combat Magnum b.jpg

First year Model 53 .22 Jets - waiting on letters but both are in the 1961 range: 440,0xx and 440, 6xx:

First Year Model 53 a.jpg

First Year Model 53 b.jpg

3 first Year Model 57's, shipped April, May and October 64:

IMG_8324.jpg
First Year 57 b.jpg

First Year Model 57 a.jpg

First year, low serial number model of 1955 .45, shipped July 1955

First Year Model of 1955 .45.jpg

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

Here's another one, not sure if this counts - nickel Model 57 shipped in 1965 but serial number is much earlier at 230,4XX. I'm not sure exactly when the first nickel 57's shipped but most likely 1964.

Nickel 37 mag.jpg

I also have several early model number guns, 19's and 29's but it would take some research to see if they are first year Model numbers. I'm not convinced all model number stamps really started in 1957 based on what I have in my collection, but I'm probably wrong about this.

Chris
 
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